Ah, the first grass cutting of the year.

It’s usually a special time, getting the mower ready, always finding something wrong, taking the time to fix said issue, then getting it done.

Yesterday was that day.

Surprisingly enough, the mower was good to go, no flat tires to plug, the gas stabilizer did it’s job and what not, it started first crank.

2 and half hours or romping around on the mower and the grass is mowed. The kids did a great job picking up all the sticks and branches that had fallen. We now have a half a dozen good size piles.

The mower of course needs new blades as it does every year but we typically wait until after a few cuts cause you never know what you’re going to run into or over.

IMG 2861

IMG 2862

Maria spent most of the evening riding her scooter.

IMG 2860

Even after she crashed and burned this weekend, it hasn’t slowed her down a bit.

A good way to start the season.

Yesterday I took off early to meet some folks from the FJR Forum.

I got up at 0 dark-thirty and took off to meet up with Nate and Mike. Nate was riding in from West of Indianapolis, and Mike from Louisville. Our meeting point was exit 112 on I-70. I got there promptly at 9am, which was a task given all the fog.

Ohioride002

The three of us then rolled on over to exit 202 I think, to meet the rest of the gang at a little po-dunk gas station.

Ohioride004

We rolled away from there around 10am, and ran route 800, 255 (which was horrible from a gravel stand point), 26, and a few other numbers.

We stopped and took a little break then picked up a tag-a-long VStrom which made us a pack of 8.

Ohioride009

The roads were all good except for the one that was 25 miles of gravel, sand and cinders. It was pretty amazing that no-one went down considering the conditions.

435147480 ffcba3e920 o

We rode a good few hours and ended up in Marietta for lunch at a Ryan’s steak house. It wasn’t my pick, and surprisingly everything was pretty good. Good time, good riding, good company. That’s what it’s all about.

Ohioride017

After lunch we headed back to where we started. Another good hour and a half of riding through more twisties up 26. We stopped that the gas station, and said our goodbyes.

Mike, Nate and I headed back towards home. We arrived together, we might as well leave together since we’re all headed the same direction. Things were fine until we started to get on I-70. The entrance ramp there is a bit funky. You cross over the highway, turn left on a side street, then an immediate left onto the ramp. Mike almost over shot the ramp, turned left quickly and then *boom* down he went. The exit ramp was covered with gravel and sand.

He went down hard and fast, then slid a good 25~30 feet off the side of the road into a ditch.

Nate and I stopped and helped him pick up the bike. Mike was fine because he was AGAT (All the Gear All the Time). His jacket and pants saved him from any road rash and his helmet kept him from busting his head wide open. He went down pretty hard and bounced right back up none the worse for wear.

His bike though didn’t do so well.

Ohioride025

Ohioride021

Damage included pretty much everything on the left side, upper and lower fairings, his highway peg was trashed, as were his aux lighting on the left as well. Left side exhaust was scraped up, and he even got the left side of the top case.

Again, Mike was fine, because he was covered. His bike mechanically was Ok too. He rode it home to Louisville. Nate and I followed him to make sure he and the bike were OK.

Outside of Mike’s episode, it was a great day. I put down almost 700 miles and Mike and Nate did almost a 1000.

 

The Cincinnati Enquirer just sucks.

Check this headline: Carroll out of jail for new trial.

Anyone familiar with the Liz Carroll case is going to think “What the…” I can’t believe she’s getting a new trial!

So you click on the link and learn she’s been moved from her regular jail to the Justice Center in Hamilton County.

Pardon me, but getting moved from one ‘Jail’ to another ‘Jail’ doesn’t constitute ‘being out of jail, which is how that reads’.

I’m really glad I don’t pay for the enquirer, they are getting worse every day. On the other hand I do read it for free and I guess I got what I paid for.

Sheesh.

Tire Changing, what fun

OK so yesterday I pulled the wheels from the FJR and tossed them in the back of the Excursion.

Today we broke in the new No-Mar Tire changer.

Dad had already unpacked it an put it together by the time I go there. We have it temporarily mounted to a 3/4 sheet of plywood and that worked out pretty well.

If we ever figure out a permanent home for it we’ll permanently mount it 😉

We started with the rear tire and took our time. I brought my laptop so we could watch the DVD as many times as needed.

DSC 7094

And we needed too…

This tire changing thing is an art, that’s for sure, there are tricks and stuff to getting it just right.

We struggled quite a bit with the rear. Mostly because (a) we didn’t use enough lube, and (b) the FJR’s rear rim is very shallow. But none the less we did get it off without breaking any knuckles nor a single cuss word was uttered. That’s a good thing.

The front came off and went on very very easily.

So far this no-mar thing is a good thing, today I saved between $50 and $100 by mounting my own tires. It won’t take too many times to cover this cost of the machine 🙂

DSC 7092

Time for tires…

I ordered up a set of Avon Storms to replace the original Metzler Z6’s about a month ago, but the weather has been too poopy to get out there and get anything done.

I did get the bike out Friday and commuted to work, made a lunch run, and made it home.

I got 7857 miles out of these original tires, although you can certainly say I pushed that rear a little far. It wasn’t showing treads when I left work Friday and I almost went for a ride today. Good thing I didn’t.

Dad purchased a no-mar tire change for us since we tend to go through some tires and paying someone else to change them is getting old.

First order of business, remove the wheels from the bike. I put the FJR on the center stand then with the help of my daughter Maggie, I ‘rocked’ the center stand up on two 2×4’s to get more clearance.

DSC 7084

 

I then removed the rear tire first. Paying special attention to the ABS sensor. I found an old sock in the tool shed and put it in that to keep it covered and off of any other metal parts.

After removing the rear tire I pushed down on the bike and had her stick a 2×4 on top of the two stacked 4×4’s under the header to get the front off the ground.

DSC 7078

 

I needed to put the front ABS sensor in something and couldn’t find another sock so I used a plastic bag that I had laying around. That should work just as well.

Here are the stock Metz’s after 7857 miles.

DSC 7090

 

There’s still some life in the front, but I’m going to replace them both.

The back is SHOT… Ack!

DSC 7088

 

More fun tomorrow with the No-Mar as we figure out how to get that thing mounted to something… Dad was right we should have just bought the hitch mount thing and I may order that in the future.