I'm a happy, happy boy

[adouglas]

I picked up my bike last weekend and rode it to work four days out of five. Yesterday I took my first long ride.

I'll be taking a road trip later this month out to Indy from CT as discussed in other threads, and needed to find out for sure if this stiff knee I've got can tolerate a full day in the saddle.

So yesterday I pointed the bike north and rode. Got up to Ludlow, VT, some 200 miles away from home. 425 total for the day. It was a wonderfully analog experience...no computers, no radio, no electronics other than the bike's ignition. It felt sooo good to unplug for a few hours.

The bike is great for me. Perfect size, fast enough and with enough power to entertain me especially if I keep it on song. I'm even one of those fortunate individuals who doesn't find the seat particularly uncomfortable.. it's miles better than the one on the EX500 I used to ride.

Looks like I'll be able to do my tour, but I'm going to have to pull over for a sec every 30 miles or so to stretch the knee. Inconvenient and painful, but doable.



For those of you in the Northeast who have never experienced VT Route 100 you owe it to yourself. Great road, especially up in the middle of the state. This is the bridge over the West River just south of Jamaica.



Darned self-timer...I can't run, so this is as far as I got before the pic snapped. This (and a couple like it) are the only photos I have of me with the bike.

[Strider]

Awesome! Congrats and cool pics
Keep that knee in shape! You don't want to miss out on touring!

I love the feeling of freedom that comes with motorcycling ... you know what I mean by that I'm sure

[Sound Wave]

lol at the last pic.

so what is wrong with your knee?

[adouglas]

I've got a folding cane tucked under the windshield in case I need it.

I feel like such an old fart.... and I'm only 50.

Although the cane DOES give me the right to call younger people "whippersnapper" and gives me leave to yell at them to get off my lawn.

[Strider]

Originally Posted by adouglas

I've got a folding cane tucked under the windshield in case I need it.

I feel like such an old fart.... and I'm only 50.

Although the cane DOES give me the right to call younger people "whippersnapper" and gives me leave to yell at them to get off my lawn.

As long as you don't use "dagnabit" on a regular basis, your not an old fart yet

[kkim]

Originally Posted by adouglas

I've got a folding cane tucked under the windshield in case I need it.

I feel like such an old fart.... and I'm only 50.

Although the cane DOES give me the right to call younger people "whippersnapper" and gives me leave to yell at them to get off my lawn.

bah... don't get so uppity, sonny. you're a young one on this forum.

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=9937

[rockNroll]

Originally Posted by adouglas

Although the cane DOES give me the right to call younger people "whippersnapper" and gives me leave to yell at them to get off my lawn.

Does ya make a whistlin noise when ya say whippersnapper?

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by Sound Wave

lol at the last pic.

so what is wrong with your knee?

Heck if I know. Doc says I've got about an ounce of fluid in there from inflammation. Extreme stiffness and I can't put a lot of weight on it. I damaged it somehow but darned if I know how.

Initial course is to get the inflammation down. I'm taking vast amounts of ibuprofen, but it's just not getting any better. Going back for a follow-up this week.

The funny thing is, people say "you're riding a motorcycle with a bad knee?"

Well, geez, people... I'm not PEDALING it or anything!

[istreefitty]

When I saw you were in VT I thought immediatly of Super Troopers!!! Great pics though and dont bite oof mor than you cna chew with that knee. Knee injuries suck (or so my grand father told me in between his rants about WW2) lol

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by istreefitty

(or so my grand father told me in between his rants about WW2)

Danged kids!

Lissen, sonny, when I was your age we didn't HAVE knees. We just lurched around like Frankenstein's monster! We had to INVENT 'em!

Grumble, grumble...Where's my Mylanta, dammit!???

May this never happen to any of you. Chronic pain is EXHAUSTING.

[noche_caliente]

Originally Posted by adouglas

Heck if I know. Doc says I've got about an ounce of fluid in there from inflammation. Extreme stiffness and I can't put a lot of weight on it. I damaged it somehow but darned if I know how.

Initial course is to get the inflammation down. I'm taking vast amounts of ibuprofen, but it's just not getting any better. Going back for a follow-up this week.

The funny thing is, people say "you're riding a motorcycle with a bad knee?"

Well, geez, people... I'm not PEDALING it or anything!

It just proves how little they know about riding Once we're on, we don't need our knees for much! I'm awaiting a double-knee replacement and have a handicapped plate on mine - every 6 months I get injections to replace the synovial fluid - it's the same exact process as getting them drained except they depress the plunger instead of pulling it- *shrug* it works, but isn't the most fun in the world!

[ARF07]

hey man congrats on the bike, hope the knee feels better

[adouglas]

I just thought of a way to turn my gimpiness into an advantage.

I'm asking people to start calling me Keyser Söze.

[emt250]

Originally Posted by adouglas

I just thought of a way to turn my gimpiness into an advantage.

I'm asking people to start calling me Keyser Söze.

and like that, poof, hes gone.