Thursday, March 7, 2013

The Joy of Two Wheeled Travel

I can never say that the ride home from work in a cage is "fantastic".

But I sure can say that when riding Max!

Take this afternoon:

Temperature in the low 60's (F). Almost no wind. Sunny skies! I was almost overdressed, but I didn't care.

For much if the way home I followed this enormous black Lincoln Navigator. What a monster! Probably gets 10-15 mpg. I get 75 mpg. Dark tinted windows all around. Can't see in, probably can't see out either. What a shame. No feel for the smells in the air. No feel for the breeze. No feel for the little twisty as you gently swerve, just a bit, to avoid a small pothole. No feel for the road.

Nothing like riding on 2 wheels!

Nothing at all like it!

Did I say the ride home was fantastic?!

Ride On and Carpe Diem , my friends.

4 comments:

  1. I'm still waiting for some 60degF weather, but sure enjoyed it getting into the mid-40's today.

    I don't like those really dark tinted windows. I especially don't like them at four way stops when the dark tinted beast has the right of way but just sets there. When the driver finally flashes the headlights at me, I can only assume the driver was sitting there waving me to go totally clueless I couldn't see in. Oh well.

    I hope your next ride is even better.
    ~Keith

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    1. My other complaint about those huge vehicles is that you can't see around them. I actually sit fairly high on Max and can see over and around many sedans. Not those huge guys.

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  2. Jimbo/cpa3485:

    anything with flat sheet metal I call rolling "walls". I don't like to follow them as you can't see ahead, nor around them. This includes but not limited to; mini vans, navigators, F150's, etc. Many people don't need vehicles like this. Up here it is illegal to have heavily tinted front windows and windshields. It's okay for heavy tint on back and rear windows

    good you got to ride. I had to scrape my windshield again this morning. It will be warm later, but frost when I leave for work

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast

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    1. Part of my problem with vehicles like this is that many owners do not really understand how to properly drive them. They are big, with a long turning radius. They are susceptible to side winds and have little feel for the road because the power steering, windows, brakes insulate the driver from the road conditions.

      How many times do you see one parked in a parking lot at the grocery store and not within the lines of the parking spot because the driver can't seem to get it straight in between the lines.

      I don't even like riding inside them. It seems like you always look down on the minions in other smaller vehicles surrounding you.

      Most of all, I think they are dangerous and way bigger than most people really need. Dangerous because in a collision it's a scientific exercise in mass. The vehicle with the bigger mass will usually win. A collision between one of these and a motorcycle is no contest.

      Plus, how many times do you see one of these monsters and there is one person in them, no cargo loaded, just going to the grocery store. Nobody needs a 6,000 lb vehicle to go to the grocery store. It is a huge waste of resources, oil, gas, tires, everything. Just so some little dingbat soccermom or soccerdad can feel "safe" as they look down on the minions surrounding them.

      Between you and me? They ought to outlaw the things except for people and businesses that really truly need something that big.

      I'll shut up now.

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