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Worcester for ice cream and a taste of home

Visited Tri in Worcester to pick up some motorcycle boots off a guy on craigslist.  Afterwards we grabbed some lunch at my ol’ fave Wegmans!  I had to get one of their amazing subs, plus some chicken gyoza on the side (tots normal rite???).  By the checkout is a wall of cold beverages.  As I perused my eyes landed on something I grew up with, and only thought could be bought in New York:

We then went for ice cream at a place on the lake.  It was a little hot to be out in the sun, but the ice cream made up for some of it.  Tri, the Diva, didn’t want to be photographed eating so these were the only shots I got.

Lo-Riderz Shenanigans

Photos from hanging out at the shop with my Lo-Riderz family

 

NJMP 2013

Got to pop my NJMP cherry this weekend.  13 hours in the car for probably a total of two hours on the track, but I’d do it again.  Making the trip with my Lo-Riderz brothers made the drive go by a lot easier.  It took me a little while to get used to the bike again (after having not ridden it since the crash last year), plus learning a new track.  After lunch something seemed to click and I got my body position right, and picked up some speed.  A control rider found me in the garages after one of the sessions and gave me some tips to help me with turn eight (on Tony’s Track Day’s map, or nine depending on who you talk to), and some positive feedback which was a great compliment.

In true Lo-Riderz fashion our garages were the place to be.  Between the bromance, gonads jokes, and food, we had it made.  Rob cooked up some AMAZING meals for everyone, manning the grill in 90+ degree heat.  I don’t care who you are, no one eats better at the track than we do.

And now, onto the photos:

Ready to go

“What’s the retail on one of those things?”

Y? Y not?

First rest stop, and rendez vous point

Sako’s trailer is slightly cooler than mine…

Rob’s chariot

Always

The camera loves Rob!…but Rob does not love the camera…

Sam seems to like this pose

We all needed some coffee

And lunch

Jerry’s truck arrives

Long loves that wrap

Hitting the highway

Old Rolly on the way down

Last stop before the track

We made it!

Unloading

Time to relax

Chris and Dat had to get close because Dat’s shoes were too loud

Typical Sam

Chillin

Grill Master

Garages

View from the suites

VIP Suites

Guess we’ll just have to eat them before we turn in

Trailers

Lo-Riderz style segregation

Sako can’t be bothered, Candy Crushing like a G

Morning

Cool kids parking

Like I said, cool kids

Lo-Riderz garages

Hottest bike there baby! And by hot I mean theft recovery…

I don’t want to get made fun of for towing with my Accord anymore

Stretch!

Cool pace car

Helloooooo nurse!

GoPro

He loves the pictures

Riders meeting

The other camera whore

Old habits die hard

Breakfast of champions

“Where’d your shifter go?”

Stay cool

Vanna White ain’t got nothin’ on Jerry

“Forward fold, down into plank, back for down dog…”

Relaxing

Slo-Riderz fo’ life!

Official EZ Up of the Slo-Riderz

“You want some of this?”

Stay with the shade

Getting ready

You’d better work!

Dat and Evan

The boys heading out

Dat’s get off

Dat’s get off

Green track bike

This boy is always eating…

Where he lost the front

Long reps hard for the Slo-Riderz

Chef R1 himself

Lunch break

That was fast

And I thought my pink sprocket was cool…

I think these guys got weirded out when I took a pic of their bikes, so I’m not going to say anything cute or witty

Dat is a pro

Lo-Riderz style lunch

Sako loves the heat

Trying to stay cool

KC is all covered up….for once

Garages

Garages

Front straight

Parking

View from the tower

View from the tower

Who let the cool kids out?

These things haven’t seen the light of day in 18 years

Break while they clean up a crash

Phatty! Told you I’d get you to the track Chenhan, RIP

Rob was doing the head bob

Shenanigans

Evan doing his Ben Spies impression

Medevac

Very slo

No shame in my game, Slo-Riderz!

Sam

New friend Forest, but don’t tell him to run

Expensive flight home

Taken out by control rider

At least it was the last session

Razee Open House 2013

As luck would have it, my first scheduled service on the KTM fell on the same day as the open house for my local dealer, Razee.  I couldn’t believe how many people were there, especially with the bad weather.  There was free food, some rare bikes on display, and the Parts Unlimited truck.  I got to meet a lot of cool people, learn some things about my bike, and try on some gear.  The guys in the shop were nice enough to adjust the rebound on the bike for me, so I’m not being thrown onto the tank going over expansion joints, and crushing my vagina bone (medical terminology right there)anymore.  Yay!!

Helloooooo nurse!

I think this has a bigger battery than my CBR

Parts Unlimited Truck

Love is….

 

 

…A free burrito.

 

The burrito gods smiled upon me and finally brought Boloco to my state!  And what’s better than an impromptu trip to Boloco?  A FREE impromptu trip to Boloco!  Tri and I stared in confusion for a while when the guy taking the order told me to put my money away.  I asked him what the catch was, and if he was certain, but sure enough our food was free.  Who said there’s no such thing as a free lunch?  (It really is free right Boloco?  Like, you aren’t going to come after me for the taxes, clippings of my hair, or cheap labor that requires the use of small Asian hands necessary for making delicate stitches….rite????).

Now, when you eat out on the bike, you usually have to end up with a “gear table.”  A woman asked us if anyone was sitting where our helmets were, and if she could have the seat.  Neither of us thought anything of it and moved the gear onto the opposite seat to make room for her.  She then told us she needed the other seat too for whoever she was with.  So the dilemma  became accommodate a woman with a khaki shirt, teased hair, and her presumably as tacky companion, or NOT put $2,000 worth of gear on the floor.  Needless to say, the gear remained and khaki shirt took a walk.

Lo-Riderz Spring Cleaning

It didn’t feel like spring and there wasn’t much cleaning, but it was good seeing everyone again to welcome the riding season.  Because of the technical difficulties I’m having with the KTM I had to cage it up to the shop behind this clown:

There’s really not a lot to say about this so I’ll just post a bunch of photos and vids, enjoy!

annnnnnd we’re 12

obligatory booty photo

“no one’s ever gonna believe we’re straight after some of these pics.”
“I know….”

 

 

hgf

 

Journey for a KTM – Long time coming

So it would appear that I’ve turned into a fair weather blogger.  Well, not so much that, but that the only interesting thing about me is my bike…so in the off season there’s nothing interesting about me…fine!  I’m defined by my bike!  I said it!

Anyhoo, it may (or may not) be worth the wait for my many (few) followers to know that during my hiatus I made a very sexy, and very Austrian purchase: the 2012 KTM RC8R.

This bike was a long time coming.  I located her and put the deposit down sometime near the end of February.  It took until the end of March before I would make the 770 mile trip to exotic Wilmington, OH to pick her up.  The Man Toy (yes, “the” and caps) and I started our journey on a Friday with a rented Dodge Ram–and yes, it had a hemispherical combustion chamber.

We took a familiar route through Upstate New York that I made many times in undergrad.  Of course it snowed most of the way there.  I mean, it was spring in Upstate, why shouldn’t it snow….

We stayed the night in Columbus so we could pick up the bike first thing in the morning.  I was so relieved when I saw that the pillows had instructions…for you-know-who….

The next morning I was so tired I could hardly muster the overly giddy 14 year old girl that I thought would come pouring out of me.  The dealership was just opening when we arrived.  Clinton County Motorsports has a beautiful facility.  The sales and delivery process was very well organized and professional.  We wandered around the showroom when the Man Toy spotted my new baby girl.

I knew that this would be an impressive machine.  I drooled over pictures of her for weeks, months, hell years by now.  I had been smitten from the time I saw pictures of the first KTM’s in magazines.  With my expectations high, I was stunned.  It’s a surreal feeling to know that she’s mine.  How did a girl like me, who at one point thought she was too small to ever ride a real sportbike, come to own such a thing?  A lot of the delivery is a little bit of a blur since I’m pretty sure I was still in shock.  After signing the paper work we loaded up and started the journey back home.

I learned a lot about Ohio on this trip (having not been in many many years).  I realized that it’s not so different from the South.  Between the accents and abundance of Steak and Shakes, I thought I was in North Carolina again.  We drove by a lot of nothing for sure, but we also came across some interesting businesses.  For example, I had never seen a drive through beer and tobacco outlet before:

And this mini mart which I completely read wrong on the first try (I think we see what we want to see…):

Then suddenly this overwhelming desire for pottery.  But where???

My gracious Man Toy drove the whole way back–I think because he was afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep my eyes off the bike while I was driving.  I struggled to find comfortable leg room, but finally came up with a solution:

Many tunnels and farms later, she’s finally home safe and sound.  Have I ridden her?  Only 40 miles.  She is experiencing some hopefully minor issues that will be resolved after a quick (please for the love of Buddah be quick) trip to the doctor.

Lo-Riderz Hibernation

I don’t get to go to the shop too often because it’s a little over an hour away, and let’s face it, these guys just aren’t worth that kind of driving time…and gas…and time…(jk boys!).  But I’ve recently had the opportunity to go up there twice in a couple of weeks period, which has got to be some kind of record for me.  I think I deserve an offering or gift for gracing them with my presence.  Anyhoo, just posting some pics of the Great Shop Clean Up of 2012, as well as progress on the ol’ track bike.

The Boys

Can you tell which one is the bad one?

Real men ride lo(w)

“A brother’s love is…a brother’s love” – Gone In 60 Seconds

work hard, play hard

ughhh that lever isn’t even that old…

can you spot mine? all the way in the back left? no respect…

Ricers at large

June 18th, the fateful day

It would be a shame if I “accidentally” took this home by accident instead of mine…

That’s a might big torque wrench Rob…

The Lo-Riderz playing musical Yamaha’s for winter storage

Looking good

Taking my baby home!

Thanks to everyone for helping me get the bike back in shape!  Look forward to seeing you all again next quarter (I kid I kid).

Back in the Dirty Dirty

Per my usual I was able to spend 48 hours in Charlotte last week.  I’m shooting for 72 hours, maybe some day.  Of the 48 hours I spent there 16 were spent sleeping, with another probably 3 or so spent loading my truck.  BUT I was able to spend some quality time with a few of my friends.  Sorry I wasn’t able to see everyone, I promise a longer visit in the spring!

Don’t mind the 50 man eating spiders all around you

Treat time at the LaFave’s

This is how they transport scooters in the South

An Asian girl hanging out of a uHaul taking pictures, not sketchy at all right?

Hey there’s my dentist!

Clutch

Keep digging Ricky

Southern food!

My favorite place on the planet!

Heaven

Man with a guitar, man with something else…you be the judge

Cheese!

Seems optimistic

Last Boj for a while

Trapped for 16 hours…in this exact spot…

Useless

Totally legal, I had the car in park for the duration of the movie…

Must have been a track day nearby

Nice track day hauler