New Mexico Photos and Ride Report

So, after much delay, here are the promised photos from my trip to Albuquerque and Los Alamos!

This is the Speed Four, loaded up and ready to roll. I later figured out the smart way to bungee my backpack to the back seat.


This was between Payson and Holbrook, where I started to realize that it was going to be a cold, cold trip. My research into New Mexico's weather was faulty, so I was wearing my Joe Rocket Phoenix jacket, and a hoodie. The problem with the Phoenix jacket is that, when moving, it does not block the wind. This is great in the heat, but not so great when it's chilly.

The awesome gas station in Holbrook with old school gas pumps. I loved this place. I was even able to pump my gas before I paid. Just like old times!

Next door to the gas station were Dinosaurs. There are dino sculptures everywhere around Holbrook. Some were good, some were laughable, and there sure were a lot of them.

I rode the I-40 all the way to Albuquerque from Holbrook, so I didn't get any pictures on that stretch of the trip. You've seen interstates before. This was my hotel room. If you look closely, you'll notice the art is upside down. It was that way when I got there, and it's also firmly attached to the wall. Prank, or lazy workers? And how many people had stayed in the room and not noticed?

On Saturday morning, I went to the National Atomic Museum. This is a replica of the "Fat Man" bomb. Below is a replica of the "Little Boy" bomb. Seeing these up close gave me chills, because they're so small when you consider the destructive force they contained.

They also had exhibits about how radiation is used in medicine, and atomic power. I didn't take any photos of the medical stuff because it gives me the jibblies. If you're in Albuquerque, check this place out. It's pretty neat.

This was on my way out of Albuquerque towards Los Alamos. Not much to say about the picture. It's my bike. By a stop sign. Somewhere in New Mexico.

This Phillips 66 is in the running for most scenic gas station. Well, gas station in the most scenic location. The gas station itself wasn't very nice. The "restrooms" were just a couple of porta-potties.

This is the Soda Dam. It was right next to the road! Spots like this are why state roads are preferable to major freeways and interstates.

This was Valle Grande. The photo doesn't do it justice. For one thing, the photo doesn't show how cold it is. Or the snow that was on the ground a couple miles ahead. One of the great joys of motorcycling is coming over a hill/around a bend/whatever, and suddenly being in a vast, wild space. The experience is nice in a car, but on a bike, one is IN the scene and can really appreciate the surroundings instead of looking at them through a window.

I didn't get any photos on the way in to Los Alamos, but the place has a weird vibe. The road to Los Alamos isn't in particularly good shape, but when you turn left to head towards the city, all of a sudden the road is smooth and perfect. There's a security checkpoint you have to go through to get into the town, which was a little spooky. They just waved me through, of course.

Los Alamos is striking because it's in the middle of nowhere, but it's a nice little town that obviously has money to keep up the buildings and roads. Frankly, I was expecting a run down small town like any other tiny dot on the map.

This photo should give you a feel for the awesome chaos that is The Black Hole in Los Alamos. Well, actually, it doesn't. If you multiply the awesomeness of this photo by 56, you might get closer to the actual awesomeness of The Black Hole.

The implication of this device scares the hell out of me. On first glance, it's just an exercise bike with a fan. But then you notice there's an electric motor connected to the fan. And the fan does not blow towards the rider. Which means the bike is a backup mechanism. Which means that fan was so important that if it stopped, some unlucky guy had to get on the thing and pedal like crazy to keep something cool or ventilated.

Which is scary, when you think about it.

If you visit the Black Hole, be sure to spend some time chatting with Ed, the owner, and the rest of the people who work there. They're kooky, but good folks with a hell of a lot of knowledge about Los Alamos and what goes on there. I could have easily spent the entire day hanging out at the Black Hole.

I bought a vacuum tube as a souvenir (A GE 829B, if you want to know. I didn't see any Mullard 12ax7s or EL34s, or I would have snatched them up.). I told Lady Luck that I could have filled a van with stuff from there.

I also got a thermal undershirt as a "souvenir" at CB Fox.

That pretty much sums up my trip. I did get pizza in Albuquerque (the pizza joint in Los Alamos was closed while I was there), and will have a review of the place up tomorrow.

So Busy, So Tired

I bet you all are expecting photos and marginally witty commentary on my trip to New Mexico today.

Sorry.

Last night was spent working on an art project with Lady Luck. I can't tell you about it now, though if anyone is interested I might post photos of the final result at a more appropriate time.

So maybe tonight I'll get my act together. We'll see.

This morning I am one tired hombre. I've mentioned in the past that when I ride to work, I arrive all sparkly-eyed and ready to take on the world. We'll when I cage it to work, driving or as a passenger, I get to work just as groggy as when I woke up. I end up dependent on coffee to get me through the day.

Hey, just like grown-ups!

Anyway, you'll have to excuse me while I struggle to stay awake and coding...

Crotch Rocket next to a Nuclear Rocket

So, I'm thinking the other rocket might be faster on the top end, but I bet I'd have it beat in the twisties.

Click to embiggen

This was at the National Atomic Musuem which was pretty darn cool. They had exhibits about medical uses of radiation, a propaganda exhibit, displays about nuclear power, and of course, weaponry.

Anyway, more details about the whole trip tomorrow. I didn't have time to write or edit photos or do much of anything last night, sorry.

I'm back!

Hey everybody - I had a great time in New Mexico. More details tonight or tomorrow, with pictures and everything!

For now, have you seen the Uno yet? Pretty crazy. I'm curious to know how it behaves when turning or braking hard. But pretty cool, anyway, for an 18 year old.

An Overlooked Peril of Moto-Commuting

Great big stompy boots are one of the benefits we motorcyclists enjoy. A good pair of boots not only protects the rider in the case of an unplanned vehicular exit, but also increases the riders comfort while riding. If you don't believe me, try wearing a pair of Converse All-Stars instead of your usual stompy boots on your next ride (don't crash though. All-Stars provide minimal protection.).

Of course, we wear our boots when we ride to work. Leaving a pair of sensible shoes in the office is a reasonable plan, although to be honest, most of the time I would just wear my boots all day.

Since I've stopped commuting by motorcycle, except for extremely rare occasions, I brought my work shoes home since I can just wear them all day.

A few days ago, however, I got to ride to work. Naturally, I wore my Big, Stompy Boots. Little did I know forces were conspiring to make me walk about two miles during the work day. As a web developer, it's pretty rare for me to even get out of my chair, much less hike around the city.

So, on this particular day, I wound up stomping around the downtown Phoenix area in boots that were not made for walking. I swear my boots weigh three pounds each. By the time I finally got back to my desk, I was tired enough to almost fall asleep.

There are two morals to this story. The first is: I need to get out hiking more often. The other is: having a backup pair of lightweight shoes is always a good plan.

What to Bring on a Weekend Trip

This Friday I'm heading out to Los Alamos, New Mexico, where weird sites and people shall be seen, pizza will (hopefully) be eaten, and a good time will be had.

As a sportbike rider, I don't have a lot of room to carry stuff on the bike. Especially since I haven't shelled out for saddlebags. Nope, all of my necessities have to fit in my tank bag, and perhaps my courier bag (I can bungee it to the seat if I need to). I'd rather get it all in my tank bag though, so "spartan" will be the word of the weekend.

So, a list of needed items:

• two t-shirts
• one warm shirt/hoodie (in case)
• 2 pairs socks and underwear
• toothbrush
• maps
• my pretentious black notebook and a pen
• camera
• water

And a list of things that would be nice to have

• rain gear
• snacks
• extra pants
• my towel

The first list should all fit in my tank bag with relative ease. The second list is more challenging.

Tools and a tire repair kit fit under my seat, so I've got those covered.

What am I forgetting?

Tuesday Morning Zombie Links!

As usual for a Tuesday, I'm too tired to see straight, much less think of something witty and clever. So, while I shamble around without apparent purpose, here are some links to fatten up your sweet, juicy brains.

Mr. Motorcycle says "Air up for safety!" Also, air up to make your tires last longer. Shoot, tires are expensive. Incidentally, my Pilot Roads have lasted about 10,000 miles, and are still full of life. Too bad I don't like them at all. Not sticky enough.

For my fellow moto-bloggers, Raven is hosting a blog carnival. You'd best believe I'll be participating. You should too.

Miss Sturgis says "“Being a motorcycle enthusiast is more than just a sport or a hobby, it’s a lifestyle!" Personally, I hate the term "lifestyle." I mean, it used to be ok-ish, but now I just imagine the "TM" behind it. Personally, I would say that motorcycles are an all-consuming obsession from which there is no escape. But, you know, that's me.

"Motorcycle advocates" say that two deadly crashes should "serve as a reminder for everyone to be careful." Wow, that was almost as deep as what Miss Sturgis said. I want to know how it is that police were unable to determine whether or not one of the riders was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.... Or, maybe I don't.

Don't forget there are people out there who resent us. Look out for guys like this. Folks like this fellow will not notice the motorcyclists who are riding safely. They remember the asshole squids (because they couldn't help but see them), and then hate all of us. Really, though, they hate our freedom. These people are likely to use the terms "murdercycle" and "organ donors." When you meet people like this, by the way, it's ok to slap them with a rubber chicken. They've already decided they don't like you because of your motorcycle, so it doesn't matter.

VX800 - The Latest News

So it turns out this weekend's quality motorcycle time was spent with the VX800. I had a better time of it than usual, but the thing isn't back together yet. The troublesome bolt continues to trouble me.

On the other hand, I got the old oil filter off and the old oil out of the bike. I haven't put the new filter on or the fresh oil in, but I probably will tonight. Incidentally, everyone should have an oil filter strap wrench - my new top candidate for tool that makes a specific job much much easier. I wish I would have had one when I had to change the oil in my Nissan 200SX (hardest filter to get to EVER).

The oil drain bolt was on super tight, and I got a nice cut and bruise on my right hand ring finger when the bolt finally broke free and I bashed a pointy bit on the exhaust. Poor, poor me.

Concerning the trouble bolt - I just need a vise and a torch. I'm going to sacrifice a cheap wrench and bend it into a nice S-shape. That oughta get it. Do any of you in the Phoenix area have a vise, and a torch?

That pretty much sums up the progress on the VX.

Lady Luck and I also took the cage in to get a tire replaced. Naturally, that meant using the scooter as a support vehicle. On the way home from the tire shop, Lady Luck rode on the back. On the way to pick up the car again, I did. I am continually impressed with our Vespa. It really does it all, with style and grace.

Some Random Thoughts for Friday

Well, it looks like this weekend I'll be spending some quality time with my motorcycle. I don't know if that quality time will be spent working on the VX800, or actually riding the Triumph, but either way it should be good.

I don't have any "big" ideas today that require an entire post, so here's a few little ideas I've got rolling around.

• I gotta get a helmet cam and a GPS logger. This Atlas Rider guy figured out how to use the scripting capabilities on YouTube to drive Google maps, which means you get to see the video and a map showing where he was at that point in the video. Pretty neat. (Found on the New York Times Wheels blog)
• Before I get that stuff, I gotta review a new pizza place. Jeez, I've been averaging less than one per month since I started this thing...
• I realized that if I had a vise, a torch, and a length of 1/4 inch square steel bar, I could make my own tool to get that bolt taken care of
• Blacksmithing really does give a biker a lot of useful skills. I recommend taking a basic blacksmithing course if you get the chance.

More Electric Moto Goodness - and other links

I don't have much to say today, so here's some links until I come up with something.

Over on the Treehugger blog, some guy has built a ratty looking electric motorcycle out of forklift bits and a UJM.

Here's a history of police motorcycle designs.

Note to self, don't crash and start a forest fire.

Wednesday Bonus Link - Electric Sportbike

Check it out. I'm curious to know the range on a charge, but otherwise I'm all ready to sign up for one.

Looking Forward to a Ride

Tomorrow Lady Luck has to go to an entirely different part of Phoenix for work, so I won't be carpooling with her. Which means I get to ride in to work.

I've discovered that it's hard to feel superior to cagers when one is, y'know, stuck in a cage.

Anyway, after tomorrow it's back to carpooling, so to fend off the moto-jonesin' I've been planning a trip. After a ton of consideration, I've decided to take a long weekend (probably next weekend) and ride out to Los Alamos. I chose Los Alamos over Roswell because, personally, I find nuclear weaponry significantly more ooky than supposed alien cagers who, despite advanced technology, still didn't know that two objects can not occupy the same space at the same time.

Also, Los Alamos has the Black Hole.

So, I'm thinking I'll ride out to Gallup, NM on Friday and spend the night. Then on to Los Alamos for the day, and down to Albuquerque for the night on Saturday, and back to Phoenix on Sunday.

Should be cool.

Tuesday's Link List - Beatle-moto-mania edition

I listened to the Beatles White Album again this morning, and it recharged my batteries quite nicely. "Dear Prudence" has to be one of the coolest songs ever. When I was a kid, I wanted to be Sgt. Pepper-era John Lennon when I grew up. As I got older, I realized that in terms of Beatle personality, I'm definitely more of a George Harrison.

Everyone has their favorite Beatle. Mine has changed, repeatedly, over the years. Currently, my favorite is Ringo. Yes, seriously. Ringo is underrated as a drummer - probably because his style meshed and blended so well with the group. Furthermore, he stayed out of the later drama - all of the Beatles were still friends with Ringo when they split.

Besides, he was the Conductor on Shining Times Station way before George Carlin.

Some Beatles fan uglified his bike, but with a Beatles theme so it's cool.

I want a copy of this poster. Actually, I want 30 of them, I'll post them anywhere I stop.

William Shatner says wearing proper gear is foolish. Thankfully, most people don't take him seriously. Ever. Except maybe when he was actually playing Captain Kirk.

Helmet Hair wants to know your first motorcycle memory. Mine is getting a ride on my uncle Big Red's old Yamaha when I was probably four or five. Later, when I was 16, I got to ride the darn thing myself. The first bike I actually piloted, however, was uncle Speed Racer's Honda minibike. Rode it full throttle into a tree. Good times!

All I Want for Christmas is a Limitless Tool Budget

One flipping bolt. Just one. That's the only thing between me and getting the VX800 back on the road. Or, at least to the DMV. OK, just to get the bike to hold it's coolant.

One frickin' impossible to get to bolt.

One. Bolt.

On Saturday I went to Sears to see if I could find an obstruction wrench of some sort to make getting at the impossible to get to bolt slightly easier. Coop found some S-shaped wrenches at a garage sale a while back (I'll try to link to the post later - I can't get to his blog at work), that would have been perfect, I bet. Sears didn't have anything like that. They did, however, have some small ratcheting box-end wrenches. I bought one (8mm, if you want to know), thinking that if I could just get it on the troublesome bolt, I could easily tighten it 5 degrees at a time until it was done.

Of course, the new wrench was too big to get anywhere near the bolt.

So, I think I'm going to go ahead and give up on that (unless any of y'all in the Phoenix area have an assortment of obstruction-dodging wrenches and like beer. Anyone? Anyone?), do the rest of the work that I can do, and take it in to a shop to get them to tighten that damn bolt for me.

Excuse me while I hang my head in shame and disappointment.

Update: Here's the promised link to Coop's killer wrenches.

Updated One More Time: Here's a photo in an older post describing the troublesome location. The bolt is on the right side, behind the hose, just a tiny bit lower than the visible bolt.

Sunday Moto Movie

Curiously enough, titled "On Any Sunday"

Motorcycles are Risky - Deal With It!

So over on the New York Times... health... blog... thing, there's this article about "A New Risk of Middle Age: Dying on a Motorcycle." In it, we learn what we already know: mid-life-crisis bikers are splattering themselves everywhere at an alarming rate. The article mentions declining reaction times, bad eyesight, poor physical condition, blah blah blah, but doesn't say ANYTHING about how many of them are drunk and untrained riders.

What really pisses me off about this article is that the main point seems to be "wear a helmet." Helmets are not magical devices that keep us from crashing, they're last ditch protection for our skulls.

Do I think you should wear a helmet when riding? Yes, always. We all make mistakes, and crashes happen. Do I think training is even more important? Definitely. Most crashes happen, as Irondad and countless others have pointed out, when a rider blows it on a curve. In other words, most crashes happen because the rider didn't know what the hell he or she was doing.

These midlife riders aren't getting killed solely because they aren't wearing helmets. Furthermore, the motorcycles aren't taking control of themselves and killing these people by riding off the road. They're getting killed because they start out riding a big, heavy bike like a Harley, they're not trained riders, they aren't wearing helmets, and a whole bunch of them only ride to and from the bar.

There is inherent risk in riding a motorcycle. You can be a dope and accept all of that risk, ride without training, wear a do-rag and a sleeveless t-shirt and get killed like a chump when you overshoot a turn and hit a tree, or, you can learn to minimize the risk, wear proper gear, and get trained on how to handle your bike (leading to more fun, by they way, since you can then ride a twisty road without making a mess in your pants when you scrape your footpegs).

I hate these alarmist articles about how dangerous motorcycles are, and how riders all need to wear helmets and Nerf-designed suits to keep us safe. How about demanding rider training and some personal accountability in the one vehicle crashes? How about demanding some accountability from the SUV-driving, coffee-swilling, cell-phone-yapping morons that run us down in the other kind of crash?

Now I want a gorilla suit again.

It's probably just my weird sense of humor, but one of my pastimes is imagining costumes to wear while riding my motorcycle.

For example:

• Candy cane hurling Santa Claus
• The missing Blues Brother
• World's tallest leprechaun
• Barbarian raider
• Lord Humongous

And now, I see a gorilla suit making workshop. It's not fair, it's not right, and dammit, I want one.

Links and an update on the VX800

Beemer Dan of the UTMC sent me this link to the 10 worst pizza toppings. The scary thing is that some of them are intriguing.

Over the weekend I picked up a set of six point wrenches, and tonight I'm headed for the garage to show the VX800 who's boss. The current list of tasks for the VX are:

1. Fix coolant leak (goal for tonight)
2. Change Oil (tomorrow night?)
3. Charge the battery (tonight or tomorrow)
4. possibly replace the old gas, and hopefully not clean the carbs. I'm planning to pick up some Seafoam to assist with this process (after success with coolant leak and oil)
5. Find bolts to re-attach license plate
6. Reassemble
7. Pass emissions check
8. Pay way overdue registration fees
9. Get new tires
10. Ride it like I stole it
11. Get the seat re-covered

Shoot, looking at the list, I should be able to have it on the road in two weeks or less. And I'd better because it's getting hot again, damn it.

Braindead Wednesday Link List!

I have nothing to say today, so here's some links!

In West Virginia, the Lions club is having a "Ride for Sight." Proceeds go to help pay for eye exams for folks who can't afford them. Since I can't see well enough to find my glasses if I drop them, I think it's a good cause. Not that I'm going to donate to a Lions Club in West Virginia, but if a local Lions has the same fundraiser, I'll be all over it.

Here's a video of a guy riding Saddle Road in Hawaii. I think the music is by Mono, but I'm not sure. I wish he would have listed the song in the credits.

In England, they can't get kids to learn how to be motorcycle mechanics. Can I go?

Manly Beer Update - Schlitz Relaunch!

Schlitz is apparently going to relaunch the original recipe! I can't wait to get some and re-review it.

Heileman's Old Style - Manly Beer Review!

Heileman's Old Style came on to the market in 1902. The Old Style we drink today, unfortunately, is not the same Old Style our dads and grandfathers drank. Pabst bought the brand in 1999, and didn't buy the recipe.

I guess they thought no one would notice their beer tasted different.

Old Style is not just Pabst Blue Ribbon in a different can, though. Old Style is more bitter than PBR, so if you've ever thought "you know, this Pabst is pretty good, but I wish it had a hoppier flavor," well, you're all set.

I poured a tiny bit out of the can to check the color and head. It's definitely beer colored, with a thin head. Overall, it's a pretty good beer, certainly better than Michelob lager, but not as good as Pabst Blue Ribbon or Miller High Life. The price is identical to PBR, at least at my local libations provider, so the deciding factor between the two is your own preference for bitterness.

As a testament to the quality of this beer, my pal Wolfie - who generally only drinks microbrews, or homebrew - has some nice Old Style beer steins. That's high praise right there.

Here's a couple more Manly Beer Reviews:
Mickey's Fine Malt Liquor
Schlitz

End of the Moto-Commute

Last Wednesday was my last ride to work for the foreseeable future. I'm not throwing in the towel, just carpooling full time. Carpooling is a good thing, since I get to spend more time with Lady Luck, save wear and tear on the bike, and reduce our fuel costs.

The downside is, I go kind of nuts when I don't ride for a long time. When I ride to work, I get about one and a half hours of quality motorcycle time in per day without taking time away from other hobbies and responsibilities. I can find time to ride, believe me, but it's nice having a consistent level of moto-goodness as a structured part of my week.

On the other hand, now my rides should be more adventurous, on the whole, than the usual back and forth routine. Perhaps this will be a good development for future ride reports.

Planning a Ride

I'm trying to plan a 3 day trip to New Mexico. Right now, I'm trying to decide if I want to end up in Roswell or Los Alamos.

Los Alamos has The Black Hole, which holds a certain fascination for me, given my interest in digging through piles of old electronics and meeting eccentric people.

Roswell, of course, is Roswell. Regardless of whether I think a UFO crashed there (I don't), it's Roswell!

I guess the determining factor will be: which place has the promise of good pizza?

Can any of you offer some insight?

Thursday's Cottage Cheese Brain Link List

I'm tired and can't think of anything worth writing about, so until I come up with something, here's some links!

To mark the end of Arizona Bike Week, Saxon motorcycles is having an open house. So if you like motorcycles with names like "Broadsword" and "Warlord" and "Griffin" and "Thac0" why not stop by?

Here's an amusing article about why ATGATT (all the gear, all the time) is the way to go. I think he makes his point well. Also, he quotes an opposing USA Today opinion article that, true to form, is so stupid it's laughable. Motorcycles kill more people than high profile airplane crashes and pipeline explosions COMBINED??? OMGWTFBBQ!!! We're all gonna DIE! AAAAAHH! Because, you know, so many people die in high profile airplane crashes and pipeline explosions every year. Shoot, more people die of heart disease every year than airplane crashes and pipeline explosions, but most people still have hearts. More people die in CARS than in airplane crashes and pipeline explosions, but I don't see auto sales going down.

I can't wait until there's a proper, sporting electric street bike. But until then, there's this thing.

The Refined Hooligan

Last night I rode to hear my bass teacher's final recital for his DMA. I love riding to classical concerts. Motorcycles and Beethoven are two great tastes that go great together. I particularly love riding to concerts at ASU, because parking is a nightmare over there.

Apart from that fun, however, is the stir a leather (or Joe Rocket mesh, in this case) clad biker makes among the musically snooty. I always dress up a bit for the concerts, but leathers and a helmet are hard to disguise (and really, why hide them?). Everyone turns to look.

At times like these, it's tempting to do an Incredible Hulk impression, Gary-style.

People-watching at classical concerts is always fun, because there are a lot of people who are very serious about how much they enjoy classical music. The concert I recently attended at the Phoenix Symphony had several such creatures in attendance (and a Cruella DeVille look-a-like, no kidding). They do not smile.

So, by riding to these concerts, I get to ride my motorcycle, hear some great music, and point and laugh at the funny funny people. What's not to love?

Battlefield Biker has a Pilot for TV, and other links

Battlefield Biker made a pilot to pitch a series to, um, a channel or two. It's interesting, and well shot. Go check it out!

The Feds recommend pulling funding for motorcycle training, and beefing up "Wear a Helmet" marketing - once again, they make my brain hurt.

Have you seen the monkey on a motorcycle yet? I'm not sure what I think about this - I mean, it looks to me like the critter is getting pulled along by it's trainer, and only in a straight line. No knee dragging?