gatorcast from paul smith

Tonight I am in Coconut Grove visiting my grandmother and uncle.  Here I am about to ride my uncle’s Harley.  

The boys are with me and are eating ice cream out of the same bowls I did 40 years ago.  They are these wonderful stainless steel bowls that are perfect for ice cream.  My grandmother doesn’t remember the year but says, “Joseph Hennessey was opening a restauranton Miami Beach and gave me 12 of them. ” she then adds, “Joseph Hennessey, what a good Irish name.”   All 12 grandchildren (plus many others) have eaten ice cream out of them.

I just got back from taking a nice long night ride on the Honda 750.  Boy was it fun.  I felt mostly safe but definately wanted to be home before the 2am bar closing.   I didn’t go very fast, mostly 20-35 and sometimes 40. 

I went down to the University via nw 16th to nw 21st st and crossed University Ave behind the President’s mansion.  I went straight pass the basketball complex where Billy Donovan’s team practices and hung a right on frat row.  I followed frat row around towards Lake Alice, then turned left onto Museum Road.   I took Museum all the way to 13th street. I turned left and headed north to 2nd Ave, then right.   I then took sw 2nd ave into downtown.   Then drove through several streets downtown and saw which bars had people in them and people hanging out of them.    I saw lots of Police and can see why it is crazy making sure everyone gets home safe at 2am when everyone is kicked out.  

I eventually headed west on University Ave across 13th street, past the University and zig zagged from University Ave to nw 16th ave.

The motorcycle felt good to ride.  It is a cool night (46 degrees).  I like the lights and sounds of the Honda 750.    I also like how easy it is to quickly get from point a to point b.   I like going down streets and seeing houses, people and things I have never see while in my car.  It’s like riding your bicycle in the countryside, but cheating because you have a 750 horse power engine. 

What a way to end a great day.

I just got back from a night ride on the honda.   Sounds crazy right?  Maybe normally, but actually the students are gone and it was a great opportunity to head for the campus.  First I went downtown to see how busy it was.  There were several places open and it seemed like a fair amount of people out and about.  I usually don’t go downtown unless its a game weekend and generally the students are here so I mostly see it packed.  It was 11:30pm so it could be early for the party goers.

On campus there was not a soul.  It was very sureal for me to be riding on campus absolutely alone at 11:30pm on a motorcycle.  It was very easy to allow myself to remember my times here 20 years ago as a student.

On a bike you really see things different.   You notice alot.  I’m not sure if its because there is no radio on…. but I really think there literally is nothing between you and things you can see or smell.  Most focus on the bad part about having little between you other objects while going 50 mph. 

Anyway, tonight I saw 4 different people either purchase or consume beer at my first stop to get gas at the local Kangaroo.  I saw 3 pulled over by police.  

Riding allows you to smell an incredible amount of things.   I guess its like quikly going threw clouds of smell.  I could smell alcohol in cars.  I can smell perfume and aftershave.  B.O.,  a variety of buring material.  Freaky. You smell it, then you don’t, then another.  I especially like riding in lower areas near waterways or lakes because you can feel the temperature drop, smell a mixture of sand, dirt & water…  

I rode for about an hour and could go longer but didn’t want anybody worried about me.

I planned it most of the day and it was a pleasant way to relax and enjoy life.

Lisa got this for me for Christmas.  In addition to looking cool, it has embedded armor for protection.   Is it OK to wear Harley Davidson gear while riding a Honda?

Today I took a long ride on the bike. I drove for over 110 miles.  WOW!

I decided to go to Interstate Cycles to check out their gear and motorcycles.   Lake City is about 40 minutes north via I-75, but I didn’t want to ride on I-75 so I took the back road, US 441.   It was longer but a joyful ride. It was a great day, about 70 degrees, clear and not too much traffic.  This was the first time I rode at 60+ miles per hour for an extended time. Some parts of the highway were 65mph.

I think it took me about 40 minutes to get there.   I saw towns I have never heard of …. Mrytis, Mason, Ellisville, and Mikesville to name a few.   On a bike you see and smell so much more.  It is amazing to me the increase in mobility.  On the way back I drove through the Progress Park in Alachua.  I’ve been wanting to check this place out for years and never have.  

Is it the ability to easily stop, turn and slowly criss cross the streets on a bike or is it that it is a solitary thing and instead on being in a constant hurry, it is just a adjustment in your mental state to just slow down and literally smell the flowers?

Here is my route via Google.

Tonight after the gator basketball game I decided to try a night ride.  I was unsure at first, but once I decided I wanted to do it I did it.  I needed to go help Patsy with her computer and decided on the route I was going to take.  It was 9:30 pm and I knew the traffic was real light.  So I started out and immediately realized I had more light from the bike and street lights.  Plus the lights on the motorcycle are very cool anyway. 

I found out that it is actually more visible at night, althought I would imagine on roads with no light it would be very different.  At night I can see all things coming from side streets, front and back. This is good of course assuming people have their lights on.  The air was much cooler and hardly no one on the roads.  It took about 15 minutes to get there.  I rode West down NW 39th Ave, around SFCC and over I-75, then back to W Newberry Road.

When I was done about 11:30 I started back.  First I  texted Lisa that I was on my way home, and then headed back east from W Newberry Road and passed I-75 and then the Oaks Mall.   It was very cool and I got a very different perspective from that of a car.  I must have ridden thousands of times on this road in a car but never as fun as this.  I wasn’t going fast or doing anything unsafe but I had this great feeling of doing something that I thought I would never do.  I felt safe and enjoyed the cool air.

When I got home I was pumped up and  glad I decided to try.   Before I left Patsy’s house, I said to myself, “I can’t believe I’m actually riding a motorcycle home at 11:30 at night.” Crazy.  But I was and I never felt better.