pidjones

Lane splitting. We don't have wide enough roads for that here. Sounds like he was way over his skill/talent/experience speed. I sold my RD400 (early 2 stroke pre-crotch rocket) when I got out of the Navy and moved to the mountains. Knew I'd kill myself on these roads, not mature enough yet. Now I'm old (still not mature) and ride a GoldWing. I ride at a spirited pace, but always respect the other traffic. Stats show the first 5000 miles the most deadly on a motorcycle, but us old pharts gotta respect the laws (federal, local, and those of physics) too.

Number one killer around here is turning left in front of the bike. Really? Lights on, head on at you and you turn left across their path? I think it is actually intentional homicide, and should be charged as such. All the bright, florescent riding gear in the world just makes us a better target. Ride defensive!

You meet the FASTEST people on a Honda!

Hope he heals quick. Glad no head injury but I'm guessing he didn't have a full face lid on. I force myself to wear a flip and ATGATT now. Even in hottest summer. I figure there is nothing hotter than sliding on asphalt (protects the art as well). Broken fingers? Hope it doesn't mess up work. You may be helping his feeding for a while. (I had to help in that with a cheerleader in HS - Oh, the sacrifices made for my schoolmates!) I'd love ABS. That damn GoldWing takes some distance to whoa down. Trouble is, Honda wants you to buy their brain-dead GPS and a lot of other stuff to get it so, I try to ride very far in front of the bike.

So sorry for your loss. Remember that others will be stressed and emotional at times like this, and may lash out through their pain. Remember the good times and dwell on them, time will take care of the rest.

Back atcha from North of you. Always enjoy a motorcycle ride to Helen back.

Congrats on working on your health and finding success! And, congrats on your first ink! I received my first a couple weeks age and although I don't have appointments, I do plan for future work also. Keep up the good work, that has to be a huge challenge and you've made great progress.

Nice art. Will be very interesting with color.

I'm 61. I wish like hell I still had them around to show them my new tattoo! Do it, accept any disapproval and understand their background. My mom would have loved them, and dad would have approved that they represent my service. My grandfather - who had his own - would have loved it!

Try the Tattoo section of Pinterest. All the ladies seem to be quite moist over them. They are posted almost as often as feathers turning into birds and infinity-words. And the comments! One that was memorable: "put babies in my belly!"

Thanks! A faked line is laid out so that it will pay out without coiling or twisting. The one I'd like is like this:

This: "Annoying people are everywhere, but it's mostly because they don't know any better" But also people with no tolerance for those that don't know better.

Thanks, folks! Future plans? Maybe a faked line on my right forearm. If another in my family or close friends gets breast cancer, I'd consider a pink ribbon around one of my calves. Also considered one of the line drawings of the earth with my motto: "Love 'em all... Let God sort 'em out." on my right bicep. I love the art of tattoos, but don't plan to collect them for the art. Mine will all have personal meaning.

After having the bike in the garage for over a week, I finally received the new shims for the valve adjustment on Monday and installed them. Tuesday seemed like a good day to test it out, so I rode over 300 miles through the Smokys, BRP, and back. I think it's Okay!

That is quite the nice Trumpet. My first was a Triumph TR6C - like a Bonnie, but with a single monoblock carb. Should have been shot for chopping her, but she was a looker while I had her. Traded for an RD and a bit better handling then sold all bikes in '79 when I got out of the Navy and moved to the mountains where I knew I'd kill myself with one. Come 2004, much older and a tiny wiser, I bought a '77 GL1000, then an SEi GoldWing, and in 2006 my GL1800 that now has ~90k miles on her. Building a project '78 GL1000 for hobby and maybe show.

Last week, Sarah Hurst of Vivid Tattoo, Knoxville, TN put a nice likeness of my submarine dolphins and SSBN patrol pin on my chest. My first ink at 61. I had seen a sailor getting a tattoo removed the old way - rock salt abrasion - back in the 70's when I was in, and that really scared me off (don't know what he had, but there was an old chief standing over him basically letting him now that if he cried out, he'd give him something to yelp about. Now, my grandfather served in both world wars. Lied about his age to get in WW1, and that I'm sure is when he got his tattoos. I only remember a couple of them - a cupie doll and a faked line. Someday I might get that faked line on my forearm. Maybe. I'm very pleased with my new ink. Not showy or perfect (the patrol pin has some wiggles and a run-away line, and the stars could be sharper). But, at only 4" (~10cm) wide, it has great detail - and the drop shadow was a neat surprise! These represent 10 patrols on USS Von Steuben SSBN632. A total underwater time of 2.5 years. Although my Lord and my family mean more to me, I don't have a design in mind that would represent the marks they have left on me. I guess that remains for me to represent.