Sunny Sunday
Well, I'll start from the end.
Earl won survivor, good for him. Yao-man definitely should have had it, I think he amazed everyone who watched the show. Then he got stabbed in the back. Ouch. I'm not sure what Dreamz was thinking. He was trying to make a decision between keeping his word and winning a million dollars, but what he failed to consider is that by not keeping his word, his chances of winning were slim to none.
Before Survivor, I played in AlCantHang's $26 poker tourney on Full Tilt. I was playing great, and had one of the top stacks at the final table, but made an ill-advised fancy play with the suited hammer in a blind vs. blind battle to ruin my stack. The flop even brought a seven, which had me in the lead until the ace on the river. It was pretty stupid, and if I had continued to play my game, I probably would have made off with some money--but hey, I'm a pretty stupid guy!
Before poker, I rode the Ninja down to Kahle Community Center to call my mom for Mother's Day. We ended up talking about the bike purchase a lot, and how she REALLY doesn't want me to ride it up to Seattle at the end of June. If that trip wasn't very important to me, I'd probably bend to her wishes (especially on Mother's Day!), but that trip is something I'm really looking forward to doing. I'll take it slow, be careful the entire trip, and take some amazing photos along the way.
For most of the day, I was zooming around on the bike on the back roads in Zephyr Cove. For the first 500 miles, I'm not supposed to keep the rpm over 5k for extended periods of time. This pretty much rules out any trips to Sacramento or further, because on the highway I'm going between 5k - 7k rpm, depending on the slope of the hill. So I spent most of the early afternoon putting around the little 20mph hilly roads in Zephyr, and had some amazing views. My favorite spot was when I found the back way to the end of my first Nature Walk.
I really like that little cottage in the picture. The roof looks like a mix between shingles and thatch, which reminds me of all the roofs in Braveheart. Apparently there is an old castle on the west side of the lake--I remember seeing it on a hike with Stacey a few years ago, but my goal for this week is to get over to that side of the lake and snap some photos in Emerald Bay.
Before I do that, I need to figure out the possibly very tricky web of licensing. Ideally, I'd like to keep my WA driver's license and obtain a CA motorcycle license. I'm not sure if that is possible though. If I go to the DMV and they try to take my WA license, I might just run away, because I need that WA license to get in-state tuition at University of Washington come Spring 2008. Another question is that I don't live in California, I live in Nevada--so I'm not even sure if I can get a CA license. The CA license is much easier to get, I just need to pass a written test to get my permit, which makes me street legal.
Time for bed, love you Mom.
Earl won survivor, good for him. Yao-man definitely should have had it, I think he amazed everyone who watched the show. Then he got stabbed in the back. Ouch. I'm not sure what Dreamz was thinking. He was trying to make a decision between keeping his word and winning a million dollars, but what he failed to consider is that by not keeping his word, his chances of winning were slim to none.
Before Survivor, I played in AlCantHang's $26 poker tourney on Full Tilt. I was playing great, and had one of the top stacks at the final table, but made an ill-advised fancy play with the suited hammer in a blind vs. blind battle to ruin my stack. The flop even brought a seven, which had me in the lead until the ace on the river. It was pretty stupid, and if I had continued to play my game, I probably would have made off with some money--but hey, I'm a pretty stupid guy!
Before poker, I rode the Ninja down to Kahle Community Center to call my mom for Mother's Day. We ended up talking about the bike purchase a lot, and how she REALLY doesn't want me to ride it up to Seattle at the end of June. If that trip wasn't very important to me, I'd probably bend to her wishes (especially on Mother's Day!), but that trip is something I'm really looking forward to doing. I'll take it slow, be careful the entire trip, and take some amazing photos along the way.
For most of the day, I was zooming around on the bike on the back roads in Zephyr Cove. For the first 500 miles, I'm not supposed to keep the rpm over 5k for extended periods of time. This pretty much rules out any trips to Sacramento or further, because on the highway I'm going between 5k - 7k rpm, depending on the slope of the hill. So I spent most of the early afternoon putting around the little 20mph hilly roads in Zephyr, and had some amazing views. My favorite spot was when I found the back way to the end of my first Nature Walk.
I really like that little cottage in the picture. The roof looks like a mix between shingles and thatch, which reminds me of all the roofs in Braveheart. Apparently there is an old castle on the west side of the lake--I remember seeing it on a hike with Stacey a few years ago, but my goal for this week is to get over to that side of the lake and snap some photos in Emerald Bay.
Before I do that, I need to figure out the possibly very tricky web of licensing. Ideally, I'd like to keep my WA driver's license and obtain a CA motorcycle license. I'm not sure if that is possible though. If I go to the DMV and they try to take my WA license, I might just run away, because I need that WA license to get in-state tuition at University of Washington come Spring 2008. Another question is that I don't live in California, I live in Nevada--so I'm not even sure if I can get a CA license. The CA license is much easier to get, I just need to pass a written test to get my permit, which makes me street legal.
Time for bed, love you Mom.
Labels: motorcycle, Pictures, poker, rambling
posted by MHG at
5/13/2007 10:03:00 PM
5 Comments:
yeah..i don't really know that the whole licensing thing is going to work for you. but you're only 24 going on 25...if federal student aide doesn't cut you off until you're 26... couldn't you use your parents address anyway? at least, that seems like the logical thing to me. but let's not count on the government being fair.
the shots are awesome. i remember emerald bay. you have to go see that castle on the island.
Why don't you use your work address at the CA licensing office? Isn't that in CA?
@Stacey
Yeah, I'm sort of crossing my fingers about the license thing. I hope I can at least have a CA permit and WA license at the same time. Then hopefully that permit will last me until Seattle, where I can get both my driver's license renewed and a fresh motorcycle license.
@G
Good idea!
Your mother just sent me an email about your new mc acquisition; it was titled 'Heart attack city'. I suspect I am expected to offer some sort of experienced counsel, which I will, but first -
WOOHOO! Congratulations! The mini-Ninjas are a blast. Did you pick this by dumb luck? It is far and away the best and most usable of the small street bikes. Better brakes, handling, especially power; this is the only 250 that's really safe on a highway. A very good choice for a first bike. Not the greatest for long distances, but pack light, take it easy, stop often, give the freighters a little room, and you'll do okay - you aren't as prone to debilitating monkey-butt attacks as us old farts. Above all, get lots of experience, better yet some training, before your first highway trip - coordinating everything should be second nature before you go for the long ride.
Now the nanny stuff - look up Motorcycle Safety Institute and see where the nearest classes are. I took their basic course in ABQ a few years ago when I started riding again and was seriously impressed. Takes an evening and a weekend, costs about $150, and they provide the bikes. Which is really good, because they'll push you a bit, and you don't need to be worried about scratching your own shiny new scooter. I guarantee it will raise your comfort level a lot. Completing the course typically gives an automatic MC license endorsement in most states, a break on insurance premiums, and some nice discounts from the local dealers and shops that sponsor the program. Check with WA, you might even be able to get an endorsement through the mail by taking the course.
You are on the right track about a bike not being very good as routine transport in Seattle. You already know how uncomfortable it is when it's too cool for your clothes, it's about an order of magnitude worse when it's wet. Add to that severely reduced traction and stability from wet pavement, reduced visibility, and hideous urban traffic. If you do take the bike up, save it for weekend trips in nice weather.
On the other hand, I would be happy to babysit it for you in Arizona. Trust me, it would get plenty of care and exercise.
@UJ
Hah! Not dumb luck, it was based on what I thought my normal commute might be, gas mileage, and cost. The 500cc and 750cc's are twice and thrice as expensive. The price really dropped off for the 250cc.
Thanks for the info about the MSI course. I read a bit about them, but I'm not exactly sure when the best time to take the course would be. I definitely like the "they give you a bike" part. I don't want to do tight turns at slow speeds just yet on my ninja!
Still weighing the pros and cons of having the bike in Seattle. It would be fun, no doubt, but I'd have to be in the right living situation to make it work. Close to public transit for rainy day commutes, and have enough gear to make the occasional rain-ride not terribly uncomfortable.
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