Friday, January 2, 2009

My year in Review

A friend told me that I need to put something in here besides the Wordless Wednesday. I know he is right but due to time restraints, that is difficult to do. However, I am willing to try. I guess you could say it is a New Years Resolution. I will start by talking about the last year.
My Year in Review:
Not much happened in the first few months of 2008. The usual, snow, ice and cold weather. That pretty much sums up the first three months. In April, I got an e-mail from "Firefighter" one day and he wanted to know if I would be interested in doing a bicycle ride down the C & O Towpath? This path is an old canal starting in Cumberland Maryland, and travels 184 miles to Washington, DC. Without thought, I said Yea. I actually didn't think he was serious. Then much to my surprise, the plans were being made. Firefighter has a friend in Cumberland "M3" and he lives near the beginning of the path. (They do a blog together.) After several "training" trips down our own bike path here in Newark, (20 miles a week), we thought we were ready. On Father's Day weekend, we headed to Maryland. A total of 4 of us, Myself, Firefighter, M3, and a 21 year old firefighter that works at our station house with us went the 184 grueling miles down the path to DC. After arriving in DC we rented a U-Haul truck for the trip back to Cumberland. Two and a half days pedaling and a little over 3 hours in the truck. Firefighter and M3 in the cab and myself and the 21 year old in the back with the bikes. Maybe we will do it again this year. I am willing if they are. Hint Hint.....

In July, over the 4th, my Wife and I went to Northeast Ohio for the weekend. During the weekend, we stopped at a flea market, a street fair, and various other assorted spots. During the trip, we stopped at a Harley Davidson dealership to "look". That is when it started. I began talking to my Wife about the pleasures of owning a Harley. I have had motorcycles in the past but never a Harley. Again much to my surprise, she agreed to let me seriously look into getting one. Well before she could change her mind, I found a 2002 model with only 3400 miles on it. And best yet, it was a Firefighter edition. We went to look at it and my Wife actually wrote the guy a check. Needless to say, I was on the top of the world. After a month of waiting for the check to clear, actually it was only one day. The guy called and said the check cleared and I could come get it. I told him I would be there with my enclosed trailer, since I didn't have plates or insurance on it. He said that he would meet me half way and I could ride it the rest of the way home. He lives on the West side of Columbus and would meet me on the East side. He said I could use his plates and insurance until 9 am the next day. Told me to mail his plates to him. A fellow firefighter and a trusting fellow. My first ride on my new Harley was at 65 MPH, 30 miles down interstate 70. Again, on top of the world. It rode like a dream.
In August, I took the bike to Madison Ohio, just east of Cleveland, to see an old school buddy. 200 miles each way. I haven't seen my buddy for a couple years and it was nice to see him again but ride made the trip that much more pleasant. I think I will see him more often. (A good excuse for a road trip).
In October, my Wife and I took a ride to Hocking Hills to see the colors of the fall. With warm clothes and full saddle bags we left. Going South, we went to Lancaster, then West to Circleville to the Pumpkin Show. Then back East to find a room for the night. The next morning, there was ice on the seat of the bike. We went to a restaurant and to wait for the sun to warm things up a little. Then down through the hills and the colors. A nice ride to say the least. We traveled over 200 miles on the two day trip.
The bike now has 7400 miles on it and I've only had it 6 months.
With fuel prices at nearly $4 a gallon when I got the bike, it gets nearly 50 MPG. I rode it everywhere. Until about the second week of November when the cold made it too unpleasant to ride. A couple of those days, it was near 30 degrees going to work at the station. With fuel coming back to bearable levels, I put the bike in the garage.
Christmas this year was less than the usual good time with the family. That is a whole story in itself.
On December 27, the temp got to 65 degrees for the day. My wife and I took the bike to Zanesville for lunch. ( another good excuse for a ride) I hope to be able to ride every month in the year. Even if it is one trip each month.
Other than work two jobs, that pretty much sums up my year.
All in all, I have to call it a good year.

3 comments:

Epijunky said...

It sounds like a wonderful year!

LOVE the bike, btw.

Firefighter said...

Sounds like a great year to me too, wait, I was a part of it!

Ride to live, Live to ride

MattM3 said...

I'm ready for the next towpath trip! Also, nice pictures here!