Pictures, pictures, and more pictures

Over that last several years, I have taken way too many pictures. That is one hazard of the digital cameras and nearly unlimited server space at the job. The easiest way for me to share them with friends and family has been through Microsoft's "Spaces" site. My live space is at jdarcher.spaces.live.com. The albums for last years MC trip is Denver 2007. Although not a MC trip, the Arizona Pictures are some of my favorites.

What I like about spaces.live.com is that they give you the option to post pictures in full size or compress automatically. It's just made it easier to quickly upload and share. Here is an embedded sample of some of the photos.

Windows Live Spaces

Freedom and captivity

The 1st long ride of the summer celebrated the freedom of the rode on the motorcycle and confinement of my son in prison. Monday was already marked off of the work calendar as I was supposed to move my daughter, but that was postponed. The forecast was perfect for riding and I hadn't seen my son for around six months. My longest ride this year was a hundred miles. Monday's ride was exactly 600 miles.

Up to this ride, the Connie's mpg was suffering from the long winter. I only keep the battery charged and Stabil in a full tank. Anytime there's no danger of ice, the Connie gets out every couple of weeks. At my first fillup, I added 1/3 of a fresh can of Sea Foam. I was down to 38 mpg prior to the fill up. From this tank I was up to 42 mpg. On the way home I road 200 miles on 4.3 gallons of gas before one last fueling at Rantoul. The Connie is roaring.

This was the first visit that I have had with my son since late last Fall. He was surprised to see me. Since it was a weekday, the visiting room was nearly empty and we were able to spend 2 1/2 hours. Anthony was the healthiest I have see him for a long time. Prior to violating his probation, he was very overweight, coughing from smoking, and drinking excessively. Still, court and detention system in the US is absolutely absurd. The was a great NYTimes article showing that we have the highest per capita incarceration rate in the world, more than 4 times the rate of European countries. He will be out on June 25th.

It's hard to fully enjoy ones blessings like the motorcycle and the open road when your child's living experiences are so different.

Another wet motorcycle class

Saturday was the first day of the range for my current class and it rained hard off and on all day. At least this week the temperature was in the upper 50's instead of the rain with 30's degrees last weekend. The class went pretty good. One student had real problems after she witnessed a student on the other range wipe out. If mentally shook her enough that she left the class inbetween exercises.

Dreaming of riding

Weather is breaking and all I can think about is getting away on the bike. My big ride was going to be to Billings, MT to attend a motorcycle conference in August. After the conference I was going to hang out in Yellowstone for afew days then work my way home. Once I started finalizing plans, I felt that I couldn't proceed without offering an option for my wife to come along to Yellowstone. I offered to drive our Santa Fe to Billings if she want to fly out at the end of the conference and then we could drive down to Yellowstone. If she said "I'm don't need to go", I could continuing planning in good conscience for a solo trip. The evening I brought it up, she purchases a plane ticket to Billings. We will stay at a lodge for a night and camp for three. While it may not be what I had initially planned, my wife and I will have a wonderful time together.

Last year the big ride for me was a solo ride out to Denver. I flew my wife out and we stayed with family in Parker, a burb of Denver. We rode to Colorado Springs, Manitou, Air Force Academy and other places. After she left, I took a 500 mile loop into the mountain for a day ride. The ride included the Great Sand Dunes National Park and great canyon riding.

No telling where I might get to ride to this year.

Now that the weather has finally warmed, I wonder if this person's motorcycle will start. Took this picture walking to worked in Hyde Park back in February.

First motorcycle class of season complete

Finished teaching the first Basic Rider Course of the training season at South Suburburn College this past Saturday. The weather stunk for the unprepared for the weather students. I was fine and toasting in my gear. It rained all day with a high temp of 39. The final day of the class ran from 8-3.

Smoking First Aid

I bit ironic don't you think. I took a manadority first aid class taught out of someone's home. You must have Red Cross First Aid and CPR certification to teach with Illinois' Motorcycle Rider Program. So periodically, the instructor lit up her cigarette during our training session. It's the first time in over a year I have been exposed to indoor second hand smoke. Now that there is a statewide ban on indoor smoking, I am exposed to secondhand smoke for a state certification in First Aid. Go figure.