FJ-09 Photo Thread

[2NDCHILDHOOD]

Some pics from the Blue Ridge highway and Rt 215 in North Cackalacky. My sister lives off Rt 64 about 15 minutes from Brevard so I have free lodging while I carve up some twisties. Have to head home tomorrow and I'm already planning my next trip back.

 

 

[dazzler24]

I was wandering through my local Yamaha dealer today with lustful intentions (but no dosh in the pockets) and spotted this pretty little thing...  XSR900 GP.  I had a sit and it felt kinda nice but a bit too aggressive sitting position for me for a longer period of time methinks.

 

Also had a sit on a new SP and an XSR with Akrapovic and nice suspension, both of which felt very light under bum and a perfect height (for me).

Found a 24 Tracer to throw my leg over as well and it didn't immediately wow me as much as the previous two did (in the limited sitting test) and had a tag circa AU$28K.  Hmmmm, back to dreaming.

[2and3cylinders]

16 hours ago, dazzler24 said:

I was wandering through my local Yamaha dealer today with lustful intentions (but no dosh in the pockets) and spotted this pretty little thing...  XSR900 GP.  I had a sit and it felt kinda nice but a bit too aggressive sitting position for me for a longer period of time methinks.

 

Also had a sit on a new SP and an XSR with Akrapovic and nice suspension, both of which felt very light under bum and a perfect height (for me).

Found a 24 Tracer to throw my leg over as well and it didn't immediately wow me as much as the previous two did (in the limited sitting test) and had a tag circa AU$28K.  Hmmmm, back to dreaming.

Here I can't even find a 24 MT-09SP to sit on, let alone buy.

And they seem super and even the SP is a comparative steal.

Doc said another 1.5 weeks and I'm back to full duty.

Ah, maybe, but I don't think so. I'm so weak from years of decline and have no stamina.

I'm working on a full body rebuilding program. 

But in 3 weeks I may give it a shot!

I think I look great!

Then I'll look for SP's 😆

 

 

 

 

[dazzler24]

12 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

I think I look great!

Ha!  You're looking a whole lot better than from when I saw you in previous photos 2+3!  Younger too!

Good luck on your road to recovery.

[dazzler24]

Weather was too good to stay home today.  Late August and we should be getting dry westerlies and coolish temps.  How about 25C on the bike today?!  Great riding weather ATM but.... I fear the coming Summer. 🥵

Even the snakes are on the move already!  This green tree snake found relaxing on my deck.

Baroon Pocket Dam

[2and3cylinders]

4 hours ago, dazzler24 said:

Weather was too good to stay home today.  Late August and we should be getting dry westerlies and coolish temps.  How about 25C on the bike today?!  Great riding weather ATM but.... I fear the coming Summer. 🥵

Even the snakes are on the move already!  This green tree snake found relaxing on my deck.

Baroon Pocket Dam

I hate snakes!

I got chased by a huge black gopher snake at age 7 while playing pirate with my then bestie Allen Weber after his Treasure Island themed birthday party by the creek that dominated my childhood micro climate and topography.

Those whose lives dawned in late 1950's have the images in their  heads.  Black paper eye patch with the round, black elastic string, painful black paper clip-on mustache, red with white polkadot bandana, rubber mini saber, "Eiye Matey, raise the skull and crossed bones!"

It was also a beautiful day, and all sorts of critters lived along the creek but usually were not out until after dusk.  But young pirates never ventured out into the woods at night, but in daylight we were fearless, or so we felt.

We had drunk too much pirates punch at the party and thought nothing of stopping to pee in one of the several holes higher up on the backside of our side of the creek bed.  The creek at least once a year filled the flood plane cresting the 15+ foot deep bed  over the banks.  Suddenly, as our golden streams disappeared into the blackness, a big black head came up out of the hole with what appeared to be clear eyelids snapping down over a pair of black pupils with yellow sclera,  black forked tongue darting up, and we were peeing on it!  Truly!!!

We both screamed, turned and ran as fast as are little legs could carry us away down the trail. Zipping up never crossed our minds.

After maybe 15 feet I stopped and turned around, and dam, the crazy snake was slithering after us so hard a dust vail was clearly visible in the serpents wake!  And he / she must have been 5-inches round and at least 7-feet long.  I'm not exaggerating!  Or at least it looked that big to us!

We screamed on cue again and swung back around and took off like jets.  I could smell the rubber soles on my PF Flyers burning.

In another 30 feet, out of breath and hyperventilating, we slowed to a slow trot, then to a side shuffle as we tried to spy the black devil.

And I kid you not, it was still after us!

You guessed it.

We again let out extremely high-pitched yelps of fanatical fear in unison, and pure adrenaline pushed us forward without our little feet seemingly touching the dirt path!

Then, maybe in another 50 feet and not too far from my house that literally abutted the lightly forested creek flood plane, Allen tripped me up from behind and I fell at full speed forward, arms outstretched like Pete Rose sliding into 3rd base.

In a cloud of dust I slid on my stomach keeping my chin up, but then Alen fell prone on my back, screeching in my left ear as together we quickly surfed to a burning stop.

We separated within the dust cloud and independently sprang to our feet. I expected the snake to lunge out of the cloud at my throat.  Allen later told me he thought the snake would coil around him and squeeze him until his eyes popped out.

Then, silence, and the snake never again materialized.

It was only then that Allen and I  remembered our zippers were still down and laughed with not a bit of embarrassment like little boys would have back then. Taking advantage of that, we looked around, gave out a cross between a cry of relief and a giggle as we stared at each other, then did a 180 and peed back to back.

The foregoing is an absolutely true and accurate account of why, to this very day, with a chill that eminates from the pit of my very  recently completely titanium reinforced spine, hate snakes 🐍