December (9 Months to go)

Well December is upon us and my riding has been slowing down. I'm still able to ride to work but that is only about 20 miles a week. I'm still getting out on Fridays for rides but nothing too long.

This week I grabbed a few friends and we did a 220 mile ride to a little bar and grill in San Antonio, NM called the Owl Cafe. They are famous for their Green Chilli Cheese Burgers. So about 11 of us meet for breakfast a place called Mule Barn (you would have to see the place it is hard to discribe but they make a mean breakfast). From there we took a leisurely ride down and a sprited ride back. The burgers at the Owl Cafe were not up to par for a resturant toted as having one of the best chilli cheese burgers in the country. But the ride and company made up for the food. It was a great day.

Saturday I spent the morning with a friend finally building the fuel cell mount. Here is a picture of it prior to cleaning up the wields and painting it. As you can see it's looking pretty rough but I don't want to put a lot of effort until the design has been approved for the IBR 09. So I sent a few pictures off to the chief technicial inspector for his blessing.

Well the design recieved mix reviews and it was suggested that I lower the mount. So I lowered it by two inches and cleaned it up. Since then the mount has been painted (black) and I purchased all the fitting. I'm already to have the tank drilled and welded with the fitting to connect my new tank. I'm planning to take off the tank send it over to be welded. This should happen the week after New Years.

Until that happens, I'm planning to get in a few more rides before the end of the year. Since the run to the Owl cafe, I have been out a couple of times and have one more planned before I take the tank off. I think I'm going to be close to 18,000 miles for the year. Not bad considering I hardly rode in April and May (200 miles) due to an injury and the 0 miles for the month of July due to totalling my ST1300. So the 17,500 was done in a little over 9 months. Well as the year is coming to an end I was able to get out for a ride the day after Christmas. A few friend and I went for a 190 mile ride seeing all kinds of weather. We started in 45 degree weather hit 54 degrees at the mid-point of the ride then finished in 34 degree weather. We saw sun, clouds, rain, snow and wind. Oh did I mention WIND!!! gusts up to 50 mph, what a fun last ride for the year. Here's hoping 2009 brings more miles.