Crazy Winter Weather and leaving HOG

Well yesterday, (Tuesday), I put on 106 miles of interstate and highway for a "battery charge run" in the 50's (F) with a lot of sunshine.  Today it started out with "freezing drizzle" and now is lightly snowing, arrugh! :(  We've had a LOT of quick snow stroms for the new year and very few days decent enough to ride semi-comforably so far!  I rode what we call the Loop Run, South on I-25 to Pueblo, then West to Hwy. 115 N and the tiny hamlet of Penrose, and head back to Colorado Springs.

This gives us 80% riding time at 60 to 75 mph. so it's a good battery charge run of which I try to accomplish a minimum of once every two weeks. We don't have an eletrical source we can plug in a trickle charger to at the storeage area so we NEED the weather to give us a "two day clearing" and that get's a bit dicey from Dec. to April.  Usually we can get a couple of days a month or so that can be ridden if I BUNDLE UP, sadly can't afford "electric gear" (vest, chaps, gloves, etc.) so I have to turn into a winter mummy with LOTS of layers.  We need 45 degrees (F) and sunny and that's usually max temp in Jan. and Feb. here in Southern CO.

It sure did feel good to get out on the scoot and LOL, I did get a lot of looks from the drivers on the Interstate! ;)  Well Midnight, (our H-D Sporty) is now tucked back into the "heated" storage area untill I can get a weather break and let her out of the barn again! :)   We've decided to "not" renew our national and local chapter Harley Owners Group (HOG) membership. We are very low income (under $35,000 a year) and HOG is really for folks with "MONEY" to go to all the rallies and event's so that's reason #1. we  are not staying with HOG. Pikes Peak HOG chapter #405 is a real good bunch of people but, we don't really care for "Group Riding", we like to ride our speed, stop when WE want and since we are riding "2 up" on 883 Sportster, we can't stay as comfortable as long as the "Glide" riders, (LOL, we call them Mobile Couches).  So weighing all the facts we are going "Independent".  We really enjoy riding a Harley-Davidson but HOG just isn't for us, jmho, ymmv. Stay Warm, Ride when you can! :)

Well we made the miles, sort of ;)

Found out that Pikes Peak H-D will do a "Service" at either 400 miles prior or 400 miles after the "mileage" so we did manage to get 9,640 miles on the Sporty and took it in for it's 10,000 mile check up last week so at $425.00 for the service we did good to get the miles in under our Pit Stop Service Pass/Program before our deadline in Feb. 2014!! :)

With winter coming in big time after Christmas Day, we will probably NOT get the 12,500 mile check up under the Pit Pass by Feb. 2015 so the next one and those after will be totally out of pocket, OUCH!!  We really like our Sporty and riding a H-D but WOW, the services are quite expensive next to the Oriental Cruisers we've owned in the past!!!  Oh well, we are still very glad we went with Harley-Davidson and will have to figure out how to budget the services in our meger earnings.

Right now it's snowing and blowing and in the teens, tonight, -8 degrees F and tommorow a balmly, 7 degrees F for a day time high!! So the Sporty is in the "heated" storeage area we use as a "garage", LOL, the folks there think were a bit nuts but they let us keep our bike in a no colder than 65 degrees F storage area so hopefully the battery can hang on till our next 40-45 degree, SUNNY day and we can get in at least a "battery charge" run! :)  Hope your getting out, Happy New Year from US to YOU and yours! :)

Rack'in up the MILES!!

Usually we don't "try" to get a certain amount of miles in a year, we are more, Flower Sniffer riders, than Iron Butt Riders, LOL! ;)  We purchased a Pitt Pass Program when we bought our 2014 H-D Sportster in Feb. 2014, it gives us all the "required" services within that year, no matter how many "miles" we put on the machine! Well we now have 9,020 miles and only 6 to 8 weeks left on our PPP and it's DECEMBER here in Southern CO. so we are trying to get to 10, 000 miles before the 15th. of Feb. 2015!!

We turned over 9,000 on Sat. took a 250 mile, eastern plains ride, out Hwy. 24 to Limon, CO., then CO. 71 S. to Rocky Ford, then Hwy. 50 W. into Pueblo and I-25 N. back to Colorado Springs, hoping to get some miles in during the week as Wed. and Thurs. look nice, high 50's (F) and sunshine. LOL, for us the getting of MILES, has to equal the amount of money we can dig up for GAS!! If we were labled by the hardcores, I guess we'd be either posers or RUBS, (Rich Urban Bikers), well we live on less than $35,000 a year so we'd have to be "PUBS", ie POOR Urban Bikers, LOL! ;)  So for the momnent it's more about "MILES", than journey, which is kinda a real bummer but the 10,000 mile service is EXPENSIVE so if we can get it in under the current PPP, we'd save $350.00 out of our tiny budget!!

Being poor and riding a motorcycle doesn't mix well but we do the best we can and try to ENJOY every mile. So wish us luck and GREAT weather for the rest of Dec. and Jan., yea, right! ;) We will let you know if we made the goal! :)

Just a bit of update

Well it's winter time now and we just try to get in as many "battery charge" rides as old man winter will allow us! Luckly So. CO. isn't buried in snow like the mountain areas so we can usually get in a 100 miler at least once a month, even in the dead of winter. We bought a "Service" package when we bought the Sporty back in Feb. 2014. We are trying had to get 10,000 miles on the bike before the Service Package is closed, were up to 8,500 miles and have till Feb. 15th. 2015 so were hoping for some dry decent weather over the next couple of  months!

 

We will be going to our first HOG Holiday Party on the 6th. of Dec., still not sure were gona stay members of the local chapter as we don't really care for group riding much. We like to stop when WE want and we like to "cruise" not haul bunn's when we ride. LOL, it seems when you get a bunch of Harley riders in a group, they gota go 80mph.!!!  We plan on getting more heavy duty rear shocks and a better seat, for next year, IF we get lucky and get our normal income tax refund this year. Well gota close for now.  Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from US to YOU! :)

 

 

High Country Toy Run

Jo and I have been riding in the area's BIG Toy Run for many years, it used to be a HOG run but HOG joined with the older "High Country Toy Run" and now it's just one big event put on by Pro Promotions and Jim Wear. They had around 1000 bikes show up and we did a parade ride thru the city of Colorado Springs to downtown and the Cowboy's Night Club. We dropped off our toys to the "Marines" Toys For Tots" van and went inside for a steak dinner for $7.00, all the monies went to buying "more" toys. Were not big on parade rides but for this cause it's worth it!

Photo's below are the "start" of the run at Pikes Peak H-D.: