Two of my friends picked up bikes this past week to ride the street.  It is great to have some of my life long friends getting into the hobby with me.  The one friend of mine actually was the first person I rode with when I was 13. And i’m really happy as they have been listening to my advice and both purchased almost full gear, they just need boots.  That puts a smile on my face more then anything knowing they are believing in the ATGATT mantra.  One of the new bikes though isn’t like the others!!  Meet the farm bear and his new ride!

What do you think of these things?  I rode it a bit and it’s like riding a snowmobile, it is a lot of fun.  It has it’s place in the community in my opinion and I can’t wait to go on some longer trips with the guy.  Two wheels though will forever be my speed.

Having the Ducati in storage is a blessing and a curse all in itself.  For one I am able to have it close by and it makes me think I will still be able to ride it whenever I want.  But being that the storage unit has no electrical outlets I have to pull the battery and keep it on a tender at the house.

Now with the new job I have a lot less time then I used to when it comes to the end of the day.  When I lived at home and I wanted to commute to work I would just pack my bag and put it on the bike in the garage and then i’m good to go.  It has become a bit of a hassle if I want to commute to work now.  I have to skateboard or ride my bicycle to the storage unit with some gear, my battery and tools in tow.  The unit isn’t that far though only half a mile so it isn’t too bad…..Then put the bike together then ride it back to the apartment then pack my bags for tomorrow.  And now since I have to look snazzy for work the business clothes have to go on under the gear.  But hey its the price I pay and since it is warming up i’m sure i’ll be riding more and can leave the battery in.  I think the main part is i’m getting the itch to ride badly with this nice weather we are having and haven’t had a lot of time to do it.

This saturday i finally manned up and put the battery in and went for a ride.

I remembered three things while riding the first one being that long island has a serious lack of quality roads to ride for a sportbike especially in the middle of a saturday.  The second being that someone giving me a thumbs up and grinning at me on the bike can make my day.  And the third?  Well I really like girl scout cookies

There was a troop selling them outside the shopping center near me, I had to stop and get some.  How was your weekend?  Did you ride?  Do you have some tricks for commuting?

The motorcycle bug hit me really early in life I had a dirtbike at 13 and rode the heck out of it.  I actually still have it out at my dad’s shop till this day, it’s a 1996 CR80 2T!  It still runs even though nothing has ever been done to it which is amazing.  The second I turned 17 I got my motorcycle license and fixed up an old 1982 Yamaha Virago 920 my dad had laying around.  It was beat up it had gutted pipes and the governor stopped it at 85mph, but it was fun!! I was the only kid at school with a motorcycle and damn did I think I was the coolest!!  Me and this bike went everywhere I pretty much stopped driving my car all together and rode this whenever I could.  This bike taught me a lot even about counter steering and not to mention it was a twin!  Man did I start early with twins haha.  Of course I was a long way from ATGATT those days, I am glad I made it to where I am in one piece.  Here is a picture of me and my first motorcycle.

O and that little cr80?  Here it is

What was your first bike?  Do you still have it around?  Mine bit the dust and we had to trash it as it was too expensive to try to fix but hey i’m still riding!  I don’t exactly miss this bike too much though as I didn’t get really big into riding until about 2007.

One more day to go and I think these are some of the best pictures I have of the 1098.  The wife and I did an engagement photo session and included the Ducati in it.  She never rides the bike but she does tell me a lot how it is her favorite one just because of the looks of it.   Photo credit goes to Sandi Rufo Photography, she does amazing work.

And another

I love her, my wife not the bike, well sometimes the bike!  Has anyone else included bikes for a special occasion?

This post is part of a series pioneered by fuzzygalore.com, we are trying to post a picture every day for February!  Can you do 29 in 29?!  Here is a list of the participants, make sure you stop in and say hi!

http://www.fuzzygalore.com/

http://appalachiantours.blogspot.com/

http://northwestexplore.com/

http://bluekat78.blogspot.com/

http://2wheelersrevisited.blogspot.com/

http://karinajean.com/wp/

http://lean-off.blogspot.com/

http://scootermayhem.blogspot.com/

http://vespalx150.blogspot.com/

http://trobairitztablet.blogspot.com/

http://troubadourtriumph.blogspot.com/

http://www.youmotorcycle.com/

http://highwaylass.blogspot.com/

http://www.wetcoastscootin.blogspot.com/

This is a screen grab from the riding I did yesterday.  The pic really isn’t much to write home about but I feel good about what I have been doing.  We got an invite to a private motorcross track and took full advantage of it.  I have never ridden a MX track before and it was a lot of fun i’m starting to get comfy in the air which is cool.

I have progressed so much in dirt the last year I can’t wait to see what this season brings for me.

This post is part of a series pioneered by fuzzygalore.com, we are trying to post a picture every day for February!  Can you do 29 in 29?!  Here is a list of the participants, make sure you stop in and say hi!

http://www.fuzzygalore.com/

http://appalachiantours.blogspot.com/

http://northwestexplore.com/

http://bluekat78.blogspot.com/

http://2wheelersrevisited.blogspot.com/

http://karinajean.com/wp/

http://lean-off.blogspot.com/

http://scootermayhem.blogspot.com/

http://vespalx150.blogspot.com/

http://trobairitztablet.blogspot.com/

http://troubadourtriumph.blogspot.com/

http://www.youmotorcycle.com/

http://highwaylass.blogspot.com/

http://www.wetcoastscootin.blogspot.com/