What did you do to your FJ-tracer-gt today?

[nhchris]

Nice ride!

As Clint Eastwood said so long ago: “A man has got to know his limitations.”

And 500 km is a good one to know.

For me, the mental laps that begin occurring after 250 miles are disturbing and potentially lethal.  Pilots call it “get homeitis” and it’s real as you age.

Edited October 28, 2021 by nhchris

[Wintersdark]

2 hours ago, nhchris said:

Nice ride!

As Clint Eastwood said so long ago: “A man has got to know his limitations.”

And 500 km is a good one to know.

For me, the mental laps that begin occurring after 250 miles are disturbing and potentially lethal.  Pilots call it “get homeitis” and it’s real as you age.

That's really it for me.  I find at ~500 kilometers (310 miles, apparently) my brain just starts drifting and I find myself riding on auto-pilot.  That thing that happens in cars a lot where you're suddenly... "Hey, wait a minute, how did I get here, and why do I have no memory of the last few miles?"  I can push it back with energy drinks and caffeine, but... that scares the heck out of me.  I need to be 100% "on" while riding.  

Sucks, though.  When I was younger, iron butt rides where trivial.  There's no way I could do that now, and that's kind of saddening.  I mean, they weren't fun, really, and I don't think I'm missing out, but I hate accepting limitations from age.  Pisses me off

[betoney]

3 hours ago, nhchris said:

Nice ride!

As Clint Eastwood said so long ago: “A man has got to know his limitations.”

And 500 km is a good one to know.

For me, the mental laps that begin occurring after 250 miles are disturbing and potentially lethal.  Pilots call it “get homeitis” and it’s real as you age.

 

1 hour ago, Wintersdark said:

That's really it for me.  I find at ~500 kilometers (310 miles, apparently) my brain just starts drifting and I find myself riding on auto-pilot.

A lot of that happens for me if I'm on a long highway haul, just droning along my mind starts to wander.  Even on a road trip, I deliberately try to mix in as much diverse riding as possible to keep my attention active. 

My 'comfortable daily limit' while traveling is around 400-450 miles and especially toward the end of the day I will try to mix in some twisties, or smaller towns with varying speed limits so I'm not just holding a steady 75mph as I daydream.

[nhchris]

I find it helpful to remind myself that I ride for fun and enjoyment.  When it transitions to an ordeal I’ve lost the point of the whole thing.

In midlife I was a avid hiker and climber and my body never let me down no matter how hard I pushed it.  Now in my 70s I can’t get away with that any longer.  What once was a day hike is now a overnighter.  I read rescue stories regularly about guys sixty and up who bonk out or keel over on the trail and need to be hauled out by SARS folks.

Im glad I can still hike and ride as well as I do,  But I also respect where I am on the life continuum.

If some young buck gives me sh#t about something I usually say: “Call me when you’re 74 and tell me all about it punk!”

A man has got to know his limitations.

Edited October 28, 2021 by nhchris

[2and3cylinders]

I hope to have all my surgeries and PT done by next spring while establishing a new +65 lifestyle that includes a decent amount of cardo and such tied to a better diet with smaller portion sizes.  It was an easy, slow, gradual slippery slope down but a hard landing at the bottom into America's morrass of plus sized quantity over quality.  If I can get my act together and on the road, maybe then I'll dare to get some Liposuction on my big belly!  Makes no sense to get it until I can keep it off. The extra 25 pounds just compounded my issues, and just drags me down, sapping my energy.   

"Woah, woah
Gravity is working against me
And gravity wants to bring me down

Oh, twice as much ain't twice as good
And can't sustain like one half could
It's wanting more that's gonna send me to my knees"

All I know is after a decade of pain and the resulting downhill slide in fitness, the time is NOW to get with it!  Then I'll see if I can again manage those 11 hour, 600+ mile days in the saddle again.

[kilo3]

Put the girls away for the winter. Well kinda, the tracer is going to get some parts thrown at it eventually this winter if Santa would get off his broke ass and get me a garage heater.

Edited November 13, 2021 by kilo3

[1moreroad]

18 hours ago, kilo3 said:

Well kinda, the tracer is going to get some parts thrown at it eventually this winter if Santa would get off his broke ass and get me a garage heater.

For a garage your size (assuming it's car/truck length deep) where you don't have to open the door, these things are awesome.  They take a while to warm up the space, so you turn it on before a leisurely breakfast then you're ready to work.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Comfort-Zone-1-500-Watt-White-Electric-Oil-Filled-Radiator-Space-Heater-with-Silent-Operation-CZ8008/311300771

Oh, wait... MN.  Maybe 2 or 3 of these heaters?

[PhotoAl]

On 10/28/2021 at 1:02 PM, nhchris said:

I find it helpful to remind myself that I ride for fun and enjoyment.  When it transitions to an ordeal I’ve lost the point of the whole thing.

In midlife I was a avid hiker and climber and my body never let me down no matter how hard I pushed it.  Now in my 70s I can’t get away with that any longer.  What once was a day hike is now a overnighter.  I read rescue stories regularly about guys sixty and up who bonk out or keel over on the trail and need to be hauled out by SARS folks.

Im glad I can still hike and ride as well as I do,  But I also respect where I am on the life continuum.

If some young buck gives me sh#t about something I usually say: “Call me when you’re 74 and tell me all about it punk!”

A man has got to know his limitations.

I’ve found that out!  Now in my mid to late 60s find I need to stay in shape and exercise not only for strength but for flexibility as well.  We’ve been in Silicon Valley for almost a month to see a new grandchild.  The other day we went hiking in the hills south of Half Moon Bay.  There were a couple of signs at the start of the trail, one talking about mountain lions and the other about the numbers of rescues on the trail recently.  It wasn’t mountain lions eating folks but rather folks exceeding their abilities.  Trail was only 2.3 miles - LOL my wife told me it was one!  Issue was the trail was steep - downhill!  Walk in was not easy as it was continuous downhill with some stretches steep enough to have to watch footing to make sure you didn’t slip.  The walk back was tough but we made it.  Biggest problem was my watch not reading my heart rate like I wanted it to.

In August/September took n 18 day solo motorcycle trip.  I usually schedule two nights in the same place every so often so have a break.  This tip I packed too much stuff in and although I spent 3 nights in Red Lodge Montana I rode a lot each of those days.  It was a fantastic trip.  Most days were less than 400 miles but the last 2 are a total of 1,100 miles.  Wound up being too much of a grind with not enough time.  I was able to ride an unhurried pace but too many days it was get up, take a shower, pack up campsite and tent, load bike and ride from gas stop to gas stop and arrive at destination in time to set up campsite relax a bit then go get some dinner and have some time after dinner then to bed.  I’ve found 4 to 5 days of riding is about as much as I want to do before a “rest” day.  I can still do the 500 plus mile days but try and take good breaks at every gas stop.  

[kilo3]

3 hours ago, 1moreroad said:

Oh, wait... MN.  Maybe 2 or 3 of these heaters?

I don't think 1500 watts wouldn't get it above freezing. 15k might barely. I have gas ran to the garage but every time I come up with the cash it ends up going elsewhere. Last time was new tires for the wife's truck. Never ending cycle it seems.

[PhotoAl]

You should move to Florida  or Texas 🙂

[kilo3]

1 hour ago, PhotoAl said:

You should move to Florida  or Texas 🙂

I'd I had a choice I think I'd choose Utah. Minus the weird drinking stuff, such a diverse landscape in one state.

[mikerbiker]

On 10/23/2021 at 7:36 PM, piotrek said:

Road tested the grip mitts on a wimpy 4C morning... summer gloves, grips heaters at lowest setting. Total comfort for my hands in the colder months of the season. Pretty sure I heard my thumbs and the knuckles say 'thank you'. I have the mitts wrapped over the KTM Adventure plastics.

What brand mitts?  They look good!

[piotrek]

58 minutes ago, mikerbiker said:

What brand mitts?  They look good!

Enduro ¾ Grip Mitts, made by OBR ADV Gear. Absolutely love these... and I regret not getting them sooner. I can quickly strap these onto my KTMs when conditions call for it.

[piotrek]

4 hours ago, kilo3 said:

I don't think 1500 watts wouldn't get it above freezing. 15k might barely. I have gas ran to the garage but every time I come up with the cash it ends up going elsewhere. Last time was new tires for the wife's truck. Never ending cycle it seems.

I ran 240V into the garage for a 6kW heater. It was meant to be suspended (or wall-mounted) and hard-wired... but I gave it feet and a cord with a 30A twist-lock. Made more sense for me to have something I can move about and at ground level.

My garage (single) is not insulated, except for the door itself. It can be drafty on windy days. Need just under an hour at 0C OAT to bring the garage to ~16C, and about twice that time at -10C OAT. It doesn't take much to keep the temperature once there. I bought a cheap wireless remote temperature monitor to tell me when it's time to go play. I can usually trust my wife to keep an eye on it. 😬

[1moreroad]

21 hours ago, PhotoAl said:

You should move to Florida  or Texas 🙂

Motorcyclist move to FL? Double u tee eff? 😄 Go look at my thread just asking about a ride in FL.