Frustration leads to Serendipity

Frustration:  feelings of discouragement.

Serendipity:  finding valuable or agreeable things not sought after.

This last saturday I experienced both of those feelings.  Susan and I started riding two-up for several reasons, but one of the main ones is she wanted to explore the local area with me.  As part of the Equinox to Equinox rally I was visiting old cemeteries and  traveling all around the back roads coming back home with interesting stories and pictures of what exactly was out there.

We agreed to go exploring, planning to take a two hour and 60 mile ride to a few places I wanted to mark off my list.  The courthouse in nearby Dade City, the Muffler Man, a couple of cemeteries.  I had heard of an old ghost town nearby...well not really a ghost town but a town that used to have over 1000 people living there that now had less than 100, yet somehow managed to preserve it's early 1900's buildings.  As fans of history we had to see this!

First however we had some errands to run and breakfast to eat, so we climbed aboard Kimmie and took off.  We had no issues, not a care in the world as we started off on our journey.

Then Susan started to tap me on the shoulder, she forgot something at the house.  We turned around.   About an hour later we left again.  And turned around again as something else was needed or forgotten.   Another hour passes.  We are now into the heat of the day....to hot for Susan to ride.  I'm on my own.

I've been looking for a way to map out my route and then have it transferred to my phone.  I have some earphones that I can plug in and listen to the GPS directions as I ride.   I head out, the voice in my ear tells me turn left, turn left, turn left...wait a second.     It seems to be stuck on one turn, refusing to advance to the next.   I try a different tack, inputting a new destination.   It searches for GPS.    It searches for GPS.  It searches for GPS.   I swear at it.  It finds GPS.

It loses signal.

Fuck it, where does this road go anyway?

I turn and start to head down a road I've never been on before.  It's a nice 2 lane road, heading into the wilderness that is central Florida.  I ride through farmland and past citrus tree, there are more than enough twisties to make it interesting.  I am the only bike on this road,  and I realize it's a hidden gem as I putt along at about 40 to 50 miles per hour.  It's a great road, no potholes, the curves well marked out.

I pull off here and there when something catches my eye, an old barn falling down or a baby calf grazing at the fence line.   I try to entice it with some flowers picked by the side of the road but it wants nothing to do with some strange man riding a noisy machine.

I ride some more, the smell of lavender off in the distance.  I turn a corner and see an old familiar sign.  I'm in the Green Swamp now.   The paved road gives out to hard scrabble but it's nothing that I've not ridden on before, Kimmie and I move forward, till the road were on dead ends at a small but well maintained little church and graveyard.

I ask permission of the dead to move my motorcycle close to the graves and take my photo.  Taking a few minutes to watch the various butterfly's float through the air.  It's peaceful here and I can understand why the Baptist Church seems to be in the middle of no where.

Off again now....through twists and turns heading home or at least in that general direction.  I cross an old wooden one lane bridge.  I worry about stopping in the middle of it, but I hear no cars...in fact I hear nothing but nature and the gurgle of the water below me.

I know now that I have to return to this road, this hidden gem.  I hope to bring Susan here, she would love the quiet and the view.  The flowers on the side of the road in their purple and golden glory.  I'm tempted to post something to the various forums I belong to.  Letting other bikers know about this find, this amazing remarkable road.  Then again it's my secret...and I'm reminded of the legend of  Brigadoon.

On the way home I was able to get a few historical markers out of the way.  So I was able to get some points towards the rally.   But the rally was an afterthought.  All I wanted to do now was ride.

Applications for my smart phone...

Recently I finally upgraded to a smart phone.  I did this for several reasons and frankly they were all bike related.  A simple GPS device on my phone could get me home if I got lost on back country roads, and could tuck easily into my jacket pocket with some attached ear buds.  Recently I downloaded Waze which seems like an interesting idea, "crowd sourcing" traffic information.  In other words, getting real time information on accidents, slow downs, police and other things that are along my programmed route.  Even providing different options on how to avoid something.  All the information is gathered by reports supplied by different Waze users.

(credit:  Waze)

The problem of course is how crowed the screen can get, and how you might be distracted by the information coming at you.   Nor is things like a slow down in traffic and accidents mentioned while you drive, although it did warn me of a car on the side of the road...when I was on top of it.  So if your not looking at the screen, your going to miss it.  Looking at the screen while riding the bike has some disadvantages of course.

I have already sung the praises of such programs as CRADAR and Guardian Angel and have downloaded applications that let me keep track of my maintenance.  What to do if I am in an accident (complete with a separate folder for photographs of said accident).  It even includes my doctor's name and emergency contacts. I'm not in a hurry to test these applications.

There is a large part of me that likes the idea of having all that info at my fingertips when needed.  There is even a program that will let me track my route on the bike for future downloads, sadly however that program seems unstable...being designed more for hiking and biking.  I could see using a similar program to map out my rides just in case I find something interesting.  I may try it again.   I recently learned of an application for my android phone called Trip Journal which I will have to try soon.  BreadCrumbz looks interesting as well.

An application available through Best Biking Roads which gives me access to available known routes, and living more or less in the center of the state of Florida I seem to have access to various routes, is pretty cool. However at a $9.00 cost to download it I'm not sure if it's worth it to me.

Then again the big question for me...is will I actually use this stuff?  I have owned my Burgie for a little over a year and I can count the numbers of recreational rides I've had on it using my fingers.  Well I enjoy commuting on the bike daily, it was the reason I primary bought the bike for, I also know that the Burgie is built for riding.  That I enjoy exploring back roads and mysterious places.  That getting lost is not a bad thing.

First things first however, clutch replacement and a new front tire.

Rally Season

Although I lived in North Carolina for years, the seasons here in Florida are different.   We still have four seasons of course.  Summer, "Snowbird Season" or Winter, "Love Bug Season" when we are surround by the mutant bugs from hell, and finally the Hurricane season.  Summer which by definition may be several 90 degree days in a row can occur at any time and can last three to nine months.

So a lot of "summertime" activities generally happen in the months traditionally occupied by "winter."  There is a logic to it of course, it's nicer to be outside when the temperatures are cooler and frankly; your taking advantage of the snowbirds as well.  Many of whom are looking for something to do.

Thus our state fair is in the middle of February for example.  With the lower temperatures come various biker and scooter rally's as well.  In a effort to get the word out I'm going to spend a few minutes talking about three upcoming rally's that I know of.  Why you should go to at least one of them, and finally introduce to a neat little smartphone app I found that might save your life.

 Sun, Sand and Scooters is the second annual rally held in St. Petersburg and is being held from November 9th through the 12th.  St. Pete is a very friendly city for scooters and motorcycles and is world famous for it's beaches.  What is really nice about this rally is that one of the sponsors is the Magnuson Hotel and Marina.  So you can literally stay at one of the nicer resorts, go riding, go swimming, go riding, sleep in comfort.  I may be mistaken but I think registration ends soon.
Sadly I did not get to attend this rally last year because I heard about it to late.  I do hope to get the time of of work for this year.

The second annual Snowbird Classic is November 16th through the 18th.  Last year I understand some 90 scooterists showed up for the event and this year promises to be even bigger.  Sadly, do to my job (I work for a GPS company so I am pretty much "on call"), I was not able to attend last year's rally.  However I am providing a special door prize for this rally (more on that below).  So I plan on taking at least two of those three days off and attending this rally come hell or high water.   Orlando is also home to various Florida institutions that are to numerous to name here.   So when not on your ride you can certainly take advantage of some magic.

Recently I learned about the Cocoa Beach Scooter Rally, which will be held from February 22nd through the 24th.  This appears to be less of a riding event and more of a social event, due to the fact that it attracts many British and other Europeans to the event.  However that means that you will have the chance to chat with people that clearly have a more defined "scooter" culture than we have in the states.  There is also a Tiki theme meaning that you will finally be able to wear that coconut bra that is taking up room in the back of your dresser drawer.  Also being this close to the Kennedy Space center it's a shame not to visit.

As some of you may know, in addition to my work in GPS, I am also self employed.  Recently my company became associated with Angelic Imports which is the exclusive importer for the wonderful Goufrais Chocolates from Germany.   I am giving the readers (all 10 or 15 of you) the chance to have this product at a discount, but only if you order through me.  If you desire to go through the website please be sure to mention Trade Specials LLC  although I can not offer you the discount then.   This would make a great door prize at rally's and with Christmas coming up....well need I say more?

OK, that was the plug.

Roughly two or three weeks ago I caved in and bought myself a smart phone.   I have been a fan of CRADAR since I first heard about it and frankly, it was one of the reasons I upgraded to a smartphone.  Riding at night and having deer running around, it just made sense to me to have something contact someone in case of an accident or injury.
Recently I found another application for a smart phone that I wanted to bring to your attention   This is also a free application and has a similar function to CRADAR.    Guardian Angel is an application designed to save your life.  If you have earphones, and who doesn't, you attach them to the phone and then to the bike; or wear them.  In case of a crash the earphones will most likely become unattached  the phone calls your contacts and uses the phone's GPS function to give your location.

Safe riding and I hope to see you at a rally!