More winter in the North!

[jonp]

ok, it's supposed to be 73 here today with a little rain. Think I'll go for a motorcycle ride.

[jonp]

Geez Wildkat, Your reply about bikes went right by me. Both you and your husband ride? What bikes do you have?

[wildkat]

Geez Wildkat, Your reply about bikes went right by me. Both you and your husband ride? What bikes do you have?

I HATE you! We' are lucky most of the time if we can ride from May till October! Depends on the snow & the frost...then we have to wait till the get the gravel cleaned off the roads...cause that can be deadly, specially if there's too much of it.

Yes, both hubby & I ride...
Hubby has a 2003 Harley...Heritage Springer
I have a 2004 Honda VTX 1300...bought it brand new with ONE mile on it in 2004...I have 3,000 miles on it now...I wish I had the TIME to ride...but truck payments take priority

Now my truck on the other hand...I bought it brand new in Oct of 2006... it had 10 kms (6 miles) on it...it now has 680,000 kms (408,000 miles)! Guess that kind of tells you what my life consists of doesn't it!

[jonp]

Boy...my back is stiff. Just got back from a long ride. hehehehe
I've got a 99 Softtail Custom and Bought my girlfriend a 1200 Sportster this summer after the Vulcan she was driving got totaled by a kid t-boning her. She didnt get hurt but it sucked alot. Nothing like hearing brakes squeal behind you, a big thump and looking in the mirror and seeing your significant other on her back in the middle of the road with her bike on top of her.
All's well that ends well, though.
oh..found the Sportster for sale on a bulletin board. It's a 2000 with 5,000 miles on it. Went to check it out and found out that the guy that had it bought it new, rode it one summer and went blind. The last few years he'd go out to the garage once a month or so and start it up and sit on it. Finally got up the courage to let it go.
Now that is a sucky story but he was glad to sell it to someone that would appreciate it and take care of it.

[wildkat]

Boy...my back is stiff. Just got back from a long ride. hehehehe
I've got a 99 Softtail Custom and Bought my girlfriend a 1200 Sportster this summer after the Vulcan she was driving got totaled by a kid t-boning her. She didnt get hurt but it sucked alot. Nothing like hearing brakes squeal behind you, a big thump and looking in the mirror and seeing your significant other on her back in the middle of the road with her bike on top of her.
All's well that ends well, though.
oh..found the Sportster for sale on a bulletin board. It's a 2000 with 5,000 miles on it. Went to check it out and found out that the guy that had it bought it new, rode it one summer and went blind. The last few years he'd go out to the garage once a month or so and start it up and sit on it. Finally got up the courage to let it go.
Now that is a sucky story but he was glad to sell it to someone that would appreciate it and take care of it.

Let's see...did I mention I do most of my stuff solo? Specially DRIVE...can't stand being in the passenger seat & I don't like people enough to have someone in my truck for more than a few hours...except Mandy! LOL

Anyway, hubby got holidays once about year & 1/2 ago...before he got off the rigs & decided he wanted to drive a truck! That's when we bought the 2nd one...

I traded my old Suzi in on the Honda...had the thing for 14 years, but she was a one lunger...no good for the highway... town bike only..and once the kids left home we bought an acreage, so town bike was definitely OUT!

Ahhh well only 5 more months...then I can take her out of the basement...and MAYBE I'll get to ride more than ONCE this year!

[jonp]

I hear you on the solo. When the last company I worked for got bought out I had to take drive with someone from the new one to prove that I could drive. Just got back from a run to Minnesota so that should have been a clue but whatever. anyways, the guy immediately asks me if I ever considered being a trainer. I looked at him and said " are you f****ng insane?" I won't let anyone, including my girlfriend, into the truck with me. Just funny like that. Looks like we see eye to eye on that one, lol!

[wildkat]

I hear you on the solo. When the last company I worked for got bought out I had to take drive with someone from the new one to prove that I could drive. Just got back from a run to Minnesota so that should have been a clue but whatever. anyways, the guy immediately asks me if I ever considered being a trainer. I looked at him and said " are you f****ng insane?" I won't let anyone, including my girlfriend, into the truck with me. Just funny like that. Looks like we see eye to eye on that one, lol!

One of the reason I have my own truck...everywhere I worked when I was still a company driver they wanted me to train...NO WAY. I did a stint as an instructor, I lasted 6 months...I did NOT like going to work PETRIFIED every day!

[jonp]

What? Didnt like the idea of trying to sleep with a rookie careening down the highway at the wheel? You lightweight. If your not living on the edge your taking up space. lol

[wildkat]

What? Didnt like the idea of trying to sleep with a rookie careening down the highway at the wheel? You lightweight. If your not living on the edge your taking up space. lol

No no no...you don't understand...I was TEACHING them how to DRIVE a truck...most of them had never even driven a standard transmission before....

Actually the funniest experience I ever had...my 2nd or 3rd student...he was introduced to me...I made him for a closet chauvinist right off the get go...he looks me up & down all 5' of me & I could tell...what can this piece of "fluff" possible teach me? was written all over his face...shoulda seen his expression change when I got behind the wheel of that old Western Star & proceeded to explain HOW to double clutch, I never really learned how...but I could "fake it" pretty good! THEN we drove about 3 blocks & I pulled over & told him it was HIS turn! Too funny! Anyway...here instructors don't do the road test, so when it came his turn for that about a month later.. I was just as nervous as he was...anyway he came back from his test..he passed.. I walked over to congratulate him...next thing I knew I was wrapped in a bear hug I couldn't get out of! I WAS happy he passed, but embarrased just the same... but he was sure happy!

[jonp]

great story! You know, the best backer that I ever saw was a female. She put a trailer into a spot on one shot that I wouldnt even attempt to try. You do know that my last comment was meant as a joke, right?

[wildkat]

great story! You know, the best backer that I ever saw was a female. She put a trailer into a spot on one shot that I wouldnt even attempt to try. You do know that my last comment was meant as a joke, right?

Of course I KNEW it was a joke... LOL

Speaking of backing up...you know what a Super B train is? 8 axle configuration...mostly flats, tankers & grain trailers... tractor & 2 trailers anyway...up here they gross about 135,000 lbs...

Anyway, I used to haul grain years back, & I used to have to BACK into some of the most awful places.. anyway one time I was down on the docks in Vancouver, BC...like Seattle only smaller I think, I had to load these pellets in my grain trailers...anyway I was waiting my turn...watching guys split their trains up & back them under the hoppers one at a time...now I DO know how to back them up together... so when my turn came I just pulled up & proceeded to back the whole unit under the hoppers...by the time I was done I not only had every damned truck driver standing around watching me, but the whole bloody staff at the place I loaded at.. anyway about 2 weeks later I went back to the same place to load & there was a driver I had seen do the split & back in one at a time thing & lo & behold he was backing them both in at the same time. He saw me pull up & walked over to my truck...He looks at me & says I hope you don't take this as an insult, but I saw you back both them trailers up the last time I was here & I thought to myself...damn if she can do it sure as heck I can too...so apparently he went back to his yard & did not come out again till he could back the 2 trailers together. Actually, I took it as a compliment & told him so.

[jonp]

That is a great compliment! I know what a B-Train is, I saw some when I went up to Whitecourt for a load of paper once. About the same as a Turnpike double down here.

I watched a guy, a teacher at a truck-driving school back up a set of triples once. I swore it couldnt be done but he did it and I have not seen it done since. I have trouble backing my single trailer up.

Good for you being able to back a full set up. Maybe my girlfriend and I will take a vacation up there and you can teach me how to do that, lol.

[wildkat]

That is a great compliment! I know what a B-Train is, I saw some when I went up to Whitecourt for a load of paper once. About the same as a Turnpike double down here.

I watched a guy, a teacher at a truck-driving school back up a set of triples once. I swore it couldnt be done but he did it and I have not seen it done since. I have trouble backing my single trailer up.

Good for you being able to back a full set up. Maybe my girlfriend and I will take a vacation up there and you can teach me how to do that, lol.

Yeah...good old triples...I HATE those things...wiggle wagons...turnpikes...those are 2 48's or 53's but same concept if they are saddle mount...most are not...mostly A trains or C trains...

Mostly I pull Rocky Mountain Doubles...one 48 & 1 28 to 30 ft pup behind...101 ft overall length...

[wildkat]

More of winter...it just keeps SNOWING!





And COLD! It was -52 I heard...my thermometer craps out at -40!

[jonp]

You ARE insane!

[wildkat]

Are you old enough to remember... Alice Cooper...how did the song go?

They're coming to take me away ha ha
They're coming to take me away!

[dobry4u]

Those beautiful snow covered mountains make it all worth it. Absolutely breath taking. Thank you for sharing

If I was to drive in your parts, I would definitely have to have a heated seat!

[jonp]

I think you should bring Mandy and put her on your head as a pair of ear-muffs. lol

[wildkat]

I made a weekend trip to Vancouver, BC... now I remember why I have done my utmost to AVOID the place the last 8 years...give me the wild isolation of the far north anyday!

Anyway I had been home about 10 minutes & happened to glance out the window at my parked truck... and this is what I saw...

Look on the hood of my truck...



Is there any question as to why my husband named him "Diesel"?



And if you look real close you will see he is now taking a NAP!

[belpre122]

Is there any question as to why my husband named him "Diesel"?

Diesel will be ok.......we always are.

Where's my baby girl?