OLD BLASTARD: Ushering in a brave new year

The damp dew made the roads wet this afternoon as the Blast and I rolled down to Jarman's Sportcycles, occasionally fishtailing across a manhole cover just to keep it interesting.

It was the first time I've straddled Thumper since sometime before Thanksgiving, having a thin front brake pad, a lot of work to do, a screwed up back and funky weather.

It's been way to long.\

When the weather is cold and not so pleasant, it's easy to give up the wheels. It's also the wrong thing to do and here's why.

First, gas is $3 a gallon for the crappy 87 octane stuff and 20 cents more for the good stuff. At 24 miles to the gallon in city driving in my Rockandrolla that's about $34 bucks a week. At 60 mpg in city-only riding on the Buell Blast, that's about $7 a week.

Second, the more you ride, the more experience you gain and the less likely you are to make easy, beginner mistakes. These aren't necessarily fatal flaws. It could be just putting your foot down in a turn when you shouldn't, not looking through the turn when you should, too much back brake. These are things you are going to do sooner or later so do them sooner and ride more later.

Third, riding all year keeps you in touch with The True Brotherhood. For instance, Bacon, a 1% er from the Pagans MC in Lynchburg and Quinn, who rides a Kawasaki Ninja 250, may not be brothers in club but they are kindred spirits as both ride all year, both built their scoots and both love the road.

Herb, Bee, Steph, Rosie, J.T. and others ride during the winter and so should you. It's OK to be crazy. You just have to dress warm and be safe.

Fourth, riding is where it's at. When you're worn down from life's BS and you are wondering just who in the hell as occupied  your brain for the past five years, riding a little on some greasy, salty, brine-soaked asphalt is just the kind of thing to clear your mind and allow fresh thoughts in.

Bored? Take a corner faster than usual and focus on the correct techniques.

Tired? Look ahead about 12 seconds, hit the highway and relax the tiredness away.

Tense? Open your face shield or take off your balaclava and feel the wind, the salt and sand grit off the road and the car spray from the Camry ahead of you.

When you get  your bike, you become a motorcycle owner.

When you ride the bike, you become a motorcyclist.

When you ride as often as possible, you become a motorcycling enthusiast.

When you ride every day possible, you become a biker. When you ride every day, you become a member of the society of bikers.

Of course, 2010 wasn't an easy year for SOBs. Look back over the archives and you'll see several deaths of riders who, while not prominent in the politics and day-to-day life of commonwealthers, were prominent in the Jeffersonian Society of Bikers.

They weren't prominent because of how much money they had or the power they wielded but because they rode and rode a lot. They were out there on the tracks, the roads, the mountains, the events, the pubs and the parties. They were serious about riding and about fun.

And they lost their lives doing what they loved.

Bacon, a Pagans MC brother in Lynchburg, lost several brothers this past year. When a 99%er named Rainman offered words of succor and hoped that the brothers "went peacefully," he was corrected by Bacon who informed him that his brothers do not go gently into the Great Yawn.

"We go full bored, sliding in sideways, ready to do it all over again!!!" he informed the Citizen Rider.

Yell, hell yes. That's the way we should all go. That's the way the SOBs who lost their lives this year went. They went with their wheels under them, their pegs down and their hands on the throttles.

"C'mon, let's play hookie. The boss ain't gonna know."

If you have a bike ride it. If you had a bike, get another. If you had an incident and haven't quite recovered, grab a new bike and come on out to the MSF courses at Albemarle High School, the Central Virginia Motorcycle School at the Honda dealer  in Orange or the Riders Edge classes at Shenandoah Harley Davidson in Staunton. We'll get you back in the saddle so you can get back on the road.

It's a brave new year. Let's go full bore and sideways and do it all over again.