Last Summer Ride (September 21, 2018)

Last ride of what I can remember was the wettest and hottest Summer in Richmond history. Actually this ride was just over 15 miles, as the rain happened in the morning, and as I was out on this Friday, clouds were building rapidly.
Have not been able to get out much this Summer, due to many trips to Ohio (where I am planning to move in the Spring) and also nearly constant rain and heat.
Writing this on the first full day of Fall and the forecast this week is...high rain chances to Saturday. 

Friday 20 mile Richmond Ride (September 7, 2018)

Back from an extended trip up North (see Richmond and Me blog for details) and as it was sunny (rain expected over the next few days) got the Triumph out for a ride around Richmond. It was hot and pretty humid.
As it has been awhile, checked tire pressures....before a ride especially when its been awhile it is a good idea to check your motorcycle over. A good preflight (as with flying) can save your life. Course I refer to riding as "Flying at ground level" and that is what it feels like to me when I am out. 

Took these two photos in the Church Hill area of Richmond, actually at Libby Hill Park. I also rode up Grove Avenue and into Cary Town, visited a cool old Cemetery along the way, rode around Richmond itself a bit, and then took a ride down Riverside Drive.
As with so many rides this year, this was a short one. Heat really gets to be a factor..with a heat index of over 100 gets to be like riding into a furnace. Still it was a lot of fun.
Also during the ride got my inspection sticker for next year. Bike passed with flying colors. 

Thursday at the James River (August 16, 2018)

Another short ride between the storms (in fact it rained this night after the ride). Just covered 31 miles but a nice time out in the country earlier and then ended at Riverside Drive where I got this photo at the Z-Dam. During the ride did see some deer along the road and just enjoyed a very wonderful if very hot and humid ride. Summer is in full effect still, yet the days of Summer are getting shorter at last. 

Friday Ride (August 10, 2018)

Got out on a nice but warm August Friday. Rains had stopped after another period of rain. This has been one wet summer here in Richmond. Took this photo at Tredegar which during the Civil War was the Confederate Armory. Some of the original buildings are there (and that is the reason for the cannon at middle left). They are doing some work to cover the old ruins which is the new building seen at around middle left.
Enough of that though. It was a nice day to get out and traffic was light. Toured some downtown and rode out a bit actually getting close to the Richmond International Airport. In a rare thing for me, did not ride near it on this day (love airplanes though). Headed back toward Richmond via the highway after riding around the backroads for awhile. All in all covered a distance of 24 miles and had a fantastic time out on the motorcycle on this fine day. 

Sunday River Ride (August 5, 2018)

Finally once again, the rains held off (though it rained later in the day) so got out on the Triumph for a nice ride along the swollen James River. While we have gotten a lot of rain here, and most every day, the amounts are nothing compared to the mountains or the Virginia Beach area which is getting flooding. I can relate as we had a lot of flooding during the massive Spring rains here. So far a very wet spring is being followed by a very wet Summer. There seems to be no real end in sight. 
At any case it was a nice ride, even went down a few new roads. I was not out very long with this being a 90 minute ride. While it was not raining at the time, the temperature was rising into the 90's. Got home having covered a grand total of 34 miles. Certainly this has been the lightest year of motorcycling that I can remember and it is all due to the weather here. Still, even a short ride is a good ride, and I enjoyed being out in the breeze on what started as a beautiful Sunday in Richmond, VA. 

The Redskins Ride (July 27, 2018)

 Once again has been some terrible weather in Richmond with days and days of rain. On the bright side has not been as bad as it was during the Spring when the rain broke an all time day and month record for rainfall. Still though it has been terrible riding conditions.
Finally though the rain ended and happened on the second day of Training Camp for the Washington Redskins. That's me under the entrance, where I made a quick visit. Sure it was dry but it was also very hot and humid. In fact the heat index was over 100. While it is always a good time to ride, that tested that old saying of mine in a big way.
Wandering around the camp was fun.  They had a walk through practice and watched them do that for a short while. With the heat I did not stay long, plus wanted to get out on two wheels for a while.   

I did get a few miles in after. It was great moving but at red lights it got awfully toasty. Nice thing was that the traffic was light and sure felt good to be back in the saddle again.
Made a stop at Forest Hill Park before getting home. I had checked the oil level before the ride and when I got home gave the motorcycle a quick bath before getting out to "blow the water off" after that in a second quick ride. All in all I got in a total of 24 miles for the day.
Oh and by the way later in the afternoon.....it rained again. 

Monday ride to Colonial Heights (July 9, 2018)

 Nice day once again to get out, heat is still not terrible and the humidity was low but it was rising.
Got out on I-95 and rode to Colonial Heights, Va which is just outside of Richmond, VA. Nice community and also is located just outside of Petersburg, VA. I considered riding to Petersburg but being as that it was early headed back to Richmond. Petersburg has some great places to eat! Anyhow took sort of a wrong turn and ended up at this battlefield site. It was near an old confederate fort and was a Boy Scout project.

Rode down Jefferson Davis Highway into Chester. Nice road and slower then I-95 with some nice things to look at along the way.
Back into Richmond with this photo just off Jefferson Davis. I like the "Ace Cycle Shop" which has been closed all the years that I have been here. Guess it was once a motorcycle shop but real fond of the sign. In the distance is the Model Tobacco factory. Again that is long closed but ia now used for other purposes. Great art deco building. This ride covered 56 miles and I had a great time.