Loch Raven Reservoir

Tomorrow marks six months since my accident.  I've been riding the SV to work and back for the last two months or so whenever the weather has permitted, but today was the first real ride that took.

I wanted to get her out on the freeway a little bit and let her stretch her legs for a while.  Unfortunately, I'm beginning to realize that long periods in the SV's saddle don't allow me to stretch my legs enough and they can get a little bit sore after about 45 minutes or so.

Anyway, I wanted to go on a comparatively longer ride today than I normally do and opted to ride over to Loch Raven Reservoir, which is a body of water north of Baltimore, just outside the I-695 beltway.

After gassing up, I headed south on Rte. 24 to merge onto I-95, which for some reason felt a little frightening at first.  It might have been the idiot two cars ahead of me that almost swerved off the road as he exited Rte. 24 or it could have just been jitters from the accident.  Or maybe a combination of the two.

Right around White Marsh (as usual) traffic began to slow and become a little hectic. I opted to slow a bit and give some extra space.  Shortly thereafter, I merged onto Baltimore's beltway, I-695, toward Towson.

I was not terribly surprised to see how much traffic there was on the beltway.  It wasn't slow, but there were plenty of cars and, again, I opted to give a little more space to anyone that might want to merge in front of me.

I exited onto Dulaney Valley Road (Exit 27B), and had to take an immediate left and then a right to get onto Dulaney Valley Road heading north.

I followed Dulaney Valley Road for a long way, crossing a finger of the Loch Raven Reservoir and eventually came to a fork in the road.  I attempted to follow Loch Raven Drive to get a closer look at the reservoir.  The pavement was terrible - lots of LARGE potholes and bumps everywhere.  I hoped to follow Loch Raven Drive all the way to Cromwell Bridge Road, but the gate was closed and I had to turn around and continue on Dulaney Valley Road.  Interestingly, at that fork in the road (Dulaney Valley Road and Loch Raven Drive) I saw a sign for a Maryland Scenic Roadway.  The pavement improved and I was able to enjoy the road a bit more.

I followed Dulaney Valley Road to Manor Road and pointed my headlights to the right.  This was a detour that I hadn't expected (because of the Loch Raven Drive road closure), so I had to pull over in an Episcopal Church parking lot to pull out my phone and find a new route.

Having my bearings, I continued down Manor Road to Glen Arm Road.  Glen Arm Road is very picturesque and the pavement was nice.  There were a few fun little corners, especially as I approached Harford Road:

Harford Road, as I have mentioned in an earlier post, is full of lovely little bends and a beautiful landscape.  I followed it back to Business Rte.1 which I followed uneventfully back to my starting point near the Harford Mall:

My New Year's Resolution - Don't Crash Anymore

A friend of mine recently purchased a motorcycle.  He came over early on New Year's Day asking me to give his bike a mechanical once-over to make sure everything was in check before he set off on a 100+ mile round trip ride into Pennsylvania.

We spent some time adjusting and lubricating his chain and he was ready to set off.  Just as he was putting on his gear, he asked if I wanted to join him.

I'd been sick the night before and skipped a New Year's party that we were invited to - so I hesitated.  But I was feeling much better and the temperature had risen enough to be slightly better than unpleasant ... so I agreed.  In retrospect, I wish I hadn't.

Read on to understand why.

We set off, me leading at his request.  I always enjoy riding down E MacPhail Road in Bel Air and that's where we headed first.  I came to the 4-way stop sign at Brierhill Drive and stopped enough to yield the right of way to a car or two that had also stopped at the intersection and we were off.

That stop sign marks the beginning of one of the funnest short stretches of road in Harford County, so I took off at a good clip.

This was stupid for a variety of reasons:
1. My tires were still cold, and they had little chance of heating up with the weather being as cold as it was.
2. Recent snows had caused road crews to dump salt down on the roads.  The salt melted the snow to water, which evaporated but left a salty residue on the road.
3. (Most stupid of all) I was riding with a friend and I wanted to show off.

Approaching the forth corner (a left-hander) thinking I was in third gear and trying to keep my revs up, I down-shifted to second gear in an attempt to "engine brake" into the corner.

However, I was (apparently) already in second and downshifted into neutral instead, which didn't slow me at all.  The split second to took me to realize what had happened was enough to break my concentration and the next thing I knew, I had to grab the brakes hard.  With the conditions mentioned above, the tires let go and I fell.  I was probably only going 20 mph by that point, but I was already nearly kissing the guardrail and not leaned into the corner at all.

There was a loud slam as the bike fell to the ground and some of the plastic exploded.  I jumped right up, a little dazed, and went to work standing the bike up and rolling it down to a pull-off about 20 yards back.

As I put down the kickstand at the pull-off, I realized how much my left shoulder hurt and, at the same time, realized that there was some grinding going on in there - I knew instantly that I had broken my collarbone (or clavicle, in medical speak).

Today marks four weeks since the accident, and today is the first day that I feel like any healing has actually taken place.  Pain and grinding have been going on since it happened.

For the sake of reference, this is what a normal clavicle looks like:

And here's what mine looked like after the crash:

This is what the SV used to look like:

But this is what it looks like now:

The parts to fix the SV were all ordered and have arrived, but due to the terrible weather conditions we've been having all month (aptly named the "Polar Vortex"), I won't be able to paint the new fairing pieces until it warms up to at least 50 degrees.

That's actually a good thing as it will give me an excuse to rest my shoulder and let it heal a bit more.

If you're interested in the parts I ordered, here's a list including costs:

Description	Price	Shipping	Total	Link
Upper Fairing	$150.00	$0.00	$150.00	http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/121146499548?lpid=82
Left Tail Fairing	$54.50	$14.20	$68.70	http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-OEM-Suzuki-SV650-tail-fairing-BLACK-left-/261369083198?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cdacfb53e&vxp=mtr
Shift Lever	$20.99	$5.82	$26.81	http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/190961516328?lpid=82
Foot Pegs	$22.20	$0.00	$22.20	http://www.ebay.com/itm/Emgo-Anodized-Aluminum-Front-Footpegs-Silver-50-11231-Suzuki-/190851350096?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2c6fa07e50&vxp=mtr
Mirrors	$30.95	$0.00	$30.95	http://www.ebay.com/itm/251370356879
Bar Ends	$10.34	$0.00	$10.34	http://www.ebay.com/itm/Aluminum-7-8-HandGrip-Cap-Barend-Bar-end-Slider-Handlebar-Plug-Motorcycle-ATV-/400572658304?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3ASV650&hash=item5d43fdb280&vxp=mtr
Paint ( Aerosol Complete Repair Package)	$149.55	$16.75	$166.30	http://www.colorrite.com/
Fiberglass Resin	$37.97	$0.00	$37.97
	Grand Total		$513.27

Swing Arm Spool Stand

On Friday last week I popped over to Harbor Freight and picked up a "Low Profile Rear Motorcycle Spool Stand."

They were already on sale and I had an even bigger discount coupon that I clipped from a Motorcyclist magazine that I'd cleverly placed in the bathroom at work.

http://www.harborfreight.com/low-profile-rear-motorcycle-spool-stand-99701.html

The retail price is $49.99.

It was on sale for $39.99 (which it always seems to be)

I had a coupon for $29.99.

Though it seems to be designed to work with smaller diameter spools, it worked with behemoths that I received for Christmas.  A little of the paint was scraped off, but functionally, it worked fine.

I can use this in conjunction with the front-end stand that I received for Christmas.

Swingarm Spools

Some of my wife's family members tend to not be extremely creative (well, a few are, but most are not).  So when you ask for something for Christmas, you really need to specify what it is you want ... exactly.

That prompted me to I write a Christmas List website where one can specify what they want for Christmas, exactly, and one can almost guarantee that you will get exactly what one specifies on his/her list.

On my list this year, I added quite a few motorcycle parts/tools and knowing that her family would probably get me EXACTLY what I ordered, I felt confident enough to add a few links to things on Amazon or eBay that I really wanted for my shop and/or bike(s).

One of those little trinkets was a set of Swingarm Spools:
http://www.amazon.com/MIT-Motors-Universal-Swingarm-Hayabusa/dp/B00CW7BOD6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382961021&sr=8-1&keywords=sv650+lift



While Suzuki didn't engineer a center stand for the SV650S, you can purchase an aftermarket one for about $300 if you so choose.  But, man, does it look ugly.  And it adds unnecessary weight.

Luckily, Suzuki realized that the core market for this bike would likely be people that recognized it's potential as a race bike, and they opted to add a place to bolt on swingarm spools. These spools are used as pivot points for a swingarm spool lift stand (See THIS blog post).

I asked for the blue ones pictured above to match my 2004 SV650S's paint scheme.  The bolts fit exactly as designed and a few turns of an allen wrench (sorry, I mean Hex Key) had these bad boys fitted to my bike.  I haven't had an opportunity to test them out yet, but I assume they will work just fine.  The only thing I'm unsure about is how BIG they are.  They seem to poke out way farther than they need to.

A couple of positive things here (notwithstanding the enormity of them):
1.  They are easily removed.  Grab an allen wrench, lefty-loosey, and store them in your garage until the next time you need to lift the rear tire off the ground.  At that point, righty-tighty them back on and hoist your bike up with a swingarm stand.
2. The are inexpensive. $20 with shipping.
3. If you're interested in frame sliders that protect your your swingarm, this might fit the bill.  OK, this benefit is probably not realistic.  ;)

Bel Air/Harford Road/Boordy Vineyards Loop

Ride Info Date: December 21, 2013 Approx. Mileage: 30 Approx. Time: 1 hour Features: Lots of curves and elevation changes.

Riders Bikes Dan 2004 Suzuki SV650S

This weekend's weather was fantastic!

Saturday's high was around 65 degrees, so I decided to take a quick spin on the SV.  I only had about an hour of good daylight left, so I opted to take a short spin up Harford Road/Rte 147.

Starting at the mall, I headed south on Harford Road/Rte 147.  This route also doubles as the Rte 1 business loop for the first couple of miles.  Which means that I was in traffic until I hit the Rte 1 Bypass (which most people turn onto).

I followed Harford Road probably five or six miles before it began to get fun.  The curves continue a little past Gunpowder Falls State Park, and that's when you begin to get into the outskirts of Baltimore.

And that's where turned around and headed back.

But along the way, I spotted a sign pointing to Boordy Vineyards and decided to take a look, turning left onto Long Green Pike.  Long Green Pike has a number of quick elevation changes and I lifted the front wheel over a couple of them - honestly, I wasn't trying to.

I passed the vineyard on the left and noticed that they had wine tasting and tours.  I don't drink, but I may want to return to take a tour some day.

Continuing on, I came to a 4-way stop and decided to turn right onto Fork Road, which I knew would lead me back to Harford Road.  Fork Road is very treed and, when the pavement is dry (unlike it was on this ride) has the potential to be a fun little ride.

When I reached the traffic light where Harford Road intersected Fork Road, I turned left and returned to my starting point.

This ride was fun, but a few things were lacking:
1. The snow was melting furiously and every road I went on seemed to be wet.  Especially the ones in the twisty areas that don't get as much sun.
2. I noticed after the ride (while preparing the map for this post) that I was only a mile or so away from Loch Raven Reservoir.  Had I known that I probably would have made another detour to find a new favorite road.

Bel Air/Conowingo Dam/Port Deposit Loop

Ride Info Date: November 16, 2013 (or some other Saturday around then) Approx. Mileage: 50 Approx. Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes. Features: Fall foliage, Conowingo Dam

Riders Bikes Dan 2004 Suzuki SV650S

The weather was nice-ish one day back in November (I'm actually writing this on December 23, 2013) and I had some time available on a Saturday.  It was a little chilly, but not so much that it was unbearable.  I had just purchased some warm weather riding gloves and pants and I wanted to try them out.  They made the ride much more tolerable.

I actually left my house, but to make sure I don't disclose my home address, I will document my rides from public areas.  In this case, the Harford Mall in Bel Air, MD.

I headed out along Rte. 22 from Bel Air toward Aberdeen.  Rte. 22 can be a little more busy than I like, so I took a left onto Rte 136.  It's a nice ride through the country and includes a narrow bridge crossing of Deer Creek.

After about 5 miles on Rte. 136, I turned right onto Rte. 1/Conowingo Road.  Rte. 1 can also be somewhat susceptible to traffic, but often it's a nice ride through the country.  The most significant sight on this portion of the ride is the Conowingo Dam, which doubles as a bridge across the  Susquehanna River.  To my left was Conowingo Lake, which is the reservoir created by the dam.  As you ride across the dam, it can appear as though you're at the same level as the water.  To the right, the dam drops almost straight down about 100 feet.  The bottom of the dam is rocky and you can see Rowland Island probably a quarter-mile downstream.


I took an immediate right after crossing the dam onto Susquehanna River Road/Rte. 222 South toward Port Deposit, MD.

About a half-mile along Rte 222 I saw an interesting arch bridge crossing Octoraro Creek off to the left.  Moore Road seems to go back in that direction and I'll have to investigate it when I have more time in the future.

But today I wanted to see the historic town of Port Deposit.  I've lived in Maryland for almost 15 years and had never been there.

Port Deposit was first visited by Captain John Smith in the early 1600s.

The day I rode through, it appeared a little dilapidated.  What can I say, it's a port town in November.  I assume it's very quaint in the summer when its streets are bustling with visitors.

There appeared to be a fun little s-curve under a railroad overpass, but because of cold tires and bumpy pavement, I opted to take it slow.

Leaving Port Deposit, the road winds its way to higher altitude.  I noticed a little sign noting that Rte 222 is a scenic byway.  It was very scenic.

I followed the signs to I-95 South and opened the throttle as I merged with traffic in preparation to cross the Tidings bridge back into Harford county.  I should probably mention that Tidings Bridge is a toll road when you are going northbound on 95.  Southbound, it is not.  So this loop is actually a toll-free ride as long as you cross over the Conowingo Dam (no toll in either direction) on your way to Cecil County.

After fewer than five miles of freeway riding, I took Exit 89 and headed west on Rte 155/Level Road.  I followed Level Road and passed a few slow-moving cars to Rte 22, then took an immediate left onto Rte 136 South.

I could have just stayed on the two lane highways, but I prefer the quieter roads, so I make a right onto Schucks Road and follow it to Wheel Road (crossing Rte 543) before turning right onto East MacPhail Road.

I pass castle-like manors, view various greens of the Maryland Golf & Country Club, and enjoy some pristine curves that attempt to follow Bynum Run.  Within a few short miles, I'm back into Bel Air and civilization.  East MacPhail is a fun little road, but I have to be cautious as I've seen many deer in the area, particularly in the fall and winter months when the deer come into town to find greener pastures (translated: lawns).

A right turn onto Rte 924 puts me on Bel Air's Main Street and its charming little village square.  One could spend hours window shopping the many boutiques and eating at the many ... er ... eateries.

I turn left onto Rte 22 and return to the mall where I started.  Along the way, I gaze at the pretty motorcycles lined up in front of Pete's Cycle.

All-in-all, this was a fun ride through my own back yard.