... i was going to leave on monday, when the weather forecast is predicting "warmer," but mid-morning i decided that planning only for "fair skies riding" negated the whole point of purchasing really fancy rain/weather gear ... so, after a frenzied housecleaning—i can live in a mess, but i hate to come home to one—a hurried run through of my packing checklist, and a quick trip over to the motorcycle shop to do a bit of last minute maintenance, i was off ...
... cold and windy as i headed out, then a few brief but intense rain squalls in mid-maine ... after that all i had to deal with was at times some severely gusty winds ... combination of power and extra weight, the bike handled everything perfectly ... i neglected to bring my neck gaiter, but the jacket's built-in rain hood worked like charm ... i'm still not comfortable with my throttle control while wearing heavy gloves, but that's something will be corrected as soon as i get an adjustable brake lever ... dressed up so that i look kinda of like the michelin man, i stayed warm and dry, thus i could concentrate on improving my inclement weather driving skills ...
... i took the direct route, over the tobin bridge and then beneath boston via the "big dig" ... for those of you who are of the "bucket list" mentality, 65-80 mph on two wheels in that twisty-turny tunnel filled with boston drivers is clearly an experience begs for a little check mark ...
... arrived safe and sound at mike and beth's, total driving time about the same as if i'd driven my car ... beth made some wonderful mexican food for supper, now mike's going to let me examine what we're both crossing our fingers is a first-edition of winston churchill's "the second world war" ... maybe not in the same league as the current powerball total, but, still, it would be nice ...