Boney's 2009 motorcycle extravaganza!

[Spartan]

What an adventure! This latest tale is a true motorcycle ex·trav·a·gan·za

 

 

 

 

[Twisties]

 

Now that's a frickin' ride there, that is!

 

Some of those roads looked pretty boring to start out, and just as I was thinking, I hope this gets better, it did, it did.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Wow, it's been since August that I last posted in this thread.

 

Aside from a few "long way home" rides, it's been strictly commuting until today.

 

I took a break from the projects at the house and rode a funky loop. Deliberately picking roads and directions based on traffic patterns and sun angle, I giggled like a little kid when the KTM started lifting the front end and the rear slid out powering around the broken pavement corners.

 

The stress that was building up is gone... funny how a couple of hours on the motorcycle can do that.

 

I took one picture.

 

Fall colors, Sonoma style:

[big-t]

 

Tom,

 

The BC trip was awesome.I have always thought BC would be an adventure riders dream and I think you proved it.

 

 

Someday I hope to get there,but need to finish the TAT first and a couple other treks first.

[TEWKS]

Tom, a bit of a letdown after your last installment don't ya think! I guess we'll let you slide this time.

 

 

Pat

[azkaisr]

Beats that boring Banjo Thread!

 

 

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

So today I did something that I don't really like to do.

 

I rode with a bazillion other motorcycles in a "parade" around San Francisco. Most of them were overly loud Harleys. Ugh.

 

The backstory goes like this:

 

The San Francisco Firefighters, IAFF Local 798 has run a toy program for disadvantaged San Francisco children since forever. Really, it's been a long, long time since it started in the basement of "old 35" which is currently Station 1. Now the program runs out of "old 27" on Third Street at Mission Rock. The program is non-profit, and there are only a few paid positions (and they're paid by the Union, not the toy program). Everyone else volunteers their time to make it work. Daily, there are between 30 & 50 people at the program, not including the various fire stations who come down on their time off to cook lunch out of their own pockets for everybody there.

 

Currently I "own" a "spot" on Truck 5. Between the engine, truck and Division Chiefs at our station, we have quite a few motorcyclists riding a variety of brands. This year our schedules mostly lined up just right to join in on the Annual San Francisco Firefighters Johnny V. memorial Toy Run. For those who don't know, Johnny V. was THE toy king. He ran the program for years, and he ran it well. Tragically, several years ago he was in an intersection accident on his motorcycle while running errands for the toy program, and died a short while later from his injuries. His generosity was legendary, and the tales of what he did for his fellow firefighters, the children served by the toy program, and the community in general are passed around daily in epic proportions with fond memories.

 

In other words, if you're not working on the day of the toy run, and it's known that you own a motorcycle, it's poor form if you don't show.

 

The Station 5 North Bay crew meets up in Novato for the ride down:

 

One side of Third Street was closed to accomadate the very large numbers of motorcyclists who showed:

(find the KTM!)

 

Off the top of my head I'd say that there were 300 riders from all over the bay area. Many different departments, clubs, and groups were represented.

 

Before the ride, some of our brothers brought about a 1945 Ladder Truck and gave us an exhibition of the old 65' extension ladder. Mind you, this is a wooden ground ladder that can reach a 4th story roof or a 5th story window. (We don't carry the 65's any more, the tallest ground ladder we carry is a wooden 50' extension ladder which requires 6 firemen to raise.)

 

Here it is "church raise(d)" to about 55 feet. Larry was kind enough to go over the top for the crowd.

 

More after dinner...