Thursday 5 January 2012

Turning the page

There’s something about the New Year that leads people to contemplate the year just ended and look forward to the next 366 days (2012 is a leap year). Sometimes it’s “Thank God that’s over!” but more often it’s just a recognition of another year come and gone with no major drama that affected our lives one way or the other.

By that measure, last year was a pretty good year up here in Canada’s hinterlands. I got the Dyna set up just the way I wanted it, we had great weather for riding and golfing (both of which I did far more of than in 2009), I took some interesting trips (none of which involved doctors, ambulances, or police cars), and generally kept the wolves at bay for another year.

The only real negative of 2011 was that the arrival of 2012 meant I was another year older. But then again, getting older is always preferable to the alternative.

So 2011 will be a tough act to follow, but in the spirit of News Year’s resolutions, I do have a few motorcycle-related objectives for the year.

I want to do a couple of bike trips this year – not just long day rides, but honest to goodness trips with a destination somewhere other than back home for dinner after 300 miles. I have no interest in the real long hauls, so riding to Sturgis is out (tempting though it may be), but there’s a Friday the 13th in July, so perhaps southern Ontario and Port Dover will be one destination. And I’ve been mulling over the Wharf Rat Rally in Digby, NS on Labour Day as well. It’s about 1,000 miles from here, so that would be a good 2-3 day ride each way through some really pretty country in eastern Quebec, northern Maine, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

And related to that, while the new flat bars on my bike gave me the look I wanted, some discomfort on long rides leads me to believe they’re not ergonomically right for me. So there will be some changes in that department over the winter, possibly reverting back to stock.  Other than that I’m really happy with the setup and appearance of the bike, so any further changes will be limited to possibly a few farkles.

I want to either learn how to properly use my GoPro camera, or sell it. I’ve had it for quite a while now and have yet to really enjoy it. Although I have learned a lot about the GoPro from fellow bloggers who have mastered the device, I have not yet been able to successfully put those lessons into practice and as a result I am still not very happy with the results. So I need to invest some serious time and then decide on its fate once and for all.

And finally, I need to clear out some bike inventory. It’s time to get rid of the XL500, the FT500 and the TL125 and the various and sundry boxes of parts, manuals, spare tanks and frames, etc. None are being ridden enough to justify keeping them, and certainly not enough to warrant the exorbitant cost of insurance up here. Besides, a bit of spare cash might allow me to acquire another project bike for next winter.

So that’s it. As the saying goes, “God willing and the Creek don’t rise”, 2012 is looking to be another pretty good year for me and, I hope, for all of you as well.

8 comments:

  1. Dear Canajun:

    Regardless of how you express these "ideas" or "suggestions." they come across as resolutions. And resolutions make my blood run cold.

    Happy New Year!

    Fondest regards,
    Jack/reep
    Twisted Roads

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  2. 2012 could be the year of our 'clear out' as well. The attic is heavy with Suzuki GSX400 spares, along with the bedroom and a pair of wheels in the kitchen! The garage is also over populated with spares that will never be used. Do we really need for sets of crank cases?
    The difficult thing to do will be to say farewell to the MZ, but that has been standing for nearly 10 years. Yes, time for it to go.

    Have a great 2012 Canajun.

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  3. Hope you make some good rides this year up in Canada, eh.

    Funny you mention the GoPro. I was just at Best Buy looking at them. I'm hesitant to buy because the Amazon reviews for the camera are all over the place- many 1-star reviews. I gotta find a good video product because we're going to do some epic rides this year.

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  4. Canajun:

    don't get rid of that GoProHD. I was thinking getting the new one, as I wanted to mix video from two perspectives (front/rear simultaneous views). If you consider what it does for such a modest price as compared to its competition, it is a bargain. I actually use if more OFF BIKE, than on. People think it is a toy so they don't realize it is recording.

    if you buy a new computer, i7 and Premiere Elements 10, all you do is drag the clips in, and the rest is intuitive, sort of . . .

    If you are really having a lot of problem, send me a few clips (on DVD) and I'll put together a video for you and send it back. Make sure to use R3 mode 720p60 as that makes for the smoothest footage

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast

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  5. Jack - Seems like you've made a resolution to not make any resolutions!

    Bikerted - I've been read the riot act more than once over parts in the kitchen, so it's in the garage or the shed for all my junk now. But it is time for it to go.

    NoName - Thanks. Hoping for some good rides this year. Been following your blog as well and it looks like you;re getting ever closer to acquiring a GoPro. It is a slick piece of gear, if you use it.

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  6. Bob - Thanks for the offer. I've actually been thinking along the lines of off-bike use as well. Maybe I'll try some winter scenes and see how that goes. If the raw footage looks decent then I'll spring for a copy of Elements to be able to massage the content.

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  7. canajun- yeah... I am > < this close to buying one. It's just that before every big purchase I have a moment of doubt and fear, where I have to remind myself why I need or want whatever the thing is. Except when I bought my motorcycle- that was an impulse buy (it was near the register).

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  8. Awsome site! I am loving it!! Will be back later to read some more. I am bookmarking your feeds also
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