[ducatiman]

Welp, here we go again. the "Countdown" thread somewhat a tradition here for us snowed in Northern bike peeps.

With open comments welcome as we progress....checkin' em off one by one.

-Dec 21 Winter solstice.....check
-Dec 25 Christmas.....check
-Jan 1 New years day......check
-January 20 Martin Luther King birthday.....check
-Jan 25-26 Rolex 24 at Daytona (opens the US racing season).....check
-February 16 Daytona 500.....check
-February 17 Washingtons B'day/Presidents Day.....check
-March 14 Daytona 200.....check, somewhat

#comeonspringdammit

 

[bpe]

Is St.Patricks day too late for the list?

 

[K-woppa]

I have my own countdown list but it looks nothing like yours.

I must say your list does help with surviving winter, even if it's just realizing that there are actually things still happening even though we're immersed in a cold, dark, icy pit of misery.

 

[ducatiman]

Is St.Patricks day too late for the list?

i'll get right on it

 

[bpe]

^ It is kind of the one that marks the end of winter. :wink2:
Making it in a way my favorite day. :grin2:

 

[[email protected]]

To me, St. Paddy's on the 17th and spring equinox on the 19th means we're done. By late March last year, I was back on 2 wheels.

 

[ducatiman]

Rolex 24 hour at Daytona starts today, NBC television coverage at 1:30 EST. My brother (member FloridaEX500) there at track right now. Lucky bassert he is! Traditional "fan walk" with car & driver entry and announcement going on as of 12:30 EST. Pic from the track just minutes ago. Sorry pic sideways, dunno how to fix.

 

[K-woppa]

Rolex 24 hour at Daytona starts today, NBC television coverage at 1:30 EST. My brother (member FloridaEX500) there at track right now. Lucky bassert he is! Traditional "fan walk" with car & driver entry and announcement going on as of 12:30 EST. Pic from the track just minutes ago. Sorry pic sideways, dunno how to fix.

I was wondering if you'd make it back down there this year.

 

[ducatiman]

No sir, logistics didn't work out. I'd love to be there, though.

My medical port removed just days ago, some financial & life insurance obligations (complex associated paperwork) completed, minor home responsibilities done, allowing some freedom come spring. I intend on doing some riding this year, while juggling carbs too. Well, thats the plan at least.

So maybe next year for the 24?

Edited to add...just another 6 weeks or so...we'll be rockin' in the NE! It'll pass quickly.

 

[ducatiman]

note 4 classes running simultaneous in the 24....witness the speed differentials, handling and passing methods. Wow.

 

[uconn1150]

I have been lucky to see 2 of them in person. Great characters in the garage!

 

[ducatiman]

went to my first 24 in 2014, again 2017. The 24 a great experience, reminded me what the bike 200 used to be (international competitors, former race winners, legends from various formats, full factory involvements)

The 24 an experience that should be on the bucket list of any race fan, car or bike....the transitions while racing from light to dark and back again is awesome to behold!

 

[ducatiman]

Getting there....maybe 6 weeks to go? Chompin at the bit here.

 

[K-woppa]

I don't know. It seems as if winter hasn't even started yet. I'm way behind in checking off my list, which varies wildly from yours.

Mine is a checklist of firsts;
First snowfall; First time running the snowblower; First time replacing a shear pin, first fall on the ice, first car spinning off the Mid Cape Highway on black ice; first time almost getting stuck on a back road, first time I hear myself say "I hate winter", first time GETTING stuck on a back road, first time watching "Groundhog Day", etc, etc, etc. culminating in hearing myself say "Man, that was a tough winter".

So far I've only checked off first snowfall, first time running snow blower, and first car spinning off the Mid Cape highway on black ice. I can't reconcile that with the second week of February and daylight lasting until 5 o'clock.

 

[ducatiman]

I can't reconcile that with the second week of February and daylight lasting until 5 o'clock.

I'll take it. Not a bad winter at all and the calendar doesn't fib....6 weeks or so, we'll get some riding time in. Of course, Mother Nature could b&&ch slap us right into early April, nothing unusual there... but there will be days.

Anticipating...just bought a new (larger size) summer mesh jacket as I'm up about 35 lbs from last year!

Frankly I'm hyped and RTG.

 

[keyda81]

In my neck of the woods I'm lucky if I can get the bike out at the end of April. Usually stuck waiting until May. Slowly but surely we are getting there, and I'm itching for winter to be over. Clocks are going to spring a head this weekend, after that the calender marks the first day of spring as the 20th. But I know full well it's possible to get a snow storm of fairly large proportion in the middle of March. Happened a couple years ago. I also know it's possible for it to snow at the end of April. It did last year. Wasn't enough to even stick, but it still snowed. Fingers crossed spring comes asap. I've had it with being in the house, and freezing my butt off in the hangar at the warplane museum I volunteer for.

 

[Devilsfan]

I'm riding over to Bike Week on Monday!

 

[ducatiman]

@Devilsfan you bum you!

 

[K-woppa]

In my neck of the woods I'm lucky if I can get the bike out at the end of April. Usually stuck waiting until May. Slowly but surely we are getting there, and I'm itching for winter to be over. Clocks are going to spring a head this weekend, after that the calender marks the first day of spring as the 20th. But I know full well it's possible to get a snow storm of fairly large proportion in the middle of March. Happened a couple years ago. I also know it's possible for it to snow at the end of April. It did last year. Wasn't enough to even stick, but it still snowed. Fingers crossed spring comes asap. I've had it with being in the house, and freezing my butt off in the hangar at the warplane museum I volunteer for.

That's pretty cool (no pun intended). What do you do there?

A year or so ago, my wife volunteered to visit an old man in the hospital. Among other things, he had serious back issues. It didn't take long for her to find out that the old guy was a WWII(!) waist gunner on a B-24, and his back woes were caused by an injury he got when the plane was shot down in enemy territory.

He gave her a DVD of an interview he once did on a local cable show, where he talked about his experiences. We watched it together and as this guy calmly told his story I sat there with my mouth open. Several times I rewound it while exclaiming "Did he just say what I think he did?! Yep, he did.

He passed on shortly thereafter, but we're both glad she got to know him. They truly WERE the greatest generation.

 

[ducatiman]

They truly WERE the greatest generation.

+1 and their work continued homeside after WWII as citizens ...that generation also known as "the builders".

Sadly, attempts are now made to rewrite history, so much purposely forgotten or ignored in the interest of PC....i'll leave it at that.