Shoes glorious shoes - ATGATT SAY NO TO FLIP FLOPS

My 2 favorite pair of shoes.

We motorcyclists are an eclectic if not eccentric group.  We all have our favorite motorcycle boots and gear.  On the flip side of this is our other favorite footwear.  Bobskoot loves his pink crocs and is often seen with free ranging toes.  Other moto bloggers have shown off their fancy foot work on their blogs from time to time.  I love summer and wearing pretty girly shoes and I really am a shoe horse when it comes down to it.  I loved the 80's and the spiky high stiletto heels that were the rage when I was young.  Most days though finds me in my lovely motorcycle boots, which are great for riding, but quite honestly suck in summer because they are pretty hot.  On my way home today I saw a girl riding a white CBR which normally is awesome, but I was disappointed because she was wearing dress clothes and lovely feminine dress shoes - great for the office, but not for the bike.

I know I sound like a broken record and harp about squidly riders, but honestly do you really want to take a chance losing a toe or foot?  For those who make the choice to ride squid go try some mesh gear, seriously it is comfortable and you are getting some protection.  Road rash hurts and Brittany Morrow aka Road Rash Queen can attest to how bad it hurts and how much you have to lose riding without gear.      Check out her site www.rockthegear.org.  Please practice ATGATT.

New Shoe for Scarlet

I wish I could say I was getting a glorious sexy pair of red strappy sandals, but I am not.  I am getting Miss Scarlet a new rear shoe.  Motorcycle Man has been looking for awhile, we have called around to the local places and they can't get the tire he is after until October.  Unfortunately Scarlet needs a new rear shoe NOW!  Motorcycle Man has told me I need to stop riding so much, because I am racking up the kilometres and burning through tires.  My response was, "Yeah Baby!" 

Ice cream summer time tradition

Victoria's Ice cream tradition - Beacon Drive In

The Beacon Drive-in is an old fashioned drive-in restaurant across from Beacon Hill Park.  Summer has finally arrived in Victoria and we decided to hop on the bikes and go for ice cream.  Finding parking around the Beacon can be a little tricky at times, but when you travel by motorcycle or scooter there is always a little 'squish-in' space.  We actually lucked out and parked in the lot - *NOTE to self avoid parking in the lot because it is tight and squishy and car drivers can't seem to manoeuvre around in the space.  

One lady came perilously close to bumping into our moto babies and Motorcycle Man was giving her the hairy eyeball.  We met a fellow on a nice green and white Bonnie and of course we chatted about his bike for a bit.  He loves his Bonnie, but hates the gas mileage. If your in Victoria pop by the Beacon for ice cream it is delicious!

Very popular place 

on a beautiful summer evening. 

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!! EH!!

I AM CANADIAN, AND I AM PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS AMAZING COUNTRY!

A few facts about being Canadian. 


Canadian Confederation date was July 1,1867.

We speak the Queen's English  and spell things funny like -  colour - others spell it color.  


We say we are out and about (pronounced aboot)  


When we say the alphabet at the end we don't say 'zee', we say 'zed'.  


We are a friendly people and wave at strangers, sometimes albeit it may be a 1 fingered wave, but its a wave just the same.


We don't live in igloos and it is NOT winter all year long.


Hockey is not our official National Sport, Lacrosse is. 


* But hockey is one of our passions. "He shoots! He scores!"
Shinny refers to an informal game of hockey that is played on streets, neighborhood ice rinks, ponds and at rec centres.  


Most Canadians can hum a few bars of the original Hockey Night in Canada theme song.


Our constitutional head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, whom I affectionately call Betty Windsor.  


We have a Prime Minister and our parliamentary system is based on the British constitutional parliamentary system.  


Our National Police Force  is the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) who are famous for their musical ride and red serge dress uniforms. 


We have 10 provinces; British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick.  There are three territories Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. (Most kids know this in grade school)


We have two official languages, English and French.


We are a very multicultural country and we welcome diversity.


We don't have a dollar bill or two dollar bill instead we have coins $1 is a looney, $2 is a toonie.  


We like poutine, which is french fries with cheese curds and gravy - OMG!


The beaver is our national animal.  


We aren't 'hosers' like Bob & Doug McKenzie. "Good Day Eh!"


Our flag is red and white with a maple leaf in the centre <--Cdn spelling :)


We have the best maple syrup and Canadian back bacon.


When you say I'll have a "Double Double" Canadians know you are ordering a Tim Horton's coffee! (hopefully with a Canadian Maple donut on the side) 


Tim Horton's was around before Starbucks.  Timmies opened up in 1964.


In 2011 according to census statistics Canada's population was 34.6 million.


We have universal healthcare for all Canadians.


We love kitschy oversize figurines in our cities; Mr. P.G in Prince George, a giant Ukrainian Easter Egg in Vegreville Alberta, giant Nickel in Sudbury, Giant Canada Goose in Wawa, Ontario.  


We share Niagara Falls with the United States.


Our National anthem is O Canada and we sing it in both English and French.

But most importantly we don't say 'Eh'.

Misadventures of a Shadow VT500 - Scarlet's 'little' owie

Broken hearted.......I don't think epoxy will fix this.

Scarlet has an owie.  Tuesday night was a gorgeous night for a ride and I decided to go to watch supermoto out at Western Speedway, but then got distracted by the thought of doing a nice twisty road.  On the way out I was happily zooming down the highway into the wind and the right side cover came off and bounced down the highway.  Two dudes in a pick-up honked at me and pulled up really close and it made me a little nervous so I didn't pay too much attention.  I wish I had, they were trying to tell me that the side cover had come off.  I finished my long beautiful ride and when I was putting the bike away noticed the side cover was missing, much to my shock and horror.  I went into the house to tell Motorcycle Man and he said, "How could you not notice it fly off?" Very valid question, but I don't know about the rest of you, but when I am riding I am not looking down at my thigh, my eyes are on the road generally.  Then his next question was, "Where did it come off?" Another valid question and I looked like a stunned deer in headlights when he asked me this and my response was, "I dunno."  So then he asked me where I had been rambling and I told him, "Oh about 83 kilometers of rambling."  I seriously don't do little rambles, ask the Ride To Eat Scooter Crew, I could ride forever it seems without needing to stop.

Off I go to retrace my steps, problem is during my little sortie I kind of got lost on some of the back roads out in Langford.  So how do you find where you got lost too?  I have no sense of direction and definitely need to start using GPS.  Honestly if you asked me what direction I was traveling I would probably say 'somewhere'.  Off I go down the highway scanning the road which is hard when you are supposed to be doing 90k down a very busy 3 lane highway.  I spotted some red bits on the side of the road pulled over and to my disappointment it turned out to be bits of an old broom.  I did the entire loop out to Langford then back up to McKenzie out through Victoria University, down Beach Drive, by the waterfront, through downtown and then to home.   83kms give or take.  When I made it home I was feeling sad and dejected, I have to say it has been a bit of hard go with Scarlet and her little foibles.  I did find a pair of sunglasses on the beach where I stopped and put an ad on Found Victoria to help return them to their owner.  Wednesday night I went and searched the highway again and nothing, zilch, zippo, no side cover.

Tonight I went to look at a mesh jacket that was advertised on Used Victoria and was riding down the Island Highway with Motorcycle Man and guess what we found?! The side cover, smashed to smithereens, but back in my possession.  I wasn't really expecting to find it or find it whole in any event.

Tuesday night after I got home from my misadventure I did an ebay search and found a used side cover and purchased it. I think I am going to add some velcro tabs to it to make sure this doesn't happen again.  I need to go out and have a little heart to heart with Scarlet and let her know that losing her bits is not acceptable.

I haven't abandoned my bloggio

Just letting you know I haven't abandoned my blog, it has just been a tad hectic lately!  New post coming soon about the adventures of Mistress Scooterpie.

Moto repair update

WE HAVE IGNITION Houston!! The CDI arrived from the Czech Republc on my birthday - WOW! What a present. Motorcycle Man picked up the parcel and then meticulously spent the afternoon putting Scarlet back together. Kiwi Deb and her good friend Brian came by for a visit. While they were visiting we were ready to see if Scarlet's CDI was going to work. I held my breath when Motorcycle Man twisted the throttle and hit the switch - she purred to life! I was back in business, it was the longest 6 weeks I have ever endured.

All is good in my moto world! We went 2up for a test rip and there was a terrible squealing sound 30 seconds into the ride, it turned out the wheel well came loose and was rubbing against the tire. We fixed that and off we went.

IT WAS GLORIOUS!!! We went out for dinner to Fisherman's wharf & then back home and I went for a solo ride. She is running better than when I first got her, clutching is better, she purrs and sounds better and acceleration - OH MY GOSH! She was so much more pep. Motorcycle man is going to sync her carbs and thinks she will be even better. I am such a happy moto mama right now!

PS - I had the best birthday breaky chocolate cake French toast - yup you read it right, CHOCOLATE CAKE FRENCH TOAST!