1st Annual Diabetes Solutions Poker Run

Diabetes Solutions of Oklahoma is a not-for-profit organization based in Oklahoma City, aimed towards improving the lives of people with diabetes and reducing the incidence of diabetes and the complications of diabetes. It also happens to be an organization that I've been involved with for a long time. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 9 years old. Only 2 months after being diagnosed, I went to my first session of diabetes summer camp, and it changed my life. Aside from the invaluable education I received that summer about the disease that was now a part of my life, I learned that I wasn't alone, and that it was possible for people with diabetes to live full and productive lives just like anyone else. Now, 14 years later, I still go to that camp every year, as a counselor for other children, many of whom are newly diagnosed and just as confused and frightened as I was. If it weren't for Diabetes Solutions, none of it would be possible. That's why I'd like to encourage everyone who's able to come out to the Thunder Road House Cafe on April 26 to support Diabetes Solutions of Oklahoma, not to mention have a good time and possibly win some money while you're at it. Click on the title link to go to the Diabetes Solutions website for more information and to register for the run. I'll be there, and I hope to see you there too.

Motocamping 101

I took my first motorcycle camping trip this weekend, to Devils Den State Park in Arkansas. Lessons's were learned (including just how far my bike will go on reserve) but there were no major catastrophes and everyone (and almost everything) made it home in one piece.

This was taken at our first rest stop. The bike handled remarkably well with all the added weight, though I could definitely feel it through the tighter turns, and ended up taking most them pretty slowly. She behaved herself just fine through the wider, sweeping curves though, and that's the kind of riding I enjoy most anyway.We stopped in Henryetta, Oklahoma for lunch, at The Pig Out Palace. It's a little pricey for a greasy spoon (a little over $10 a person for the all you can eat buffet) but the food's pretty good, and the service, as well as the customers, are always very friendly.
For dessert, they have a selection of 4 different kinds of cobbler. I highly recommend the blackberry, with a little softserve on top.
If you're ever not sure where to eat on the road, just look for the place with all the trucks parked outside. If anyone knows where to eat on the road, truckers do.
We took the interstate on the way there, due to time constraints, but once we got close to the park there were some pretty good roads.
When we finally arrived, my new luggage rack and top case (more on those in the series of entries I'm currently working on) made unloading go quickly. When we first started planning the trip, I couldn't figure out how to bring everything we would need without covering the pillion seat. Luckily for me, the Majesty has a deceptively large amount of underseat storage, and a little ingenuity and some angle iron will go a long way.

Saturday was filled with hiking, and cave exploring. Here, Erika contemplates life while staring into an infinite abyss, just before we climbed around in it.
There was actually quite a bit of climbing on Saturday, not just in infinite abysses. The hole I'm sitting in is caused by pockets of sandstone, which weathers much faster than the harder stone surrounding it.
On the way back, we took I-540 south to Oklahoma Highway 9, which runs roughly parralel to I-40, but farther south. It's a much more interesting ride than the interstate, and as it turns out, takes about the same amount of time.
The only casualty from the trip was my homemade saddlebags, which had never really been filled up before. It was nothing a few zip ties and a pocket knife couldn't fix though.

p.s. I'd suggest always keeping a few zip ties on board your bike, not to mention around the house. They're really just too useful not to have.
The final mileage came out to 525 exactly, with the way there being slightly longer than the way back. There's a good chance that it was because I missed the first exit to the park on the way there, but I'd rather just chalk it up to backroads being a better way to travel.

Lane Splitting Legality

Out of all 50 states in the US, California is the only one that legalizes lane splitting for motorcycles. There are, however, some conditions.
-It's only allowed between inside lanes, no shoulder passing.
-It's only allowed when traffic is stopped or close to it.
-The motorcycle can not exceed 15 mph faster than traffic is moving.

NBC San Diego did a segment on Lane Splitting, and why California legalizes it. You can see the video by clicking the title link.

Thanks to the Why Bike Motorcycle Blog for the scoop on the clip.

Edit: Apparently, the speed limit rule no longer applies. According to James at Why Bike, the law now simply states that lane splitting must be done in "a safe and prudent manner". Thanks again to Why Bike for the correction.

Fraternity of Riders

Sorry, I know it's been way too long. My riding lately has been nothing but to and from work, which is nice, but not particularly prone to interesting writing. Anyway, the other day, while cruising north on I44, I noticed cars ahead of me braking and swerving slightly. I started to brake as well, when I saw the large red Harley cruiser on it's side in the left hand lane. It took me another moment, while still slowing to a stop, to notice the rider, getting up off the ground on the left shoulder, and the dog, not getting up from the left shoulder. As I approached the bike, I pulled on to the shoulder myself, and asked the rider if he was alright. It was pretty obvious that he had injured his left wrist and arm. I'm pretty sure they were broken. He asked me to help him remove his helmet, which I did. I then called 911, to report the accident.

A fire truck pulled up within a minute or two, while I tried to lift his bike and roll it on to the shoulder. As I was wedging myself under the bike to get some leverage on it, another rider pulled over to help me get the bike out of the road. By this point, the firemen had sat the accident victim down and were tending to his wounds. His left arm was twisted around, and he didn't seem to be able to lift his shoulder. He had some considerable road rash along his right side, particularly on the palm of his right hand. The helmet I removed earlier was scratched up pretty good, and probably saved his life. It was, however, the only protective gear he had on. I don't think his t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers did much for him at all.

After getting his bike onto the shoulder, it appeared that the firemen had everything under control, and I could hear an ambulance siren near by. The other rider and I decided to take our leave. The cars, however, now driving bumper to bumper because of all the sudden braking, had no intention of letting either of us back into the slow moving traffic. It took another rider to slow down and hold traffic at bay in order for us to merge back on. I gave him the standard two-fingered salute as I merged in to the gap he created.

The reason I wanted to share this story is to express the bond that exists between riders. When I called 911, I was surprised to find out that I was the first one to call. None of the cagers in front of me had bothered. No cars stopped to help either. They only swerved around the accident and drove on. It took riders to call 911, riders to clear the crashed harley out of the rode, and finally, it took riders to let us back on to the road. I'd like to think that, in a crisis situation, this desire to help would exist for all humans. The fact is, it doesn't. Riders help riders because they somehow feel connected to eachother, only because we all choose to ride. It could have been me on the side of the road, and I'd hope someone would pull over to help me as well. Unfortunatly, I wouldn't expect most cagers to stop. The nature of being in a cage means that you focus on your destination only, and disconnect yourself from everything in between, even when someone else may need your help.