BluepoofBikes Motorcycle Adventures

F650GS: Replacing the headlight bulb

In its eternal quest to make me replace every one of its parts, the Beemer killed its low beam the other night.

Thus, you get a write-up.

 

Team Danger vs CPC Waves: 3-6

Last night's Team Danger game was definitely our best game yet, insofar as playing as a team and showing vague competence at the sport. 

We were up 2-0 before the ringers on the CPC Waves decided that they didn't want to lose.  We got one more goal, but the ringers came in full force and scored 6. 

It was a little frustrating; I don't mind if teams are better than us (and pretty much everyone is) but there are some arrogant ringers on their team who like to make sure that everyone knows they're playing down in a mixed-skill league.

Other than that, though, it was a really fun game and our team really played well.  Our newbie-est newbie, Richard, had great positioning and scored our first goal off assists from Peter and I.   Peter also got a great assist from Joe that led to a goal, and a nice tip-in from Ben at the blue line.  Go D!

Puck Ewes vs Red Menace: 1-1

We had a great, if short-handed, game against Christine's team "Red Menace" tonight.  It was 1-1 going into OT, but no one scored then either, so we ended the game a tie.

I played center with Chris W and Sheila, our two new players from the Green division.  They're a really fun line!  Though I think I played a lot better on the defensive side of center than the offensive.  I had a couple of shots on net but nothing spectacular.

I did enjoy riding the Beemer to the game....mostly to see if I could. :)  My gear bag weighs about 25 lbs and, since my stick is short enough to fit sideways, it worked pretty well!

Team Danger vs Blue Martinis: 1-4

We had a good showing against the Martinis last night, considering that our team has the most beginners on it and the Martinis are the defending Stanley Keg champions. ;)

Nora had some really awesome saves. I definitely saw her do a Nabbyesque scoop to grab the puck mid-air. :-D

I played pretty well -- I played D most of the game and switched to left wing for the 3rd period. I need more practice at wing. Bobby Tait was right D for the Martinis, so we hung out at our blue line together. He told me "good coverage, Carolyn!" so hopefully I was in his way a bit. ;)

Puck Ewes vs R3: 2-1

Last night was our first NCWHL  game of the season, which we won 2-1!  Our team name is "Puck Ewes" which is awesome and naughty and goofy, so I love it. I must make little sheep stickers for our helmets.

I was really surprised by how well the team gelled already.  The first couple of shifts were....well, they were a bit rough, but it's probably been a few weeks since most people had been on the ice.  The passing and positioning was CRAZY good though -- I think it was the best game, passing-wise, I've ever played for NCWHL.  I hope we stick to that!

While I'm blabbing about hockey, we met Dan and Colleen for lunch and a trip to East West Hockey today.  They bought sticks, bags, and some assorted gear while I dorked around in the RapidShot.  

Viv happened by while I was practicing and gave me some great shooting advice.  She told me to relax (duh!) and also pull back a little with the top hand as well as pushing forward with the bottom hand.  "Flick," she told me.  It really made a huge difference!  Whenever I remembered to do "the Viv flick", I lifted the puck.  Success!

Must practice this on the ice tonight at stick and shoot after going to the Sharks game.  Woo, Sharks!

Danger vs VMWare: 4-2

Last night was our second Team Danger game and our first win! 

We have three Danger people on the team now: me, Sally, and Don Rico.  Don's done rollerblading more recently than ice skating, so I think he'll improve really quickly once he gets more ice time.  Plus he was stuck with the dreaded loaner gear and dull rental skates, poor guy.

I set a personal record by having six different D partners in one game; I started out rotating with Ben and Matt, then Ken played with me until he was kicked off when Sally arrived, then Rex played until Darryl scored his 3rd goal, then Darryl moved back until I moved up to relieve Don at right wing.  Whew!

Overall, it was a fun game.  I practiced a few different types of poke checks, with mixed results.  I also practiced skating forward and receiving a pass from behind -- something that I definitely need work on.

Team STN!

After many weeks of cajoling, I finally got Dan and Colleen on the ice with me!  

Locker room shenanigans:

Dan said he felt short here with Colleen and Peter; I'm not sure why.... ;)

I didn't have the heart to tell them that they were holding their sticks upside down...

They valiantly survived the hour-long skills class (despite ill fitting and slightly skeevy loaner gear from the rink)!  Next time I'll have to get pics of them actually passing and skating and shooting. 

Go Team STN! 

Puttering around California Caverns

We got an invitation to go caving at California Cavern with Viv, her boyfriend Aaron, and their friends Loren and Esther this weekend. 

Peter jumped at the idea, but caving isn't really my thing.  I liked doing the touristy thing at Carlsbad and Meramec Caverns on my bike trips, but four-hour excursions to places like "the meat grinder" and "pancake"?  Eh, no thanks.

So we tossed the XT in the back of the truck and I puttered around the area while the rest of the kids were being grinded and pancaked and muddied up.

When we got there, I started gearing up in the parking lot, only to discover.....

I'd left my boots at home.

Go me!  Well now, this is interesting.  The only shoes I had with me were my canvas hightop Converse sneakers.  Awesome.  There went my ideas of finding some cool offroad trails.  Oh, and did I mention it was raining?  What could be better than canvas shoes?  

Well, I made do.  I borrowed some gaffers tape from Esther and taped up my shoes the best I could.  Nothing but style and class, that's me.

Fortunately the riding itself was pretty cool.  Once I realized that Converse meant no Stanislaus National Forest roads for me, I asked the guides at the visitors center/giftshop for suggestions.  I wound up with a nice 50-mile loop on some great backroads, including 10 miles of easy dirt.

Michel Road, the road leading to and from California Cavern, is pretty neat in and of itself:

Another great back road, Old Gulch Road:

Fricot City Road is paved up until Fricot City (really just a few buildings; more on that in a second) and turns to dirt afterwards.

The paved section is wonderful and has great panoramas and vistas.

I met this little friend along the road in Fricot City.

The guide at California Cavern had told me that Fricot City is a "really weird little town".  I figured he meant in the same way that all rural Sierra foothill towns are a little weird...but no.  Fricot City really is sort of strange.  

Its main attraction seems to be the Rite of Passage high school, which looks like a normal school at first, until you notice the "visitation" parking areas.  The best I can find online is that it's a "residential treatment site" for "at-risk" boys.   According to the website, one of the core tenets is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which is pretty neat stuff.  At any rate, there were no students or faculty around when I drove by, so the residence buildings looked like a gray and misty ghost town on this rainy day.

After the high school, the road turns to easy dirt.  I took it slow, second gear, because of the whole no-boots thing.  I stopped for a bazillion photos and had a great time.

It started raining in earnest as I neared the town of San Andreas and the gaffers tape on my shoes was giving up.  I stopped at the Calaveras County Museum, which was spectacular and well worth the $3 admission.

My favorite part of the museum was the jailyard, which included photos of the sheriffs of Calaveras County from 1849 - present.

The whole museum really is cool, though, and I definitely recommend it if you're at all interested in California history.

The ride back to California Cavern was pretty uneventful and I hung around the gift shop for a while waiting for the gang to get back from caving.

You can see the shoes didn't really work out so well:

The triumphant -- but muddy -- cavers return!

Yuck!

All in all, everyone had a great time.  Though next time I'll try to remember my boots.