Just putting out some frustration before it happens ....I am looking foward to i ride on friday the weather here as averaged about 30 all week so thought while the missus was busy the kids at school I would get get some milage done, maybe down to the coast put my toes in the sea etc just looked at the weather for friday AND thunder storms (I hope their wrong)

Think i need to ship my scoot over to the u.s and ride with you guys dont see many clouds in your pics

John, it has probably averaged 38 here the last few weeks... we did have a thunderstorm move through late yesterday. lots of wind about 1.5cm of rain. Cooled things off a bunch. Gonna be hot again today. I am fixing to pull my scoot under a shade tree and change the spark plugs and air filter. Drink a little ice tea, listen to some blue grass, wait for evening and maybe take a little tour around the neighborhood. I don't live near a sea, well, it is only about 500 miles to the gulf. I probably will ride down to Saline River about a mile from here and dip my toes in a shoal. I will think of you.

It looks like there aren't a lot of clouds where you are standing for your avatar. Are we looking north or south to your back?
Gary

38? Ye Gods!
It's been 33-ish in the garden and I had to trim the hedge today but 38!!!!!

Mike... 38 here is pretty common... humidity is always near 80 - 90% this time of year. Heat index of 43 is not unusual. Very uncomfortable. Time to stay in and let the wife do the hedges when it gets that warm....
Gary

Outrageous! LOL!

15 miles away on the coast it's 10 degrees lower.

Humidity's a killer - I guess the benefits of living there outweigh the disadvantages.
I can't get over just how damp it is here in the evenings, in spite of the heat - yestrday we were in the garden having a ciggie and our breath was coming out in clouds, even before we lit up, and it was 17 degrees. Lots of water in Belgium.

Yeah you are right about advantages here... the bad days last just a couple of months, then the leaves on the trees start to change colors before dropping off and then we get a couple of months of near freezing weather. Then comes the months that the grass gets green and the trees bloom. Then it get hot again and we do this over again... a lot of US has one season... either always warm or always cool. They miss having spring flowers or snow in winter. Not saying their weather is bad, just consistent. The variety of have four distinct seasons is worth the hot humid days of summer. Although, if I had to give up one season, it would be this one.

I remember once about 30 years ago meeting a man up town and having a conversation with him. It was in early February and the weather was beautiful... warm sunny days... I couldn't have asked for more comfortable weather to work in in the business I had. I said to the fellow... "Isn't this great weather?" He replied " It is going to put me out of business". He was a farmer and raised strawberries. He and I knew there was a period of frost yet to come and would kill every plant that was beginning to bloom. And it did. He lost all of his crop that year. That taught me a very important lesson that day. It is a good thing man can't control the weather. Here, at least, cycles are necessary. Freezes kill insects and pests and help break up the soil for spring planting. Summer gives the temperatures that we need for many things to grow. Fall ... well, fall is the cycle that allows us to harvest the crops and enjoy the many colors God paints on the trees. Winter is the time of year that brings white Christmases and Thanksgiving. And FOOTBALL .... football actually starts in the fall here I just forgot that until I thought about the winter. It is sure too hot today to think of football.
You have a different kind of football there. Not even close to the same sport. That is another topic....
I have rattled enough, I gotta go change the air filter and plugs on my scoot... Have a great day everyone ..

Gary

I can't reply to that, except to say you've summed it up so well.
Thanks!

30 degrees???, yikes. I do hope you guys are talking "degrees celsius". I know we yanks are about the only ones in the world to use fahrenheit so when I see 30 degrees I think "brrrr it's below freezing". It's been in the low to mid 90s (fahrenheit) (mid 30s celsius) here the past few weeks. We had a a spell of rain over that past month or so but lately it has been dry and hot.

I must say, even on days when it's in the 90s (oF) and I ride either in stop-and-go traffic downtown or at highway speeds on the interstate, I have never seen my temp gauge on the Swing budge from the norm. My Harley gets uncomfortable to sit on at stoplights during this time of year. Chestnuts should only be roasting during the yuletide seasons.

Robin, I am surprised to hear it gets to 90 in North Carolina. Yall being on the coast and all. We midlanders are the ones with the heat and humidity.
I know we use the english system for measurements. Only because "we always have done it that way". It does sound cooler when temps are given in C degrees. Helps me feel cool on hot summer days.
Gary

it was april last yeay so reasonably hot (must update the photo as i have grown my hair back so less scary)

...been only around 60F (14degC) during the day for the last few days. And it's 4th of July time!

just looked out of the window and guess what its raining (so i will ride monday)

Found a window in the weather and went for it at 11 am just got back 3pm stopped once for fuel didnt get wet did 140 mile round trip and am now in pain ok up until about 2 hours then after that got more and more uncomfortable si guess i need to take more breaks or add a tenere to the garage (just off to convince the wife its for health reasons)

It was more my back neck and shoulders i figured its there is not enough distance from seat to footboards so my spine takes most of the weight felt better when sitting on the butt rest but then too much stretch to the bars (so an arm extention or leg reduction op is the answer )wouldnt want to do anything to drastic lol....
I used to have a kawasaki klr when i got uncomfortable i just stood up for while(dont like stopping too much once im going im going if you know what i mean) :m/c:

p.s I do like the africa twin but if i had the money a ktm 990 adventurer would be next to the wing

I dont think its where i sit I think its the fact that my knees are too high ive tried removing the butt rest but i sit on the hard bits so again uncomfortable maybe a sheep skin and backrest may solve the problem

I think i need to work on the seat guess im just cheap lol i will look into air and sheep combi

thanks for the tips guys

I'm 6'2". I removed the butt rest and like the extra room. I also have a sheepskin to cover the plastic parts and protect from summer butt rash on those 90 degree day long rides.

2 or 3 days a week I travel a total of 180 miles with a couple of stops in between. After about 45-50 minutes my back begins to hurt as well. The pain is usually located right beneath my left shoulder blade. It seems no matter how I shift my position the stress is still there. So I end up sitting straight up at attention for a while with legs under me, then slouching easy-rider style with legs forward for awhile. I also switch foot position often, one foot forward and one back. Seems nothing relieves the strain on that part of my back.

I do not notice the pain when I ride my harley which has a lower seat, mini ape handlebars, and forward foot controls. My lower back is more supported since it is a deep bucket seat and my arms are held at a higher level due to the mini apes.

Now that I am sitting here analyzing it, the Swing seat seems higher in relation to my handlebars compared to the Harley. Also, I think my feet are positioned more forward on the Harley, moving my body closer to the handlebars so I can sit more upright. Maybe I am stooped over more just below my shoulders on the Swing in an effort to reach the handle bars with my butt being shifted back farther on the seat.

Anyway, all I know is I still prefer to ride the Swing on those long trips. It just seems so effortless to ride and tires me much less. Plus it is a heck of a lot cheaper to feed and maintain.

I have exactly the same pain in my shoulder even when driving cars or trains for long distances ,I saw a chiropractitioner(I think thats the spelling) and he beat the s**t out of me which made it better for about a year.... I also move around alot for my leg pains(I am not falling apart honest)too many bike crashes and soccer games...........Just remembered have a self inflating camping pillow could this be a cheapskate airhawk?(I will keep you posted)

By not telling the taxman