Last Ride For 2013, Bring On 2014!

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Next weekend heading south to Luxemburg for the holidays, returning in 2014.

So it was time to get her into the shed.  :491:

Ok, one more ride then...  "to test the fuel pump"  (any excuse will do)  :cheerleader:

Thanks to Sebs clutch window, I now fully believe in warming up the oil properly before caning her.... 

Till now, my ride were in 12C+ weather, but it has been freezing lately so the oil was really cold.

After 5 minutes riding.............

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YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!!

But after 15-20 minutes, all was dandy again!

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Or was it the rays from this cloud busting device???

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She did get hungry though, swallowing a car whole!

Yeah my redslut knows how to swallow!!

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The things one has to do for some decent GPS reception on your bike....

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Yep, that is the highest "Christmas Tree" in the world!

(view from my upstairs window)

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What's  is  that  red stuff  in   your  oil  ?   

Whatever it is, it is not good.  Looks more like wheel bearing grease.  Euro standards are suspect.  Another reason socializm sucks ?

 Another reason socializm sucks ?

At least we give a shit about our less fortunate fellow human beings................  :owned:

That red stuff is a clutch plate painted red  :goofy:

But  I  do  like  the  blue  cover  screws .

Hey Leon, I been following your daily temp in my local newspaper and have been jealous of your local weather. Is this an exceptionally mild winter or has it been "normal". To use Olive's term, it's parking season here and not only for the mc. I've parked my butt inside for 90% of the days so far in Nov. - Dec. (due to Reynaud's Disease). Spring seems so far away. :sad2:  

MaxSwell,

Your keen interest should be rewarded by a trip to the Socialist Continent.

Seeing is believing....

:-)

Dont miss the socialist state pur sang, France!!

Maxwell, I liken the weather there a lot like a mix between San Francisco and Seattle, if that helps.

and Leon, all I will say about your socialism is that we are the same.  Except NL's lack of crime.  And trash, the lack or garbage on the ground.  And schools, and happiness and a 100 percent on time railway system, and left lane discipline. But besides that our socialism is the same.

and Leon, all I will say about your socialism is that we are the same.  Except NL's lack of crime.

More specifically, Sandy Hook, Aurora, don't forget.

And nice pics Dutch, looking forward to many more in 2014!  :beer:

:beatdeadhorse:

Nice pics as usually Dutchy.

Well I could go out for the final ride of 2013 today, as its +5 here north, but werry wet. But the 5th gen is in winter sleep, and I´m at work untill its dark again. Hopfully nice fireworks will light the sky later today. Happy New Year 2014 to everyone!

Excellent photos. Wish our last rides could be so late in the season. I had to park the vfr for the season in late Septemberl early October and that was pushing it this year! We northerners live vicariously through the rest if you for many months at a time. Thank you!

Well festertruck, this was very unusual too. I'd say november at best is the norm.

Some members on the dutch VFR forum go for a ride on New Years Day  :beer:

I've been watching Amsterdam's temps in my local newspaper and I believe I've not seen sub-freezing temps.

I know Dutchy is not normal; is this weather as abnormal as Dutchy?!  :goofy:

I pity your lack of snowfall.

I also took a last last-minute ride for 2013... although down here I saw maimums of 16ºC closer to the sea and at sea level... .and minimums of 8ºC on the mountain passes. Weather forecast was for clear skies but a sudden flash storm decided to hunt me down and dump a load of Mediterranean seawater on me 15 minutes before arriving at the arranged meeting spot in Alcoy some 2 hours from my departure point (Murcia). Those coming from Valencia were lucky in that their trajectory skirted the storm... I decided to take refuge in a tunnel (which looked like a sci-fi teletransporting portal) and 10 minutes later it was blue skies again... a hot shot of espresso with Bailey's (carajillo) fixed the frozen body parts.

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Then I showed the Valencians how to make a 15 minute round trip via highways into a 1,5 hour one via the twisties between Alcoy, Ibi, Tibi and Jijona.
 
We don't winterize our bikes around here, although there had been some snow up on the highest passes a couple of weeks ago in the same área, Winter has been in general very mild this year... we will surely pay for that in January/February.

On the way home I took a random turn off just based on a hunch and was pleasantly surprised with another hour's worth of non-stop twisties, good asphalt and no cars.

Happy 2014 Dutchy!!