sat 09.09.2006 2312hr

It's been a while since I've updated this shindig. My bike is still currently sitting in the garage, I've only ridden it twice and started it up once after. The subframe is bent, and I've noticed that the chain is rusting, so definitely not riding it for a while more. I've really made a push to buy myself another bike while I try to work on this one on the side, but I don't feel financially confident enough to cover all these expenses.

Since my last update, I've also finished my first quarter at CSULA, can't say I did exceptionally well since I really need to ace all my classes to really bump up my GPA, and with only three classes, it's sad to say I wasn't in top shape in doing all my work. The next test comes in about two weeks when I take my first of three general chemistry classes. If things go my way I may have a general biology class to take as well. regardless of that biology class, I'm planning on taking about 4 classes in hopes of getting as much as I can, while I hope I can keep up with the course load while working. This quarter will definitely test me to see how much I really want to get into medical school since these science courses are weighed quite heavily during the application process. If I can't even focus for these classes to get the grades I need (as in all A's to offset the expected lower scores when I take classes such as Organic Chem and Genetics) the I'm definitely going to consider quitting and working full time.

Work is another matter all together, there's been talks that the facility I'm at will be leased to a private physician's group. It's actually the same group that's working there now, it's just rumored to be restructured so that the facility will no longer be a part of the hospital. This means I risk losing my job, there's also the possibility that I can be hired by the doctors. The problem is school, the doctors would like to see the consistency of a full time therapist and I just can't deliver a promise like that while I'm in school, which is detering me from getting a job with them. Everything is still in the air, and I think I'm supposed to hear more about it come next week, this thing has been in the air since before I got hired 4 months ago, it's finally starting to make headway around here but at times it feels like there still a long way to go before everything gets resolved. I just want something to help pay for school, I don't wanna go into debt until I do make it to med school.

If things go through and me getting a job means working full time it will be something I'd consider as long as the money is right, but more than likely I'd find another job, one that won't pay as well (probably back to being an x-ray tech) but will have a lot of flexibility. If that happens then I'm gonna definitely commit to school and start taking out loans and go full time. Then I may have to sell my bike and quit riding altogether, and I'm not looking forward to that.

Sun 07.16.2006 1223hr

Last weekend I managed to clock in about 500 miles on my bike. 200 miles on saturday since I went up with the usual crew through ACH and then a few of us headed over to Malibu to ride the canyons there. It was my third time there, but only second time through Latigo, a crazy twisty set of roads that I was too tired to ride through. I just couldn't turn my bike properly and struggled to get out of there. On Sunday I met up with a couple friends to ride with a group from the back side of ACH all the way to Big Bear Lake. Ended up ditching that group since it rained and the three of us decided to plow through, rain can be pretty intimidating especially since I've never had to ride in a downpour.

Yesterday was when my luck ended, I lowsided my bike into a guardrail. The turn was pretty gnarly too, my sense of memory and direction isn't all to great but this turn I really remember since I took it for the first time with my ass pucked last weekend. it was some scary shit as it was a right handed decreasing radius hairpin turn. Come to think of it, there was no speed limit indicator for that turn, but I'd say cars shouldn't even take it faster than 20mph. What was worse was that the turn was banked plus there was a change in elevation, the difference between the beginning and end of the turn was about a story in height, so I couldn't really even see through the turn.

It was my fault be being confident in taking that turn expecting to drag a knee and cross into the oncoming traffic lane which meant I was going too fast for that turn. The rider in front of me didn't expect the turn to be that tight so he braked midturn and I came up on him pretty fast, so I decided to brake and run wide instead of trying to hold my line and cut into the inside as I'd risk taking out another rider. Tires didn't have much contact patch at that point and decided to give out and off I went into dirt. The other riders said they heard my bike hit the guardrail, which would account for the possibility that my subframe is bent out of shape. Thank god for leather as I have no scratches on me, it also looked like my helmet barely took any damage, if any. Part of my right boot is hashed as well, but its a replaceable part that still looks good to go. Time to assess my options: fix bike up now, or spend more to get another bike... options options, hahaha I think I'm just using it as an excuse to get another bike. I mean, the bike runs, I just need to fix the rear section... so lemme see if I can figure it out today q:

Sat 07.08.2006 0809hr

Drove up to the bay area to celebrate Trin's b-day during 4th of July weekend, didn't really drink too much, which was a good thing. It was a lot of fun, despite getting lost saturday night and driving over 600 miles that weekend.

School's starting to suck, simply because I refuse to do the work earlier and my procrastinating ways just get me into trouble.

Riding is still riding, although I've now been able to drag knee, that shit still feels a little scary yet cool at the same time. Speaking of riding, time to head out for another fun filled day out in the canyons. q:

sun 06.25.2006 2322hr

School is finally starting, just got me realizing how much I hated it in the first place. I'm still missing a class that I would like to take over the summer session, I'm hoping I can still add it on in the next couple of days. Noelle's dad and Scott's mom were here for Noelle's graduation about a week or so ago, was nice to see them both again, does make me slightly jealous and miss my family... very slightly q:

Still a lot of weekend riding, new suit is finally stretching so I don't get as insane a wedgie as I used to get. My boots should also show up on my doorsteps tomorrow, and hopefully that pair of riding pants comes in by next week so I have some dedicated pants that are hopefully a lot more durable than jeans.

ACH just happens to be such a great relaxer over the weekend, enough so for me to sacrifice staying up too late or drinking too much on fridays nights to wake up around 8ish on saturday morning to go and ride and hang out w/ a bunch of great riders for a few hours.

I've really felt like I've improved quite a bit from when I first started, but now to the dangerous point of pushing the envelope to attempt further improvements. This was the case yesterday as I was determined to follow a few of the faster riders, I went past the double yellow lines a few times into the oncoming traffic lane, one of the big no-no's I've tried to avoid, the other big thing I did was also a first time for me: I finally dragged a knee. I told myself I'd save it for the track or maybe a parking lot practicing, but in the course of trying to get better form hanging off the bike and leaning I had gone far enough to hear my knee slightly touch down, it caught me by surprise as I though I still had a few more inches to move... the sad part was that I still passed the double yellow lines by a few inches even though I was leaned that far, apparently a lot more improvements to be made. It was still a total adrenaline rush and its something I should keep in check.

It was just a hectic ride and too fast yesterday, the ride is still in my mind as I was too worried and chaotic about my body position that although I've pushed myself to a new level, my riding only leaves me much more to be desired and  push for a new way to improve myself. I've decided that the pace I took was too fast to learn, I know I can go faster, but I need to back it off a bit so I can be comfortable with smoother transitions and get my body position down pat. Another problem is my choppy throttle control, I'm lucky my cbr's tires haven't slipped out on me due to how I just bump up the gas or sometimes cut it out in turns, I know if I got a liter bike I'd have already kissed a canyon wall by now, or worse met up w/ a guardrail or cliff. Throttle control and body position are the two things to look forward to working on next weekend, throttle control has been an issue for a while now, I really need to focus on that as my mind drifts to other aspects of riding and this could become a bigger issue later on.

On another note, thinking about my xanga trend, I remember my old posts always reflected my drunken state over the weekends, I'm glad this new hobby has taken over. I still drink and all, I just haven't gotten piss drunk in a while. And since I do most of my drinking in the safety of my home, the riding happens to be more dangerous but it has also been a while since I've taken an interest in an activity where I feel a bit competitive and motivate myself to improve instead of being apathetic and half-assed about what I do, it's refreshing.

wed 06.07.2006 1938hr

I think I've been accepted to CSULA for the summer quarter, so school looks like it will be part of my life once again. Work is still at Glendale, although it seems my hours will be cut severely when the other therapist I was covering comes back to work next week. Although next week will already be my third paycheck with them and that should be enough money for me to cover rent and books, as the last paycheck covered tuition. This means I should really stop looking at a 2nd bike right now as I can't afford it, and have no room to store another ride.

A lot of riding, this past weekend with my new leather suit, quite snug but the leather is starting to stretch a bit more and I do feel a lot more confident and safer with full leathers instead of wearing jeans out in the canyons. It is a bit more dangerous out there now though as the riding season is in full swing, so far I've seen a medivac chopper the last three times I was up ACH. The cops there don't look all to friendly either but I'm sure they've seen enough injured riders to warrant an attitude. It's a good reminder for me to slow down as I've started taking turns a lot faster, ignorantly I may still feel in control and I know I still ride my own ride as I won't go too much faster, especially when I'm with other riders that fly through a lot faster than me... they can wait for me when I make it to the next stop q:

Oh, and getting Tara drunk in SD a few weekends ago is just fuckin' great, now if only I didn't get pissed at Noelle for flapping her mouth and sounding quite obnoxious. Oh well, what can I say, I've been easily annoyed as of late which I will blame on work, but hey everyone's gonna piss you off one time or another, her turn was that night, but all in all it was still a great shindig.