Part-time Saddle Tramp

[Mr Lefty]

Today was not a good day, it began great, because I rode into work, however, I did not ride home... and any day that starts with me riding home, and ending with me riding shotgun in a tow truck... is not a good day...

I left work excited to be on the bike after a tough day dealing with pissed off leadership and just over all cranky people, whom apparently all got together and decided that I needed to join their ranks of the pissed off and chronically depressed.* NOT HAPPENING.... no way... not with my bike awaiting me in the parking lot.

I literally ran out the building, partly to avoid getting caught by a procrastinating negative Nancy, but also because I truly love to ride that much!* I get my helmet on as I'm running, start the motor, give my bike the once over for Tires, lights, etc... and get on and go... I'm out the parking lot, and move over to take a left at the next light... I've gathered a bit of speed in my excitement, but no worries, my brakes are new and in great shape.* So I step down smoothly on the rear brake and squeeze the front brake, and feel the deceleration and the ass end slide side to side a bit... huh, still not used to the SS brake line I had installed last week on the rear... I come to a hault and put my right foot down, it slips and I almost fall.* WTF?* I look down and my motor looks like someone's layed open an artery, as it's black blood gushes, litterally gushes with the heartbeat of the Dakar's thumper motor all over my leg, the engine and puddles on the asphault.* FUCK!* I hit the engine kill switch and push the bike through the intersection (not before almost being hit by a car running a red light... really who can't see a 6'3... 6'4" with helmet guy pushing a white bike in broad day light... Colorado drivers... that's who)



Anyways, I get to the side of the road and investigate... looks like the oil filter cover is loose... and my tools are all at home... DOUBLE FUCK.* I call a co-worker and she drives me to Advanced Auto to buy 3 quarts of oil (one maybe two to add now, and 1 to add to the one at home to change my oil and filter)* and the torx bits and driver needed to tighten the screws.* *$50 later... I'm out the door... ugh.* I get back to the bike and start to tighten the bolts... only they're already tight as hell... WTF?* ok, maybe the O ring busted or something... it was something else




Oh yeah, that broken all the way through... the only thing holding it together is the O ring... TRIPPLE FUCK... so I call Progressive and have them send out a tow truck through my insurance's roadside assistance.* then jump on the phone to BMW to order the part hoping to catch them before they close and get the part in tomorrow and still be able to ride this weekend... yeah... not so much.* I was able to reach them, however they didn't have the part in, and because BMW is doing a "system upgrade" tomorrow, you can't order parts, but the parts guy said he's gonna try getting the order in now to see if they can get it Saturday then call tomorrow AM to ensure it's on the truck... AWESOME,* BMW of Denver (http://www.bmwofdenver.com/) has top notch customer service... they're just as expensive as other BMW dealers, but they take care of their customers and that goes a long way with me (had multiple dealings with them, not just this issue)* so not a big deal, maybe lose out on half a day Saturday of riding.* I hang up and start surfing the web on my Samsung Galaxy Note2... (awesome phone btw... for those not intimidated by it's size)* and my phone rings... it's the parts guy... bad news... no dealer in the states stocks that part, so it's gotta be ordered from Germany... 3 week lead time.* FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK...

I tried the "wooo saaaaa" technique, but just got oil in my ear, which didn't help the calming effect, so it was somewhat less effective than it was on Martin Lawerence's character in Bad Boys... but I took a couple deep breaths and realized it's all out of my hands and honestly... with that last breath, all frustration and anger left... I didn't go down, I was safe, I had a tow truck coming, I had the part on order, I have other transportation, I was actually in a GOOD situation as far as things could go... and hey, this gives me time to sort out some minor things I wanted to fix on the bike anyways....

but I still feel like I need a drink ;-)