It Goes On and On

I really wish I could update this journal with some uplifting adventure, but all that's going on right now is once again a "tug-of-war" in my brother's head.
And that's not figuratively speaking.

A Little Something

...to remind myself every day of what I should never be waiting for.

Live life full-steam ahead, though careful as you can, without hesitation or fear of the consequences. I owe it to my brother to not be afraid of the consequences when sometimes the consequences can be unfairly dire relative to your choices anyway.

Bitter Sweet (2013 edition)

For the record, this is what bike looks as of right now following last week's incident. All parts that needed replacement were replaced by mid last week, but clearly I'm still running the rashed fairings.

Well, these are photos of the bike from this year's Annual TAAF Walk held just over two weeks ago on the 5th, courtesy of Mah Ventura Photography:

It's funny. I see this bike every damn day, and while of course I know how awesome it looks, it's amazing how really expensive and professional camera lenses can REALLY make it look good. Here I was this morning prior to seeing these photos, thinking I've decided on what I was going to do following last week's incident, and now these photos are stirring up emotions inside me making me think twice (AGAIN!) about my decision.

Among other things, this bike at times makes me the victim of my own success.

Ironic

I had put on some new frame sliders on the '02 R1 last Friday night; since being taken out on Thunderhill last year and using my previous set, I've been so worried about something happening while the bike was without them. No dout that my tank remains unscathed despite those drops because of the sliders.
 
Then the morning after, I decided to do a solo jaunt down 84, cause I hadn't done a solo ride in awhile. On the way back to STP, just past La Honda through this mild right-hander:

Photo taken from the opposing lane; I'm coming from the
background to the foreground

Next thing I know, about the middle of the corner, I get a violent reaction at the front, then down I go. I slid up to the center line, while my bike slid through the opposing lane, stopping at the shoulder in the other side of the road. There were no oncoming traffic to collide with, but there was some to stop and help me pick up my bike, so I can roll it back to my side of the road.

I don't remember seeing one, but my conclusive guess is a sizable rock that I didn't see, and happened to have ran over. I walked back through the corner, and while I didn't see one (anymore?) in the middle of the lane, there were definitely scattered rocks.

The sliders did their job alright, with the tank unscathed again, but virtually everything in the right side of the bike took damage, from the fairings to the hard parts.



I don't know if I'll wait for winter again to repaint the fairing or do it now; apart from the upper fairing's corner, it's all just rash with no holes or breaks. I may just ride it as is after fixing the hard parts, until this year's winter.

Rebuilding. Again.