ModelCitizen

I have been thinking about how to support you from over here a little bit, ModelCitizen. I would like to activate and drop some coins for Bike Awareness and fill in the mission to remember Tod and your friend Jerry. (if that is okay with you too Rod?). I will also send you a Q Treiber coin. I think the strenght of this spreading Bike Awareness is to make sure that something good is comming out of Tod's and Jerry's tragic death. Would you like me to do that? Wow!! I sort of dropped off the grid for a while. I haven't been posting or reading the forums lately. Haven't been riding the bike either. I don't think I've been on the motorcycle since Jerry died. I had no idea this cointest was going on in remembrance of my friend Jerry. Today when I got home from work I was surprised by a package in the mail from the Netherlands with a beautiful silver, black, and red Motorbiking by Q. Treiber coin and a card with a very nice message on it from Sivota. So I went hunting here on the forums and found out what I had missed. Thank you so very much Sivota for your amazing kindness and generosity. I just don't know what to say. I've found the geocoining community to be a wonderful group of people that supports each other and is extremely generous and caring, and Sivota, you are a shining example of that. I'm sure Jerry would feel honored to know that the message of motorcycle safety is being sent out in his name and that lives may be saved as a result. He was always more concerned about the well being of other people more than himself. Once again, I don't know how to thank you Sivota, or the many others that have posted here to share your concern and sympathy. It was a very touching gesture and I am deeply appreciative. Ride and drive safely, everyone, and arrive alive. Blue skies and happy caching! Model Citizen - Zero Discipline

The morning news report today gave a different version of Jerry's bike accident. They said it was really caused by a car (I guess the Suburban) turning in front of him, just like in Tod's accident. Apparently the fence I saw knocked down was from some previous accident. That "S" curve is a dangerous section of road. Just a year ago another worker at the plant where I work was killed in the same spot when a schoolbus pulled out of a side road in a blind part of the "S" curve and he couldn't get his bike stopped or avoid the bus. No kids were hurt but the motorcyclist didn't make it. Let's all remember to be on guard and assume that cars on side roads are going to pull out in front of us. Assume that cars in the left turn lane or with their left turn signal on are going to turn left in front of us. Be prepared and ready with an escape route to avoid the accident. It still scares me when I ride past a car sitting on a side road waiting to pull onto the main road. At some point as you get closer and closer to them, right before you ride past them, there's really not much you can do if they decide to suddenly pull out in front of you. Ride safe everyone, and watch out for bikes when you're driving.

On the way home from work tonight I drove by the spot where Jerry was killed. It looks like he was forced to the edge of the road in the first turn of the "S" curve by the Suburban. His bike went off the road and took out a large section of fence beside the road. I can't believe he's gone. It happened so suddenly. One minute everything is fine and the next minute people in the hall are talking about a bad motorcycle wreck and it turns out to be Jerry. It just goes to show that you never know when someone may be taken from you. I'll be keeping that in mind as I spend time with my family tonight. Thanks for the kind words Rod and UFgatorgirl. I'll be sure to let Jerry's family know that there are others praying for them. MC

Something terrible happened today. Around 11:00 a friend of mine was killed on his motorcycle not even a mile away from where I work. His name was Jerry Pates, but everyone just called him "Doughboy". He was a pretty big guy; very sociable, friendly, funny, and giving. He would do anything for you. He owned a restaurant named "Doughboy's" in Sandersville near Laurel, Mississippi where I live. When the weather got warm enough he would hold bike night events at his restaurant on Tuesday nights. He would prepare lots of good country cookin' and hold contests for the best looking bikes of different types, giving trophies to the winners. Sometimes we could talk him into getting his electric guitar out and playing it for us. He used to be in a band and was absolutely amazing on that guitar. He would walk around the restaurant, talking to everyone and making sure they had everything they needed. At the end of the evening he would give away prizes from the convenience store he also owned. He gave away so much stuff; no one ever walked away without at least one prize. He gave you some raffle tickets when you showed up but you could buy extra tickets too and the proceeds from the extra tickets went to a charity. He never came out ahead on the bike nights. It always cost him more to hold the bike nights than he charged for the meal but he said he did it for the enjoyment of being around his friends, the bikers. I don't think he ever met anyone that he didn't make his friend immediately. He was just an all-around great guy. Jerry also owned the cafeteria concession at the plant where I work. His cafeteria was very busy since there are up to 4,000 people working at the plant, but he always had time to say "Hi!", chat, and make everyone feel special and appreciated. He used to make hot wings, banana pudding, and other dishes for the Christmas party I hold for my department every year. Today around 11:00 Jerry was riding his touring bike to the plant. He was on Industrial Boulevard, less than a mile from the plant. Industrial is a four-lane road with a pretty sharp "S" curve in it. People often go way too fast on that road and usually ignore the lines on the road. They straighten out the road by driving straight across the lane dividers, crossing over both lanes and often into the oncoming lanes as well. We don't have much information about the accident yet, but I hear that Jerry was riding next to a Suburban that didn't stay in its lane and was crowding him off the road. He attempted to avoid the big SUV, but apparently lost control and put the bike down on the road. The Suburban then ran over him and killed him. Link to the Laurel Leader-Call Newspaper's early report on Jerry's accident. Jerry is the second friend I have lost this year. Glenn Johnson, a skydiving buddy of mine was killed just a month ago along with his fiance and her 13-year old son in a small plane crash. Glenn was flying his Cessna 182 at night in less than perfect conditions when he apparently lost attitude awareness and crashed into the ground in a steep dive, killing all three on board. I just can't take anymore of this. Please, everyone, be very, very careful when you're riding or driving. Ride paranoid, like everyone on the road is out to get you. That's not far from the truth. They're not actively out to get you, but through their inattentiveness it seems like they are. I've had people look me in the eye, then pull out in front of me from a side road when I'm less than 50 feet from them. Let's all have fun but be safe! Jerry, I'll always remember you, buddy. Ride paranoid. Model Citizen

But I said I would send another one if you didn't receive the first one I sent (I DID send it - I triple checked everything, then also sent another coin to AG because I had accidentally bought another duplicate coin on eBay) but you said no. Why didn't you just take me up on my offer? I was happy to send you my keeper, as I never ever leave trades uncompleted. This has only happened to me once before, and it took three months for a coin to reach the UK. I sent duplicate coins, and they got there in a week. A couple of days later - the first lot of coins turned up. Goodness knows where they were in the meantime - maybe they accidentally travelled ground instead of air? I am still happy to send you another letterboxing or equivalent coin from my trader list. Just let me know. No, I wouldn't dream of taking your last Letterboxing coin - your keeper. Especially since it wasn't your fault. You fulfilled your obligation and the postal service just didn't get it to me. If you're like me, you hate to loose the last one of any of your coins. When that happens to me I typically start hunting on an on-line auction site for a replacement to buy. In this case, since I knew AtlantaGal had the same coin and she didn't win it in the auction or give up one of her own coins for it I hoped she wasn't that attached to it and would be willing to trade for it. She accepted a fairly common, recently available spare coin of mine in exchange for it so everything worked out. Wow! You really had a trade that took three months to get to the recipient? That's crazy! When I saw all your other coins being received and you said to wait a few more days I assumed the postal service just lost it when it didn't come in. If it shows up in another few weeks I'll let you know. Anyway, my math trade status is now complete. I have all the coins I traded for and all of mine have been received. Thanks, everyone for the fun and the great coins. Blue skies and happy caching! Model Citizen - Zero Discipline

I never did receive the Chrome Letterboxing coin I was supposed to receive from Cheesy Pigs. However, Cheesy Pigs sent a Chrome Letterboxing coin to AtlantaGal as a gift when shipping her trade coins to her. Since I knew AtlantaGal had a Chrome Letterboxing coin and I didn't get mine I contacted her. She was willing to trade the gift coin to me for another of my coins - a Lighthouse Suncatcher. I have now received the Letterboxing coin from her and she has received my Lighthouse Suncatcher. Getting that Letterboxing coin ended up being quite expensive for me. In the math trade I traded my original version round multicolor Earth Turtle coin (the third most-wanted coin in the math trade) for it and then an additional Lighthouse Suncatcher. Hopefully I'll get through the next math trade without any similar glitches. I just got back from competing with a local high school at the Houston Lone Star Regional F.I.R.S.T. Robotic Competition. Every year I donate my time to help the students design, build, and program a robot for the competition in just six weeks. Everyone had a blast at the competition and the robot worked exactly as it was supposed to. It was a real treat to find the mailer with the Letterboxing coin in it when I got back home late at night.

I guess this means all of the coins I sent have been received now. That's a relief. I hope everyone enjoys them. Status 3/16/09: Sent 14 of 13 The Moops(1), PSU Fan(1), Mauison(1), The Moop Along(3) & -Eleanor-(1), Dimkasmir(1), AtlantaGal(2), 2Golfers(1), Dark_Onyx1982(4), TeamAmaroo(1), Laval K-9(1), Choc-O(1), Geoks(1), KDV(1), and UKTIM(1) Received 13 of 14 packages (17 of 18 coins received) Mauison(1), Zarya(1), PSU Fan(3), TeamAmaroo(2), Tadpole379(1), Choc-O(1), AtlantaGal(1), JackalGirl(1), Motocycleboi(2), KDV(1), NOSNOW(1), Geosmurfarna(1), Globy(1), and Cheesy Pigs(1). Blue skies and happy caching! Model Citizen - Zero Discipline

CONGRATS on the new toy too, stay safe on it! Being 5'5" myself (but a touch over the 165-170 weight lol), finding the bike which allows you to feel comfortable while able to reach the ground isn't the easiest thing. I walked in and sat on the 900 Vulcan and knew it was the bike for me!!! Can't wait to see the pics! What's with all the short motorcycle riders in this thread? I can't say anything though, cause I'm only 5'6" and 145 lbs myself. My Suzuki was the only sport bike I found that I could (almost) stand flat-footed on, and that's just because they made the bike very narrow at the seat so my legs aren't splayed way out. They make these sportbikes TALL! I guess it's for increased ground clearance when you're leaned over in a fast corner. It's almost 80 degrees here in south Mississippi today, so I'm on the bike. Getting ready to take the long way home from work to enjoy the bike, then pack up my parachute for a full day of skydiving tomorrow. Have fun guys, and be safe! Blue skies and happy caching! Model Citizen - Zero Discipline

Another day, another coin. This time it was the Raith Gras, Green Glass, Antique Gold LE coin from Globy. Thanks a lot! It looks great! Love the cutouts. Status 3/4/09: Sent 14 of 13 The Moops(1), PSU Fan(1), Mauison(1), The Moop Along(3) & -Eleanor-(1), Dimkasmir(1), AtlantaGal(2), 2Golfers(1), Dark_Onyx1982(4), TeamAmaroo(1), Laval K-9(1), Choc-O(1), Geoks(1), KDV(1), and UKTIM(1) Received 13 of 14 packages (17 of 18 coins received) Mauison(1), Zarya(1), PSU Fan(3), TeamAmaroo(2), Tadpole379(1), Choc-O(1), AtlantaGal(1), JackalGirl(1), Motocycleboi(2), KDV(1), NOSNOW(1), Geosmurfarna(1), Globy(1), and Cheesy Pigs(1). Blue skies and happy caching! Model Citizen - Zero Discipline

I just got home from a very long 13 hour work day. It was such a pleasure to see a coin package on the counter waiting for me when I walked in the door. Today's coin is a two-tone antique nickel and foggy silver Swedish Moose from geosmurfarna. Thanks for brightening my day. Status 3/2/09: Sent 14 of 13 The Moops(1), PSU Fan(1), Mauison(1), The Moop Along(3) & -Eleanor-(1), Dimkasmir(1), AtlantaGal(2), 2Golfers(1), Dark_Onyx1982(4), TeamAmaroo(1), Laval K-9(1), Choc-O(1), Geoks(1), KDV(1), and UKTIM(1) Received 12 of 14 packages (16 of 18 coins received) Mauison(1), Zarya(1), PSU Fan(3), TeamAmaroo(2), Tadpole379(1), Choc-O(1), AtlantaGal(1), JackalGirl(1), Motocycleboi(2), KDV(1), NOSNOW(1), Geosmurfarna(1), Globy(1), and Cheesy Pigs(1). Blue skies and happy caching! Model Citizen - Zero Discipline

The Look Twice For Bikes geocoin I won in this cointest is now ready to go! Todie's Wild Ride: Hiding in Plain Sight - Model Citizen's Look Twice For Bikes geocoin I'm so happy to be a part of this wonderful geocoin adventure that spreads a very important, life-saving message. Here's a snippet from the geocoin's web page: Some useful information about motorcycle awareness: Motorcycles can often be "hiding in plain sight" on the road. Your view of a motorcycle can be blocked by other vehicles, the sun, glare, or other obstructions. Please double check to make sure no bike is present before pulling out into an intersection. In almost half of the accidents involving a motorcycle and another vehicle, the view of the motorcycle was limited by glare or obstructed by other vehicles. The number one situation that causes motorcycle accidents and fatalities is a when a car and a motorcycle are traveling in opposite directions on a road and the car turns left at an intersection directly into the path of the oncoming motorcycle. When motorcycles are involved in fatal crashes with another type of vehicle, in 40 percent of the cases, the other vehicle was turning left while the motorcycle was going straight. This can happen easily on a four-lane road. The car driver may see a car or truck approaching and not be able to see the motorcycle following behind it in the other lane. The car driver waits for the car or truck to pass, then pulls out, turning left across the road, not realizing there is a motorcycle approaching as well. In this situation, the motorcycle rider typically has just two seconds to react and swerve to avoid hitting the car. Many motorcycle riders are injured or killed either by being unable to avoid the collision and crashing into the car, or by losing control while trying to avoid the collision and crashing into other objects. So please, please, please be extra careful while driving and think about the possibility that a motorcycle could be hiding in a blind spot that you can't see. Make sure intersections are empty before pulling out into them. You don't want to find yourself stopped in an intersection looking down at the body of a dead motorcyclist under your car. Please take a moment to look twice for bikes. You could save someone's life. Thanks again DJ.J.Rock for this cointest! Blue skies and happy caching! Model Citizen - Zero Discipline

The Look Twice For Bikes geocoin I won in DJ.J.Rock's TWR: Bikes, Bikes, and More Bikes! cointest is now ready to go! Todie's Wild Ride: Hiding in Plain Sight - Model Citizen's Look Twice For Bikes geocoin I'm so happy to be a part of this wonderful geocoin adventure that spreads a very important, life-saving message. Here's a snippet from the geocoin's web page: Some useful information about motorcycle awareness: Motorcycles can often be "hiding in plain sight" on the road. Your view of a motorcycle can be blocked by other vehicles, the sun, glare, or other obstructions. Please double check to make sure no bike is there before pulling out into an intersection. In almost half of the accidents involving a motorcycle and another vehicle, the view of the motorcycle was limited by glare or obstructed by other vehicles. The number one situation that causes motorcycle accidents and fatalities is a when a car and a motorcycle are traveling in opposite directions on a road and the car turns left at an intersection directly into the path of the oncoming motorcycle. When motorcycles are involved in fatal crashes with another type of vehicle, in 40 percent of the cases, the other vehicle was turning left while the motorcycle was going straight. This can happen easily on a four-lane road. The car driver may see a car or truck approaching and not be able to see the motorcycle following behind it in the other lane. The car driver waits for the car or truck to pass, then pulls out, turning left across the road, not realizing there is a motorcycle approaching as well. In this situation, the motorcycle rider typically has just two seconds to react and swerve to avoid hitting the car. Many motorcycle riders are injured or killed either by being unable to avoid the collision and crashing into the car, or by losing control while trying to avoid the collision and crashing into other objects. So please, please, please be extra careful while driving and think about the possibility that a motorcycle could be hiding in a blind spot that you can't see. Make sure intersections are empty before pulling out into them. You don't want to find yourself stopped in an intersection looking down at the body of a dead motorcyclist under your car. Please take a moment to look twice for bikes. You could save someone's life. Thanks! Blue skies and happy caching! Model Citizen - Zero Discipline

Got another coin yesterday. Other than one day last week I've had at least one coin in my mailbox every day. Today's coin was a Fortune Favors the Bold - Blue geocoin from NOSNOW via TeamAmaroo. Thanks to both of you for sending the coin. Status 2/28/09: Sent 14 of 13 The Moops(1), PSU Fan(1), Mauison(1), The Moop Along(3) & -Eleanor-(1), Dimkasmir(1), AtlantaGal(2), 2Golfers(1), Dark_Onyx1982(4), TeamAmaroo(1), Laval K-9(1), Choc-O(1), Geoks(1), KDV(1), and UKTIM(1) Received 11 of 14 packages (14 coins of 18 received) Mauison(1), Zarya(1), PSU Fan(3), TeamAmaroo(2), Tadpole379(1), Choc-O(1), AtlantaGal(1), JackalGirl(1), Motocycleboi(2), KDV(1), NOSNOW(1), Globy(1), Cheesy Pigs(1), and Geosmurfarna(1). Blue skies and happy caching! Model Citizen - Zero Discipline

Got another coin today. I sure love coming home every day and finding a surprise in the mailbox. Today's coin was a Flip Flops Beach coin all the way from KDV in Italy. My grandaughter is spending the weekend with us and wanted to help open the package. When she reached in a pulled out the little flip flop coin she asked "who's going to wear those?". She's really been enjoying looking at all the coins too. Status 2/27/09: Sent 14 of 13 The Moops(1), PSU Fan(1), Mauison(1), The Moop Along(3) & -Eleanor-(1), Dimkasmir(1), AtlantaGal(2), 2Golfers(1), Dark_Onyx1982(4), TeamAmaroo(1), Laval K-9(1), Choc-O(1), Geoks(1), KDV(1), and UKTIM(1) Received 10 of 14 packages (14 coins of 18 received) Mauison(1), Zarya(1), PSU Fan(3), TeamAmaroo(2), Tadpole379(1), Choc-O(1), AtlantaGal(1), JackalGirl(1), Motocycleboi(2), KDV(1), Globy(1), Cheesy Pigs(1), Geosmurfarna(1), and NOSNOW(1)

Yah Hoo!!! Got another geocoin package in the mail today. This time all the way from Sweden. Thanks for the Bewitched and Swedish Moose coins, MotoCycleBoi. I love 'em! Status 2/26/09: Sent 14 of 13 The Moops(1), PSU Fan(1), Mauison(1), The Moop Along(3) & -Eleanor-(1), Dimkasmir(1), AtlantaGal(2), 2Golfers(1), Dark_Onyx1982(4), TeamAmaroo(1), Geoks(1), Choc-O(1), KDV(1), UKTIM(1), and Laval K-9(1) Received 9 of 14 packages (13 coins of 18 received) Mauison(1), Zarya(1), PSU Fan(3), TeamAmaroo(2), Tadpole379(1), Choc-O(1), AtlantaGal(1), JackalGirl(1), Motocycleboi(2), Globy(1), KDV(1), Cheesy Pigs(1), Geosmurfarna(1), and NOSNOW(1) This is fun!!!! Let's do it again SOON!

Wow!!! Sweet!!! Cool!!! I've never won a cointest before either. Credit really goes to my brother, YellowFever, for riding ahead, setting up his camera, and snapping lots of shots of us as we rode by hiim one at a time. He did a great job with the pictures (as he always does) and that one is one of my favorites. I'm not sure how TWR works but I'll check out the thread and see if I can figure it out. It was so very interesting seeing the wide asssortment of bikes and the many stories that go along with them. I especially loved seeing the picture of the cat that rides in a basket on the front of the bike. I wish mine would do that. Belfrypotters' pictures and stories were outstanding. That trail riding sounds dangerous. Mattalbr's M50 and MotoCycleBoi's burnout also looked awesome. MotoCycleBoi, that's the right way to do a burnout. It's not supposed to include flaming clothing and luggage . Thanks DJ.J.Rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Blue skies and happy caching! Model Citizen - Zero Discipline

Another geocoin in the mail today!!!! - from JackalGirl - a Eureka geocoin. Status 2/24/09: Sent 14 of 13 The Moops(1), PSU Fan(1), Mauison(1), The Moop Along(3) & -Eleanor-(1), Dimkasmir(1), AtlantaGal(2), 2Golfers(1), Dark_Onyx1982(4), TeamAmaroo(1), Geoks(1), Choc-O(1), KDV(1), UKTIM(1), and Laval K-9(1) Received 8 of 14 packages (11 coins of 18 received) Mauison(1), Zarya(1), PSU Fan(3), TeamAmaroo(2), Tadpole379(1), Choc-O(1), AtlantaGal(1), JackalGirl(1), Motocycleboi(2), Globy(1), KDV(1), Cheesy Pigs(1), Geosmurfarna(1), and NOSNOW(1) BY THE WAY... I've been doing some data analysis on the want lists and created a list that shows how often each coin was asked for in a trade (if I did everything right). My Earth Turtle Version 1 (Round Multicolor/Shiny Silver) was the third most wanted coin!! I really didn't expect that. Here's the top ten most wanted coins in the trade. 1: Lump of Coal Earth Turtle 2008 1 of 20 made - tsunrisebey (Requested for trade 667 times) 2: Earth Turtle v1 2008 Purple and Silver - Cheesy Pigs (Requested for trade 576 times) 3: Earth Turtle (Version 1) (Round Turtle) - Shiny Silver - ModelCitizen (Requested for trade 568 times) 4: Tengwar NAWWAL polished gold/red enamel - southpawaz (Requested for trade 539 times) 5: Tranquility Blue is My World Silver - Cheesy Pigs (Requested for trade 509 times) 6: Tengwar NAWWAL - Red enamel on Gold - Penny and Kona (Requested for trade 506 times) 7: Earth Turtle 2008 V1 multi (gold w/ green/red enamel) - southpawaz (Requested for trade 491 times) 8: Brahean LE - 3-tone Antique Silver/Antique Gold/Antique Copper - dimkasmir (Requested for trade 489 times) 9: Tranquillity - black forrest edition - doc256 (Requested for trade 486 times) 10: Tranquility - Red Passion Edition - DrJeepStr (Requested for trade 473 times) It was really surprising that there were no coin groups in the top ten of the most wanted. In fact, you had to go all the way down to the 41st most requested trade before you got to a set of grouped coins. That was Zarya's Dragonfly Talisman Bucket List and Johnny Cash 2-coin group. It was requested for trade only 388 times. I was one of those requests, but didn't get it. Just thought some of you might find it interesting. (Yeah, I'm a data geek ). Blue skies and happy caching! Model Citizen - Zero Discipline

I got one more in the mail today - from AtlantaGal - a Makin' Tracks Mag Wheel geocoin. This one has been on my want list forever! Status 2/23/09: Sent 14 of 13 The Moops(1), PSU Fan(1), Mauison(1), The Moop Along(3) & -Eleanor-(1), Dimkasmir(1), AtlantaGal(2), 2Golfers(1), Dark_Onyx1982(4), TeamAmaroo(1), Geoks(1), Choc-O(1), KDV(1), UKTIM(1), and Laval K-9(1) Received 7 of 14 packages (10 coins of 18 received) Mauison(1), Zarya(1), PSU Fan(3), TeamAmaroo(2), Tadpole379(1), Choc-O(1), AtlantaGal(1), Motocycleboi(2), Globy(1), KDV(1), Cheesy Pigs(1), Geosmurfarna(1), NOSNOW(1), and JackalGirl(1) Blue skies and happy caching! Model Citizen - Zero Discipline

I jut got back from a weekend at my parents' for my Mom's birthday and found I had received three more packages with 4 coins in them. Received Katrina Relief from Tadpole379, Russian Nesting Dolls from Choc-O, and Dear Santa & Chinese Fan from TeamAmaroo. Thanks everyone! Wish I could stay up later checking out the coins but it's been a long day. Status 2/22/09: Sent 14 of 13 The Moops(1), PSU Fan(1), Mauison(1), The Moop Along(3) & -Eleanor-(1), Dimkasmir(1), AtlantaGal(2), 2Golfers(1), Dark_Onyx1982(4), TeamAmaroo(1), Geoks(1), Choc-O(1), KDV(1), UKTIM(1), and Laval K-9(1) Received 6 of 14 Mauison(1), Zarya(1), PSU Fan(3), TeamAmaroo(2), Tadpole379(1), Choc-O(1), Motocycleboi(2), Globy(1), KDV(1), Cheesy Pigs(1), Geosmurfarna(1), NOSNOW(1), JackalGirl(1), and AtlantaGal(1)

Here's another story. This one happened late last year. I do a bit of road course racing and go to track events, either on the Gixxer (my GSX-R100) or my sports car. Every now and then I'll go to the local 1/4 mile drag strip. Late last year I went to the drag strip with some friends from work. They were running their cars; another guy and I were on our sport bikes. Of course I was dresed in my full race leathers for protection. It wasn't a very busy night and we got there early, so we were able to make pass after pass after pass without having to wait in line. I was running low 10 second quarter mile passes, trapping around 140mph, but I was starting to get tired. Now normally when I'm at a track event or the drag strip I up-shift the bike by applying some pressure on the shift lever, blip the throttle off briefly to let the gear change before getting right back on the power -- no clutch. You can definitely feel the transmission click into the next gear and you know exactly when you're in gear and ready to put the power back on. It happens in a fraction of a second. Toward the end of the evening at the dragstrip I started thinking about something I heard an instructor explaining at the last track event I went to. He was suggesting that you should ALWAYS use the clutch. Well, I decided to give it a try on the next pass. I took off like normal, slipping the clutch until I was going good in first gear. When the front end starts coming up around the middle of first gear (somewhere around 70-80 mph) I normally short-shift into second rather than try to feather the throttle and keep the front end on the ground. So, on this pass, when the front end came up I got off the throttle, pulled the clutch in, kicked up hard on the shifter, then dropped the clutch and hammered the throttle back on, ready to come on strong in second gear... Only problem was it didn't shift into second. It was still in first!! 180 horsepower sportbikes tend to get angry when you drop the clutch and apply full power in first gear. The bike snorted and the front wheel jumped almost straight up in the air. The windscreen tried to smack me in the face. I just about lost it and flipped the bike over, but managed to give it some back brake and put the wheel back down. I still went across the line at 130 mph, but it shook me up a bit so I called it a night after that one. I think I'll stick with shifting the bike the way I'm used to . Now here's some more pictures: This is me at a Barber Motorsports Park Track Day in Birmingham, Alabama. Barber is an awesome world-class track with lots of interesting elevation changes. About to drop down into the corkscrew at Barber. Carefully setting up to enter a nasty decreasing radius turn at the TGPR track in Talladega, Alabama. In the pits at TGPR, wearing my brand new race leathers (I got a little too pudgy for the old ones), firing up the Gixxer for a few laps around the track. That's my silver sports car in the background. Its turn would come later that day since we ran bikes in the morning and cars in the afternoon. What a fun day! Blue skies and happy caching! Model Citizen - Zero Discipline

There was yet another package in my mailbox today, this time containing three coins from PSU Fan. Now I have TeamAce, Cache God, and eragonSaphira coins to add to my collection. Thanks PSU Fan! Status 2/20/09: Sent 14 of 13 Received 3 of 14

I just got an email from Zarya who was watching out for me and warned me about posting pictures that show show a coin's tracking number. Other forum users could then activate the coin themselves and have (virtual) ownership of it. No one here would do that though, right? Anyway, that's not the actual tracking number shown in the photo. I used a little PhotoShop magic to make the last four letters of the tracking number match the first four letters of my last name: Bryant. So the coin is safe. I'm glad we have people on the forums here that will look after their fellow geocachers and try to keep them out of trouble. Lord knows I often need someone looking over my shoulder to keep me out of trouble. Thanks again, Zarya! Blue skies and happy caching! Model Citizen - Zero Discipline

No problem. It's all good. We'll get it worked out. MC/ZD

Oops! I just got home and found two coin packages in my mailbox. However, I got a "Crazy Caching With Our Pug" geocoin (#913) from NOSNOW instead of the "Fortune Favors the Bold" geocoin (#914) I was supposed to receive. What should I do now? Should I send the Pug coin on to Team Amaroo who was supposed to get it or send it back to NOSNOW? I wonder if Team Amaroo is getting my Fortune Favors the Bold coin. The other package contained my new Caching Time Two-Tone coin from Zarya. Here's a picture I just took of it... Status as of 2/19/09 Sent 13 of 13 Received 2 correct and 1 incorrect out of 14

Here's a picture of me riding my Suzuki GSX-R1000 sport bike in the Arkansas Ozark Mountains on a bike trip with my riding buddies. We try to go somewhere at least once a year. One night my riding buddies and I all decided to ride our sport bikes to a Bike Night at a nearby restaurant/bar. None of us are spring chickens anymore, but we met up with a group of young sportbike riders / squids at the restaurant and talked with them for a while. When it was time to leave, they invited us to go to the "Wheelie Road" with them. It's a dead-end road with just a couple of businesses on it that is totally deserted after 6:00pm. We agreed (just to watch them do their stunts and maybe see a wreck or two) and started following them from the restaurant. Almost immediatley, the young squids started speeding, popping wheelies, swerving, and crossing the double yellow line. The other old farts and I hung back and didn't participate in the nonsense on the semi-busy public roads. About that time, a police car passed by the youngsters going the other way while the squids were doing their wheelies while speeding AND crossing the double yellow line. Well, by the time the cop got turned around the young punks were long gone and my group was all that was in sight. The cop pulled us over thinking it was us that was doing all the crazy antics. As soon as I pulled over I yanked my helmet off to show off my gray/white hair to try to convince the cop that it wasn't us. He was certain it was us though and kept pointing to a couple of us and saying he saw this one doing a wheelie, that one speeding, etc. It wasn't until an older cop arrived at the scene and heard the explanation that he let us go. We went on to the wheelie road and watched the young guys act up for a while. We didn't get to see anyone flip a wheelie or stopie over that night. My riding buddies and I try to behave ourselves most of the time and carefully pick the spots where we misbehave. It needs to be empty open roads where we have good visibility. Then we might crack open the throttle and let the ponies run. Either that, or we just save it for the race track. Blue skies and happy caching! Model Citizen - Zero Discipline (well, maybe a LITTLE discipline )