What does summer have in store...

Wow. What a washout.

May was the wettest month we've had in the uk for what feels like years. Every day was either met with drizles or rain, though on the nicer days we mereley had deluges instead. The bike's been sat on the drive, chained to the post, there to stay until the weather improves. RS250's might lean forever, but not in the wet.

I'm not really a wet weather rider, I never used to mind it though. I remember back to the time I rode to doncaster on my NSR, on a pair of knackered Pirelli tyres, and it started throwing it down on the way back - that definitley made me nervous, but I was okay with it. Then the following summer, I threw the bike down the road when the back tyre lost grip (okay, so it was an intensely hot day and the roads were bone dry, and I was winding it on a bit), and the following winter, I did it again when the front tyre slid out on some ice... I dunno, since then I've not been inclined to place much faith in the grip that my tyres provide. Shame really, cause the Metzeler Sportec M1's I've got on now will let the RS lean forever.

But I've been trying to get the bike on the road since the throttle cable snapped at the start of the month, on the first day at work since I started my new job. The bike sat there and through the rain it was neglected. "What..." I reasoned "is the point in fixing something that I'm not going to use until it stops pouring it down anyway?" Anyway. The weather improved, and I've been trying to get the bike back on the road.

I sent the old throttle cable to the mechanic with a hastily written note, explaining what needed to be fixed. Unfortunatley for me, he misread my spidery writing, reading "it is" as "1+15", and ever so kindly gave me 15 extra cm on the length of the cable.

Of course, I went crazy, I just lost it. I'd spent days looking forward to getting back on the bike, and when my parts arrived two days ago, and didn't fit, I just couldn't keep my temper. I threw a childish temper tantrum, threw the cable down the road, kicked the fuel tank across the drive, and punched a wall - which did my wrist a load of good.
Anyway, the parts are back at the mechanic, with a much clearer note explaining that I want a normal damn cable, nothing fancy, just a normal cable.

So I've spent time cleaning my bike, more time cleaning it, polishing it, removing rust, respraying bits, and for good measure I even changed the exhaust gaskets too - which is cool, cos now the damn thing sounds so much bette, idles so much better, it sounds like a different bike.

Still, the bike's off the road, and it'll be off the road until at least wednesday, when the parts are available to collect. Given that he screwed up, I'm hoping he saves an argument by not trying to charge me again. but until I get the parts back on the bike, my wings are clipped. I sit on the drive next to my bike, and every now and again a dude will scream round the corner, my corner, on his bike, while I just sit and watch. It isn't right, I should be on there too, I guess my lazyness caught up with me on this one.

Still, it's not the massive issue it might seem, I've got stuff planned for this week. I booked a few days off work, so I'm at work tomorrow, taking my nephew swimming to play with his new "treat" (I'm gonna buy him a beach ball) for a couple of hours, and then I'm on the beer tomorrow night. As for tuesday, I might be collecting some parts for my new computer, if I can order them tonight - I've got to decide what to get, since my insurance company randomly charged me an extra £40 on my premium without telling me why.

But hey, I've got to keep myself occupied, and hopefully this summer will be one hell of an exciting one. I've got the new bike, my mate's got a new bike, I've got new leathers, I feel like rossi every time I get on the bike... I'm getting a new computer, time to play doom 3 and half life 2 the way they're meant to be played, not to mention getting on with my 3d stuff on a machine that can handle the high demantds that 3d rendering places on it...

But i dunno. I still feel something's missing. I'm missing direction. I'm bored of my job, I'm just on one of my downers. One of those days where you sit and think "what the hell am I going to do with the rest of my life?"

I dunno, I'll take it one day at a time - seems to make it work out.
I can only see how it goes :).