$500 spent and finally something for free

Nice weekend for a ride. Saturday was a little chilly (especially riding along the coast) but Sunday was PERFECT! The Motorcycle Gods were smiling down on those of us here in So. Cal.

Saturday found me getting lunch at Tummystuffers in Lake Forest. It is my favorite sandwich place ever! I got the BLT on Squaw bread with provalone cheese. Yummy! The day was so bright and sunny I had to get out and ride.

T and I opted to ride out to Huntington Beach. I know I am asking for parking headaches just thinking of going anywhere near HB on a sunny weekend, but I have a secret parking spot so it was no problm' mon. The rest of the afternoon was spent walking up and down the street window browsing while munching on a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Mud Pie candy apple. It is my mission in life to always get a Cookies and Cream candy apple when ever I pass a RMCF, but sadly this shop didn't have any. So I opted for second choice, Mud Pie.

It was about 5:00 when I headed back to my bike to head home. I had had a bit of a zipper problem when getting out of my "winter" leather jacket, but figured all would be well. WRONG! I got into all my gear and then tried to zip up the zipper. Nothing. So I pulled on the zipper. It got about half way up before stalling and then the bottom part that was zipped up split all the way to the zipper head. T tried to help, but it was stuck and split and nothing was going to change that. I ended up placing the zipper head at my neck, so at least that part was closed, and unfastened my belt from my jeans and buckled it around my jacket waist.

So now I need to find a leather tailor to fix my jacket before I go to Salt Lake City on Thursday where it looks to be cooooldddddd. *shivers*

Sunday was an even more perfect day for riding. The previous year I had spent about $500 to get my scuba certification. I finally got something free out of it. Aquarium of the Pacific had a free entrance day for divers on Sunday. T and I pulled out our c-cards and headed up to Long Beach. The AoP was packed! We found some spots in a parking structure across form the AoP and headed inside. We looked at all the exhibits, and even got to go in the aviary and feed the (evil) birds some nectar. The birds were evil because they bite. One got me where the skin webs between your pointer finger and your thumb and chomped down hard! I still have a little blood blister and my hand looks a tinsy bit bruised.

Dinner was had at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company across the street from the AoP. Warning, if you are looking for something light and refreshing, do not eat here. Everything was DRENCHED in butter.

After dinner we road along Ocean Boulevard to 2nd Street and pulled over so we could walk around. We had walked maybe 6 blocks before we came across a couple on their Harley pulled over by a cop. The cop pulled away really fast and the couple just stayed on their bike. T asked "What happened so I know whether to come this way?" and the guy replied they had been pulled over for loud pipes and illegal helmets. We walked another block or two down before turning around and heading back. The couple were still at their bike, so we asked what had happened. The woman said they cop was writing out the ticket when another, louder biker, road past. The woman had commented to the cop that that guys pipes was louder that theirs! The cop told the couple to stay put, took their license, and drove after the other guy. As we started to head back to our bikes, the cop came back and jumped out of his cruiser. He mistook T and I for the couple and told us "Well that guy is going to jail. Please step back next to your motorcycle please." We pointed to the couple behind us and just kept on walking. Another cop car pulled up next to the first as we were crossing the street. T and I decided to make a quick get-a-way. My pipes are still stock, but T's are LOUD! I warned a few bikers on the way back to the bikes that cops were pulling people over for loud pipes. Hopefully none of them got pulled over. T and I jumped back on our bikes and made a quick exit stage left. The rest of the ride home was uneventful.