Well, that was fun!

[Half Fast]

I'm spending a few days in the north Georgia mountains, visiting family and committing high-speed traffic felonies on my motorcycle. I also had a terrific introduction to LSAs courtesy of forum stalwart Fast Eddie. He graciously gave me a wonderful ride in his Sky Arrow yesterday afternoon and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

WX conditions weren't great in the surrounding areas, but were okay locally, so we stayed close to the Copper Hill airport. Even though the air was a bit bumpy (Eddie described it as "choppy" and it felt similar to a light chop in a small boat), the ride was a lot of fun. Eddie even let me take the controls; surprisingly more than once. I'm pretty sure he muffled his mic so I wouldn't hear his screams, but at least I avoided pealing the wings off or doing other damage during my first inverted strafing run on a local cow herd.

I'm working on my ground school studies right now, and will have my first flying lesson in a little over a week. It was very good of Eddie to give me such an excellent introduction to flying. I had a great time and I'm very pumped to get going with my lessons.

THANKS, EDDIE!!

[FastEddieB]

You're very welcome.

Though no longer an active flight instructor, I still enjoy "mentoring" and trying to get people enthused with aviation. "Paying it forward", so to speak.

I hope our little talk and flight helped you see how some of the "book stuff" works in real life.

And you did a great job - the back seat of a tandem is not exactly the best vantage point conducive to learning.

Anyway, good excuse to go fly, and thanks for your help with the flat tire!

[Half Fast]

...and thanks for your help with the flat tire!

Next time we'll have to go out for a Fat Tire or two!

[drseti]

I just had my first Fat Tire in Florida two weeks ago. Not bad! (It was not a flying day!)

[HAPPYDAN]

Sounds like you had a great time! BUT ----- Please be careful on that M/C. As a rider myself, I experience close calls almost every day. Flying is WAY safer. SportPilot.com has already had one aspiring flyer postpone his training (RC, are you out there?) due to an unfortunate M/C incident. Thankfully, his head is back in the clouds now!

[Half Fast]

I tend to think of motorcycling as low altitude flying......

Fat Tire is a Colorado beer. I had my first one on a business trip out there some years ago, and was disappointed that I couldn't find them at home. Over the last 3 or 4 years they've been spreading across the country, and spreading happiness is always a good thing.

[drseti]

I started motorcycling in college, in 1964, and have pretty much always had a bike (or two... or three... or four) ever since. Last year, with my knees giving out and no longer able to comfortably straddle-walk, I traded in my heavy Honda for an even heavier CanAm Spyder RT touring trike. Gotta love that 100 HP of Rotax power! But, yes, I do recognize the risk inherent in motorcycling. You have to drive defensively, and choose your roads very carefully. I still contend that the most dangerous part of flying is the drive to the airport (especially if you do it on two wheels -- or even three).

[Half Fast]

The natural, unassisted condition of a motorcycle is a crash, so eventually any rider will probably have an accident. I went down several years ago when a truck cut me off. It happens, but there's much we can do to reduce the probability and to reduce the consequence.

All the gear, all the time, no excuses.

I try to ride wisely. I do, though, love fast sport bikes (have a Triumph Daytona) and twisty roads.

But I still think the most dangerous part of a N Ga bike trip is towing the trailer through Atlanta...

[Merlinspop]

The natural, unassisted condition of a motorcycle is a crash, so eventually any rider will probably have an accident. I went down several years ago when a truck cut me off. It happens, but there's much we can do to reduce the probability and to reduce the consequence.

All the gear, all the time, no excuses.

I try to ride wisely. I do, though, love fast sport bikes (have a Triumph Daytona) and twisty roads.

But I still think the most dangerous part of a N Ga bike trip is towing the trailer through Atlanta...

Same here. Two lanes, oncoming traffic. Nowhere to go but the ditch. Woke up in the helo. Bought another motorcycle a few months later, but it was never any fun after that, as everyone kept trying to kill me.