Richmond Va chatter

Saw someone on a beautiful old Yamaha 350 R5 (I think), orange, on Midlo Tpke at about 4:30 today. Had cafe bars. Looked great. Looked like this but with bars so low, you could rest your chin on the speedo!

It occurred to me that Pete was able to post this without anyone making a comment. I know a motorcycle is just a gateway drug to more motorcycles but I'm beginning to think older Connie's are just a gateway drug to used vstroms. It is almost as if you've ever owned a pre 08 ninja 250 or an older Connie you have a DL in your future.

The banjo has been dis assembled, cleaned, reassembled, restrung and promptly claimed by my 12 year old as his.

He showed no interest before with my banjo but tonight he was all over the "new" one and i had him doing forward rolls while I fingered some chords and he played a little tune.

Thanks to Charles for posting up the music stuff.

Anyone local play any blue grass?

I am rank beginner but would love to get together and Jam.

Well where should I start...

1200GS- still waiting to see if the insurance company is going to total it after hitting the deer two weeks ago...so it sits at Morton's...

650GS- is a project bike that I bought three weeks ago to fix after it was in a crash. All the parts are in and I will start putting it back together tomorrow night.


KLR250- I'm just to fat to ride that any more, but I did put a new Cobra pipe, main jet, pilot jet, adjusted the mixture screw out a bit, and cut a BIG whole in air for more air. Nicole road it the weekend before I hit the deer & she said it made a huge difference in power. I don't think it was enough to haul my fat ass around.


It's not an issue with wrenching or parts. Now it's getting the insurance company to make a decision and for me to find time to put the 650 back together.

Thanks for the offer.

Ah man, you'd better be ultra-fat if you're using that as an excuse not to ride the KLR.

I went out for a short ride downtown to enjoy the air and a VCU cop wrote me a ticket for standing up on the footpegs. Reckless driving of all things! Lord have mercy... Just when a guy thinks he's caught a break. :huh

Hey SST he's not local but check with inmate bwalsh he may know some locals who do.

I'm glad it's gone to a good home.

Funny, I just noticed your name as the last poster in this thread and decided to stalk a bit and see what your up to.

SST, I don't know anyone from the Richmond area who plays. The only folks I know are the guys and gal I play with in Remington on a weekly basis, and a few others here and there.
There's a group of musicians here in Front Royal that play at numerous monthly venues but I've only played with them a few times.

I am assuming you play Banjo. I have an open back...




Have you seen this website?

http://www.banjohangout.org/forum/

I googled "bluegrass jams in Richmond Virginia" and came across this..

http://www.banjohangout.org/group/richmondvapickers/blog/183

It's an old thread but I still found this on the last post...

http://www.brownbearsw.com/freecal/roots.music.virginia

That may direct you to some local players.



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During the warmer times, a bluegrass jam always occurs on Saturday mornings at the Farmer's Market here in Petersburg. I've seen up to a dozen people with instruments gathering and jamming for hours. But it is a bit cold for that this time of year. Keep it in mind though, for the spring and summer. Then we could go for a ride afterwards.......

jeff

I had NO idea you could get a ticket/fine for standing on the pegs. I do it all the time riding through downtown for a couple of reasons. First of all, people see you when you are standing. I am pretty sure it cuts down on the close calls when riding downtown. Secondly, the streets are so rough you almost have to stand. I was even considering adjusting one of the mirrors for the standing position. Not now as I will be learning from your new found wisdom. Sorry that happened to you.

Sounds like a call to motorcycle law group at Tom McGrath is in order. I'm sure they'd love to hear about this.

jeff

I got a warning about 5 yrs on the colonial parkway for standing while riding.

Range must have been bored...or you were blocking out the sun...bad for tourism...lol

I don't know the law, but that's BS. On a cruiser, sure, being up on the floorboards might constitute reckless. But on a bike designed to allow the rider to ride in a standing position? Methinks the cop has seen too many stunters and can't tell the difference. Yea .. go with Jeff's idea. Call the Law Group.

Jeez...glad the don't see us riding in the woods!!


I actually "failed" my MC test way back when. It was in MD and they said weave through the cones....so I stood up and weaved through the cones...just like I had for 10 years in the woods since the day I was six. he said I failed since I stood up on the pegs so I did it again seated a full circle on the steering stops and back to him through the cones.

He said I passed but don't stand up. I said as long as I never run across a row of cones to weave through on the road I am good then.

You know this is all because of the stupid stunting on the street isn't it?

Thanks for the tip Jeff. I don't have a lot of money to spend but maybe they can give me some free advice or something. Talked to the receptionist and she said one of the lawyers over there would call me back.

Dirtmonkey: I didn't either. Been riding 2.5 years and stand up all the time to stretch my legs or just increase visibility. I've done it in front of police plenty of times and none of them ever hassled me about it. If I'd have known it was illegal I wouldn't have done it anywhere in the vicinity of police. Thanks for the sympathy.

I certainly plan on contesting the charge in court. It's insanely heavy-handed in my opinion. The officer seemed to have a chip on his shoulder and a very bad attitude. Makes me appreciate the good guys out there on the beat that much more.

That is total BS. I'd fight that all day long. I stand on my footpegs all the time. Even when I had my SV I would stand on them for 5 or 10 minutes at a time sometime on long straights just to stretch. I've even passed police officers while just cruising standing up. I wouldn't lawyer up if it's going to cost you money. I would simply go to court and ask what was reckless about what you're doing and explain why you were standing. Unless you were speeding or doing anything else that is ludicrous.

Edit: Hey Jinksy, maybe you know the guy???

That is a great calendar.

I am playing an older Washburn with a resonator. The one I got from the good Dr. Whipit is a K banjo probably chinese. Aluminum pot with a resonator. It cleaned up nice and will be my "Throw it in the car. take it on the boat, hand it to the kid or new guy" banjo and I may just stuff the resonator with some batting and make a quiet banjo for "quiet time" practice.

I am on Banjohangout as "ric in richmond". The local stuff I have found (but I feel is over my depth) is:

http://ashlandcoffeeandtea.com/info/news/irish-appalchian-jam

Every thursday 6pm – 9pm
White Hawk Music Cafe http://www.whitehawkmusiccafe.com
I have yet to make this...maybe tomorrow.

Virginia Bluegrass Family Jam, Held at Jahnke Road Baptist Church, 6023 Jahnke rd, Richmond Second tuesday of each month. I really enjoy this event...

The guy I get my lessons from and a genius luthier (instrument fixer upper!) http://www.acousticbox.com/ his list of tidewater jams (they recently moved to chesterfield so he needs to update this)
http://www.acousticbox.com/TidewaterBluegrassJams.htm


If you ever wanted to play bluegrass at all and are learning, new, played a long time ago, getting back into it, whatever. PM me and we can set time to pick out a few basic BG tunes. My instructor can set me up with tab for whatever you play.

I'd sure like to get an official answer on this. I just took the the MSF course this summer and several of the exercises were to stand up and use your knees as shock absorbers on rough roads or when encountering obstacles.

In addition, it was taught in the Adv Riding Course to 'STAND UP' as it increases ability and visibility and stability.

I standup often to just see over cars or to let my pants go back down when they creep up, or just to stretch for a moment.

In any-case, please let us know what you find out.

We've been round this before. The law in Va says something about riding only on a seat attached to the bike..

However MSF instruction and the dmv motorcycle handbook advise standing when riding over rough surfaces. So there's some wiggle room.

I'd look up the laws and what is said word for word in the manual and in the MSF instruction and argue it in front of the judge. Clearly the roads are rough around VCU.

Jerky cop for giving you a ticket.. I've only heard of warnings, never a ticket until now. lucky you!