OK, getting on with life!

OK, now that I've gotten most of the new motorcycle giddyness out of my system (and the fact that it is raining outside), I though ya'll might be interested in what else is happening down here in Greenville. I've got quite the collection of interesting topics to share! First and foremost, the great blizzard of '09, Well, for the northern readers, what you're about to see will probably not impress you. You've seen worse, and I've seen worse. I've even gone to work in worse. About three weeks ago, a major winter storm system rolled through the southeast states and left us some nasty gifts. I was kind of suspicious that I had not seen an ounce of winter weather since I moved down here last February. It was too good to be true! When that storm passed through on a Sunday night, I had no idea that it was going to be so significant. By the time I woke up and saw the snow, I realized that it probably won't be a workday. Erin knew for sure school was canceled, but there was no definite word on City Hall. Unofficially, we were going to start at 11:00, but I knew I wouldn't be able to get there from Simpsonville. Since Dennis was there and bored to tears, I took a personal day and stayed home with Erin. The first thing we tried to do was make a snowman. The snow was too powdery, so we tried to make some small snowballs to throw at the dog.

Here's our driveway, begging for some shovelin' love. Most of my neighbors were trying to dig themselves out with little garden shovels. I looked like a pro when I took out my giant snow shovel and cleared off the driveway and sidewalk within a hour. I knew it would probably start melting soon, but I didn't want any car tracks to compact the snow or the water to refreeze. I've been there and done that.

As you can see by our street that it was a mess. The area does have some snowplows and salt trucks (which I didn't really know), they are few and dedicated to opening up the main roads and highways. I saw hundreds of drivers on the news who were stuck on I85 for over 12 hours since the night before. Scary! The official amount in Simpsonville was 6 inches, which I'm told I won't see again for a very very long time.

Well, the temperatures came back up and the city JUST picked up all of the damaged trees and limbs yesterday. Last weekend, I drove up to Winston-Salem, NC for our Barbershop Harmony Society district contest. Being cheap (or Frugal as I prefer), I didn't want to pay for a hotel, so I decided to drive up the morning of the competition. Leaving at 5:00AM, I got to the meeting place at 8:30. Not bad, I think! It was a nice, quiet drive, though. I will never go back to Winston-Salem, though for reasons I'll keep to myself!

While in the warmup area, I spotted these ginormous chandaliers. Yikes! What poor soul has to change out those bulbs? How??

On Main Street in downtown Greenville, the PW dept is removing some old trees and replanting. It's interesting to see how they are doing this. When the sections are complete, they look the same as before, but with younger, smaller trees! I guess I'll have to wait 10 or 15 years to see those trees tower over the road again.

Speaking of downtown, on St. Patrick's Day, I spotted a lot of interesting colors out front of CH. I didn't stop to see what they were talking about, but I had a hunch it was related to the holiday.

Oh, I found my next clock radio. I want one for my iphone, so I can charge it there at night, and fall asleep to music or white noise from my phone. This thing kicks butt!

Well, Target finally listened to my great idea. (ok, so I never officially told them my idea) They finally made a BAKED version of salt and vinegar chips. They're really good! I've already been through two bags of them. Well, they're not that big to begin with. Now, if they'd only bring back the frakkin Fiery Habenero Doritos!!

There's a coffee shop down by Falls Park that I've been meaning to try. It's called Spill the Beans. Dennis and stopped by one afternoon to grab a drink.

I got a frozen mocha type drink. It wasn't bad, but nowhere near as good as Liquid Highway! I am now completely addicted to my Liquid Highway...and a small roadside stand in Simpsonville was just changed into a new one! Anyway, here's the one from Spill the Beans. It's okay...it reminds me of a malted milkshake.

Since last Sunday was such a nice day, I took the fizzer to downtown Greenville to test out the commute. I ran into one big snag, though...the parking deck gate won't recognize the bike. Luckily, the head of parking maintenance has agreed to meet me there one morning to tweak the sensors. While I was there testing it out, I grabbed a few shots from the top.

Now that the bike has taken so much of my attention, Erin has found the perfect way of getting messages to me.

While I was at a shop on Main Street, I found out that my company makes furniture, too! Okay, so it might be a different ATS, like Advanced Table Services or something.

I don't know why this struck me as odd. Have you ever seen a Hyundai piano? I knew they made tractors, cars, and some electronic components, but pianos? I bet it's backed by America's Best Warranty...10 Years, 100,000 notes!

Oh, and in case anyone cares, I helped setup a new Smart Board system and projector out at the police pistol range. I really like the Smart Boards. There's a PC connected to the board and you can draw and write on it. Pretty slick!

I was driving downtown after the big snow storm and saw this beautiful, big old tree uprooted. It doesn't look big in the picture, but that bottom part is about 15 foot tall. Just last week, a company came to remove the tree and place soil and grass back where it used to be.

Well, now I've officially run out of things to tell you about. The weather lately has been dreadful for us. Lots of rain and wind. I know I won't get any sympathy from you folks up north, but it is really frustrating when you finally make it to the weekend and it rains 24 hours a day for days at a time. I can't go out for a run, can't start the desparately needed yard work, and worst of all....can't ride my motorcycle! Grrrrrr. So, I took the opportunity today to do some maintenance on my car and to go see the Watchmen. If you're thinking about seeing that movie, you should do it. I'll warn you, though, it is surprisingly bloody, sad, funny, and has a couple adult moments. I closed my eyes, mom, I swear.

Another dream comes true.

I leaned the bike left onto GA route 369, a quiet, winding two lane highway which leads back to the interstate. The conditions were perfect. The sun was glowing brightly in the clear sky, keeping the air a warm 75 degrees. The air was almost entirely clear of bugs, even in Georgia, due to the early time of year. As I rode through the small towns, I closely watched the intersections and looked for Erin in my mirrors, because deep down, I was intimidated and frightened of such a long trip through an unfamiliar landscape. Each curve asked me to relax and just let the bike do what it does best...lean. The roads were generally smooth and uncongested, a complete difference from the the busy suburban route that we first took to drive into the Atlanta area. Even though I was generally unfamiliar with the new FZ6, I took each opportunity available to learn and improve. Each time I stopped, I practiced downshifting and using those massive brakes. Every time, I accelerated from a stop sign or stop light, I worked on my take offs, keeping the engine speed well below the max 14K. This is where this bike shines: a mixed environment of in town and cross country. it had been so long since I last rode, that I had almost forgotten how immersed I become in the landscape. I am connected to the wind, the bumps on the road, and the random smells in the air (good or bad).

150 miles later, the air was cold, the sky was completely dark, and the traffic on I-85 had picked up considerably as we approached Greenville. By the time I pulled the bike off of the expressway and through town, I was very glad to be home. We pulled up to the house and I parked in the garage. I walked a little funny for a few minutes.

It's already been a week since I rode home for the first time and I haven't even fully realized what has happened. Waiting for this day for years, with many sleepless nights, I hoped and wished and planned and daydreamed. I felt like it would be an eternity! When I moved down to Greenville, I immediately saw the popularity of motorcycles in the upstate and I was jealous. The weather was perfect for riding here, and you could ride year round if you liked. Erin and I had a wonderful conversation one night where we decided that I would wait until one of our biggest bills was paid off before we could buy another motorcycle. I thought that it was a fair offer and I would work towards that goal, a little at a time. It could be years! We were blessed with wonderful jobs and good money management skills, so we were able to accomplish that goal sooner than I had dreamed. The time drew near and I started looking for the perfect FZ6. I wanted something new or barely used since I would be keeping it a long time. The body style and colors for 2007 were my favorite, so I began my search. Not wanting to travel a lot or pay for shipping, I started my search in the local area, within a 150 mile range. Fortunately, Craiglist pointed me in the direction of Atlanta and Charlotte, where there were plenty of bikes available. Even though economy's been tough, the bikes were still selling quickly, a testement to the broad appeal of this model. I had a tough time deciding between red and blue, but the fact that the red models within reach sold without me made the decision easier! Some local dealers were still advertising 2008 models, but when they didn't respond to my inquiries, I decided I didn't need to have a new one. The '07 models were so much cheaper and still relatively new (and better looking...) Then I found the one....a gentleman in Atlanta was looking for a quick sell and responded to my questions. We made a good deal, and I made plans to drive down to his home and ride the bike back to Greenville.

We had originally planned on driving down on March 14th, but the weather was going to be unbelievable on the 7th and we had everything ready for purchase, so we said "why not?". We left around 1:00 and arrived on location around 4:00. I took it for a test ride and came back absolutely certain that I had made the right choice. Having never ridden an FZ6 before, and not ridden at all in over a year, I had a very easy time. The owner showed me a simple loop around the back roads and I gently rode the bike in near privacy. No problems whatsoever, the machine was forgiving and easy to ride. Not once was I intimidated by the 97HP R6 engine or the four-piston brakes. Okay, so I killed it once, but that was completely an accident. It was light, easy to steer, and sooo comfortable. Back at the owner's home, we made the final arrangements and I took off for home with Erin behind me.

I love peeking into the garage and looking at my bike. The garage lights hit the paint just right, and the dark blue metallic tank sparkles. It's almost as though I'm pinching myself each time I look. The most fortunate part of the experience is that if I hadn't picked up the motorcycle when I did, we would have missed a great opportunity, because the weather the next weekend was in the lower 40's and raining. We would have postponed the pickup indefinitely and I would have been a miserable wreck. It couldn't have worked out any better, because I took those days of beautiful weather to make upgrades to the bike and ride ride ride until I became more comfortable and familiar with it. Oh, and Erin? She took it for her first ride that weekend and loved it, too. Of course, I knew she would....

Why did I choose the FZ? One of my best talents is research. I have spent hundreds of hours over the last couple years researching and learning more about the motorcycles I'd consider. There were pros and cons about all of them, but I kept coming back to the FZ6. It was a bike that had a powerful engine, comfortable ergonomics, and unique naked bodystyle. The Fazer, by which it is known in other parts of the world, had a diverse and loyal following. It had very uncommon features like a centerstand, fuel guage, and underseat exhaust. The engine was fuel injected, meaning I wouldn't have to clean any more carbuerators or choke the engine to get it started. The LCD display was beautiful and the price was much lower than comparable sport bikes. I knew a long time ago that the FZ6 was everything I wanted in a motorcycle.

While these are not MY bike, here are a couple similiar photos from http://www.fz6-forum.com/ of the same bike, taken by a Charleston rider (used with permission, of course)

Thanks for reading about my adventure and motorcycle. I've been going on and on about this ever since I got my license...and I certainly "did my time" fixing our last motorcycle so often. Even though the weather is prohibitive to riding this weekend, you can bet that I've found ways to spend time out in the garage. As I start riding more this spring and summer, you can bet that I will be writing some special motorcycle features in Lost In Greenville. Because there is a great chance that I will actually get myself lost somewhere. Later.

What I've learned from Gordon Ramsay

Ever since we got fancy cable, Erin and I have enjoyed watching Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares on BBC America. I think we've pretty much seen 'em all by now (not the stupid American version!) The American version now includes the obligatory realty tv music & camera sweeps and the narration is not performed by Gordon, taking away a lot of the intimacy of the show. That's another rant for a different day, but I wanted to get that out of my system. I feel like we've learned so much about the restaurant business and especially how to run one properly.

For those of you who've never heard of or seen the show, the original series is based in Britain. Chef Gordon Ramsay is a highly successful chef to is invited to travel to struggling restaurants and overhaul the business in a week. The chef samples some common dishes, reviews the establishment, and then meets the staff to give his ideas. After developing new ideas for the restaurant, such as uniforms, menu, management, marketing, etc, he works with the staff, draws out energy(with deliberately pointed criticism), redevelops the menu, and helps to re-market the business. They reopen, usually to a packed house, and are often successful in making a huge leap of progress. I love his forwardness, great ideas, humor, filthy mouth, ego, and his perfect ability to see right through the clutter and fix everything that is broken.


The effect it has on me is interesting...I began to be curious about cooking, fancy restaurants, and running a business. I can't help but to critique restaurants based on what I've learned. Most of what we eat is at chains, like Applebees, but it still is pretty fun to think about.


Here are the top things that I've learned from Gordon Ramsay:

1. Keep the menu simple. Too many restaurants had cluttered menus with complicated dishes which were not cooked properly and inappropriate for the theme or season. A streamlined menu will keep the food moving faster and allow you to focus on making those fewer items perfect.
2. Sample what you cook. You can't send out the food without knowing it's good enough to serve to others.
3. Use fresh ingredients. Leftover food, frozen commercial dishes, and rotten ingredients are unnacceptable. Buy fresh and buy local. It's often cheaper and in the long run, much better for your reputation!
4. Keep your kitchen clean and uncluttered.
5. Don't be afraid to try something new and different, especially if it means changing your identity or saving the business, because if you don't, you may lose everything.
6. Market yourself! Publish your specials to tourists, provide samples to the public, create a buzzworthy specialty (Campaign For Real Gravy, anyone??)
7. Be honest with yourself. Do you want this restaurant to succeed? How much work are you willing to do to succeed? Are you running a restaurant for yourself or for your guests?
8. Emphasize timely service... One bad experience may mean one last visit for a customer. People do not like to be kept waiting!
9. Watch your costs. Allowing waitstaff to drink in the bar for free or insisting on expensive cuts of meat are probably not the best ideas. The chef has shown that you can use less expensive meat and just cook it better and no one would even care!
10. Food can look beautiful! It doesn't have to be an expensive or fancy dish to have a visual appeal.
11. Make the restaurant look clean and simple. Decorating the dining room with tacky decorations, painting the pub Purple, or using strange dishes that you pick up at garage sales are no-nos.

I'll add more as I think of them, but that pretty much sums it up. This seams to be a recipe for success and has been proven over and over again. It's amazing to think about what would happen if all restaurants were run that way! The way he presents it makes it seem to simple and easy, that you think "duh. " Are there any other Chef Ramsay fans out there? Speak up! Am I right on or way off? I don't think I could ever start my own restaurant, but if I did, I think I'd have a great head start.