Did you know?

[Seacat]

Did you know that Palmetto Bugs hurt? Oh man do they.

This morning my wife and I decided to take The Beast out for a run. We had to make a delivery to our local charity and we were going to do it on the bike.

Now the charity is about a ten minute drive away from us. It gives food to those who most need it. My wife and I have been saving food up for this charity for the past three months. In other words we had a bit of food to deliver. Four Toms and several Hams. We loaded these into the Cargo Box and into a couple of Bags we hung off the sides of the bike. (Not to mention more than a couple of pounds of frozen Veggies.)

We fired up the bike and headed down there. Most of the riding was highway riding so we covered some miles. The bike was handling fine except for the damned backfiring but that should go away when I synch. the Carbs. When we pull into the shelter there were several people hanging around. They looked at us with suspicion and maybe a bit of fear as we pulled in and parked the bike. When the guy running the place looked out and saw us he frowned until I took off my helmet, then he came running out with a smile on his face.

He looked over the bike and told me he liked it. He gave my wife a hug and then asked what I had for him. (Yes he knows me.) When I told him he started smiling even more. I was concerned his face might break in half he was smiling so much.

We unhooked the bags and he had a couple of people carry them inside as I unloaded the cargo box. The guy running the show made sure the food was immediatly placed in his deep freeze even as he told the people gathered around about me. They started coming up and thanking my wife and I for all of the help we have given them. (I have been giving to this shelter for the past several years.)

Feeling good about this my wife and I climb back in the saddle and head for home. Back onto I-95 we go. We get up to speed and I'm relaxing even though the breeze at 70 is trying to blow me off the bike. (I really need to put the shield back on the bike.) Then it happens. I feel a thump, well to be honest I feel more than that. I feel like I get shot in the left shoulder.

We're talking I get hit by something. It hurts like a son of a gun and my entire arms flops. Man that hurt. I manage to get my hand back on the bars and am happy I can pull clutch as I pull over. I'm thinking I got hit by a rock or something as I pull off my right glove and reach into my jacket to see if I'm bleeding. (Yes it hurt that much.) There's no blood showing so I have my wife climb off and take a look. She starts laughing and tells me I got hit by a Bug. I reach up and check things out. Yep it was a bug all right. There are bug guts and pieces spread all over my vest. From the size of the remaining legs I can only think I got nailed by a Palmetto Bug. (Think Cockroach on Steroids.)

Man that hurt.

Needless to say the shield has been put back on.

Cat

[AGS]

While you're dodging big bugs or not in Florida, here in the great white north (5 km north of Lake Ontario), the '82 CB750SC is parked on account of 10cm of snow on the ground and more coming today.  Get that shield back on and ride!

[NewRider]

oh man.....one of my dad's buddies chipped a tooth riding when a june bug/beetle hit him in the mouth.  Ended up with an f'd up tooth, a bruised lip AND he swallowed it!  Talk about your double whammy...gonna have to get myself a good face shield when I start riding this spring.  Did you have your leathers on?  Hope you mend up well!  Merry Christmas!

[Polymer-2]

I feel for ya man. I got hit right in the middle of the sternum by a cicada going about 70mph wearing nothing but a Tee shirt (me not the bug  ).
I thought I was gonna die!

[Wolfman]

I actually was hit by a bird on my way to Thunder in the Valley, in Johnstown PA. I was going about 65-70 on the turnpike when it flew in front of me and stuck me in the chest. I was able to keep the bike steady, but it felt like I was shot in the chest. Everyone that was on the ride with me, to this day still brings it up and has a good laugh, and yes there is video of this. I even got a "broken wings" patch on my vest where I was hit, cause my vest reflects what happens on my rides.