[enjoyLIFErides] Dec. 16 Ride Photos and More

[Enjoy LIFE. Ride with us. Have bike, will travel!]

We had a great ride on 12/16.  Finally, some photos have been put on the 
web.  Not many...  But here you go:

http://yunx.com/12-16-06Ride/Dec16Ride2006.htm

or...

http://tinyurl.com/tmxe3

Also, below is some free but good info I received from a list I'm a part of. 
We talked about this a bit on the ride, so I thought it would be fitting. 
Someone forwarded this to a list I'm on today so I figure it's destiny that 
I send it to you.  <grin>

Note that I did indeed edit it a bit to protect his identity...  Just in 
case one of you is a a serial, hearing loss oriented killer or something...

*** start ***

Just thought I'd post a little information about riding and hearing
loss. A lot of people have the idea that hearing loss from riding is
due to loud pipes. While loud pipes can certainly be a contributing
factor, you could have a virtually silent bike and still suffer major,
permanent hearing loss or be stricken with tinnitus from riding a
motorcycle due to wind noise.

The human ear is able to recover from short-duration, sudden, loud
sounds. What really damages your hearing is not the occasional rock
concert, but prolonged exposure to moderate to loud sound pressure
levels - exactly what one encounters while riding a bike at highway speeds.

Lots and lots of studies have been done on this. The bottom line here
is that a few loud sounds will probably not hurt you, but even what one
might think of as relatively quiet noise (background factory noise, lawn
mowers, leaf blowers, etc) over a long period of time is what will
really mess you up.

I've discussed this many times with some musicians I know.  I've also 
discussed it with other riders and audiologists. I never ride without ear 
protection. At 50 years old I got an A+ at my last hearing test, for which I 
am very grateful.

Trust me when I tell you that tinnitus is not something you ever want to 
deal with - a close friend of  mine suffers greatly from it. Tinitus is a 
ringing or buzzing in the ears that NEVER stops. Since it is the result of 
damage to the inner ear, it can also cause a sudden onset of vertigo and 
nausea, making you vomit for hours for no apparent reason. It can keep you 
from sleeping. It can keep you from enjoying anything in life. It has even 
driven some people to suicide.

Of course I'm not saying you're going to go deaf or come down with a
roaring case of tinnitus tomorrow if you don't start wearing ear
protection now. But you WILL eventually have some degree of impairment
if you ride often at high speeds over long distances. It's inevitable.

Please check the following:

http://www.freehearingtest.com/hia_motorcyclefacts.shtml
http://www.msgroup.org/TIP150.html
http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-helmets/helmet-noise.htm

While we are saying to each other, "Ride Safe!" please also consider the
safety of your ears!

I apologize if this sounds like I'm preaching to you. You are, of
course, free to do what you want. But I think of fellow-riders as
brothers and sisters, and I'd like to help you all keep healthy. Please
just think of this as a "heads-up."

Thanks for listening, er, reading.

*** end ***

Joe in Northern, NJ  -  V#8013-R

Currently Riding The "Mother Ship"

Ride a motorcycle in or near NJ?
http://tinyurl.com/5apkg