Taking a motorcycle safety course next month. Not sure exactly what I'll be getting yet.

Something european and high maintenance. Because life was too boring with 2 Japanese cars. 2015 KTM Duke 390

Got some new gear (do we still consider this gear when it serves no practical purpose?) and had to take a neighborhood ride to test it out. It was well-received by kids and adults alike.

@trumpybear I'm sorry you think a vaccine is controversial ¯\(ツ)/¯

We had impromptu date of sorts and went for some light off-roading where she actually drove most of the way. Her mom taught her when she was a teenager but she thought she had forgotten everything. I just told her to release the parking brake and off she went. Some rough shifting and a couple stalls, but no clutch burning.
Went back to the spot where this picture was taken, but didn't take a lot of pics this trip.

We also broke something.

The term "broken" being used loosely here as it seems it was just held on by that worm clamp and some exhaust tape.

I was actually very relieved that it was just the exhaust. The sound of if clanking against the frame sounded a lot like something worse like piston slap.

I've found that Calvin's parents steadily get funnier the older you get.

So says my dad on the phone. I laugh and say "because it's fun". But I also laugh because he's a big reason I got hooked on it years ago in the first place.

Rewind back to ~2007, I was a senior in high school and gas prices were reaching batshit levels (by US standards, anyway). My dad decided to get a 50cc scooter to save on gas. Like so many people, he was under the false impression that a scooter was inherently safer than a motorcycle. As such he was only slightly hesitant to let 18 year old me use it. And use it I did.
As soon as I got the hang of it, I couldn't wait for excuses to hop on and ride. I look back on it now and sometimes laugh, sometimes cringe. I wore no protective gear save for a ¾ helmet with a face shield. I inherited my dad's freakishly small head so at least it fit me okay. Between the 2 of us I put many more miles on that black Yamaha Vino. As luck would have it the only thing that didn't seem to notice me was the occasional traffic light, which was good because I had no clue of the risks involved in city riding or that I should always have an escape route planned. I just rode ¯\(ツ)/¯

I left home and was living on the other side of the country and my dad sold the Vino. He barely rode it, so it made sense. Ever since then I've wanted a motorcycle something fierce, but it was never the right time for some reason or another. I'd seriously looked into it a great many times. Through my early 20's I was too poor for anything but my beater Pontiac that I bought from my immobile great aunt for $200. I also looked at many old bikes that I could have sprung for as a first but thought better of it. I had told myself that when I was going to do it, I would do it proper with a bike that's less of a death trap and all the protective gear, and that's $. In the meantime, I read quite a bit and kept fairly up to date with the motorcycling world.

Truth be told, between training, and gear, and life experience, I'm safer on my bike than I ever was on that scooter. I could have told my dad that. Instead, I give my dad and stepmom the boxed reply:

"Yes, I'll be careful. Yes, I'll always wear a helmet"

I still kinda want to buy a Vino for old time's sake.

Fucking finally
Shipping got delayed, and I wasn't notified. Showed up for my appointment last week and they didn't have them in yet. Something about FedEx being slower than usual because they're doing all the shipping some sort of vaccine for some sort of pandemic.
Anyway I have matching tires now and I'm happy.

@jminer said in Ride thoughts:

Related, I love waving at people on scooters, they seem so excited to get a wave and wave back.

Can confirm, back when I rode a scooter I was just tickled when motos would initiate the wave

@cb more often than not, I get a wave from Harleys. But on the occasions I don't get a wave, it is usually a Harley, Can-Am, or scooter.

@dr-zoidberg just how cheap are we talking? Hard to tell for sure, but looks like the Harbor Freight trailer you can buy new for $500.

@highlander 110, and your odo is a palindrome!

@cash-rewards my now former neighbor was having a house built and we took the RCs to their lot, it was a great time. They already had mounds of dirt, and a pile of landscaping rocks.

@aestheticsinmotion
1 - 390 Duke, lawnmowers, ATVs, nitro RCs
3 - Geo Metro
4 - Mazda
5 - Volvo 850
6 - Pontiac Grand Prix, Xterra
8 - Mn12 Thunderbird, Bronco

@dogisbadob oooh, you can even save by buying in bulk! 43.87 each if you buy 4 or more. Don't want to lose money on this, better get 10.

@urambo-tauro said in Games people play (on the road):

@old-busted-hotness Game: (At a red light) "I'm going to stop here... no, wait here... actually, I'm not blocking the crosswalk yet, so let just pull a little further forward... nope, that's only half of the crosswalk blocked, so let's creep forward again..."

But if I keep inching forward the light will change sooner!

@old-busted-hotness said in Games people play (on the road):

Game: I'm Gonna Go 5 Under The Limit Until You Try To Pass, Then Match Your Speed.

Even more infuriating when it's that precious short passing lane you get between miles of non-passable road.

@just-jeepin Border Collie gonna Border Collie