Busy afternoon...

Busy afternoon...

I think I mentioned some months ago that my friend at irregularreflections wanted to rent space for his second GoldWing in the Garagemahal for the winter. (Do you remember the off-mike chatter on the Dirt Band's 'Circle' record: "It's like Harold Bradley is with his guitars: he can't let them all come home at the same time or his wife'ld divorce him...") I weighed it for a while and came up with a suitable rent proposal: 'Come spring you teach me how to ride and take me on the road with you.'

So a couple weeks back I took the test for a motorcycle learner's permit, got my permit, and we've been waiting for a day when we're both in town. So when the weather cleared off this afternoon, I called him and and away we went.

Its been probably 35 years since I was on a bike, and I never rode a lot even then. But some things are hard to forget. Still, this is a big bike, and the biggest problem is keeping it upright when you're stopped. I didn't spill, or crash into anything, and we had a great time.

In another week or so I could go over to South Bend and take a riding test and get my permanent license. I might borrow a bike and do it, just so I have it. I doubt that I'll ever go out and buy a bike, but, on the other hand, why not?

We got back from the ride late in the afternoon and I looked at the blue sky and figured I'd have time to get at least nine holes in, so I called a friend. He was just about to tee off and waited for me. We got about 5 holes in - and to the farthest reaches of the course when it started raining. There was no lightning and we figured we get wet walking back whether we played or didn't play, so we just kept playing. It was a nice walk.

As I write this I'm sitting at a window with one eye on the vent that I suspect houses the bats. It is dusk. Sometimes at this time of night I see them feeding over my neighborhood. No sign of them yet. I would be cool to catch one red handed, as it were.