More Delights and Disdains . . .
of a diminutive nature of late . . . Number 10
Disdains:
Thinking about how I miss motorcycling on a Sunday’s crisp autumnal afternoon.
Trying to not worry about a sudden convergence of stupidity on the part of our political leaders.
Delights:
Remembering the specter of adventure offered by the promise of a good motorcycle ride. Mapping the trip to the nearby mountains. Checking and prepping the bike as carefully as any pilot or sailor who understands that self-inflicted mistakes can crash you quicker than random circumstance. Feeling joyously terrified through sweeping mountain curves. Steering the bike with mind and body; both alert and perfectly balanced. Returning home relieved with a clear mind ready to face the coming workweek.
Helping my son remove the gas tank from my old BSA motorcycle over Fall break. Of course, my help consisted mainly of advice about not scratching the patina of the 55 year-old paint. (Note that patina is a fancy marketing word to describe old faded paint.) But we have taken the first step in restoring it back to running condition. And since the BSA is the last bike that I will own, it deserves a proper make-over.
Reading again a light meditative book1 about motorcycling written from a female rider’s viewpoint. The writer (rider?) connects subjects as varied as joy, fear, aloneness, relationships, and endurance to her experiences from owning and riding a Moto Guzzi V65 Lario. I’ve always liked Guzzi’s and almost bought a used 850 Le Mans Mk II but feared the Italian-ness of it. That day, I went with a Triumph 675 Daytona. The Triumph was a beauty but the Guzzi remains on my list of ones who got away.
Watching my dachshund prove Pavlov right. I finish breakfast each morning by working a few puzzles on the New York Times site. The last puzzle that I do, when finished, sounds a bell that sparks a Snoopy-like dance from Otto whom I promptly reward with toast.
Remembering that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.
The Perfect Vehicle: What Is It About Motorcycles (Melissa Holbrook Pierson, 1997.) For all of you ParkinsoNerds, the most righteous neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks, who rode BSAs, Nortons, and ultimately a BMW R60 motorcycle, gave the book a positive review.