Thinking bout cars and bikes again

I have been looking at cars and motorcycles and bicycles a lot lately.  It must be my time of the ...

I have not had nor ridden with any regularity motorcycles but they have been frequent on my mind.  I knew this time would come when I sold my old bike.  It was a nice bike but it had been sitting for a long time and would need some serious attention to get it road worthy as well as trust worthy.  It was a tripping bike but just couldn't compete with the tripping car that came into my life.

The car was enclosed meaning no bugs, or weather issues.  It carried more stuff, which means I could take more with me or pick up more along the way.  It had a stereo which means that I had some accompaniment me when I was singing out my rock anthems.  It had air conditioning and a heater to give me better control over the elements.  It had a bigger tank and got better mileage meaning I could go farther without worries.  It was also more comfortable when it came to going farther so I did.

All of those things made it easy for me to find myself spending more time with the car than on the motorcycle.

But that does not mean I didn't still like the motorcycle.  It just means that for long trips the motorcycle played second string.  At this point, long trips would involve multiple 500+ mile days across many state lines.  I could do one 500+ day on the motorcycle but would be walking funny the next.

The motorcycle I had was a full dresser meaning side bags and fairing.  It was a few years ago and not near as fancy as the bikes you see today but it was a dream bike come true for me when I got it.

Sadly a big bike takes a little more effort to take out and ride around with though some might argue that fact.  Before the big bike, I had an entry level bike that was wonderful and I would ride it every bit as far as I would the big bike yet it was light and relatively easy to take out at a moments notice.  It had a windshield, highway pegs, and a back rest with luggage rack.  All the needs were met.

And that is what I have been thinking about.  I don't need a big bike.  I don't think I would get the use out of it that I would like to.  When it comes to big trips, I have a big trip car that fills that role nicely and then some.  What I want is a fun, simple, run around bike that doesn't take a lot of thought, cares or worries.  Doesn't cost a lot to own or operate.  Gets great gas mileage, (not many bikes do sad to say).  And still has the fun factor.

All bikes have a fun factor. Period.  Some are designed to deliver that fun in a more focused way.  The motorcycle business in America has become overly focused on about three different types, dirt, cafe racer, and over-sized V-twin cruiser.  That leaves a lot of us with too little choice.

I am going to visit this topic some more in the days to come so you are forewarned.  I told you that it has been on my mind a lot lately and it is time for me to get it out.

This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farrwest.

Good idea 1 June 2017

I saw a good idea today, I just wanted to share.

I stopped at the local just opened Maverick store and went in to use the facilities and when it was time to clean up I came upon the above. Someone had the bright idea to combine in one place, the soap dispenser, the sink, and the hand dryer in the same spot. Brilliant.

The last time I got impressed with restroom fixtures was the first time I came across the hand blower driers that actually blew air with real gusto. I even remember the name of the brand as Excel as in Excelerator, it impressed me that much. The time before that was in the 70's when I encountered my first sink that would turn on by itself using a sensor to know when your hands were under the faucet. Way cool stuff back then.

I told you I can appreciate the little things. This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farrwest.

Someone moved my cheese again

You may have read the book "Who moved my cheese" and wondered if there was anything to it.  Well, someone moved my cheese again.  Sometimes the cheese is a little thing, but sometimes that is all I need.

My current job has me located in the middle of a building, in a traditional non-descript cubicle where the only windows you can see are the ones on your computer screen.  But there was a window in the mail room and I could visit it on occasion and view the parking lots below.  I could also park in that parking lot that was so conveniently located next to my building.

But then someone got a bright idea and decided to build a new building on top of my parking lot and make us park two blocks away if we are lucky enough to find a spot. On top of that the wonderful view of the outside world I had from the mail room is now filled up with the view of a very ordinary and dreary looking new building.

It has been interesting to see it being built little by little but not enough to overcome the fact that it is still stealing my view as well as my parking spot.

So what I have found is that not all cheese comes in one big block. Sometimes it is many little bits of cheese, crumbs if you will, that add up to a worthwhile portion of daily life sustaining cheese. I can appreciate the small things. If done right, the small things can be enough, but how many of the small things can you take away before there is not enough?

Just like in the book, I have to start looking for new sources of cheese to replace that which is no longer there.  It is a good thing that I can appreciate the small cheeses. I would have a much harder time trying to replace a big block of cheese in one chunk.

This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farrwest.