Late summer scenes

Let’s start with me 
This is my usual half-assed version of a selfie. Is the forlorn look on my mug a cry of ‘I don’t want to go back to work’ or the existential hell in Delta’s low cost carrier terminal at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport?

Sleeping on the floor of the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport
The Rising Ladies® returned to the USA in late July. On the way, “acts of God” materialized which ultimately stranded them overnight in the (you guessed it) Minneapolis-St.Paul Airport until the next connecting flight was available. Delta Airlines provided…umm…blankets and futons so they could sleep on the ground in the terminal mall. That’s customer service! (Not.)

Williamson County Fair
Nashville hosts a county fair every summer. We were vulnerable to its charms. The weather was bleaching hot and humid. We drank lots of sweet tea with lemonade to stay hydrated. Saw the animals in the agriculture stalls. It was fun, but a bit fetid.

Conversely, the luring aroma of food stalls; the shrieks of joyous kids on the rides; and the general merriment, were infectious. We had a good ‘ol fashioned day of family fun. Marina and I went inverted on the Majestic; Naomi and Lady E. went ballistic on the Twister.

Pool
No surprises here. With the Southern heat and humidity, we occasionally cool off at the nearby pool. ‘Pre-scuba’ lessons abound…I am lobbying my daughters already as future diving buddies…but first, the front crawl must be mastered!

Nashville Zoo
Alas, back to reality, where Saturdays are reserved for Japanese school. My kids are workaholics already! To ease their stress we make Sundays fun-days. One sweltering morning we lit out for day at the zoo. We criss-crossed the grounds a few times and saw most of the animals. Marina, for one, loves animals. However, this picture of her is for the birds.

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The Bitch is Back

Ten years ago I declared my heartache because I had to retire my beloved Kawasaki Eliminator ZL750 (“Sayonara, Two-Wheeled Friend”). I wrote a few whimsical haikus in her honor. Since then, I have driven scooters and sporadically rented motorcycles. 

Old Faithful: Kawasaki ZL750

Nothing has measured up to that bike since.
Until now.

Yes, dear reader(s), the Bitch is Back. I bought a used 1986 Kawasaki Eliminator ZL600 a few months ago and got her certified. I did a bit of work myself to quiet the exhaust noise. Also completed a few short shakedown drives to make sure she was roadworthy. I definitely needed to re-train my two-wheeled road skills on the back roads of Nashville.

What's old is new (to me)

Why buy a 32-year-old motorcycle? The machine was in good shape, only 26K miles, and reasonably priced. I am not planning a long trip on my new/old Kawi; this is just for puttering around on weekends when I have ‘me’ time. More importantly, why not buy it? I love riding motorcycles; this is one indulgence that doesn’t break the bank. It’s also good for my soul.

Despite two attempts, I never did finish "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," the purported scripture for bike lovers. Riding motorbikes (or their distant cousin, scooters) requires concentration to avoid traffic mishaps. Constant monitoring of the cars around you—potential  hazards, speed, road condition—becomes a state of mind that empties your brain of the unnecessary. On a good day, you are totally in the moment. On two wheels, I find my version of Zen.

In Shikoku, Japan, riding with da boyz

Plus, it’s exciting. Motorcycle touring is the ultimate way to see the sights of the world and experience them with all your senses and full attention. I sincerely believe this deepens my connection to the world and people around me.

Socially, it’s liberating. People tint their car windows to have mobility yet still keep privacy. Roofs and windows hold the weather at bay. Music, radio or videos for passengers assure everyone is distracted.

At the Arctic Circle marker on the Dalton Highway to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, August 2006

Not so with bikes. While riding, I often find myself singing songs to myself. I think about things and make acronyms of these random items so that I can write them down later during a rest stop. You lose your vanity because your clothes get grimy. Helmet head hair is always a threat. You accept when it's hot or cold or raining or windy.

For these reasons, and many more, I just can’t stop my motorcycle riding. Now, with my ZL600, I don’t have to.