Okay, I don't seem to be shooting this month...

So after a fine church service and coffee with my friend, and sharing cake that I bought from the ladies of the church with him and Ralph, I hop on my Trusty Triumph to zoom off into the beautiful Sunday afternoon. Top off the tank, reset my mileage counter and head off for adventure, looking for love in all the wrong places? No, it is all about the ride, folks, the twisting roads and the deep leans, and yes, I did scrape my boot heel on Waller road before the railroad crossing - nice to go so deep and come up so well. I did stop to warm up and talk and find smiles.

Harley-Davidson has been advertising going down and getting a test ride on anything new on the floor, so I did. Yes, I know that I could have done that in Hawai'i and still done it again today, but I was sure I might never come back if I rode in Hawai'i. Today my Trusty Triumph would keep me grounded. So I really stopped there twice, the second time was after a long ride and much satisfaction, I was ready to top a perfect afternoon off and I actually talked to the salesman. It was easy, so I was looking at things I could afford if I won the Lotto (need to buy that winning ticket!), and they had an 883 in my price range (cheaper than the Trusty Triumph) but it was Spring Clearance Sales on many models, the size seemed right but the seat was only painted on - no long trips on that machine - only to the corner grocery and bar. I moved to the Dyna, pretty stripped, lots of shine and lots of engine and six speeds (slow start, faster, faster, faster, faster and fastest longer). I posed for a picture on it with the Sunshine upon the balding pate (?), but that could be a sign of God's favor? or not.



They had a copy of my license (Statewide background check? for the insurance, fool!) and I signed a waiver holding the Dealership and H-D free from my heirs and lawyers for my certain demise. They wheeled the motorcycle out, explained some things about the set up, and allowed me to circle the buildings in the parking lot and then out on the road to run up and down the gears, practice braking and leaning and rolling on that throttle - even got two exits worth of I-5 (never noticed if there were other vehicles I was so engrossed in the machine's power). Nice ride even had some twisty turns to play with and then back to the dealership, for a survey and contact points to see if they can sell me that fine beast (some days I wish I were forty years younger and single - but then I realize I have it so much better than when I was twenty-one and only a sergeant in the Army with Vietnam waiting...

A very nice ride, a bit louder than I like in the pipes (the British are so civilized about noise), but lots of potential for happiness in that machine - it sure runs and rides better than that 1948 Flathead I had in 1966 through 1971. It was heavier backing up than my Trusty Triumph (pushing with only leg power) so I rode up the sidewalk ramp to turn it in.

Thanks, Destination Harley-Davidson of Tacoma, for a very nice point in my afternoon on the motorcycles. Nice ride, very. I rode away on my Trusty Triumph, and it still made my heart sing on the way home, that was when I got deep into the curve and dragged boot heel and rolled that throttle on and came up solid. We are really made for each other, or I fit what I ride well.

I did sit on a couple of Bones with the half-ape hangers, and they aren't bad but I would look really funny wearing my work tie and such on that bad a bike. But then I do look funny any way you see me. The picture of me outside in the shade has the Trusty Triumph waiting patiently above the handle bars of the Harley, and the photographer's girl friend waiting patiently for the picture to be over... patience is so good to find.