Smile - even tho' it's breaking

There were no clouds in the sky to day but there were plenty in the garage when I started the bike up. The mate was better about running out there about once a week and running the bikes till he got high on exaust fumes. The steel and cement cause condesation on the bikes, too.

I pulled the choke, twisted the throttle a couple times and pushed the wonderful little button. The starter turned over, the engine turned over, the smoke rolled out, and she killed. I repeated the steps, lots of noise, no action. ONCE more here....then I smelled the gas. I turned off the key.

After I flooded her I went in and changed into riding clothes. I talked to a neighbor getting ready to sell her house that had just learned the news for a minute and had stopped by to offer her condolences. Found my cigarettes, keys, money and ID and put them all in the pockets of a functioning leather and got back to the garage. Turned the key, pulled the choke, pushed the button, she started right up!

But it's cold blooded, old Honda and wouldn't idle. It stalled. I restarted her and cracked the throttle then dropped the cruise lock on her. HA! She had to stay running at three grand on the rpm meter! I lit a smoke and went out side the garage, waited for the steam and smoke to stop pouring out of her, put the smoke out and went in to get her out.

I let her idle in the drive while I got my helmet on and locked up the garage. I had carefully ignored the bike I wasn't taking for a ride yet, but still noticed he had killed some bugs with it last time out and I would have to scrub it down before I sold it.

I finally got to throw a leg over and get her off the kickstand. Tested the throttle, noticed she was missing at the low end and pulled out onto the muddy gravel road in front of the house. We got up the one block to the hard top, hung a north and headed out of town. LOL, 4 blocks later we were on the open road.

I had no where to go, no one to meet and no special destination but it was sunny and 55+ out and I was riding. I went up to make the big corner to top off the tank and get some carb cleaner to put in her, she was really laggy in the first three gears, missing and popping..ick. Two girls on horses pulled in while I was filling up. Couldn't help it, looked over at them and asked, "Got a flat?" They laughed and I put the cap back and went in to pay.

I put the carb cleaner and a spare water in the saddle bag and got back underway. It was totally beautiful out. As I went through the last town with a county cop post in it all the traffic went away. It was like someone called ahead and cleared the road. There was nobody but me out there. I rode the 100 mile per hour flats in my usual position, on the right, next to the white line and thought about the missing tail lights.

As I came up to the next stop light I pulled back to the left, near the center with my turn signal on for a left. There was still no traffic. I went past all the places friends or we have lived, where we have stopped for a smoke or sometimes a brew, or one of us broke down, places we had dinner, got a boxer pup, rescued kittens, hit yard sales and pulled over to help someone out. I saw the ice cream place he liked to take me because they had a flavor I liked, the empty lot where the flea market would be in a few weeks, passed by the gas stations where we had filled up, emptied out, grabbed snacks, met friends, and found fuses. I crossed the rivers, the creeks, and saw the stone houses we loved.

I got to the little town that is almost half way to our usual north destination, crossed the main street and kept heading north but changed my mind at the edge of town. I pulled over and turned back to stop at a little diner where I was the only customer. I met two nice kids, had toast and eggs and headed for the house.

I kept having to slow down, I was doing freeway speeds and not realizing it. I figured out that I had it in my head that just over the next rise I might find my tail lights. Then I put it at 59 and set the cruise. I had a smoke, using the "will light in eighty mph. winds" lighter the mate got me for christmas one year. I took a sip of water from the jug in the holder he mounted for me. I watched for deer and idiots, saw neither the rest of the way home.

I pulled up to the garage and sat there a minute looking at the closed door. If I was out without him, the mate would have it open with the light on for me. If we were coming back together the mate would put his bike on the kick stand, open the door and let me pull in while he turned his bike to back it in.

I put the kickstand down and put her in neutral. I got off and opened the garage to face the bike that was left behind. I turned away and got back on my own ride, put the stand up, drove in and parked her next to The Black. I turned her off, put her on the kickstand again and turned off the key. I took off my helmet and put it on the shelf then got off the bike, walked out and closed the door behind me, leaving the two of them alone to commune about the ride.

I was having dinner with the sis and then doing the taxes. I took off the mate's leather, took off the mate's half gloves and hung up the one and put away the other. Before I could leave I had to feed and water the animals and get my paperwork for the taxes. Dinner was supposed to be roast pork but when I called to tell her I was on my way she had made me scalloped potatoes and ham. "Come in from the north or you might get stuck," she added.

Little red truck got me there just fine. I walked down to the barn to watch her feed the little and big horses, the mini donkey and the chickens. I petted the dogs and the horses. I went back to the house with her and watched her man watching Armageddon, one of our favorites, while she got dinner around and maple syrup finished up on the stove.

Dinner was great. The potatoes were perfect. The roast was done well. I did the taxes the easy way, her mate typed them up for me and printed them. They are all ready to mail tomorrow. We played some rummy but didn't keep score. She poured off and canned the maple syrup. It looked like liquid golden sunshine.

I climbed into the little red truck and headed out their dirt drive to the dirt road. I put it in 4w once, but more for comfort than need. The roads were muddy and torn up by traffic but little red did ok. You can't tell I gave her a bath last week anymore. I will grab the windex and get her rinsed off tomorrow when I take the first two boxes of kitchen stuff to the safe house.