I suppose the amount of thinking about a riding future is in part a reflection of the importance and joy it imparts to the rider. I love it.

I’ll keep writing and riding and taking pictures until I have to stop. Not sure which one will go first…

Thank you T for your thoughtful response. It would be nice to sit down at a coffee shop and talk about these things.

I’m trying to find a reasonable balance regarding diet, exercise, stress, sleep and living. I want to keep dancing but don’t want to become a slave to the piper. The thought of not taking care of just one of them reducing overall effectiveness is just, well, scary. Sleep is the biggest challenge for me. Damn.

I saw a review of Shopcraft As SoleCraft when it first came out and always meant to read it. You’re reminder her may get me moving in that direction.

Thanks again for sharing. You’ve given me some important stuff to think about. Especially “80%”.

Overthinking — I’m not accused of that very often! But these questions have lingered. Life gives no promises. I need to remember that.

Most mornings I wake now and ask “Should I ride today?”. Hopefully the “can” questions hold off for awhile yet.

Jim,

I had to go back to your blog and read your signing off post. As others their commented it was hard not to feel sad. In part for you but also because we see ourselves in that post. I like to think I’ll take it as well as you and move on to the next adventure whatever that is.

I realize how fragile we all are. When I hurt my back a couple months ago I thought that was the end — more so than the heart attack because I physically could not manage getting my shoes on let alone ride a scooter. And like you I don’t want to ride if I can’t do it right. I like to think I won’t employ a lot of denial when the time comes.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts here. I’m sure a lot of people appreciate your decision and what it means. Let’s hope seeing a scooter go by on a sunny day brings a smile!

You never know Orin. Even though you’ve had a raw deal up to now I knew some fellows that were friends of my father that lost body parts due to diabetes in their fifties and lived another forty years. One drove a truck for a living until he retired. I suppose the lesson of all of this gloomy talk is that life is a mystery, we have no idea what will happen, and we were put on the earth to make the most of each day, not worry about what might happen tomorrow.

Maybe I’m telling that to myself. Sorry for preaching.

Hope things go well for you Orin.

Feel free to use anything you want from Scooter in the Sticks Dom.

I am working to keep the heart attack to one though I had a conversation with a friend today, younger than me, who told me the stress of his job and life was causing him to need to take some nitroglycerin tablets. He said the doctor told him stress could cause inflammation which could be leading to his chest pains. So it reminded me to take things easy and not get wound up.

I think my daughter and her husband might throw some roadblocks up in terms of riding and my granddaughter. I’ll be an old coot by the time she could get a motorcycle license.

As someone commented, there are no guarantees in life. So I guess we just make our choices today and move on. I’ll keep riding until I can’t as well.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Greg. Sorry for taking so long to respond.

I’ll be happy if I can keep riding just like I am now. Time will tell.

You’re right that circumstance changes the tendency to think about such things. And along those lines I start looking for hopeful examples of the road ahead. Someday I might get to Amerivespa. Hopefully before I’m in my 80s. And maybe a Canonball…

Robert. Hope things are going well for you after the procedure. Each time we talk I feel like you just keep on going no matter what rough road you’re facing. It’s inspiring.