I think you’re right about the pandemic invisibly chaining us from fully embracing life. Even though Kim and I have no financial or security concerns, there’s a persistent notion of danger in the air. You’ve described it well. Most of the time I move through my daily life easily and without issue, but there are times when I can feel the twinge of concern. I wonder when it will all be over. I wonder if it will ever be over.

I am grateful for the cooler weather. The shine has returned to riding. And a newfound energy for using the camera for some projects is an unexpected joy.

As always, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. I do appreciate it.

Nothing this summer has felt completely “right.” I believe the pandemic has robbed me (and maybe others) of any sense of motivation. I find that when I think about leaving the house for any reason, even for enjoyment, the need to be sure I am taking the right precautions and be safe sucks the joy out of any event. I may be riding, but I am not inclined to stop at that small-town diner for lunch. If I need gas, I get it fast and go, not stopping to forage inside for a snack. Along with riding, all the other activities I’ve been pursuing to keep active during the pandemic are losing their sheen: reading books, streaming movies or shows, even walking have begun to lose steam. Is it the heat? Or is it just the sense of those invisible chains the pandemic has wrapped us in that is the cause?

Thank you for your kind words Steel. I hope you find the right path regarding another motorcycle or not. Like you, most of the summer was a “glad I’m not riding situation.”

steve

Shoulder seasons. An interesting idea. I certainly do most of my riding then as well. But I also linger into summer and from fall into winter and on to spring. I will confess that growing older has decreased my temperature range. I’m in the 20F to 80F realm now. Or at least that’s where I think I am.

As always, that’s for sharing here and your kind words.

There’s a lot of wisdom in your friend’s “unpack your shoulds.” I try to either do or not do and not pile on a bunch of shoulds.

I think you’re right about me taking a break. Even with the heat, I grew disinterested in riding. So I took a summer vacation. But with the cooler weather, I feel the stir of riding desire.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It’s always good for me to consider another perspective.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate them. My spiritual and mental balance has been good despite not riding and in spite of some troubling drama. I’ve substituted the camera for the scooter and that’s been working out well.

There always seems to be something to do whether having a vehicle serviced or dealing with one renewal or another. I’m grateful that it’s been relatively easy for me to manage.

I miss riding. A few days ago I wouldn’t have said that. Didn’t care at all about it. Now that the weather is cooler I think about it a lot. I may go for a little ride tomorrow. It’s not the sort of thing you do in Gotham, rather a long way from that experience.

Be safe and stay well!

I get it. The heat and humidity down here in NC has been nothing less than oppressive. Since I sold my bike last year, I have mostly regretted it, but the sweltering weather has lately made me think “…not so much really”.
I go outdoors, and ask myself, “Would I like to be on a motorcycle right now?”. The answer is always a resounding “No”.

I know when the Fall weather comes (which is short-lived here…we go right into winter usually), I’ll feel that yearning for a new-to-me bike again.

We’ll see.

As always, your well-articulated thoughts are much appreciated, Steve.

Steel

– Just because you’re into riding, and riding’s a Big Thing for your mental/spiritual balance, doesn’t mean you do it on a regular basis. Hell, most of my riding this year has been out of pure necessity, but I’d be a bald-faced liar if I said it didn’t enhance my emotional state one iota by doing so. As I wrote this, Melody is approximately 600 miles past its 15k service interval, and I need to deal with that, stat.

– Life Happens: We both have a spouse, and four-legged furriy folks to look after (dogs for you, a cat for me, although wife’s younger son and his dog are now with us for a while). We can’t do everything we want to do at moments like this.

– Other Stuff: I just found out that while I’m able to renew Melody’s registration online, I have to renew my license in-person. Not the greatest thing to do at this moment in time, but now I have to plan for this.

Throughout this, I’ve been riding a lot, mostly for work stuff, but it’s been a boon for my head in general. Haven’t been on NJ Transit commuter trains in a few months, which makes me a bit sad, because I believe in them. To quote a Cheech & Chong line, things are tough all over.