It’s called a Rainbow bagel. It has some food coloring mixed into the plain bagel they make. I’m not sure if there was any meaning beyond that.

Absolutely!

Jeez Steve. To quote Monte Python, “You’re not dead yet!”

We had a busy morning Paul. I really enjoyed getting out despite the cold.

Yeah, the burning feet. I figured I needed to switch things up. I had complained about my back enough!

I’ve always told myself that if I got rid of a scooter or motorcycle I could always get another one. But I understand the realities to which you refer. Age and health concerns have already begun to color my thinking. Some are irrational fears based on arbitrary things like my calendar age, but others are real and require some honest inquiry. So hesitation in light of those things makes complete sense to me.

The other thing I tell myself is that I will continue to downsize in terms of the weight of a machine. The KLR now feels gigantic to me. That meaning so tall that it engenders fear of falling over. It’s been a few years since I’ve ridden one now but my imagination has turned it into a BMW R1250 GS Adventure in terms of size and weight. Thankfully, unexpectedly, the Himalayan feels really light in comparison to the KLR even though the actual weight difference is small. I suspect the weight of the Himalayan is closer to the ground.

I’ll take your advice and hang onto what I have until I can’t ride them. And then a little longer to make sure that’s the truth.

I hope you find your way back onto the road in some way. I will miss those experiences when the time comes. Surely there will be something to replace them. I hope…

I sold my KLR in 2019 and I now regret doing that. I thought I would be moving to a different part of the country then but the pandemic and other things ruined that. I have been looking for another bike since 2020, but even though I have found several very nice machines, I can’t seem to pull the trigger and buy one. Some of my hesitation is no doubt due to my acute awareness of aging and loss of strength, deteriorating vision, etc.
I would advise you to hang on to your two-wheelers as long as you can. Once you let them go, it is hard to get back in the saddle for a multitude of reasons, and life is diminished by not taking wonderful, empowering rides like those you beautifully describe in your blog. I can assure you of that. So hang in there!

Steel

Riding in cold weather, especially when it’s above freezing, can be a great time. A little preparation in terms of clothing and riding can be enjoyable. But I’m ready for warmer weather. I just let the dogs out and its snowing again. Oh well, an opportunity to practice patience.