I remember when you first bought it and showed it off by doing wheelies. Now it’s leading a more sedate life.

Denial is a wonderful trick David. I’m constantly trying to figure out how it’s done.

I’m not sure how my winter riding will fare this year but right now my intentions are positive. I just have to see how I’ll feel when the temperature is in the 20s.

Wow Mike. It sounds as if you two are doing a lot of traveling. Drop me a line when you get home and are ready for breakfast somewhere. And if Elaine leaves you alongside the road, well, sounds like the start of another adventure!

The car is definitely a quickly comfortable ride in cold weather and I feel the allure. But I still like to ride enough and can easily stay warm enough that I can ride through much of our ever becoming milder winters. Rotating through five machines is a pain though. I’m not ready to make any decisions about that though. If I can ride each of them 15 to 30 miles once every two weeks I’m comfortable that they will come through winter fine.

Thank you for the Thanksgiving wishes Don. I hope the same for you.

Texas is a different world from where I am. My dad was stationed at Fort Hood during the Korean War when he was recalled by the Army. I remember him saying something about the weather: “It’s the only place in the world where you can stand in mud up to your knees with sand blowing in your face.” That sentence has echoed in my head since I was a kid and has probably wrongly colored my understanding of Texas!

Walking every day is a challenge for me. Even with the dogs prodding me along. But I definitely feel better when I do it.

I hope you get your Vespa sorted and on the road before the weather makes it untenable.

You’re right about it taking an effort to reconnect. And then to stay connected. It’s a skill I have to practice.