Isn’t it amazing how something seemingly important just vanishes from the mind.

The W650 is in great shape. I’ll have some time soon to sit down with the chrome polish and a diaper and make it even prettier.

Hopefully I fixed things.

Yeah, seems like that’s the new way.

This was Dom

I spent most of my life with a strong memory. I didn’t need to write things down or strain to recall a list of things in my head. It was always just right there as I needed. I’ve never been good with names though but would never forget a face. I see that strength fading a bit, particularly when I see someone out of context.

So I now make more lists so I don’t forget the tasks I have to embrace in a day. It’s too easy to forget the simplest things. I’ll go to the store for milk and return home with everything but the milk. It can be a little maddening. And most of the time it’s because I’m juggling too many things in my head, or trying to.

Yes, it never used to be this way. But now it is. I have to adapt. There have been a lot of reasons over the years why I have continued to blog about my rides and such. One of them now is that writing is great exercise for my mind. Who knows, he may improve my memory at the same time…

Thank you Daniel for your description of lightness as it relates to riding a scooter or motorcycle. I agree completely with the idea that my downsizing is a conscious choice based on my needs today. I want to be free of the tyranny of a heavy machine. The fact that a machine feels heavier may be a result of me getting older but my decision to change and adapt are made to maintain the freedom I feel while riding.

“Lightness isn’t a surrender; it’s a form of wisdom we choose.”

That’s a clear, simple statement but a challenge to embrace at times in the noise of our minds. I pray I continue to be wise enough to make choices that enhance my life on the road and don’t just leave me grudgingly resentful that I’m getting old.

Thanks again for the reminders.

Please don’t feel that choosing a lighter machine is a sign of time catching up with you, or any kind of concession to age. I am 43 years old, and when I chose my ride, lightness and agility were intentional decisions. Not because of any current physical limitation, but as a conscious choice for both my present and my future. I want riding to remain a simple, effortless act of pure freedom—free from the tyranny of weight, free from unnecessary strain when maneuvering in a garage or through traffic, and without the machine ever getting between me and the landscape.

Lightness isn’t a surrender; it’s a form of wisdom we choose. Seeing you continue out on the road with such elegance and sharp observation only confirms that I made the right choice for my own journey.

Warm regards from Portugal.