the end of the season

This time of year always puts me into a sort of low level depression, knowing that the season for riding my old bikes has drawn to an end once again. I think back to just a few short weeks ago when the days were still warm and it was nice getting up early, taking off for an early AM putt on the back roads and enjoying the peace and quiet of the country before everyone got up and started rushing around. Now I have to look forward to draining the oil and gas in the Norton and other old bikes this weekend, push them inside for the next five months and think about next Spring to arrive. I always tell myself I'm going to do this or that, but never seem to get around to doing any of the maintenance I should during the off season. Instead I gas up the newer bike, bundle myself in all kinds of special weather related clothing, force myself out on the road and pretend I am really having fun. I guess winter riding is fun in a sick sort of way, but I'd rather ride in the warmth and on an old bike. The best thing that happened this summer was I finally got that blasted Norton sorted and rode it 3000 miles without a single problem. For some of you that may not sound like much, but let me tell you, that is a major accomplishment with this bike and this novice mechanic. They were a glorious 3000 miles and perhaps the most gratifying. The next five months may not be as bad as in the past with the lingering thoughts and images in my mind of that awesome sound of a great running Norton chugging down the road during a sunny hot summers day on a back country road with no one around except me, my bike, a big smile and the road ahead.

Amen.

Mike
Kansas, America
Winter, time to hibernate some and resurrect others.

Britty

Well put..compliments on the use of the English language and your ability to put a point across....

We all go through this sort of stuff at the end of the season...

I personally get mostly ticked, not by the fact that the winter is cold, and riding can be unpleasant/unsafe..but rather by the beautiful days that come along in January, February, and come right after a really bad stretch of icy roads, and the roads are white with crusty salt, compliments of the local road crew. The day is sunny and the air is fresh, the roads are dry....but the salt will get up in every nook and cranny and rot your poor baby's aluminum overnight.......other than that...I like the winter...a good snow storm and howling wind is a wonderful thing to see....through the panes of glass on the livingroom window...... :wink: