TAKE THE BIKE, STUPID!
It's the last weekend in September and I have come to the realization that, yes, school has again started for real and it's not going to go away for a while. It's not that I don't honestly enjoy my job as a high school mathematics teacher. I do. Honestly. I love it. It's just that after coming from summer when I can pick and choose pretty much any time I desire to climb on the bike and go for a ride, I find the scheduled pace of the day to day school routine rather restricting. Yeh, I know. I hear all of you out there with "real" jobs that are now mumbling, "Oh, poor, dear boy!" Hey, deal with it. Anyway, the weather forecast for the weekend looks great and Karen and I decide to take off Saturday morning and drive up to Ludington, get a good meal at Scotty's after hiking out to the lighthouse at the state park, spend the night at the Beachcomber Inn overlooking Lake Michigan, and leisurely wander home on Sunday. Well, Saturday morning turns out to be very windy and overcast. It's actually raining! Not to be deterred, we go anyway. In a car. Sure enough. An hour from home, the rain stops. Another half hour, the skies clear, the temperature climbs, and we truly do have the beautiful day that was forecast. The state park is busy and we join numerous other people on the two mile two-track that leads to the lighthouse. The lighthouse on Sable Point is being restored and is now open to the public. It's staffed by volunteers and for a minimal fee you can climb up to the top for a magnificent view of the lake and surrounding dunes. After sitting on the beach by the lighthouse and munching lunch, Karen and I decide to take the shoreline back to the beach house at the park. It's warm and sunny with a slight breeze. Perfect. We actually wonder if sun screen is needed. About a mile yet from the park, we meet a couple walking the shoreline towards the lighthouse. They aren't in any more hurry to get to the lighthouse than we are to get back to the beach house. Karen and I are wearing shorts and light-weight shirts. These folk are in full leathers. We say hello as we pass and I'm wondering what time they left in the morning for their ride. Finally back at the park, I notice a motorcycle in the lot. Makes sense. As relaxed as I am, the ol' brain is still synapsing. You know, making connections. But this isn't just your ordinary Wing or Harley. This is a Beemer. A really good-looking Beemer. A really good-looking, old Beemer. I've come to really appreciate a lot of different styles and sizes of bikes and this one is obviously special. It's a gorgeous day to take a restored bike like this out for a short ride to a state park. Karen and I stand and admire it for a while. Karen stands. I admire. Then we notice something. Was I thinking short ride on an old bike? This thing has Illinois plates. Here's to the passion of motorcycling! Now, where did I park my car?

Thunderfoot