License to Drive

I took the road portion of the motorcycle license test. It was insanely simple. Make a U shape in the parking lot and stop suddenly.

What wasn't simple was getting there. They close at 4:30pm, and I've had to reschedule twice because of work. It may rain tomorrow, so even though I was running late, I pushed ahead to try anyway. I had to get to Springdale from the Home Office. It took about 50 minutes via 102W to 71S, E on Sunset.

Wind gusts up to 25mph today. Fortunately, it was warm. The speedometer was out, so I just kept pace with traffic. 50 mph speed zones plus wind, plus traffic made for an interesting ride. It was heavy traffic! Beyond that, the random wind gusts and backdrafts from semi-trucks worked on unsettling me. I kept my cool and focused on balance.

It was almost meditative (I can hear non-rider readers screaming in their own heads - "Meditative? Is he crazy? 50 mph in heavy traffic and wind gusts and he's comparing it to a sleepy mental state?") Well, meditation is not about being sleepy. It's about focus. Training your mind so that when you're doing something like that you can dismiss emotions like panic, fear, and insecurity. You can then channel your consciousness to productive action such as balance, calm, and staying alert.

Wind blown, I arrived minutes after 4:3o. The female officers were nice about letting me take the test anyway. Of course, they are re-paving the street in front of the office and in a field of gravel I overshot the turn, almost laying the bike over as I entered the parking lot. Smooth.

As I said, the test was easy. I rode back to Rogers, headed for Vespa o' the Ozarks. Lots of riders out today. Almost all gave the low wave.

At the shop, Leonard found the speedometer/odometer cable had snapped. They're ordering in a new setup. The mileage is stuck on 304. He also tweaked the idle. The BV had cut off a couple times at stop lights today, so he turned it up a notch. He also showed me how to take off the trunk.

The experience with Vespa of the Ozarks has been such a contrast to other dealers I've worked with. The other dealers have loan sharks and gear heads that pretend to like you but make you feel as welcome as a worm on a hook.

Leonard and his staff keep a clean, friendly atmosphere. I've yet to think twice about purchasing the BV there. Leonard and Matt are attending a Piaggio conference in sunny CA next week.