First and foremost my daughter, Cheryl, is coming to visit.Those of you who are long suffering readers will remember that last year at about this time she came here and learned to ride not only my 50cc bike but also the 150cc scooter. She graced me with a line that has stuck with me. We rode into town and a pair of riders on Harleys waved back to us when we waved to them. "Did you see the two Harleys waving to us?" she said. "I'm feeling pretty cool about now." The mere act of two riders waving made riding even cooler for her. I was so proud. I'm hoping for a few trips on two wheels to make the visit memorable. I'll try to take video so you can share in the gaiety.
The next announcement is not as earth shaking but it tickles me. This morning near the end of a commute home from work the big scooter, Galileo, turned 9,000 miles. In an automobile that mileage is inconsequential but on a motorcycle, scooter or moped it starts to become serious. Any two wheeled conveyance with over 10,000 miles takes on a certain aura of high mileage. I remember the first time a person at a gas station noticed 20,000 miles on my Kawasaki's speedometer. He whistled and remarked, "That's a lot of miles." I smiled and thanked him. He would have fainted when I crossed 100,000 miles on it.
Attaining 10,000 miles on a Chinese scooter allows you to enter the realm of serious riders. Most people think that much is beyond the reach of Chinese scooters. Crossing it causes many people to believe that you possess mystical mechanical powers. I don't feel mystical, just stubborn and overrun with tools to fix things. When I finally reach 10,000 it will be noted here with great ceremony. I'm hoping to have the 150cc scooter there next summer. Having two Chinese scooters reach 10,000 would make me look like Harry Potter.