More mechanical shenanigans

Today was a very relaxing and mostly uneventful day. I started out the day by running to the local Honda dealer for some oil and a filter, then took my wife and son to Costco for the obtaining of household necessities, we then went to the local hospital to return a holter monitor that I had to wear yesterday to observe for heart palpitations (fun fun), and returned home after that.

The Sabre needed an oil change (hence the visit to the Honda dealer), so I got out the necessary tools and got to work. There's something about getting down on the ground with tools and getting grease and grime under your fingernails that is terribly fulfilling. I think I've said something similar before, but it's worth saying again. After I finished with the Sabre, I changed the scoot's oil as well. My kid helped me clean the scoot's air filter as well.

I then rode the Sabre to work since one of my clients needed to buy some things at Walmart, and it seemed to purr with the fresh oil in it. After helping my friend out with his shopping, I decided stretch the Sabre's legs a bit. and headed for the highway.

As I turned onto the on ramp for 222 south, I was confronted by a huge line of traffic which did not seem inclined to move. I backed off the ramp, as many others were doing, and went around by another route. I turned onto Hunsicker road to see if I could see the reason the traffic was not moving. At this point, it appeared that the vehicular constipation had eased a bit, but the cause was obvious. A truck had caught fire in the opposite lanes and was completely obstructing nothing. Hence the need to go slow and stare at the burned out hulk of the trailer (all that remained at the scene), even though the emergency vehicles and the tow truck had already departed.

On the positive side, I got to take the roundabout route, which allowed me to stop in Neffsville and give the Sabre a bath at the car wash.

After coming home, my son wanted to go for a bike ride, so the bikes came up from the basement, got a tuneup on the front walk, and once I got on the seat of my old 18 speed mountain bike, I almost fell right off. I had discovered the difference between a bicycle and a motorcyle or scooter: several hundred pounds.

I finally got my bearings and we were off to explore some of the local paved bike trails, and I was reminded of something else I'd forgotten: I am very out of shape.

On the other side of it, I had fun spending time with my son. I'll be sore tomorrow, but it was worth it. It felt good to be outside, moving myself rather than trusting an engine. Not that I plan to stop riding the Sabre or the Scoot anytime soon, but it was nice to break from my normal routine.

All in all, it was a good day to mess around with my tools and spend some quality time with my kid. He's had a rough couple months and seemed to enjoy the one on one time.