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I just ended a near week-long vacation from work. Did the Chronic Rider hit the twisty roads of the Hill Country? Did he go visit the Texas coast? Did he make his way to Big Bend and the scenic Chihuahua Desert?

Nope. I maybe traveled 10 miles on the bike, instead spending my time working on my computers, performing a little maintenance on the bike itself and generally resting from a sore foot with a nasty bone bruise.

The bruise came from dropping the bike in my driveway. I left my disc lock on the front wheel's rotor and tried to ride off. I can assure you that it will not let you get far, even under power! With that, I tested the goodwill of my insurance company and used my medpay coverage to get my foot examined after the bike put a significant amount of weight on it when it fell.

This led to the opportunity that comes only from a "broken in" bike. I got to literally demonstrate how to pick up a motorcycle from its side to a young rider from work. (I'm also ordering a "reminder" strap that stretches from the lock to the handlebar to remember to remove the lock! The old one had disintegrated so I threw it away...)

I just found out upon returning from my vacation that this rider had dropped her bike in the parking lot just a few yards from my original demonstration. I remember the story she told of her trying to lift the bike with two people and nearly breaking their backs doing it. She told me that this time she remembered what I taught her and righted the bike quickly, by herself and without any fuss. Boy, was I proud!

So even though I didn't do a whole lot of riding last week, it feels good to have been there in spirit.