Freedom

Yesterday I took it to the top of the mountain on which Kitt Peak Observatory sits, and without needing to shift around to find the "right" gear the bike simply pulled to the top in 4th gear

I know exactly what you mean and this wide-range gearing is very important. It makes the whole riding experience so much less stressful. Ah Kitt Peak, I would like to visit this observatory. Especially the McMath-Pierce solar telescope, pictures from which I have been fascinated with since I was a kid, ones like this solar eclipse, and even the shape of the structure that houses the solar telescope, so unexpected.



Although tonight was the night for a total lunar eclipse. And very fine was it too. I was out there with my telescope, a Meade ETX125-EC model, which is here:



The lunar eclipse kinda looked like this:



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Katherine is with her mother this weekend and I am in an all-weekend internet chess tournament, in which the use of computers is encouraged. I don't think I am going to qualify for the next stage (and an 8,000 USD first prize) though. I am currently 3 points out of 5. There are 8 games in all and I think 6 points will be the minimum to qualify (1 point for a win, a half point for a draw, and zero for a loss) - I have 2 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss so far.

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The next milestone for me will be taking the bike out for a two-day run ... with a stay in a hotel somewhere.

Nice. Question: why do you do it? Ride off for the weekend I mean. Is it a solitary passtime or do you socialize? Perhaps with other bikers? Or just to escape the world? Can you park the bike in your room? Akin to Clapton buying first class air tickets for his guitar so he can keep it safely next to him in the cabin :)