Of course, finding parts for a 20 year old French car that wasn't sold in large number in the US could be a challenge. Not exactly what most people think of for practicality. None the less, he found one and dragged it home.
Parapharsing John, 'I could have paid a lot of money and found a nicely restored one, but that's not what I do. I have to find something really rough and bring it back from the dead.' And that's what he did, or should I say, is doing.
I got thinking about this and I can really relate. It seems like I am only happy when I am learning something or fixing something. I like the stimulation of learning something new and the challenge of figuring out how something works and make it better. In that way, John and I are kindred spirits.
I have another friend who told me once that he had trouble saving money because he would find something new and exciting and he would just buy it on impulse. It took a wife and kids to reign in his spending and only because he had no money left.
That makes me realize why I have kept and modified my old KLR for 10 years. The process of understanding and fixing the old girl has been as much or more fun than the trips I've taken. The thing is, after all this time, I've run out of things to change or improve on the KLR. I am just about to pull the plug on my second motorcycle trip this year. I realized that I have less interest in riding motorcycles at this particular moment, in part because I don't have any motorcycle projects in front of me.
Early in the year, I started researching the possibility of a new bike. I guess that's trying to invent a new project.
I can understand Doug and his constant train of motorcycles through his garage. If you aren't going to modify a bike, then I imagine one gets to this point of declining interest at a sooner point, so you might as well sell it and look for a new challenge in a new bike.
How strange we are. I wonder if this is the same feeling that guys who have had 5 wives feel about their women? ' Oh, I'm done figuring out that women. It's time to turn her in for a new one, a new challenge.' I wish I could understand what motivates myself and others better. At least I'm a one bike, one car, or one women man. At least for a while.
"'Oh, I'm done figuring out that women."
ReplyDeleteHahahahahahaha! Written like a perennial bachelor, Jac. No one ever figures out any women, they don't even understand themselves. The best a man can hope for it to figure out if continuing to live with a woman will make him a better man or kill him.
As for motorcycles, I've never been much on modding bikes in part because I am a poor mechanic and also because I know the bike won't be staying long so no point in lavishing too much time and money on it that cannot be recouped. I prefer to buy mine pre-farkled and let some other fellow take the depreciation.