Where does the time go?

 

Been looking at Facebook Memories again, Jim?

Sure, but that's not the theme of this post.  This morning, instead of a bike and a motorcycle ride, after taking Rufus for a walk, I got the bikes and everything that was on the floor of the cargo trailer out and went to work at touching up the Herculiner (like Rhino-liner) textured paint on the floor.  The spray can of Herculiner Joan ordered came in yesterday.  A decade of motorcycle and scooter kickstands, tool boxes, and motorcycle chocks have worn it down in places.

I know what you're thinking: you'd think it would last more than a decade or so, huh?  Kidding; I am impressed with how that stuff held up.  I put three coats on the areas that needed it, giving it time to get tacky in between.

When I was done with that, Joan thought I should reward myself with a ride... on something.  It is the time of year when it is windier than usual.  What's that?  Yeah, it's always windy here, but today is another blowing-like-stink day.  I was thinking I would take the day off from riding anything... but, I did have the scoots sitting out... yeah, that's a good idea.  Joan's Xmax was the least encumbered in the driveway, so I geared up and took that.  That bike impresses me everytime I ride it - it just does everything so well. 

Heading off our island, I was behind someone who was driving 5 miles per hour under the speed limit.  When the speed limit is 15 mph, 10 feels painfully slow.  Fortunately, they turned off a block after crossing the bridge off our island.  Up to Highway 100 and the causeway.  I turned onto the causeway, and... it was a slow race: a work van and a minivan... someone being paid by the hour and someone on vacation... driving side by side.  With traffic backing up behind them.

I've explained it before, but the causeway is a 2 1/2 mile long bridge that connects Port Isable and South Padre Island.  The speed limit is 55 mph.  This being south Texas, no one drives the speed limit.  Most are doing 10 to 15 mph over the limit, the rest are doing 20 mph less than the limit.  The Queen Isabela Causeway is an interesting bit of road: a different Police jurisdiction on either side of the causeway, so it seems that neither of those municipalities have claimed responsibility for traffic on the causeway.  Usually, people blow by you like you are standing still, and then occasionally you get this slow stuff.

Onto SPI and driving along Gulf Blvd... a 25 mph speed limit on this street.  The golf cart with a family of 5 in front of me was doing 15 mph... with their left blinker on... for two miles.  The young girl facing back in the golf cart waved at me.  I waved back; then pointed at my turn signal on the front of the bike and did the hand single for "your blinker is on" (closed fist, open all the fingers, back to the closed fist, open again).  She waved again.  As slow as they were going, I considered passing, but that left blinker on gave me second thoughts.  After two miles, the girl looked down at their turn signal and told the Dad it was on... he turned it off, and 50 feet later (just as I was about to pass) made an abrupt left turn into a driveway without signaling.

It was then I realized it must be "National Drive Slow In Front Of Jim Day."  I thought we celebrated it just a couple weeks ago, but time flies when you don't know what you're doing.  Too many slow drivers (the vast minority around here) for it to be a coincidence.

Truth be told, I didn't mind driving slower than usual across the causeway with that gusty crosswind.  Oh well, I have no agenda now that my trailer floor painting is done.  And I enjoyed riding Joan's scoot.

The bikes are going to have to sit outside in this wind while the paint dries.  I told Joan that they are going to need some clean up thanks to the sand and dirt in the air.  She said, "No problem - I have a guy who takes care of that for me."  Yeah, she is a lucky woman.

;-)

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You two were so cute...

Past tense?  Rufus and I laid down on the couch for a nap early this afternoon.  Well, I laid down and he was quick to join me.  We slept through Joan taking this photo...

When we got up, Joan said, "I took a photo of you two napping - you were so cute."

"Were?  What about now?" I asked.

"Now, you're awake."

Nice.