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Less then 4 weeks & I give Mother Nature the middle finger
I start my Veggie seedlings 1st weekend in Feb, usually snow still on the ground
They start in a Garden window w/rope light under the cement board as a heat source
Then they move to my 3 season porch
Then to my Greenhouse that has a mini-greenhouse inside -also heated by rope light if needed
Gotta get an early start in New England
43,000 miles in a year. That’s a lot.
Are you retired?
If not what kind of work do you do that affords you the kind of mileage in a year?
My wife and I both work full time. The company we work for is generous with vacation time, plus we've been there a good while and have accrued more over the years. We also work 12 hours days early in the week, so we have every Friday through Sunday off, and every other Thursday. So, 3- and 4-day weekends, every weekend. That allows us to take a lot of short trips without even having to use vacation time. I also ride every day for fun before work (I don't go in until 6pm).
Overall, we make a decent living, but it's mainly about prioritizing what makes us happy. We have very modest/practical 4 wheeled vehicles as well as a smaller home with a low mortgage. This allows us to put $1000/month into a travel account. In the winter when traveling slows down, it builds a decent buffer so when spring hits, we can stay on the move through fall.
Another thing that helps is not obsessing over modifications and accessories. I'm to the point now where all that crap is wasted money that can be used on hotels, gas, and park passes. It blows my mind how many people have endless budgets for things like that (and trying to have the biggest dyno sheet on the internet) but "can't afford" to travel. I do have some basic accessories for comfort but didn't go too crazy with customization on this bike. Many people think we are wealthy or whatever and there are some time variables in our favor. But if people enjoy something enough, they'll find a way to do it. It truly is a way of life for us and I'm glad to have found a woman who loves it as much as I do. Many of my other friends who ride, their wives would rather stay home in a $500k house with new BMW's parked outside. I feel sorry for them. Our Road Glide is a 2020, it will be 3 years old in April and has 109,000 miles on it. I wouldn't trade the memories made for any big house or fancy car.
Upgrades are a personal thing...not really that hard to understand.
Customizing is not necessarily upgrading. A lot of things folks do to their bikes, to be honest, is downgrading. The last bike I bought used I spent 2 days removing "upgrades" and getting the bike back to normal. I bought the bike cheap enough so it was worth my time, but still, stock bikes generally have the best value when it comes time to sell or trade.
Customizing is not necessarily upgrading. A lot of things folks do to their bikes, to be honest, is downgrading. The last bike I bought used I spent 2 days removing "upgrades" and getting the bike back to normal. I bought the bike cheap enough so it was worth my time, but still, stock bikes generally have the best value when it comes time to sell or trade.
Ah, but those were somebody else's "upgrades" that I'd take a wild *** guess likely improved the previous owners experience with his bike
One mans trash, another mans treasure.... One man's upgrades, another man's downgrade....
I'd take a guess if the prior owner bought his bike back he'd be pissed that he had to spend time undoing all of your upgrades and getting it back to the way he had it
Ah, but those were somebody else's "upgrades" that I'd take a wild *** guess likely improved the previous owners experience with his bike
One mans trash, another mans treasure.... One man's upgrades, another man's downgrade....
I'd take a guess if the prior owner bought his bike back he'd be pissed that he had to spend time undoing all of your upgrades and getting it back to the way he had it
I save a bike's original parts and include them with the bike when I sell it.
I don't like the thought of OEM parts going into a landfill.
I save a bike's original parts and include them with the bike when I sell it.
I don't like the thought of OEM parts going into a landfill.
Depending on what it is, I keep mine or "donate" to my buddy who's an indy, so he'll usually find a use for them and hooks me up a bit when I need things done that are beyond my abilities
Ah, but those were somebody else's "upgrades" that I'd take a wild *** guess likely improved the previous owners experience with his bike
One mans trash, another mans treasure.... One man's upgrades, another man's downgrade....
I'd take a guess if the prior owner bought his bike back he'd be pissed that he had to spend time undoing all of your upgrades and getting it back to the way he had it
...just like a fart can muffler and a spoiler on the deck lid of an import car is an upgrade?
I hate winter. I hate just stepping out the door in the cold. So no winter activities for me. Going to be at least 2 1/2 more months until I can get on the road again. I've been looking for plans to build one of these to make snow clearing a little more bearable
...just like a fart can muffler and a spoiler on the deck lid of an import car is an upgrade?
Not to me... but obviously to somebody else, it could be, otherwise I doubt they'd spend the time and money to install it.
I "upgrade" or "customize" my stuff to what makes sense for me... dont care if somebody else thinks its dumb, useless, or looks stupid... if it works for me, improves the bike physically or aesthetically to my eyes, than it's an upgrade to me.
I've even done things to my bike that I ended up not liking, so I guess that would be a downgrade, and I put it back to how it was. Some people consider these parts upgrades because they are popular online and have good reviews, but not for me. Not the most complicated concept out there
...just like a fart can muffler and a spoiler on the deck lid of an import car is an upgrade?
funny story! one day the wife and I were driving down the road and she spots this little import POS car with a spoiler on the rear deck lid and asks me what it was for?
I informed her that on a real car it helps apply down force to the rear of the vehicle resulting in better traction and handling but on that car it prevents the diaper bag from sliding off the trunk lid while strapping the kids in their car seats!! she had a good laugh!!!
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
