Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance

It was going to be another scorching day today.

I generally rise quite early, so I was tasked with getting the greenhouses and veg plots watered before the heat of the day set in ... and before 30% had hauled her backside from her bed!

After taking care of the plants, I wandered over to the garage and unlocked the door.  As I stood in the doorway I paused, and took a moment to appreciate the space. It was warm, but cooler than outside, and has that certain smell of recently used machinery. There is that change in light levels as you move in to the shaded space, and it is also incredibly quiet in there. Weirdly, I would liken it to a monastic cell, or a church, somewhere of solitude and concentration.

I grabbed my mechanic's stool, a few rags and some metal polish, and set to work on the Guzzi's exhausts.  After a few minutes of polishing I could see that they could be restored, but it was not going to be a five minute job.

Over the course of the day I alternated between spells in the garage, and other matters that required my attention.

I fed the bees in Hives #2 and #3, and attended a dental appointment midway through the afternoon.

The dentist advised that the recently filled tooth may feel fine at the moment, but the tooth will crack at some point in the near future. Her advice was to proceed with a crown, or risk loosing the entire tooth ... Appointments were scheduled and payments were made!

Going back, for a moment, to my motorcycle cleaning activities.  I mentioned that it is "not a a five minute job." I can easily spend a day or two cleaning one of my bikes. There are so many nooks and crannies, with intricate components that need to be washed and polished.  I've mentioned previously that inspecting my hives induces a sense of calmness or zen. Cleaning my bikes produces a very similar state of mind.

As I focussed on polishing my exhausts, my thoughts turned to Bubbles' steadfast refusal to clean the R nineT.  I don't think he appreciates the satisfaction of cleaning a bike properly, neither does he understand that it makes you focus on every external component, checking for wear or damage. Instead the silly sod pays some random bloke fifty quid to do a half-arsed job.  Oh well, we're all different!

So, we end this day with a very shiny set of Moto Guzzi exhaust headers. I just need to wash and polish the rest of it now.