Jim,
riding is lots of fun on the right roads with a reliable bike and a rider that isn't suicidal. Some of my favorite rides were along beaches at 25 mph just enjoying the views and the smells and the breezes. When I took the bike over Monarch Pass in the Rockies (at almost 12,000 feet) I had to stop every 10 minutes or so just to take pictures of the Aspens that had just turned gold.

On my way home from the Grand Canyon, I had to do 600 miles the last day because I had to be at work the following day. I didn't walk right for more than a month . A bike can be fun but you need to realize that you're invisible. Nobody sees bikes and riders. I always wore an orange day-glow helmet and my leathers were bright yellow. And yet, I still had to dodge stupid people who just never bothered to see me. Riding a bike gives special meaning to the term "drive defensively".

Yet, for all the fun, I don't miss it all that much. I'd rather share those adventures with Linda and the dogs and you can't do that on a motorcycle. So here I am, in my 60's, and instead of carving up some winding mountain roads on my Suzuki, I'm driving around in a Dodge mini-Van with 4 dogs and a wife who still puts up with me. It doesn't get better than that!

Jim