The Mystery Man

Having to commute 104 miles a day round trip and back to get to work was quite a distance that came with a hefty price. I drive a 4-wheel drive Toyota pickup truck. Needless to say, you can imagine how expensive it was getting when gas was hovering at over $4.00 a gallon. With nobody around where I live, car pooling was out of the question. I was footing the bill, and to be honest, it was a terrible drain on my finances.

I began to explore my options.....

I bought a 250cc Honda motor scooter that touts 70 mpg and will go 92 MPH. The day came when I went to pick it up. I brought it home in the back of the pickup truck. I also bought a wind breaker nylon type riding suit with a full helmet and a dark face shield. I suppose by looking at me with the bright red, white, and black stripes, and the fluorescent reflective strips, I looked like a flashy Power Ranger out of a si-fi scene.

Little did they know that behind the bright flashy suit, was not a 20 year old, but a 57 year old trying to ride something that I haven't rode since I was 16. Forty one years is a long time. I was determined to see this thing through. In a way, I felt that I had no choice and was thrust out and vulnerable because of the economy. It was now a necessity, not an option.

On my first day, as I was leaving out for work, I had serious reservations about this, but spoke confident words to my wife trying to reassure her and myself, not sure if I would even make it to work. After all, 52 miles seemed like a LONG way.

I suited up and took off on my big journey. As I pulled out on Highway 13, I could see cars coming in the distance. Everything went okay at first until I came upon my first curve. The scooter would not turn to make the curve. Both of my legs went straight out and I slowed to a painful 20 mph. I made the curve, but I can imagine the howls of laughter coming from the car behind. No doubt, it was a sight to behold. There was enough entertainment at my expense, I could of sold tickets to the event.

One thing about it, at 35mph, it seems like 60mph on your first ride. I feel like it took a long time to get to work that first day. I am fortunate that my commute to work is a 52 mile trip on deserted farm roads with little or no traffic. I counted five cars I passed while getting to work.

As each day passed, I would began to be at ease, not letting my guard down on all the dangers that lurked on the roadway and any potential hazards like mud, gravel roadkill, etc.

As the year went on, winter was coming on. It got colder and colder. I then bought me a heated 12v jacket liner with heated gloves and a dual thermostat. I then felt like a grilled cheese sandwich, (and I was the cheese!!) I was not the least bit cold when it was 21 degrees at 70 mph. All my co-workers has long since parked their motorcycles for the winter. I was the only one left. They call me hard core, but really, I was very comfortable.

In closing, I would like to say that in 1 1/2 years of making my commute with 23,000 miles behind me, I was thrust out on the road on a scooter because of the economy, but I now I have come to place where it is so enjoyable. Do you know what it looks like seeing the sun come up over 1,000 acres of corn?? You can sense the freshness and crispness of a new morning. God's creation.

Come to think of it, I believe I now ride like a 20 year old and you would also think so. Unless you saw the man behind the mask!!