Mission Accomplished

It's official. Sometime around noon today, I became the proud owner of a new Harley Davidson Sportster 883. To the right, you'll see the proud owner (squinting into the sun) and my younger brother in the background. After buying the bike, I spent the rest of the afternoon doing what any first-time Harley owner would do... I rode around until my butt went numb. Okay, not quite.

I rode around town for a half hour or so to get used to the bike, and then went to an empty parking lot, so I could practice quick stops and tight turns. After that, I rode home. I should mention that "home" was about three hours away from where I bought the bike. I bought the bike in the town where I grew up, mainly because the owner of that dealership is a friend of the family. I took my time coming home, making sure to take backroads until I got comfortable with the bike, and taking breaks along the way.

I'm looking forward to a long and happy relationship with my new toy. And yes, I wore a helmet! Oh, by the way, I'd like to thank my motorcycle safety instructors, Dave and Rex for the invaluable knowledge they shared with me during my motorcycle safety course last weekend.