"My only disagreement is about your "Ls are useless" comment. My L was invaluable."
Kerry I agree its important to get a good L in cases where there's no mutual agreement. But there are some pretty bad Ls out there. And often you get a so-so one pitted against a really bad one. Often the LBS is in no state of mind to make good choices. And the bottom line is the L's are limited by the "no-fault" and "community-property" laws and they cannot really bring about real justice in many of these cases but they can only posture and intimidate the other side to get an agreement instead of asking the judge to decide - the judge is also limited by the unjust laws. For example I don't see why a woman should be paid alimony when she's left her husband and is living with a millionaire only not "married" to him. Or a "cheater" or mentally ill person gets half of all assets plus full custody of the kids because the other spouse commutes 100 miles to work and needs to travel a lot on work.
fb2 hit it on the nail- 100% agreed with everything. Once you part ways you should be responsible for yourself man or woman. The person doing the leaving should have to pay something though. In fact, there should be a mandatory agreement both parties should be required to sign before getting married. Yes sort of like a pre-nup but it should be mandated at that time so it's all black and white.
Antlers, cool bikes! How long have you been riding?
I hear you on pushing our lucks. I used to race cars, I gave that up when DD was born. But nothing could compare and fill the void of doing 75mph through a decreasing radius, off-camber turn with full opposite lock and a four wheel drift. Then I discovered motorcycles, went through the safety course, got the right gear then freaked myself out reading about how people lose limbs and die. I stopped riding for a while because of that fear. The dangers of motorcycle riding are very real that people don't realize. In a car something runs out in front of you, you brake hard, you probably get all out of shape etc but you're usually ok. On a bike you're for sure planting your face into the 20 grit sand paper called road. You even have to watch out for the pebbles and rocks in front of you in a turn so you don't wipe out. Just a very different dynamic. I don't ride a lot but when I do just the feeling of freedom and the experience of man and the machine becoming one is pretty damn cool.
Me: 35|WAW: 38|D: 6yo | http://tinyurl.com/2dxx7m6 Feb 2006, left, came back in two weeks Aug 2006, left again Apr 2007, filed for divorce Dec 2007, reunited Mar 2010, moved out, filed again
I've taken the roads that guy took - but in a car!
It was a car abruptly stopping in front of me because someone pulled out in front of them that caused me to rear end them with my last bike. Motorcycles do indeed need a little more stopping space.
I started riding when I was a boy; dirt bikes. Then I bought a néw Gold Wing when I was 18. After I became a 'responsible' adult, I stopped riding. I didn't ride for years...I didn't wanna risk anything having a wife and kids (same reason I stopped flying on emergency medical helicoptors). Last May I started riding again...loved it. I don't plan on being without a motorcycle again.
"Always go straight forward, and if you meet the devil, cut him in two and go between the pieces." - William Sturgis, clipper ship captain, 1830's.
Kerry, I sure have read that book- it's a classic and should be a required reading for all. I have to say it was not an easy read at times so I skipped through pages lol I've been thinking of reading: "Zen and Now: On the Trail of Robert Pirsig and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" - the author takes the same route as Robert did way back when. I've also read Blue Highways- again not an easy read but hey you gotta read these classics. My pipe dream is to do a cross country road-trip and drive/ride up to Alaska. Speaking of Alaska have you guys read/watched 'Into the Wild?' another must read/watch.
Antlers, cool background with the bikes. And the Goldwing, they're the 2-wheel versions of the Cadillacs. I know of a guy who bought an old one and took off all the fairings and body parts to make it into a standard/naked bike, painted it all matt black. Wow it commands respect with that 6cyl engine.
The technology on the new bikes is amazing though, ABS, anti-dive, anti-squat suspension, linked front and rear brakes etc They definitely help with the safety aspect and it's one of the reasons I'd been considering getting a new bike- as much as I love the old school stuff and the wrenching part.
Me: 35|WAW: 38|D: 6yo | http://tinyurl.com/2dxx7m6 Feb 2006, left, came back in two weeks Aug 2006, left again Apr 2007, filed for divorce Dec 2007, reunited Mar 2010, moved out, filed again
Long Way Round (with Ewan McGregor of Obi-Won Kenobi fame) is the best motorcycle documentary I have ever seen. Actually, it is probably the best documentary of any subject I've seen. I am sure that BMW motorcycle sales got a boost from this show.
Kerry, I've seen Long Way Round with STBXW- even she enjoyed it and she has no deep interest in bikes/cars etc...she knows a lot because of me. She can tell you the F1 drivers and WRC rally car drivers too.
You too antlers- cool bikes btw! I bet those bikes stay planted at the tripple digit speeds.
I just came back from a 60 mi ride along Hwy 1 aka PCH. Wow it was gorgeous and the scenery...that's what I mean feeling like my life's passing me by and I'm watching it all from the sidelines. It's torture being single sometimes
Last edited by ImprovedRomeo; 10/11/1002:01 AM.
Me: 35|WAW: 38|D: 6yo | http://tinyurl.com/2dxx7m6 Feb 2006, left, came back in two weeks Aug 2006, left again Apr 2007, filed for divorce Dec 2007, reunited Mar 2010, moved out, filed again