TENMA Lessons

So...enough of the tech stuff. What about the touchy-feely stuff? As Craig Ferguson's cat asks; "What did we learn..."

For starters, let me say this was a great experience on several levels. First on the list, but for not making it to Banff as planned, I did it...and that feels great. I don't mind saying I was a little apprehensive about the whole deal and having pulled it off successfully without having had to come home in a bus, an ambulance or a hearse feels great. And the trip had everything you could want...a little challenge, a little problem solving on my feet, a little romance, some rest, lost an inch or two, breathed some clean dry air, saw some stunning sights...and most importantly, fulfilled a longstanding dream.

I will say to anybody who does not LOVE being on a motorcycle, don't do it. I learned that I may need to rebuild my motorcycle seat with a gel pad rather than the stock foam. Surprisingly 6 plus hours a day on a motorcycle can begin to make you think humans should be built with more butt padding...and I have an abundance already...but that is skirting the deeper issues.

I don't spend much time on the bike with music or any other distraction...I did a lot of thinking. I believe I discovered I am not a very deep thinker. I am more of a repetitive thinker. I guess if I wanted to dress it up I would say I am a meditative thinker... but I think that may be putting a little too much polish on it. Still, I managed to distill a relationship nugget out of the experience to share with my long-suffering wife. Not surprisingly to anybody who knows me, it took the form of an apology (it's between us, so keep guessing).

I will say that what I believe to have been her greatest hope for this enterprise (that I get it out of my system) remains completely disappointed; I can't wait to go again. I do have enough sense to recognize the fact that it cannot be a regular thing...and that I will indeed need to wait.

But how long?

TENMA Fuel Report

Odo	Date	Gal	$/Gal	Miles	MPG	TTL Miles	TTL Gal	Avg MPG	TTL Cost
22,589	9/1/12	6.13	3.86	224	36.5	224	6.1	36.52	$23.66
22,766	9/1/12	5.18	3.76	177	34.2	401	11.3	35.44	$43.13
22,922	9/1/12	4.07	3.96	156	38.4	557	15.4	36.22	$59.23
23,035	9/2/12	3.30	3.90	113	34.2	670	18.7	35.87	$72.10
23,210	9/2/12	3.59	4.04	175	48.8	845	22.3	37.95	$86.59
23,301	9/2/12	2.02	4.00	91	45.1	936	24.3	38.54	$94.66
23,431	9/3/12	2.71	3.94	130	48.0	1066	27.0	39.49	$105.33
23,622	9/4/12	4.32	3.88	191	44.2	1257	31.3	40.14	$122.08
23,784	9/4/12	3.31	3.91	162	49.0	1419	34.6	40.99	$135.01
23,987	9/4/12	4.71	4.00	203	43.1	1622	39.3	41.24	$153.85
24,067	9/5/12	2.56	3.76	80	31.3	1702	41.9	40.63	$163.46
24,250	9/5/12	3.91	4.30	183	46.9	1885	45.8	41.16	$180.25
24,446	9/6/12	4.22	4.20	196	46.5	2081	50.0	41.61	$197.95
24,634	9/7/12	4.25	3.90	188	44.2	2269	54.3	41.82	$214.53
24,821	9/7/12	5.06	3.86	187	37.0	2456	59.3	41.40	$234.05
24,907	9/8/12	2.35	4.50	86	36.6	2542	61.7	41.22	$244.62
25,077	9/8/12	4.09	3.92	170	41.6	2712	65.8	41.24	$260.65
25,236	9/8/12	3.31	4.19	159	48.0	2871	69.1	41.57	$274.52
25,445	9/9/12	4.91	4.50	209	42.6	3080	74.0	41.64	$296.59
25,606	9/15/12	3.63	4.26	161	44.4	3241	77.6	41.76	$312.03
25,792	9/15/12	4.33	4.30	186	43.0	3427	81.9	41.83	$330.63
25,946	9/15/12	3.56	4.49	154	43.3	3581	85.5	41.89	$346.60
26,128	9/16/12	4.06	4.42	182	44.8	3763	89.5	42.02	$364.54
26,202	9/17/12	1.93	4.50	74	38.4	3837	91.5	41.95	$373.21
26,313	9/17/12	2.45	4.40	111	45.4	3948	93.9	42.04	$383.97
26,538	9/17/12	5.08	4.08	225	44.3	4173	99.0	42.15	$404.68
26,751	9/18/12	5.39	4.76	213	39.5	4386	104.4	42.02	$430.31
26,895	9/19/12	3.81	3.98	144	37.8	4530	108.2	41.87	$445.46
27,062	9/19/12	3.37	4.08	167	49.6	4697	111.6	42.10	$459.20
27,237	9/20/12	4.14	4.02	175	42.3	4872	115.7	42.11	$475.84
27,499	9/20/12	5.43	4.00	262	48.3	5134	121.1	42.38	$497.54
27,700	9/21/12	4.42	4.06	201	45.5	5335	125.5	42.49	$515.51
27,899	9/21/12	4.27	3.94	199	46.6	5534	129.8	42.63	$532.33
28,111	9/22/12	5.46	3.88	212	38.8	5746	135.3	42.48	$553.51
28,303	9/22/12	5.20	3.90	192	36.9	5938	140.5	42.27	$573.78
28,516	9/23/12	5.73	3.85	213	37.2	6151	146.2	42.07	$595.82