Author Archives: kari

I’ve been acquiring a lot of boots lately. The thing that really strikes me is the different uses that people think boots should have – and that the companies that sell them want to make you think they’re good for.

For example – the boots on the left are MIA “motorcycle” boots. The leather is so soft and distressed, and I’ve worn holes in the heels after just a year of wearing them to walk around – think of how they would hold up at stops on a motorcycle! The boots in the middle are Frye  Engineer boots, graciously gifted to me by a friend who didn’t quite fit into them – they are great, and I would be tempted to wear them on the motorcycle. Except! The ones on the right are actual motorcycle boots (the Tourmaster Solutions), and they have ankle protection and a  shifting pad on the left toe so the tops don’t get hopelessly scuffed up. Plus they’re honest-to-goodness waterproof. After riding around in boots that really do protect your whole foot and ankle it’s hard to go back a reduced level of protection – no matter how goofy your feet look in the motorcycle boots.

Of the three boots the REAL motorcycle boots were also the most inexpensive, hilariously. Who knew it was so expensive to look like a motorcyclist, and still be so poorly protected?

I’m blogging a photo a day for the month of February. You should too! #29in29

We don’t have a garage at our house, but we do have a pretty big driveway. We’ve tried to solve the motorcycle parking issue with these plastic tarp sheds – each is about 8’x10′.

The one on the left is three years old, and holds my partners bikes: a 2006 SV650 and a 2007 Vulcan. The one on the right is just two years old and holds my DRZ-400 SM as well as my partners project bike, a 1976 Triumph.

(I am crawling Craigslist for a late-80s/early-90s sports bike to make into my own project bike! Searches for mororcycles for sale between $300-$500 are so much fun.)

The older shed isn’t doing well. Last winter the snow load was a little too much for the aging tarp and it began to shred. We have a newer tarp stretched over the frame of the shed for now like a silver toupee, picturesquely held on with milk jugs filled with water – but we should really find a better solution for next year.
I’m blogging a photo a day for the month of February. You should too! #29in29

• Paint my fingernails: it hides the inevitable dirty nails that comes from riding in mesh gloves in the summer.
• Learning more about mechanics. Cars are pretty intimidating but motorcycles are much smaller and accessible. I’m not scared to get my hands dirty on one.
• Exercise! Nothing makes a sports bike more comfortable than a zillion sit-ups. Nothing makes an 8 hour day in the saddle possible (for more than one day at a time) than a general level of fitness.
• Make sure things are done safely. Even though my job as an environmental engineer requires attention to health and safety, I don’t think I felt as empowered to speak up as I do now – now that I’m accustomed to having a hands-on responsibility to safety as I ride my motorcycle around.
• Be a better driver! I am much more present when I’m behind the wheel of my car. It makes me safer for myself and those around me.
• Pack a hairbrush. Because it’s so necessary for helmet hair.
• Take better care of my body and it’s basic needs. When you’re riding a motorcycle it’s important to get enough sleep, to make sure you eat at the right times, to avoid dehydration, and to wear sunblock. If you lose focus because you haven’t had enough protein for breakfast it can ruin your ride.
• Gained an appreciation for the journey rather than the destination. I’ve always had an affinity for roads less traveled, but now I’m almost happier not getting to my destination… there’s just something lovely about shifting from goal based thinking to process based thinking. I love the ride.

I’m blogging a photo a day for the month of February. You should too! #29in29