Jody's birthday, April 13th, fell on Friday this year.  In spite of the day, I think she had a nice time, squeezed as she was between Orthodox holyday observances . . .while every other Christian denomination had finished Easter the week before and moved on!  Son Donald had warned me against limiting my gift-giving to vacuum cleaners and motorcycle gear . . .but I did manage to squeeze in her new helmet and the new Sena radios.  I still haven't gotten mine past the cauliflower ear stage, but the phone connection w/pandora sounds good. . .almost audible over the stubby pipes. 

When you pack everything on the bike . . . you're 1,000 miles from home . . .each item, from the compressible down pillow, the miniature shaving kit, the home-built tent-table, to the radio/helmets; all of these become the world in which you live.  This is the early planning stage when you have the leisure to debate whether to take the camera that needs the charger. . .or the one that works on AA batteries you can find anywhere.   Is it a rule that every electronic device must have its own charger?  On the highway, at speed, the inside of that helmet is your entire world - it becomes much like the interior of your car.  If your leathered-up, you can almost feel as removed from the world until you slow down, come to a stop and put a boot on the ground.  Suddenly you're out of doors again.  Nice way to travel!