daily slice-of-life photo blog of a Gen-X dad
Today was a perfect 75-degree day here in Austin, so Kiki and I took a relaxing ride around the neighborhood. Tomorrow the temperatures drop into the 40s, so I am glad I made the most of today’s beautiful weather.
Today I set up a new waterproof bag for Kiki, and I am really happy with how it turned out. The bag is thirty liters and fits perfectly on the passenger seat and rear rack. I love my North Face Base Camp duffel, but at seventy liters it is enormous. It will be great if I ever need to haul a mountain of gear for moto camping, but for everyday riding it is way too big. For carrying my tools and a spare inner tube, this smaller bag feels just right.
Here is a photo of yours truly right after scoring a crazy deal on a pair of five hundred dollar motorcycle boots that were marked down to seventy five. My current Gaerne boots are fifteen years old, and I have been casually hunting for replacements for a couple of years, so this felt like pure good luck. The new pair is BMW GS branded and made by Gaerne, which makes it a perfect one to one replacement for my old boots. I am pretty stoked about this find!
I lined up my two DJI Osmo Action 4 cameras today for today’s photo. They have been great for my motorcycle videos, even though I really only need one. I bought the second one during a huge sale because I thought it would be cool to try a three-camera setup on the bike. Turns out that is a bit too complicated for me. Maybe I should sell one. I am still thinking about it!
For now, my favorite combo is the DJI Osmo Action 4 for the main POV shot and the Insta360 X3 for the selfie and 360 view. That pairing feels just right.
Kiki, my 2007 BMW F650 GS, and I went out for a quick spin to fuel up. It wasn’t a long ride, but it felt great to zip around the neighborhood for a bit. Even short rides always put me in a good mood!
Later in the afternoon, my son and I went to see Tron: Ares, which had plenty of awesome motorcycle scenes – both real ones and the new+classic light-cycles. It was such a cool movie! The original Tron was one of my favorite films growing up, so it was a real treat to see those old-school computer graphics make a return for a few scenes.
Today Kiki and I went for a fun ride around North Austin, cruising through some of our favorite roads before heading out west and then back home. Check out the video to ride along with us!
Today I went to look at motorcycles with my friend and I spotted what might be my future bike, or at least the same model. This one only had 200 miles on the odometer and a few add-ons, so it would be a great find for someone. I prefer a different livery for the Triumph Speed Twin 900, so I wasn’t too tempted to buy it. What really caught my eye, though, was a little bell attached to the bottom of the frame.
It turns out this is called a gremlin bell and it’s meant to keep away mischievous gremlins that cause mechanical trouble. The fun part is that you’re not supposed to buy one for yourself. It has to be given to you by someone who cares about you. It’s like a protective charm with a built-in story.
If you’re looking for a thoughtful gift for a rider in your life, there are some great options like the Guardian Bell, the Angel Rider Bell, or even plain styles. What a neat tradition!
