Choosing your weapon (er, vehicle)

Many simple living enthusiasts promote pairing down the amount of stuff you own. After all, any item you possess will require some attention from you in the form of maintenance or other upkeep, some space to store, and will cost you some money. I agree with them in principal, however I think there is a case to be made for having a few different vehicle types available to you for different kinds of trips.*

Rainy Ride

I tossed my leg over the teal green gas tank, pulled in the clutch lever, and pushed the little black starter button with my right thumb. The machine sprang to life with a muffled thump from its exhaust pipes, and sat there idling, awaiting the command to move. As I clunked it into gear and revved the engine to pull away, my mind started to wander to the weekend that had passed, and the emotions that it produced. The note of the engine changed from a rhythmic thumping to a packed growl as wound through the suburban streets and made my way onto the highway, and Bob Seger's "Turn The Page" crept into my mind, providing a musical backdrop for the prairie that lay ahead.

"On a long and lonesome highway,
East of Omaha
You can listen to the engine moaning
Out its one note song.
You can think about the Woman
Or the girl you knew the night before..."