No Money, No Funny

Haven't been able to ride as often as I normally do, due to money.

Seems we have a credit card balance that went crazy. I'd like to blame it on the wife, but the fact is that I'm just as guilty, spending money on luxuries. So I said we each have to sacrifice something to save up money and get this debt paid off.

I decided to cut my joy riding in half, which not only consists of buying gasoline, but buying food and drink, and the maintenance costs associated with riding.

She's giving up going out to breakfast every morning.

I'm just doing one ride a week now. Normally, I'd take a day or two off during the week to go riding. Since I work at home, and work for myself, and don't have clients to answer to, it's giving me freedom to jump on the bike. But for now, I'm here at home working from morning to morning.

While I'm not riding during the week, my friends still are.

And here the days are beautiful in Southern California. They're riding up to Big Bear, or riding out to Palm Springs, and just today they rode out to the coast for some pizza.

I get to hear about how great the ride went, see the photos, and hear about the food.

And then today, another friend of mine invited me on a ride up to San Francisco, leaving this morning and coming back Saturday, with stops in Monterey, Sacramento, Yosemite, and back home. I just love those spontaneous overnighters, and hanging out at some bar far from home, drinking down brews with a buddy.

For a moment I wondered how I could justify this ride to my wife. I even imagined her sympthazing with me, and forgetting about this debt that we have to pay off. I thought maybe she'd tell me that I should go, because after all, this is my thing, riding motorcycles. But I also imagined her calling me a hypocrite, particularly after I yelled at her for going out to IHOPs and Denny's every morning for breakfast.

So I just said "no", I can't make it.

Other guys in our riding club mentioned feeling the pinch. One guy said he'd prefer to pack a lunch, and then stop at some park after a long ride. Another person mentioned that there's nothing wrong with hitting up a fast food joint. Personally, I love fast food. We get coupons in the mail all the time.

Another buddy of mine is planning a coast to coast ride this Summer, but has already expressed concern due to shortage of funds. It's been his dream to do this ride, but yet he says he's walking on eggshells trying to keep the wife from throwing a fit.