This time of year, we're always on a roller coaster ride of weather with a mixture of winter and spring often rolled into one week. The past several days was no exception, with temperatures in the early week reaching highs in the 50s, 60s, and even 70s but this morning greeting us South Dakotans with temperatures in the teens.
But for the warmer days, they're perfect days to pull the motorcycle out of the garage, dust it off, and go for a ride. Every time I get on a motorcycle (or bicycle) this time of year, I'm just grateful that summer is approaching and have the opportunity to once again enjoy the open road.
For three days this week, I was able to ride my 2017 Spyder RT in Sioux Falls as well as surrounding rural areas. For my first trip, I decided to stop by a rural church, Trinity Lutheran Church, for a photo opportunity. The church sits just west of Sioux Falls but I've always passed it by during previous rides. Given that most churches are now closed to the public due to the pandemic, I thought it fitting to at least stop by this Sunday afternoon and spend a few minutes outside gathering my thoughts and even saying a prayer or two.
On Monday, I must have rode 70 miles in one big loop north of Sioux Falls. Besides the scenery, the day was a new milestone for my 2017 Spyder. The odometer reached 8000 miles on my return to home, between Baltic, SD and Renner, SD. So far, I'm putting about 5000 miles a year on the motorcycle as you may recall that last year I had only 3000 miles on the gauge. I'm pretty pleased with that amount of riding I'm doing as I know people that ride there motorcycle a lot less than I do. This Spyder has been a good investment for me and my wife.
Speaking of the wife, Karen and I rode two-up on the third day of warmer weather. While I went on a solo ride earlier in the afternoon, I rode as a passenger on our evening trip together. Despite my male ego, with a three-wheeler I find myself pretty relaxed and comfortable having her at the handlebars and me sitting in the back. This is exactly one of the reasons we bought the Spyder, so we could take turns driving the Spyder down the road on long trips giving the other the opportunity to sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenery.
So there you have it, three days of riding the Spyder. Now once again, I wait for the freezing rain to melt, the roads to dry, and warmer days so I can go for another ride with the Spyder.