Suzuki DR 650 SE

I came out of the Library this afternoon, after shelving books for six hours, and spotted a really nicely maintained Suzuki DR 650 motorcycle parked in the lot. This being a rural county, some of the better used roads are not paved. North Bloomfield, for instance is paved a few miles up towards Yuba River, but eventually turns into gravel before crossing the river at Purdon and climbing up to North San Juan Ridge, a very long ridge of the Sierra Foothills which climbs from the lowlands at Bridgeport all the way to Bowman Lake, at the top of the Sierras. It is so rural there are obvious tree farms, planted in very precise rows easily visible in aerial photos on Google Earth, and side roads that drop off the ridge north to the Middle Fork of the Yuba River, towards Downieville, itself hardly a metropolis. Most people who live on the Ridge, an hour from Nevada City due to the slow curves of Hwy 49, are much too far from Sacramento to seriously commute anywhere for a job. Most of them work locally, growing dope. I am saying that plainly. The basic job, the occupation that pays the bills, on the North San Juan Ridge, is dope growing. Everybody knows this, around here.

 

So spotting this really nice looking DR650 motorcycle, very well maintained, probably down from a gravel road up on the ridge somewhere, for library books. I have slightly mixed feelings of admiration. This is someone who said "screw low fuel economy vehicles. I'm riding a bike." And rode it to the library to borrow books. You have to respect that. Whatever they do for a living.

 

This bike was spotless. There were no bent vanes in the oil cooler. The parts were carefully cleaned and lubricated. I have to admit this was looked after by a man who cares about his stuff, is proud of his bike and takes good care of it. Admirable. I hope he rides it in good health. I'd like one of those.