Cell Phones While Riding

I ran across this thread the other day, while wondering if there are any good iPhone apps that have to do with motorcycling. Some guy is upset that he can't talk on his iPhone while riding. For me, I don't even listen to music while riding. Even on this years trip from Alaska to Seattle the wife and I didn't listen to music, there was just too much to take in visually, and music was a distraction from the reason we were there. The sounds of the ride were important too, hearing the whine of the engine, the road surface changing, even pulling over here and there to listen to the wind and bald eagles cry while flying over head, there's just so much a visitor should take in on a trip like that. Of course there's the safety issue. I just don't think it's smart to not hear the ambient traffic noise around you, much less have a cell phone conversation while riding. Plus, at least for me, one reason I like to ride is I can be left alone, to be in my own world. In the few times that I've been expecting a call, I've pulled over once I felt the phone vibrate and called the person back. No worries. So it's everyone's own prerogative what they want to do while riding, but my simple advice is to be in the moment and focus on riding, while riding. Riding is fun, we like to do it, so why not concentrate on it?

WWI Paint Job

I was looking over a bike in the parking garage today, and I got to thinking how some bikes look like WWI battleships in camo. Of course they're not purposely painted for this, but I still think the bikes look like the long lost offspring of the ships. I think some of these paint jobs look great, bikes and battleships, just pointing out the similarities.