Meet Otono!

Otono, the Honda Shadow Spirit

Leia was adorable. She had good gas mileage (65-110mpg depending on conditions). She was blue. She was simple. This Honda Rebel was the best a girl could ask for in cheap and reliable transportation.

Well, almost.

At 250cc, she was perfect for the getting between places in the backroads of Virginia and DC. As for the highways of New Mexico since there are no backroads? Not so much. Cars and trucks were flying past me, further driving my insecurity of feeling swallowed by the road. The miles seemed longer in the wide open spaces of the fifth largest state in the nation.

Logic and reason said to get a car. My volunteer “salary” with Americorp disagreed. So, I went into a motorcycle shop in Albuquerque to look at winter riding gloves to make my cold weather riding slightly less miserable. I got the gloves... and more.

A 2006 Shadow Spirit glimmered in the sun. To make a long story short, I negotiated a very good deal if I traded in my Honda Rebel. I gave the salesman a difficult time since the bike is orange with flames and my Joe Rocket riding jacket is pink with flowers. The fashionista in me cringed with horror. Guilt hung in his eyes so he made the deal even sweeter by throwing in a one year warranty with Honda.

Fellow fashionistas, cover your eyes when I ride by! I’ll be gone before you know it, roaring down the road on my 750cc motorcycle! I can pass trucks instead of being caught in the side winds. I can get out of the way of drivers who are in my way. People can hear me rumble from a long ways away.

The long lonely roads of New Mexico!

I have to admit. It feels good!

I know this is not a permanent solution. I still have my sights set on a car someday. At the right time with the right budget, it will happen. I promise to try my best. So many of you are worried. I know... trust me, if I had the budget for a car, I’d get one right now! I appreciate the concern. What I don’t appreciate is people nagging me for my “awful” motorcycle without offering a solution given my current financial situation. You’re not the only one who is nervous about the crazy New Mexican drivers. Instead of chiding me, just send me prayers for an extra layer of guardian angels. I’m willing to take donations for a car fund too :-)

In the meantime, I will rumble and roar on Otono. Otono, Spanish for “autumn”, seemed so appropriate of a name since I moved to New Mexico in autumn and the bike is indeed an autumn color :-)

Ride on!

Braking for turtles with Leia the Honda Rebel