My father-in-law recently purchased a small (50 cc) motorbike.  He and five of his buddies from the Lions' Club each bought identical bikes.  He said they're like an "Old Guys Bike Club."  (It sounds funnier in Japanese.)

Yesterday he let me ride it around the neighborhood.  (Apparently he doesn't let anyone ride it.  I was touched.) I drove around the fields and farms in the neighborhood.  Eventually, I found our house and I came back home.(Roads are really confusing in Japan!  I get lost easily here.)

I came back inside to get my wallet.  Since I had mobility, I wanted to take advantage of it.  (We're on vacation here, so we don't have our own car.)  Even though I didn't need anything, I went to a convenience store to buy two cans of beer for me, and some ice cream for my wife.

That was really fun!  I haven't ridden a motorbike in a long time.  I think that I can see the appeal of having one.  It was also an added bonus to be able to get around town a bit.

(My wife took a picture of me on the bike, but I can't post it.  I don't have the same photo posting facilities here in Japan as I do in America.  -My camera phone doesn't work here, and I can't plug my video camera into this computer.- I miss posting photos!  I might make a website of pictures that we've taken during our trip, and make a link there.  By the time I get them on-line, they won't be timely enough to put on this weblog.)

***************A note to my friends in Japan:****************

If I haven't gotten in touch with you or seen you yet, let me know.  I am planning a karaoke party in Nagoya for the 14th of August.  If I haven't e-mailed you personally about it, it means that I don't have your current e-mail address.