The best thing about winter is that it eventually passes. When you look at the calendar and say "Great, only a month left before it warms up enough to ride comfortably" its a defined amount of time. There is no question about it.
All winter long I got up early and busted my ass in the gym, I watched my diet, and I managed to get down to "race weight". Go me. I de-winterized my track bike and put on fresh sticky rubber. I splurged and got a new race suit and back protector. I even managed to save a few bucks to fund my track habit during the summer.
Then all this Covid19 nonsense happened and the world went mad.
March Trackday - Cancelled
April Trackday/Race - Cancelled
MotoGP - "postponed" until at least mid-May
WSBK - "postpond" until at least mid-May
MotoAmerica? Who knows
In Oregon the Governor shut down the state with a ridiculous stay at home order that makes it a misdemeanor (with possible jail time and large fine) to do "non-essential" travel. Even riders I know who would normally raise their middle finger to authority and say let's go ride are shaming others for wanting to get out.
I know what you're thinking, "but Tim, this is to protect the old and sick that could die from the Covid19".
Allow me to explain why that pisses me off. I have bad asthma. Like, really bad. In 2013-2016 I had multiple respiratory infections resulting from the flu. In 2018 I was in the hospital multiple times for it and we had to re-home our house cats just so I could breath.
The world didn't come to a stop. No governor shut down the economy of the state and ordered everyone home so they wouldn't spread the flu to an at risk person. People still stubbornly came to work with their colds and flus and coughed on me. You know what? I'm not the only person who's ever been "at risk". In Oregon all the deaths from this virus are people that were on seriously borrowed time already.
I digress. The worst part about this stay at home order is that its like the winter, except there's no end in sight. Unlike winter I can't go to the bar. Unlike winter I can't go snowboarding. Unlike winter, I'm not a badass for going riding, I'm a criminal that my own friends will shame and might turn in.
In closing, here's a picture of my white elephant. Can't use it, can't sell it. It just sits there in my garage as a reminder of what could have been.
