UDF and Fresh Strawberries

Jodie is out of town visiting family this weekend, leaving me to my own devices. With a beautiful, warm sunny weekend at long last upon us, I’ve spent most of the day riding my Ural Patrol, Svetlana, around our South Eugene area. (No pics today, I’m afraid, as Jodie took the digicam with her.)

After a hot breakfast and lots of coffee, I rode Svetlana over to the Southtowne Shoppes for a bit of shopping. Jodie and I get most of our produce and eggs from the wonderful folks at Sweetwater Farm. On Saturdays during the summer months they also run a farmer’s market at Southtowne, and I motored down to pick up a flat of strawberries and some wee artichokes, for when Jodie gets back on Tuesday.

“I’ve heard about these!”

Following a nip into the butcher shop, Longs Meat Market, for some ground buffalo, good ol’ Ural Delay Factor, or UDF, set in. After chatting with a woman about her Smart Car (45 miles to the gallon, in town!), another woman came out and said, “Everyone inside is talking about your motorcycle!”

Soon after a man came out (her husband, I believe), and said something I had not yet heard: “I’ve heard of these! I looked them up online!” Now, people are often intrigued by Svetlana, but they generally have not heard of the Ural brand.

We spend a fair few minutes talking about the bike. Another guy came over and joined the conversation too, and we talked about two-wheel drive, fuel economy and how Jodie and Ella fit in the sidecar.

“Nice sidecar!”

After visiting some friends (and agreeing to take a visiting friend for a ride in the sidecar later), I was on my way back home to eat an entire flat of strawberries freeze some strawberries for the never far enough away days when fresh strawberry season is over.

On the way back home, a great moment. I was first in-line at a stoplight. A teenage boy, probably around 13, was crossing the street. He noticed the sidecar, and when he got to the other corner turned, smiled and said, “Nice sidecar!”

The whole way home, and the entire trip around town, people looked and waved and grinned. I don’t know that I will ever get tired of that. And today I got to have some great conversations with folks I’d never know otherwise. And Svetlana did what she does best – bring smiles to lots of people’s faces.