Just chill, forgive, and enjoy the best part of this:  Riding with peeps, enjoy motorcycle talk, and let go of the need to judge or control. 

Keep the formula simple and magically, it becomes fun again.   

I suspect people have different tastes and use a wide variety of complex formulas to arrive at the magic fun part.

For as little as I get to ride for fun, judging and controlling have to play a major role or I simply don't have the magic fun; Lloyd and I may have that in common.  I cram as much of "my" fun as I can in on "my" rides, and put as much of "myself" as I can afford into various real and web-based communities.  When outside influences alter my "fun" level I get to decide what I can change; sometimes it's my attitude/preferences, sometimes it's not.

Lloyd's obviously seen a road or two, a group or two, a forum or two, etc. and his response to the current situation is what it is.   Whose fault is that?  Nobody's, everybody's?  Who cares?  You keep doing your thing, he'll keep doing his, and if we are all respectful enough of each other, we'll hopefully all cross paths as friends, or better, in the future.

a.s.

p.s.  I think it's worth pointing out that he did say "the rides", not just "rides"...

thanks for the welcome guys!  it burns a little oil now, but aside from that, and the never-successful valve cover sealing following valve clearance checks it's been a superb bike.  from what I gather I might need to try Lloyd's services out for that next time.

a.s.