Always on the lookout for bargain purchases. Sometimes I run across things in unexpected places which I wish had a "For Sale" sign on them!

Yesterday we went to Payson so Sharon could see her orthopedic doctor. While she was there I roamed around town a bit. Stopped at the gun store just down the street and visited a while with the guys there. While I was there a pickup parked across the street with a pristine looking '05 XT225 in a receiver mount motorcycle carrier on the back. I looked hard to see if a For Sale sign was stuck to it - but no such luck.

Unfortunately the guy never came in the gun store. If he had I'd no doubt have spent time talking with him and ended up making an offer on his bike. Hey, you never know till you ask!..

Different guy - similar bike this time in the back of a pickup. I was at the bicycle shop. Saw the bike when I rolled in. Figured the owner was at the convenience store or barbershop as truck parked at that end of the lot.

Went out after dropping of my bicycle for warranty service. Walked over to the truck to eyeball the bike. Very clean. California original bike with all smog gear attached. Everything was clean other than the back fender/tail lights as someone clearly ate it hard.

Owner never happened to come by. I was hoping to find a new local riding buddy.

Another instance along the same lines. Out walking with my wife in the cool this morning. Went by my mechanics place, the fellow who does whatever may occasionally be required to keep my 4x4 '03 double cab Tacoma up to snuff mechanically, where we stopped to chat a moment. Told him we were on the old rugged Rim Road (forest road 300) scouting water holes and checking for wild horses on Sunday. We both noticed a sharp 'metal on metal' rattle we'd never before heard coming from somewhere under the truck as we drove that rough rocky route.

My mechanic was waiting for a scheduled repair job to show up with his lift bay empty. Told me to bring the truck by and we'd put it up in the air and see what we could see. Was back at his place in short order. The Tacoma went up on the lift, and quickly we found the main bushing on the rack and pinion worn through to metal to the point you could move it with your hand. After 140k miles things do occasionally need changing out - even on a Toyota Tacoma! So first of next month I'm scheduled to leave the Tacoma with him to be fixed - something I keep up with on all my vehicles.

Anyway, while we were talking he mentioned another customer who had a bike he wanted to sell. He'd seen the CRF230L that I ride and knew I was always on the lookout for good buys. Couldn't remember what the bike was, so he called the guy and wouldn't you know it the bike he 'had' for sale had already sold. The fellow said it was a 'Yamaha XT225', an '06 model that he'd had in his garage for some years unable to ride it because of medical problems. Said he'd sold it a couple of weeks ago to a fellow a few houses from him, a neighbor who thought he'd ride it a bit then possibly resell it himself. Told him if the neighbor ever mentioned selling it I'd be interested. So that's where that stands for now. No idea if this will pan out, but you never know..