I was raised by wolves. Very kind, very nurturing wolves. I love riding to a town a just barely learned the name of on a Friday, making a decision at the intersection to get myself lost 1000 miles away from home on a Saturday, and trying to figure out how the hell I can get home on a Sunday. Just ride a place and see a thing.
I think about the moments in life that have got me to this place. Where I’m at, may or may not be your dream, and to be honest I’m not sure why anyone even follows this blog. But a few do, and it’s fun to share the rides I’ve had.
I think for all the dumb and good shit I’ve done, I haven’t been afraid to try something new. I’m grateful for whatever gene or thought I’ve had over the years, that trying something new or having the balls to seek something out hasn’t ever been my problem.
The world changes; ya gotta change. Ya gotta face whatever is bothering you, or what you see as a problem.
This house has brought me back to center, and I’m still figuring out why. I chased the American dream for a while, and did some really stupid shit. My dream failed, and I spend the last 10 years getting things back to center. For whatever reason, that was important to me. What I’m grateful for, is that I had the balls to try. *That* isn’t failure. I could have failed by not trying, and that could have been a worse thing.
I am still going to chase it.
So here I am; in my small house that has everything I’ve ever wanted. A couple of bikes in the garage, a wife I sincerely love, a daughter that is having her own kids now, and 2 kids that still need my help and who are still figuring out their way in life. There is much to do.
Back to center. Just trying to keep all the balls in the air that are important to me. Tomorrow is going to give me another challenge, and hopefully the past experiences in life will give me the answer, or I’ll have to learn something new and figure that out as well.
I took the day off for tomorrow. Today, is essentially a Friday, one day early.
Ya gotta love the Highwaymen. 4 individuals, who made it, doing things their own way.
Waylon Jennings: Picked up a following (mostly in Arizona), and they tried to make him a Nashville guy. The Nashville sound at the time was all slick and smooth, and Waylon just didn’t translate. He went back to his own sound, and went back to plowing his own ground. They eventually called him. Ya gotta love that.
Johnny Cash; the original outlaw. Johnny cash didn’t give a fuck most times. He had a song he wanted to sing, so he sang it.
Willie Nelson was a killer songwriter, but didn’t quite fit in into the Nashville of the time. He ended up being a legend and got things exactly how he wanted, sticking to his guns.
Chris Christopherson was a good songwriter, but a perfect example of how the world really works: some times it’s not always luck, sometimes its not always talent. Man, persistence and opportunity. The guy had that in droves. Maybe, I have more respect for him than any of the other four.
Anyway, thats how I see it. I’m just enjoying the highwayman mix in my garage right now.
Heh, sorry to get all deep on you. I just like this band. They’re good to twist a throttle to.
Remember the movie Jurassic Park? There’s a quote that has always stuck with me, since I first saw it in 1993. I remember that day; it was the summer blockbuster of the time, and the theater was jam packed. The air conditioning in the place had gone out, and we were all sweating like dogs. We didn’t care. We just wanted to see this movie.
Its the scene in the movie where the scientists are touring the facility and they’re trying to be sold on how wonderful the place is. The reluctant scientists have their doubts.
They pull up to a fenced area, with a goat is being held on a chain. It was meant to feed the Tyrannasaurus Rex.
Grant, a scientist in the film says: “T-rex doesn’t want to be fed, he wants to hunt”.
Hunt. Don’t be fed. Take care of those around you; Be a T-rex.
One of the reasons I wanted a bone stock Street Glide, is I enjoy how much fun it is to customize.
I’m also glad as hell I got the Street Glide. I really like this bike. Good power, and man…. it handles really well. I can make some miles on this thing. I’m having to make some decisions here; tour pak vs sissy bar luggage…. all that shit.
To me, there’s some basics ya gotta cover when you’re customizing a bike.
Seat: It’s where the wheel meets the road as far as comfort goes. Your ass is what hurts on a long ride. Ya gotta have a good seat. There’s a little bit of science I think that goes into that.
Pipes: Harley changed it’s sound when they got away from carburation, and went to fuel injected models. Plus, the government and all its regulations has made a Harley sound more like a Honda over the years. It is what it is.
The details. Shit like; floorboards, grips… fuel door covers. Things you stare at and just make you proud to own a harley. Sure, they’re bullshit window dressings, but they round out a bike. And I like them.
But my first priority is touring. Shit I can use, when I’m on the road.
So, new bike…. new day… I’ve tried to keep an open mind here, and with all the options that weren’t afforded to me the last time I purchased a Harley — I’ve debated trying something new vs going with what has worked for me in the past.
In this case, it’s a seat. I like a good solo seat. I just like exposing that back fender and if you can find a comfortable one, it just makes the bike look good. The design of a Harley has lines; Don’t fuck up the lines.
I’ve always bought Danny Gray seats — I just like them. They’re low profile, and well made.
I tried a mustang seat. It looked OK, but it rode like ass. I’m not a fan. Tried a couple others, and I just went back to what I knew.
I think I had it right the first time: I got another Danny Gray seat. I’ve bought 3 different ones, this one is called the speed cradle. It’s like butta. It’s like hand of your mother holding you as a newborn baby. Thats fucking right. Plus, If I might add —- I just think it looks quite good.
I also got some saddle bag guards so I can put my bike registration, my tool kit and a bottle of water when I’m riding. Ya gotta have those things.
The next thing is pipes. I love my bike, but this thing sounds more like a blender than it does a Harley. That’s my next purchase. I’m thinking vance and hines, like I had on my last Street Glide.
I found me some free time today, and decided to go back to Coolidge dam. Hell, it was going to be 75 degrees today. In February. That just begs for a ride. Plus I saw some side roads the last ride, and this time I had a little time to mozy.
I fucking love this bike. Harley did a great job here. Even bone stock, its got good power for passing, pulling a hill and it just…. handles well. I’m still figuring out a few of the details on how I like it set up, but so far its got a good answer to all of my questions and I’m pretty happy with the purchase.
I headed out around 11. Temps were nice and not a cloud in the sky — I swear to God I hear my bike Purr. I twisted a throttle and headed east, toward the mining town of Superior and Globe.
Rode up through the San Carlos Apache Reservation. Beautiful country. I minded my P’s and Q’s. If you remember History, the Apaches don’t fuck around. Tribal police and all, I kept the speed limit.
I crossed underneath the 60, and toward Coolidge Dam.
This whole area felt weird. You can tell it hasn’t been maintained for a while, at least for a road heading toward a Dam. There were ghosts of old Marinas, and signs showing businesses that had been long gone. How long, I’m not sure.
The Coolidge dam has somewhat of a cool history. Built from 1924 to 1928, it was part of an irrigation project was needed to tame the rivers, and build water storage for farmers.
in 1930, then President Calvin Coolidge dedicated the Dam. At the dedication, satirist Will Rogers, noting how low the water was said “if this were my dam, I’d mow it”.
The dam has had a crazy history of water levels, which was it’s intended use. At times, its the largest body of water in Arizona with 158 miles of shoreline. Other times, not so much.
Even the spillway has a little style…Check out that Eagle. They just don’t build shit like that anymore. Looking East.Looking west. Vanity photo of my bike. There’s also a historical Dam in there somewhere. downstream.
I doubled back, toward the crick and checked out some things I’d missed.
This may be a ride I’ll do a third time, as there were yet more roads that I wanted to check out but wasn’t able to see due to time.
