It seems to me that some people are born a Biker. Some people have a bike, some have garage trophies that they’ve paid thousands of dollars for with 1200 miles in the garage they only bust out on Labor day. Some think they are cool and like it, but maybe not love it.

Then, there are some that love it. They just have to ride a motorcycle. I don’t know what that is, or how it happens but there are just some people who are born a biker. I swear, there is a riding gene.

I’ve always been friends with these people; some I like, some I love and some I really can’t stand, but I have respect for the biker gene; we have that in common.

I have had a number of people send me their stories over the years and I’ve enjoyed the hell out of them, and have been honored they related to what I’ve written that they sent them to me. When the Easy Rider book started late last year, I asked for your Easy Rider stories and I’ve loved reading them as well. Yesterday, an old biker friend of mine sent me his, out of the blue.

Anyway, I’m adding a new Section. The first story comes out tomorrow, and I’m going to compile them. I’d love to hear your biker story — what you’ve ridden, and why you do it and whatever else. Pictures too, if you have em. Email mrzip66@gmail.com and lets show off your bike, some of your rides and tell your story.

Ride hard, ya biker pricks 🙂

One of the things I like about Missus Zip is I’m able to sell her on doing things that normal people aren’t prone to doing. Like getting out of bed early on a Saturday morning (its a hard sell) and riding 40 miles to try a Breakfast joint a couple of towns away.

I’m usually up at 5, and I sit on the couch and watch the rifleman, or some war movie till I can’t stand it any longer, then go upstairs and pitch my latest idea that just came to me a few minutes ago. She usually relents. Missus Zip is a sport.

It’s been unbelievably nice weather, and the ride was nice. We found this bitchen old cafe that had been there since 1955 that had good reviews and tried it out. Tags is one of those old time local places. Full of Arizona Cowboys who give you the eye when you walk in, wondering who the outsiders are. They make a mean breakfast.

The ride was nice, so I pushed my luck and said lets head south to see an old Spanish mission I’ve been wanting to see. Mission San Xavier del Bac.

There’s not very many modern era buildings in the west that date back to the 1700’s. Back east, there are a bunch, but here its pretty rare.

I’m not a religious guy at all, but I can appreciate the reverence that people have for this place, and I’m pretty amazed by it. Humans make cool shit 🙂

We enjoyed the day, found us a new Mexican restaurant we haven’t tried in Tucson, and rode home.

A pretty damn good day methinks.

Flew up to Seattle this week. Not because work said so, but because I wanted to see my daughter, son in law and our Grandkid.

Man, she’s cute. She didn’t know what to think of the bearded guy, and it took her a few days to warm up. She did.

We ate some killer (and not so good) seafood, had us a brunch or two, and enjoyed each others company.

It’s cool to see your kids growing up, and raising other kids It’s a little different; you have to respect their ways, and sit back and enjoy it. You did things your way, they wanna do things theirs. The fruit it seems, doesn’t fall too far from the tree.

We went up to Seattle, and over to ocean shores. We watched hockey and I drank a beer I’ve never heard of. We laughed a little bit. We had some great and bad brunches. We saw the pacific ocean, and we all had a moment. Yeah, it was cool.

At the end of the day, Family means everything. You can ride, you can see the world;, but when you see a little kid staring back at you that is your own, it’s more important than anything you had in your head before that.

Pass it down.

“This operation is not being planned with any alternatives. This operation is planned as a victory, and that’s the way it’s going to be. We’re going down there, and we’re throwing everything we have into it, and we’re going to make it a success.” — General Dwight D Eisenhower

Thank God they did. Much Respect.

My wife controls pretty much most of the house. I don’t get much say on how its decorated, or really even get to pick any colors. Turns out, black with skulls and Harley logos isn’t ever a part of missus Zip’s Interior decoration plans.

But, the garage is different. I rule shit out here, and I have it set up as I please. Out here, I’m a god. I scheme, fix things and make life decisions. I have my road trophies on the wall; posters of things I enjoy. Some black, and some skulls. Its my fortress of solitude.

Today, I have way too much time on my hands for my own good, so I’m sitting out here in my makeshift desk, with my laptop in full admiration of my bike.

Much of the reason I moved to Arizona was to conquer the roads down here. There’s really not a road in Utah I haven’t ridden, but in Arizona the west and central part of the US is open to me. Time, is usually my problem.

My Bike is 20 years old. It still runs like a raped ape and has never let me down, but my plan is to get a new one. My wife and I make deals together; its just how we work. Our deal for the last year is to get her a house. If I do that, I can bring home a bike. I joke with her that I’m bringing home one the next day. I joke, but she pretty much knows I’m going to.

Bikes have always been a tricky thing. For the most part, I’ve had a motorcycle since I was 11 years old. In a solid and loving relationship, a bike can be a third wheel. She’s the love of my life; Im glad she has never made me choose. I think she knows I come home way happier than when I leave. I’m lucky that way.

With all this time on my hands, I’m sitting in my fortress of solitude mulling over the deeper questions of life: What bike am I going to get; and what is my next ride. This is weighty shit.

As far as the bike goes, I’ve pretty much ruled out the Indian. I like their bikes, but I’ve been a Harley guy and ironically, I can get the one I want cheaper. The only thing I’ll miss, is that electric windshield you can move up and down.

So I’m torn between getting the full on Electra Granny Glide, or another Street Glide. I like the Street Glide because it’s fucking bitchen looking, I like the Electra because it’s got everything you can want.

As far as rides; Long term: the entire state of Texas — Short term Douglas Arizona.

Shit, I’m rambling.

Just Random thoughts from the garage….

I’ve had about a half a dozen companies send me products to review for my blog. I’ve done one, and only because they said I could give my honest review even if the product sucked. The others I’ve sent back and respectfully declined, because they weren’t anything I’d ride with.

In March when I rode to New Mexico, It was pretty chilly, and I’d realized my old leather Jacket needed to be taken behind the barn, given a moment of silence and put down. The liner was long gone, the pockets were thrashed; I’d rigged the zipper with baling wire.

So I went on the hunt for a leather Jacket. Man, for years I wanted a Langlitz jacket. In my opinion, they’re the best. Hand made, good quality, and made in America. Lifetime guarantee. I’m just too much of a cheap ass to fork out well over a thousand dollars for one. Maybe someday.

I went to Arizona bike week in April, and searched around for one, and I found these guys. American made, really thick quality leather, and heavy duty zippers. I got out the door with this for $250 bucks, and thought I’d made a deal.

So here’s my free review to Papas Leather. I think I love you guys.

On the road, A good jacket is pretty much the 3rd most important thing. The first is your bike. The 2nd is your wallet, because if that falls out you’re fucked. The third is a good jacket; its the only thing between you and 80 mph road rash, it keeps you warm or protects you from exposure, and depending on how you lodge for the night, its your pillow in a pinch. Plus, it holds your shit. Your gun, your phone, and whatever else you might need right away.

The first thing; This is good thick leather. Its not cheap. They’ve done some nice things with it.

This is the mens “updated” biker Jacket. Old school, with just a few more pockets.

This is the part I like: Lots of pockets: and even more vents. Once I figgered on the zippers at 80 mph with my left hand, this became kinda cool. Kinda millennial I know, with just a hint of danger.

Great jacket; I think I love it. The liner is nice because it goes down the sleeves as well, and is easily removed. All for $230.00. Veteran discounts.

I’m fan. Great Jacket for the price.

Been into Billy Gibbons lately, and some of his music. In an interview, Dan Rather asked him the meaning of the ZZ top song “Tush”. I always thought it was about getting some tail, but it’s not. He explained it came from Texas slang about being a “tush hog”.

They got it from a Gene Vincent song from 1967 called Tush Hog

If you look up tushhog from urban dictionary, it explains it pretty well.

Life is good. I’ve got one day of work tomorrow, then off for a week. Heading up to Seattle to see my oldest daughter, her husband and my 6 month old grandbaby. She has that look in her eye; she’s going to be a good one. Starting to crawl, and each video we get makes us smile pretty wide. She has a name I think, but I call her peach.

The Easy Rider book is coming out in November —- I’ve read the rough draft, and I’m pretty happy with it. We’ll see how that turns out.

Family life is good. This last ride I came back with the thought of how lucky of a man I am. My wife is awesome, my dog is a little shit, my kids are on a good path and my bike runs.

After travelling around and renting for the last 10 years, we’ve finally decided to put down roots here. Arizona, is home. Missus Zip and I both love it, and it’s been a while since we had our own place.

Looking forward to meeting my neighbors, building my dream back yard, painting the walls whatever colors my wife wants, and being a homeowner again. Firing up the smoker, and having a bunch of bikers over. It’s been too long.

Plus I’ve got a lot of great roads here that need to be ridden.

I’m just looking for some Tush.

The ride up to Springerville was awesome. I found me an economy room, watched a war movie, and crashed for the night. The next morning was a bit chilly, so I leathered up and headed out.

Day two on a ride is always killer. I doubled back on the road I came for about 30 miles, then made the turn that goes down the New Mexico side.

There’s a part of me that really hates New Mexico. Yes, its a beautiful state. But I’ve had issues there. Their DMV is worthless, and the cops are worse. They also have unreasonable speed limits, that are well below what they should be. A normal twisty road in any other state that should be at least 60 mph, is 50 in New Mexico. Maybe 45. Its just dumb.

They also over inform you about any fucking bend in the road. Most states will put 2 stripes in the center of the road, which gives you all the info you need to decide whether its safe to pass or not. Not this Nanny-ass state. Any given bend in the road contains at least 20 signs:

• First, a sign to slow you down 10 miles per hour, one mile before the turn.
• Then, no passing signs on BOTH sides of the road (just in case your neck doesn’t bend, or your eyes don’t move 22 degrees to the left)
• Then, arrows showing you of the approaching, fairly gentle 45 degree bend.
• Then, arrows all through the bend, as if you don’t realize you’re turning. Maybe, some people don’t.
• Then, 2 more “no passing” signs.
• Then another sigh showing that this clearly 70 mile per hour road is going up 10 more MPH to a geriatric-like 50 miles per hour.
• Keep in mind, there is another turn in 3 miles, and this whole thing starts over.

I’m bitter because I got a ticket in New Mexico in 2015 for speeding in the middle of the night (I was so close to Texas I could taste it), and I fought that ticket and paid for it at least 3 times and ended up driving to Gallup to solve the actual problem 4 years later because it was effecting my life.

Per mile, I bet New Mexico spends more than any other state, just on road signage.

I’m going to get off this rant now, but yes —- Fuck You, New Mexico. You’re like the hot chick who makes for a difficult relationship; You are beautiful, but I hate you.

So anyway, I hit New Mexico 🙂

Great *cough slow* Ride. I enjoyed the hell out of it.

US 180 changes terrain a lot, from the 9,000 foot forest of Arizona to the Deserts of New Mexico. I loved this road. If you haven’t done this loop, man, do it. It’s great riding.

I mozied most of the ride, and just enjoyed the day. When I hit up Safford, I decided to get a room and stay just to milk the ride out for one more day.

Hit home the next day with a different perspective. Exactly what a good ride will do, and exactly what I needed.

2 days, 2 states, 317 miles