Find a road you haven’t ridden, and go there.   Life is short.

Its funny watching biker trends.   It’s like any other mainstream culture.   Right now, its rat rod bikes — pans, knuckles and shovels as cheap as you can;  retro bikes 60’s and 70’s style.  I see em’ on the the freeway with a gas can strapped in with a bungee cord because they’re riding with a 2 gallon peanut gas tank…   Baggers and choppers are out, rat rods are in.

In 2003, this was the thing:  custom choppers and these guys were in the right place at the right time.    I watched the show, and even bought the entire DVD set.

OCC is trying to make a come back:   It’s kind of cool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAYy5dMC6bg&feature=youtu.be

Thanks to my friend Pete for keeping me informed:  I hope they nail it — we could use more bike culture on TV.

Steve’n’Seagulls.   They keep doing it:  the redneck originals.     I think I love this band.

Banjo’s weren’t cool in the 90s, but this song was.

For those that have no reference, here’s the original:

Time to re-do the site.   Please excuse the mess for a few while I play around with things.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy0rbxbNmOI

After summing up the bank account between the move and Christmas, it was pretty clear I was to stay home last weekend.   No exploring here.   I changed the oil in the bike and ended up getting sucked into a Breaking Bad marathon, and just relaxed.   It was fairly awesome.     Overall, not a bad holiday weekend as holiday weekends go.

I thought I’d make a blog post, either way.

I keep thinking about the differences between Utah and Arizona, and maybe a few other states I’ve been to.  Since I’m a road hound, the biggest comparison is how people drive in different states.    I figgered I’d throw em out on the blog, for your perusal and insightful comments.

Some random thoughts:

• The first thing I noticed here is that Arizona drivers are WAY nicer than Utah drivers.     There’s just no comparison.   I was almost shocked when I would signal, and people would back off and let me over.   Coming from Utah, this is a revolutionary thing, at least to me.   Here, its just being polite.    I figured it out after a couple of days;  its made me a better driver.  After all, we’re all in this thing together.
• Arizona Drivers get up to speed before they take over a lane, or wait for a big gap in traffic to merge.   Again, not the Utah way.   Its fucking beautiful.   You may have no idea how much this effects your commute and traffic flow.
• In my one month here, I’ve yet to see a guy in a jacked up F-250 truck with a pair of aluminum gonads hanging from his trailer hitch that darted in and out of traffic looking for that one single edge that was going to get him to his destination 4 minutes early (Ok, i’ve seen one… but I gotta think he was legitimately late for something).     I could ramble on, but I’d challenge anyone to say that  Utah drivers are more polite than Arizona Drivers.
• Texas has the most polite drivers of any state I’ve been in.    In Texas, if someone is passing faster than you, that driver will get over for you.   It’s southern hospitality, or the way you were raised or something, I swear.   Maybe Texas is so big, no one is in a hurry and just enjoys the moment.    Either way, Texas has the best drivers in the union.
• The states with the 2 highest speed limits in the US are Texas and Utah.    One just drives more politely so traffic runs much more smoothly.      Utah could learn a thing from Texas and Arizona.
• New Mexico and Kansas have the worst speed limits on the planet.    New mexico I swear has 15 signs for a curve that drops you 5 MPH in speed.    Kansas is like central Utah, only with no mountains .   Thank God they have twisters, because that at least makes things interesting.
• I avoid southern California as much as I can, so I dare should say if I like their drivers and speed limits.   I suppose they’re good drivers, but they’re high on weed/art/Nancy Pelosi… something…

Where you live — How do they drive?    I’d seriously love to know.

Happy New years!   I’m not doing anything major this weekend.   Hanging out with the family, and getting ready for 2017.  I can’t wait.   It’s gonna be a fucking epic year methinks.

RIP George Michael.    You torqued out some great songs sir.

What a year.     I’m still trying to sum it all up, but what I do know is how good I have it.      Life is good;  my family is all here, I have a great job and there’s people about my life who love me and I love them.   I’m not sure what else a person could ask for.

My Christmas:

My bike got an oil change:

I don’t want or need for much, so I asked for Oil for my bike.    Oil drains better in a hot engine, so it was excuse to go for a ride on Christmas Day;  I was just glad it was 55 degrees when most of the people I know were shoveling snow off their porches.

I’m a king I tell ya.

There’s a lot of Arizona still to see.    It’s always better when you know your bike is in order.     Mine is now.

We had a great Christmas here at the Zip home.   This is my favorite time of the year.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

So the plan is, to go riding for a couple of days after Christmas.     Like, go get lost somewhere in southern Arizona riding.    Pack a tent, take a bag, point the bike and see what happens kind of riding.   It’s been too damn long.     So much has happened the last 2 months that It’ll be nice to take a break and go explore some.   I’m really right where I want to be, and I want to come out swinging for 2017.

Last weekend I was sick and didn’t get a chance to explore much,  other than take US 60 East and found and old bypassed section of roads and tunnels I couldn’t get to in a car because of being blocked off.   I measured the barriers, and I’m pretty sure my bike will fit between them.    Maybe Ill get the balls and go explore those.   I more than likely will.   Curiosity killed this cat.

I think I’ll head east toward Globe AZ and down toward the old copper mining town of Bisbee and maybe over to Tombstone AZ.    Really, I don’t care.    Everything is a new road now, and I’ll eventually see those places.   I just want to ride, take a deep breath and enjoy Arizona a little bit.

I hope all you biker pricks are having a Merry Christmas so far!