Historically, December 25th was a day of pagan ritual when the sun hung lowest in the sky and at its highest point appeared to hang in the same spot for 3 days and the rotation of the solar system and our place in it was at the right distance and location to pull it off.
So I got a new tattoo. That doesn’t have anything to do with anything. I just felt like throwing that in. Christmas is a week away. Still, more random thoughts. That’s how I roll.
New Tattoo
Oh, and it snowed again today. They closed the schools, and my kids are 3 shades of excited about that. I wished I could have a snow day, but that’s not going to happen, unless it hits 3 feet deep. I doubt if st george actually DOES have snow plows, Santa Clara has none and I’d be forced to bunker down till help arrives. Maybe I’ll just not look outside and pretend that happens and work on my laptop. I’m the boss, I can do that right? haha, yeah… right.
Its been in the 30s in the morning, and I’ve pussed out and been taking my truck to work. It makes me angry. Tomorrow, I will report that I rode my bike to work. Afterall, look at this guy:
Yah, he’s on a trike, but I’m not driving in snow. Its cold thats the enemy here, not the roads. I’m starting to forget what it’s like to ride.
Penguins game tonight. Steelers won last week. Life is good. I’ve been kicking ass and taking names at work. It feels good. Im about to reorganize my company, like patton did when he showed up to take over the africa corps. I cant wait. I love the edge.
Its cold outside. Not cold enough to ride the 20 minutes to work, but cold enough that I’m not leaving at the break of dawn and heading to unknown or even known destinations at my whimsy like I like to. I could do it, but common sense tells me I’m leaving at 2 and in a motel by 6. That gets me to vegas, or maybe barstow at best. Its not touring weather.
It sucks. I really want to hit the open road. I’m trying to make the best of a cold situation, but I think my touring days are over unless I ship my bike to phoenix or Texas. Then I couln’t ride it to work and at least get my daily fix.
So I’ll prep for the spring. Hell, even EARLY spring, when its at least 60 degrees SOMEWHERE I can reach.
I’ll keep prepping. I don’t know how long I can do it without making a jump somewhere and getting myself in a freezing cold situation. I’m about to. I can only change my oil and fuck around locally so much. I want to ride.
Pat was down this weekend and I know he’s in the same boat I am in.
Winter riding, as long as theres no snow or rain is really actually kind of cool. Its a new dimension that Im starting to enjoy. ONe of the better things about riding is the smells. In the summer, you get fresh cut hay, smell the rainstorms and summer barbecues. Im starting to enjoy riding in the winter. Mostly because it brings back memories of our old wood, open fireplace when I was a kid. Alot of people in southern utah still must have em, because I can smell em in the morning. Its almost as good as a cup of coffee in the morning.
I traded Erik for a pair of winter gloves, gauntlet style for a pair of my favorite summer gloves. Im excited to ride to work in the morning with em and see how warm they keep my hands.
I had a great ride last weekend with pat. sometimes it takes me a while to decompress it all when I ride with other people because I had alot going through my mind as we took the trip, and it was all good.
Getting Gas in Overton Nevada
I got my act together by around noon on thursday, and by 1 I met up with my brother and we headed south to overton, which I knew would be our first gas stop on our way to kingman for the night. Our rooms were booked, so our destination was set.
what kept going through my head as I rode was Qui Gon Jinn, talking to a young Obi Wan Kenobi. “keep your mind on the here and now, don’t center on your anxieties”. Its funny how you sometimes recall things. That quote there, is another reason I like to ride. The road forces the here and now most times, and the here and now forms your future. Its mortar in the brick wall of why Riding is such a positive for me.
We hit Lees along the way, which has become a required stop, we talked a bit
Great Stop at Rosies Den
and I knew this ride was going to be a great one right then and there. Pat is going through a transition right now, and this ride was for him… showing him my most frequent and common path along route 66 to california, and quite honestly my favorite. I was only hoping he liked it as much as I do, because some people I show this route to don’t get it: Its varied, old and full of americana. If you’re not into those sorts of things, its just sagebrush and old buildings.
we rounded the 60 miles behind lake mead, hit hoover dam and headed into kingman for the night. It was a great ride. 40 miles before kingman we stopped and had a couple of beers and a place Ive visited a bunch but never stopped into. Going there with pat first made it perfect. Another point of view on a route I’d taken before. That night, we had a round of scotch and rested up for what I was hoping was going to be a great weekend.
DAY TWO
Oatman Road
The next morning we stopped by the harley shop, and milked a bit of time to make the ride into oatman timely. Oatman is one of my favorite stops. Not only for the winding road, but for the town itself. its a throwback, and ive seen it revive in the 20 years ive been hitting up route 66. Its doing good. we stopped into the oatman hotel for a couple beers and a long lunch, then headed out through golden shores, topock, past the colorado river and down through amboy.
Roys in amboy is doing well. They sound like gas sales are going good, and within a week or so theyll have the reverse osmosis filtering they need to get the restaurant open. From there, theyll start working on the hotel. If that happens, Amboy will replace kingman as my friday night stop for weekend rides. I try and support them as much as I can. I love the fact that the town of amboy is starting to revive. It says something about people to me.
from Amboy, we headed south and Pat pointed
Oatman Epitaph
out something I missed last time. Just a few miles south of amboy, they process chloride from the natural drainage point of the valley. We passed through and headed up to twentynine palms, through the town to get gas, and up over Joshua tree national park. The sun was in our eyes, so we missed alot, and the ride was winding down and we had 100 miles to go yet.
Just like last time, we took missed our turn and was 60 miles out of our way. Just like last time, I didnt really care. the weather was good, and aside from the initial traffic, I was enjoying the ride. we rode down through the windmill farms and into palm springs for the night, got wasted at applebees and crashed for the night. As always, I 100% enjoyed the company with my older brother.
DAY THREE
Outside the Patton Museum
We debated a few different routes, but decided to double back after going to our loose reason for taking this ride: The patton museum in Chiriaco Summit. I have been, and will always be a fan of George S. Patton. Ive read a couple of biographies on him, as well as several other books about him including his war diaries. He is a testament to recognizing what he was best at in life, as well as focus, which I believe makes anyone a “natural” born leader if he has the passion. He did. I really should invest in helping preserve this museum. The land around here is what trained men to help us win world war 2.
We stayed for about an hear, then h
Oatman Hotel at Dark
eaded back up through Joshua Tree and back up through Amboy, where we stopped and took some pictures of the chloride leeching trenches. Then made time to get back to Kingman. Oatman dies at dark. We had dinner and headed back to kingman, hit up a local bar for a couple and then crashed for the night.
DAY FOUR
Sunday morning we were both in the mindset of getting breakfast at the hotel and hitting the road to home. We had a 4 hour ride, plus pat had another 4 hours ride to get home. At overton, we parted ways and pat made miles to get home. I rode home slow, mozying back to be home by 1 to watch the Steeler game with Megan, something we’ve done for the last 4 years together.
The last thing pat said to me was “thanks, you saved my life this weekend”. I knew what he meant. He’s saved mine before. He’s got some tough decisions to make, and letting those decisions come to him and having a good ride, versus sitting around and feeling the weight of his situation is what he meant. I love my brother.
Something flipped for me this weekend. Ive always rode by myself and preferred it that way, but I have a feeling if I did it that way now I know I’d wish he was there. We work well together.
This last friday I took my RV down to Mesquite to save our spots for the B.A.C.A. Toy run. My brother was going to come down but decided to stay in Vegas with his daughter, so I had the night to myself so I filled the trailer with Guinness, hit up the red Box next door, and watched a few movies and enjoyed a night off.
The next morning we had the event. It went nearly flawless. we Raised 50,000.00 for abused kids, gave away a bitchen bike, and everyone had a great time I think. Im looking foward to next year.
I think my life took a new direction today, at least confirmed the direction I was going.
I joined Bikers against Child Abuse a few months ago, and today was my first child Ride. We met a bunch of families that the chapter has been working with, present them with a few things, and take them for a motorcycle ride. Ive been as involved as I can the last few months, but today was pretty special. I met alot of innocent kids who have been preyed on by predator fucks who’d id just as soon see die than live, and these kids were awesome. I saw a bit of fear about life in some, but mostly saw the optimism and resiliency that only a kid can have.
I’ve worn alot of hats in my life, but BACA is the most noble thing ive ever done. I’ve never felt so good about an act of service in my whole life, especially when I connect with these kids. Im working with people who all feel the same way. I hope they look back on the shitty hand that they’ve been dealt and remember how heartfelt our desire to help them and keep them safe were. Its for real. I’d take a bullet for these kids without thinking twice. Theres not alot of innocence in the world, and its our job to protect the things in life that are.
