Random Thoughts

For me, it was one for the books.

Not because I hadn’t made some miles before, and not because I hadn’t seen the black hills of South Dakota.

Riding, is a funny thing. Some people love it, some people try it, and some people just don’t understand it. I’m not sure that I understand it. I gotta say, I do love it.

Putting a mile or two down just brings me a little peace. Seeing a new thing, riding a new road, experiencing something new.

Maybe it’s just the damn wind. Who knows.

Riding is such a Zen thing: It puts you in the moment. The rain, temperature the texture of the asphalt. Planning ahead. Your reactions to all those things.

Anyway, made 3700 miles in 10 days. It’s not a record by any means. But for me, it was a signal that I could still do what I loved.

I’m not young anymore.

But I can still kick a little ass out there.

And I plan to keep doing it.

I gotta tell ya, I’m really looking forward to this ride to Sturgis.

My life has changed a lot the last couple of years. Most of it, has been really good. Some of it, might need some tweaking.

With change, sometimes reflection in needed. At least for me. I don’t know of a better way than on the road, staring across some handlebars and making some miles across a stretch of road I’ve never been. I seem to sort a lot of things out that way, and in the end you find a few good answers to some things that trouble you.

It’s time for that ride.

Road time, is always good time.

I have no doubt it’ll do the trick.

Fired up.

I don’t care too much about Hollywood. To me, it’s always been a lot of faces who come and go.

But Damn, Robert Duvall, at least to me was different.

To me, he will always be Gus McCrae in Lonesome Dove. He was also a young boo Radley in to kill a Mockingbird. He was Lucky Ned Pepper in True Grit. He was in the Godfather. He loved the smell of Napalm in the morning.

Someone introduced me to Secondhand lionsa few years ago, and he nailed that too.

95 years old was a good shift. Rest in Peace, Gus McCrae. Thank you for being the actor that you were.

“if everyone is thinking alike, then someone isn’t thinking”

-George S. Patton

I heard this song on the way back home today.

A part of me is surprised it held out this long. I remember when this song came out. Even back then, most of us laughed at the shirts Steve Perry was wearing.

But the song has held on. My kids even know this song, and they’re Gen Z or X or Y as it comes.

Why?

Because the message is pretty good.

Don’t stop Believing.

Anything good in this life comes from believing in something bigger than yourself: To have a dream. It’s a damn hard thing to do, but if you don’t stop *cough* Believin’.

For a lot of years, I gave up on my dream. I crashed and burned, and through the process of it all, I gotta tell ya, I believe again. At least, I’m starting to.

And its a good feeling.

I’ve never met a man who hasn’t overcame a thing in life that was worth a shit.

So don’t stop believin’.

Turns out, Waylon Jennings released a new Album today. His son Shooter, about a year ago went through his recordings and found a lot of his old recordings and found 3 albums worth of good recordings, from the 70’s that he is releasing.

Pretty cool.

As far as ol’ Waylon goes, this is what has been chiming around in my head the last few days.

Man, the world has changed since I started this blog. Some for good, Some for great, and some for pure shit. Yet here I am, standing among it. Honestly, I am not sure what I think of it.

Or maybe I do.

Life has been great. My business has taken off, I’m busier than ever before, and I don’ t have time to sit in the personal stew time and life will give a fella. I am just tired of sitting in that stew.

And I won’t anymore.

I don’t know anything about anything, but I can tell you this:

Get to work. The world will find a place for the honest guy.

Be honest. your reputation will say more than you will.

Rock on.

Taking a sleeping bag and a tent on this little outing in a couple of days, and so I figgered I’d need something to hook a couple of bungee straps to.

Got this little beauty on Amazon, I can’t remember who from but it was a third the cost of the dealership. You could hook a bungee to how much that puts a smile on my face.

3 more days, and we ride.

6 more days and I head out. Can’t wait. I may bomb out earlier and milk an extra day out of if. who knows.

Viking bags hit me up. I’ve bought some of their gear in the past and have been fairly happy with it. It’s usually at least 1/2 the price of the MOCO (at least) and their gear has been pretty solid. I’m going to be trying out and reviewing their 18L – Century Medium Leather Motorcycle Sissy Bar Bag for Harley Davidson. Which looks like a decent bag for shorter trips or overnighters. We’ll see. I’ll make a future post about it.

You can check their Motorcycle Luggage Bags Here.

I feel a little Metallica coming on:

The problem with having to wait for a long ride is…. the fucking having to wait for a long ride.

I’m jonesing to go.

I did however, but me some new baubles for the bike. The bike I swore I would keep stock.

A new Pair of Grips never hurt anyone. Big Kahunas they call em. I just liked how they looked.

And after several thousands of miles of fishing chap stick out of my pocket at 80 mph, I got me a chap stick holder. I’m sure you can put other things in there: I just haven’t thought beyond chap stick. I’m sure i’ll think of something.

Gah, how many more days? 9?

I’m ready to ride.