Random Thoughts

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62vSTLXAe_Q

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

So I’m sitting here on a Sunday Morning in small town Arizona, Drinking motel Coffee and enjoying the morning. Pretty fucking hard to beat. My bike is outside, fueled up and ready to go.

I just need to decide which way to go. Yeah, perfect.

Yesterday was a killer ride. I kinda needed it. You forget how much you need a good ride sometimes, and the only way to remember is to get out there and find a good long road. Then, it all comes back.

US 191 in Arizona is a killer road, I think one of my favorites. Its got a little of everything; Starts out in the desert and climbs up into the pines. Some history, some good terrain.

I left around 8. It’s nice to have 4 days off, and the thought of a new road some time to see a new thing was exciting. The weather was abnormally perfect for riding for this part of Arizona, and hardly a cloud in the sky. I twisted the throttle, and just enjoyed the hell out of the ride.

Not a ton of traffic, which made this road nice. Even on Memorial Day weekend.

My coffee is finished, so I’m getting the hell out of here. I was gonna head west toward Fort Apache and then home, but fuckit…. I’m doubling back. There’s a road that goes up the same mountain on the New Mexico side.

1 day, 1 State, 311 Miles.

Life has been good lately. Last month I was the top salesman in the company, my family has been doing well and the weather in Arizona has been abnormally cooler than most people can remember. It’s also Memorial day weekend. I took another day off on Tuesday for good measure.

Time to go scout the perimeter. Curiosity, killed this cat.

I’ve been a lazy blogger the last couple of years, missing long stretches of rides… I’m going to repent and do this one from the road.

My list of Arizona roads I haven’t hit yet is getting shorter, and I finally want to go explore highway 191 on the east side of the state. I went to do it a couple of months ago, but ended up going to New Mexico instead.

I’ll see you pricks on the road.

Kinda funky, with just a hint of danger. Enjoy!

I’m not going to dive into this shit too deep, but if you’re a man, just… be a man.

Meaning: #1 Take responsibility. That’s what being a Man is all about. For success, for failures.

Protect the ones you love. Their thoughts, their feelings. Their safety. Protect what you’re responsible for. See #1 if that doesn’t make any sense.

Listen; Your wife is smarter than you are, most times. She can sense a thing, before you even know that it’s coming. Yeah, listen to her. Sometimes she doesn’t know what she’s talking about, but her instincts are always good. Like, Always.

Your job is to protect the family, and to get them moving forward. Your wifes job is make shit right. You can rest assured she will.

Be honest. Be ethical. Ethics an honesty supersede everything. It’s what people look back on, and honor; Exactly what you want.

Also: Grand kids are effing awesome. It’s a chance to sit back, and see what you taught, and then see how it worked. If you did it right, the apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree. Maybe a chance for you to adjust as well, who knows.

Just, be a Man.

Yeah, I think I’m getting old.

I’ve started noticing that the young people around me, when they’re talking about something old, the shit they’re describing I remember pretty clearly in my teens. I think the old guy they’re describing is me.

Oh well. I barely care.

I wouldn’t trade it for a thing. I’ve seen some shit, and lived through it and came out the other side. Old is just a number. I’m a 25 year old 50 something.

It’s nice to see the world as it is: I have no illusions. I’ve been to the puppet show, and I’ve seen the strings. The challenge is, working with people who still think there are no strings. I’ve found that honest people can spot bullshit a mile away. I gravitate to those people.

I’m just spitting out a post here, giving a random thought. I should stop now.

It’s good being older. You’ll see when you’re old.

Been into a little Billy Gibbons lately. Good music on the way to work. This is from 2015, and some of his 2018 stuff is fairly jammin as well. A little latin influence on this one, but heart set in the blues.

Plus, you gotta treat your girl right.

I likey.