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It’s That Time of Year Again

Here we are starting the final month of 2011. Where did the time go? In some ways this has been a very long year. In other ways it has flown by. What a whirlwind it’s been for me.  I started the year without a scooter. Oh the horror. Luckily I was able to correct that situation.  Once you’ve been infected with the scooter bug it’s terminal. You just can’t get along without one. Wouldn’t you agree?

I’ve enjoyed  some wonderful rides this year.  I’ve come full circle and am riding more solo journeys these days. The good side of that is that I take time for more photographs. That means I should have more fodder to post here on the blog. I hope y’all find this to be a good thing as well.  Think about it like this, the more photographs I post the fewer words I post.  Okay so that’s not really true. The more photographs I post the more photographs I have to write words about.

I know there have been some not so fun  posts this year. There have been some not so fun times in my life this year.  Fortunately I’ve pretty well worked through all that. I’m focusing on the good side of things. Like how I have been fortunate enough to become really close friends with a very few amazing people.  Some of whom I’ve been friends with for years.  Others are a new blessing in my life. Those of you who take the time to read my blog are a blessing to me. What an honor it is that you do that.

Let me just say a resounding THANK YOU!!!!!! All of you have made 2011 a special year.  I can only imagine how much more wonderful 2012 is going to be. Well that is unless the Mayans are right and the world is coming to an end.  I think that they just filled up whatever it was that their calendar was on. Surely there is another calendar out there somewhere.

 

Ride Safe

 

Ronman

Ahhhh! Scooter Time

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After far too long off the scooter I was able to enjoy a wonderful leisurely afternoon ride. I rolled out-of-town on back roads meandering around the beautiful countryside just soaking it all in. It doesn’t matter how bad things have been, if you get on your scooter and just ride it all seems better.

The route I was taking was a familiar one. It wound me through some majestic farmland. Physically and mentally taking me back to a simpler time. A time when the worries of life were far fewer. A time when I simply enjoyed just living. Today’s ride helped get me back to a place that I long to be. A place that I’m working toward. A place that I will once again live.

What do you do when you are wanting to simplify things? Do you get on your scooter and ride? What sort of places do you ride in order to take you back to where you want to be?

Ride Safe

Ronman

Pro Tip for Holiday Travel

Relax. Take your time. Everyone else is trying to reach their destination too. Let the asshole in. Don’t cut one another off. Slow down. Let’s all get to where we are going and back safely.

Now on to trucks. I know you get pissed when you are behind a truck. You can’t see around them. You don’t know why they won’t go on. Well most trucks these days have their speed limited electronically. Take the company I work for. My truck only goes 66 mph. That’s right SIXTY SIX!

Take that speed limiter and then factor in the weight of the loads I’m pulling. Next put the terrain into the mix. Oh did I mention that the engines are cut back as well? That’s right. The diesel engine in my pick up has more horsepower going to the ground than the one I drive on my nightly 500 mile commute.

I know you don’t like the trucks being in your way on the road. Please try and remember that they are out there as the life blood of this nation. We carry everything that you wear, eat, or use on a daily basis. Look at it this way. the more trucks that are on the road means the more goods are being shipped. That means the economy is doing good. If there are fewer trucks then the economy is slowing down.

One other thing to remember. You are traveling for pleasure. You’re going someplace to visit family and friends. You’re making memories of the good times. The drivers are out there working. They are not getting to be with their families and friends. They work long hours alone. They are up against the elements, time deadlines, ever increasing laws and regulations, and all the other drivers out there.

Most drive between 125,000 to 170,000 miles a year. Most have to endure mechanical breakdowns. Most are the scapegoat of their companies. Most love what they are doing but wished they could do something else. Most still love to blow their air horns for the kids in the cars.

Please, when you’re on your daily or Holiday travels, remember those trucks are serving you and the country. They are all driven by some man or woman who is out there in all weather conditions just doing their job. Remember you are driving through their workplace. Try not to be pissed because they aren’t going any faster. Trust me I wish I could at least do the speed limit.

Glass Houses

It’s been said that people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.  Sage advice don’t you think?  Lately there have been many stones tossed my way.  I’ve stood by silently for months. I haven’t voiced my thoughts or feelings on what’s been going on. Finally I’ve decided to end my silence. It’s time my voice was heard.  This isn’t going to be a happy post about some great ride I took. Those of you looking for my normal post would be better served to just skip this one.

The people who have decided to judge me are people I’ve known for a while. Some even most of my life.  Others are people who I met after coming out of a dark period in my life.  These are people I once cared for and loved.  I guess for those reasons I had blinders on and didn’t want to see them for who and what they really are. Unfortunately they’re two-faced back stabbers.  But I’ve come to decide that loosing these people as friends is a blessing. A relief actually. Sort of like when you do some spring cleaning and get shed of all the rubbish and trash that’s been cluttering up your place.

Funny how these people have forgotten so many things. Like my contact info. You know when they ask other people my address for some mystical thank you note. Funny they didn’t have trouble contacting me when they wanted to complain about their relationships. When they needed help with something. When they wanted to borrow something.  All have complained about their spouses. All have talked about one another. Like I said I had blinders on.  Their little group will self implode in time. Oh and for those on the edge of the core group, they talk about you like dogs.  Ever wonder why you didn’t get invited to everything?

Let me take a moment and apologize to those on the outskirts of the group. If I’ve offended or hurt any of you by being a part of that core group I’m truly sorry. I should have been a better person and not overlooked so many things. From this point on that will change. I no longer have on blinders.

I will be the first to admit that I was hurt by these people turning their back on me.  In time I’ve come to realize what a blessing this truly is.  I feel as though a burden has been lifted from me. I can breathe fresh air and know it won’t be polluted with the pungent fumes of two-faced back stabbers talking out of both sides of their mouth.  To support who they have means that they condone what that person did.

Some things in life are simply black and white. Unfortunately I lost respect for someone I cared deeply about. That loss hurt deeply. In the following months I’ve lost respect for many other people as well.  I’ve come to realize that is just life.

This is my way of putting this all behind me. I’ve decided to move on from this.  Yet again there is another debt paid in full in the tuition of life.  I’ve learned from this. I’ve become stronger because of this.  I contemplated this for many hours. In conclusion I have decided that in hindsight should these events occur again, I would do exactly the same thing.

Who lives in glass houses? We all do. We all have stones thrown our way. We all have people who aren’t who they portray themselves to be. Lessons learned in life are what makes us who we are. I’m proud to know exactly who I am.

 

Ride Safe

 

Ronman

Quick Getaway

 

Ever need to scoot off into the distant sunset? Me too. Well I did just that. In fact I do that often. A while back one of my riding buddies and myself left for a bite to eat and wound up out-of-state.

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I bet if you look around there is a unique place to visit near you too. This adventure had us travelling over 300 miles to get to a destination 140 miles from home. It’s about the ride anyway isn’t it? I certainly think so. That time spent wandering and wondering while soaking in your surroundings.

I love learning about new things. Especially things such as what I learned by visiting the National Quilt Museum. Granted quilting isn’t new. The many ways that people display quilting are. Did you know there are wooden quilts? Visit the National Quilt Museum and you can see and touch one.

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Paducah Kentucky is an interesting little overnight getaway. Lots of historic and artistic things to see and experience. I challenge you to find your nearby overnight escape. Get out there and see, touch, learn and enjoy our great land.

Ride Safe

Ronman

I’m thankful that old road Is a friend of mine

Seeing this line reminds me of all the years I’ve spent on the road.  It’s a life not for everyone. You’ve got to be about a half bubble off plumb to want to do it.  I’ve so many memories from the road. It truly is a friend of mine.

Countless are the miles I’ve spent over the past two score and three years. Traveling in automobiles, tractor trailers and on motorcycles I’ve seen some sights.  One day I’ll reflect long enough to write about it. Until then, like tonight, I’ll mount up and travel the highways and byways of this great land. Seeing the sights both in real-time and also in my mind’s eye.  For the latter are truly the special ones. Those etched deep within my very core. They are the scars that have made me who I am.

Fitting Advice For A Monday

Searching for Simplicity

Simplicity doesn’t sound like a very difficult thing to find now does it? Unfortunately it seems to be very elusive for me.  How do I find that which I seek?  First things first. Think simply, simply think. In doing so one thing came to mind.  Camping.

Fortunately for me Tennessee is blessed with some of the most wonderful state parks of any across the land.  That being said, all that I needed was to decide which state park to visit.  I had been invited by a dear lifelong friend to join he and his family for a weekend of camping. As much as I love this family I knew I needed to spend time alone. Rock Island State Park provided just what I needed. Fortunately for me the tent camping area only had two other spots in use.  I settled in the back corner and set up camp.  Arriving in the late afternoon I had just enough time to get the tent up and the fire going before darkness fell upon me.

I spent the rest of the evening thinking about things. I used the peace and quiet to sort through things. Not that I made any progress on the things on my  mind. At least I didn’t have any outside distractions.  Well unless you consider the moon and stars shining down from above as distractions.  Such a wonderful crisp clear night.  I couldn’t help but think of all the campfires I’ve watched burn throughout my life.  There is just something mystical about the way the flames lap around the wood like a tongue working over an ice cream cone.

I’m not sure what time I finally crawled inside my sleeping bag. Time doesn’t really matter when you are on a journey like the one I was traveling on this night.  I do know that the roosters crowing must have had their internal clocks screwed up.  I suppose the moon could have had them stirred up.

Along with the roosters crowing I was also serenaded to sleep by the distant sound of someone’s hound working a track in the night.  Having grown up coonhunting I knew exactly what was going on.  I traveled back to those oh so many nights listening to my own hounds chasing Mr. Ringtail around the hills and hollows of Tennessee.

The next day I woke after some sleep. Granted I didn’t sleep soundly. Although these days I rarely if ever do.  I was very nice to wake to the fresh air and sunshine.  I spent a few minutes soaking in the beauty surrounding my humble little campsite.  I may not be able to get away from all that is bothering me. I may not be able to clear my mind. I was however able to stop for a few moments and enjoy the majestic beauty of the wonderful state that lies within these united states that I call home.I’m still searching for simplicity. I may have had a brief glimpse at simplicity. It’s still not within my grasp. I know it exist. Someday once again I’ll embrace it. Until that time I’ll continue my search for simplicity.

 

Ride Safe

 

Ronman

There’s just something about sitting beside a fire

Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For

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