…a passenger van appear out of nowhere, and I struck him….My yellow Wing bled green coolant and black oil; the forks got twisted terribly. I merely had a scrape on my elbow.
And so the audacious ride ended, one bike crapped out, one totaled. Jerry, unable to trust his, sold it the next day to a bike shop, took the train to his daughter in Maryland and flew home. I rented a car and drove home, stopping to see my sis in Kentucky.
But was God behind it? Did we ignore his earlier hints in our ambition to achieve the states? Only he knows, but…
Read MoreWhat we choose to immerse ourselves in will impact our actions, slowly change our values, and soon will drive our lives. So think with me, what surrounds our daily lives? What does that say about our values? Our overall life? Our desired destinations?…
Read MoreFor our audacious 2022 East Coast trip of 8,500 miles to add states to our tally, Jerry and I planned to meet on a Sunday in Green River, Utah. From Temecula, Green River lay 690 miles distant, I left Saturday AM for a stop in Salida, Utah. He left his home in the Salem area, spent one night in Idaho, arriving in Green River Saturday afternoon.
I had an hour and half ride to meet him and was eager, so I geared up for a cold morning and hit the road on my Goldwing, maybe exceeding what I recall as an 80 mph speed limit. The Wing just loafed along through the countryside route featuring all green dots, with majestic scenery overlooking Capitol and San Rafael Reefs, where Butch Cassidy and his gang spent some time. I just had to stop and take a few pics. That slowed me down a bit, so…
Read MoreBack in 2022, Jerry and I audaciously attempted an 8,500 mile East Coast ride, to finish all 48 states on a bike for him, and my last 3 for 50. It fell apart in Connecticut, but we decided to try again in May 2023. That blew up on the first day, but Jerry suggested day rides from his place in Oregon, which included a longer multi-day trip: backroads to Estacada and catch 224 that paralleled the Clackamas River, then take 46 to Detroit, then we’d figure it out…
Read More I’ve led a Life Group for about three years for our church, North Coast Church in Temecula, and last spring we had a fine addition, George and Polly White. George is an astrophysicist/mathematician/author/thinker/professor, mentored by one of my favorite writers, Robert Jastrow, and Polly, born and raised in Singapore, is an energetic natural hostess and baker and cook. You need to know that to fully get the rest of the story. Just after the Christmas celebrations, another member, Linda Vaubel, posted on our group text that she had two leftover and untouched cakes for anyone who would like them.
That gave Polly an inspiration, so…
Read MoreJerry and I planned our 2024 ride, likely our last long ride together, after more than 50 years of riding together. After meeting in Ogden, we’d head for Idaho’s mountains. My tires needed replacing, so I visited the local Honda shop, ordered tires and new 90 degree valve stems that point to the right. Sadly, when they brought it out, the stems pointed to the left side. That should have sounded a warning. But they quickly fixed it, I took it on our local freeway, up to maybe 72, and it felt smooth.
Until I passed St. George on I-15…
Read MoreEven when loving people, I need relief from them. Even when loving the comforts of civilization, like warm showers and soft beds, I need the relief of more primitive living. Even when loving the ease of modern life, I need the relief of challenge. Of going up high. Of going beyond beaten paths…
Read MoreFor decades, music played little role in my long rides. Most bikes didn’t have the technology then, or the wind drowned out the sound. For three years I did listen some with earbuds to Pandora on my Goldwing, but to be frank, I loved the sounds of silence more than the distractions of other people’s thoughts in music. Silence gave time to ponder, to examine my past and myself, both good and bad. Often the topic of why I made various choices came up. Why did my romantic relationships only last three months? Why did I not pursue some options for marriage, ones that sometimes came close? I always had jobs and paid the bills, but no jobs captivated me.
But the silence of the road…
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