Destinations

I took a few days off from the store to come to celebrate my anniversary with the wife in one of my favorite cities in the world, New Orleans.  I truly to love it here.  Everything about it, the food, the nightlife, the architecture, the whole vibe.  This is the first time I've ever come that I needed a jacket to wander around, so that was something new.  I always try to find something new in every place I visit.  You've got to keep things interesting.  Bland is a terrible taste and beige is the worst color.  New Orleans is neither.

Everytime I travel, I gauge that city for "motorcycle-worthiness", meaning, "Would I spend any of the precious time I have on my bike by coming here?"  I've ridden to NOLA before, so it passes the test.  Boy howdy, does it pass.  I actually made a Mardis Gras bike ride here that happened to coincide with a business meeting I had.  Don't think I didn't imagine myself riding with Hopper and Fonda to the same event....

It's this time of year that I really long for those road trips.  I look back at the year and ask myself, "Did I take advantage of every opportunity to ride" that I might have had?  Did I go to the places I wanted to go?  It's also when I start making plans for the coming year.  Perhaps not yet in stone on my calendar, but they're booked in my mind for sure.  I think about routes, time of year, things to do.  It keeps my mind excited about the prospect of twisting the throttle, letting out the clutch, and riding.  Yeah, I've heard it too, "It's about the journey, not the destination".  I agree with that as well, so lets think of the "destinations" as I'm referring to them as not so much of where the ride ends, as much as...."waypoints".

Start picking your destinations.  Spring will be here before you know it.

SMB

Thanksgiving

As the sun starts to set on the first half of this work week (in retail, this week is always viewed in two segments), I wanted to take just a second to talk about, in no particular order, some of the things I'm thankful for.

I'm thankful for my job and this business that I've been blessed to be part of.  How fortunate I am to have the opportunity to do something I love, and to spend time around motorcycles and the people who ride them.  I'm thankful for the three children that live in my home, Haiden, Carter, and Brandon.  You are my babies and the lights of my life.  I'm thankful for my loyal, hard-working, and loving wife Angie.  I'm thankful for my brothers, my partners in business and life.  I'm thankful for the staff here at Bumpus H-D, far too numerous to name.  You are the best in the business.  I'm thankful for parents that believed in me and raised me to know right from wrong.  I'm thankful for the thousands of friends that I've met in my 40 years and expecially for those that I've been fortunate enough to call "my best friends".  You know who you are.  Many, many of these friends are also included in the great tribe of Bumpus Harley-Davidson customers, of whom I am also thankful, each and every one of you.

Finally, I'm thankful for this great Country of ours.  God has blessed us with a place that we are free.  Free to do the things that we love.  Free to become whatever it is that we want to be, if we want to work for it and have the talent to see it through.  A country so beautiful, even more so when seen through the bars of a motorcycle.  Much ado is being made in the news of the state of affairs with this great country of ours, and I'm not going to enter my opinion in the arena here.  It's not the place for it.  I will say, however, that we are a strong Nation, because of people like you and I.  I think our best days may truly lay ahead of us.  As the songwriter said, "The Good Times Ain't Over For Good".

And for this, I'm truly Thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours and see you bright and early on Friday morning.,

SMB

Welcome

Hi there! 

So, this is blogville.  I've heard about it and have actually visited, but never bought property.  Now I'm here and I hope I can create a hospitable place for you and one that makes your day a little better. 

I'm Scott Bumpus.  I'm a 40 year old husband and dad.  I'm also a Harley-Davidson dealer, and enthusiast.  For those that have known me as a friend, it's my intention that my postings here are merely extensions of conversations that you and I might have over a beer.  For those that have come to know me (whether you've actually met me or not) through Bumpus Harley-Davidson, this place is NOT where I intend to come to sell you anything, but rather, to talk a little bit about those things that are important to all of us including, but not limited to: motorcycles, riding, customizing, music, life, and assorted musings about life on a motorcycle.

I'm a rider.  Were I not actually a dealer, I'd probably still spend about the same amount of time in this building as I already do.  Motorcycles are my life, and the lifetime of memories that I've created astraddle them are enough that, if God were to take me today, I've lived a full and exciting life.

And I guess that's the scorecard we should all attain to fill.

Ride Safe Y'all and see you on the road.

SMB