Karma

I would like everyone to thank me for the beautiful weather we are having today in Jackson Tennessee. 54 degrees (which in January is to be adjusted up to 84 degrees, my rule, no arguing), brilliant sunshine, light breeze out of the north, perfect.  The reason that I'm to be thanked is that its my karma that produced it.  Stick with me on this, I'll explain.

Mondays are typically my Sunday.  And this past week, I had big plans for my day off.  I'd looked at the forecast, calling for sunny skies and high 50's to low 60's and made up my mind that I was going to ride.  I didn't quite know how far or to where, but I was going to do it.  Perhaps a ride up to Shemwell's Bar B Q in Cairo, Ill.  Maybe a loop down around Pickwick Lake and into Alabama and back up the east side of the river, no telling.

But.....

I, like many others watched the storms brewing up on Sunday.  I, like many of you stayed glued to the weather radio and Dave Brown that night, watching with some native West Tennessee apprehension as to what might be unfolding on a 70 degree windy-as-hell January evening.  I then took a look at the Monday forecast.  No big change from what had previously been reported, other than a slight dip in the high temps and windy.  Then my mind started screwing with me.  What else did I have that needed to be accomplished?  Did I really have "time" to be out riding?

We rode the storms out Sunday night and, like every other Monday, I was up at the crack of dawn to get the kids out the door for school.  The first light showed low hanging clouds, remarkably cooler temps than the day before and a blustery wind.  The roads were still completely wet from the overnight rain.  I began making excuses for going back to bed.  I could feel a slight tickle in my throat.  I yawned a little more than usual.  I told myself just how nice it would be to sleep the dreary morning away and catch up on some much needed rest.  I thought about those two tangly long haired sons of mine that I sent off to school and how badly they needed haircuts.  I reminded myself about needing to have a locksmith out to repair a bolt on one of my doors, a perfect storm of excuses to not ride.  And I took the bait, hook, line and sinker.

I did sleep in.  Turns out I didn't feel any better when I woke up at nearly 11 than I did when I laid down at 7:15.  I did have the locksmith out to fix the bolt, and it was no more fixed yesterday than it would've been if I'd waited until today to get it done.  The boys came home from school and I loaded them up to take them to get haircuts, only to find out that the regular barber was booked and the other one closed. 

The only thing that worked out was the weather.  Brilliant sunshine, nearly 60 degrees, light wind out of the north.  Perfect day to ride.  And my excuses and I missed it. 

Today's perfect day is karma.  I can't ride today.  I have a million tasks in front of me at the store that are preventing me from taking advantage of this beautiful day.  I've walked out back several times to monitor the progress on a project we have going on and the weather mocks me at every step.  The Big Red Sled sits out back, glistening in the sunlight, and frowning at me, ashamed at how I wimped out yesterday.

A wasted day.  Don't make a habit of it.  I won't either.  Back to work...sigh.

Ride OFTEN, Ride Safe, and Ride with Purpose.

Scott

Resolutions

Happy New Year!  Let me begin by thanking all of you that have been taking a few minutes of your life to read my ramblings.  A special thanks to you that have stopped me in the store and humbled me with your kind comments.  I truly do appreciate it.

New Years is the time when we make "resolutions" to do things during the coming year.  Small promises to ourselves to do new things, do things differently, or perhaps stop doing things.  Smoking, weight loss, etc.  I've never been much of one to make these promises to myself.  I guess that I couldn't stand the pressure.  I guess that the fear of not being able to keep up the promise might have been greater than my desire to change.  That being said, I do have a few resolutions that I'd like to make and each of them surround my passion for the greatest sport in the history of mankind, motorcycling.

Days like this kill me. 40ish degree temps, fog, spitting rain, snowy forecast... This is the time of year that can kill the soul of motorcyclists.  I do everything I can to keep that biker soul sharp and my mind races with everything I want to do and wish I could be doing right now.  It's these thoughts that lead me to this list of resolutions.  Some of them may seem pretty easy for some of you and others perhaps more challenging.  Some may seem silly.  I don't care.  It's my list.  Here goes...

1.  I will ride at least 8,000 miles this year.
     This may not sound like a huge one to a few of you out there, but for me, it's a biggie.  One of the downfalls of doing what I do is that during the best riding times, I'm working.  I know that there are ways to still get the miles in and I intend to exploit as many of those opportunities as I can.  The average rider, we've found, is riding anywhere between 7,000 and 10,000 miles per year, based on the mileage we've seen on bikes in the store.  Last year was one of my better years for miles and I logged about 6,500.  I'll do better this year.  I have some destinations in mind.  I've got to stop "hoping" I can make it, and start "making it".

2.  Unless absolutley necessesary, while on a motorcycle road trip, my bike will not lead me to "chain restaurants".
     This is one of those you might find a bit silly, but to me, it's not.  Now, I'm not "hating on" chain restaurants.  There are some fine people that work at Burger King and I have some great entrepreneur friends that own these businesses.  That being said, when I get on my bike, I want to escape the world of "sameness".  I want variety.  I want something "off the wall".  Something local.  I look at Mom N Pop locally owned eateries like they are landmarks.  Try one.

3.  Continue to remind myself that interstates have no soul and only serve one purpose to the traveling motorcyclist.
     That purpose?  To make time.  Whenever possible, get off I-40 and get on Rt 66.  You won't regret it.  The soul of America isn't on the Eisenhower Expressway System.

4.  See three different mountain ranges.
     Self explanitory.

5.  See an old friend.
     Also self explanitory.

6.  Take my kids riding with me more than I did last year.
     I got to take one great road trip last year with one of my kids.  I have two more that I want the opportunity to do the same thing.  I have one leaving for college this year.  Time is running out.

7.  Make a difference.

     I'm not really 100% sure what this means yet, but I can't get it out of my head.  When it happens, I'll know it.

8.  I'll enjoy the sheer beauty of cheese and cracker lunches on the side of the road at every opportunity.

     Thanks to my brother Tom, the master of roadside meals, for opening my eyes on this one.

Now, in the meantime, I'll go over my gear.  Make sure it's ready to go at a moments notice.  I'll look at that big red motorcycle pointed at the door.  I'll watch the forecast and my calendar.  And I'll dream about making it all come true.

Ride Safe my Brothers and Sisters.

Scott