Okay, I don't seem to be shooting this month...

So after a fine church service and coffee with my friend, and sharing cake that I bought from the ladies of the church with him and Ralph, I hop on my Trusty Triumph to zoom off into the beautiful Sunday afternoon. Top off the tank, reset my mileage counter and head off for adventure, looking for love in all the wrong places? No, it is all about the ride, folks, the twisting roads and the deep leans, and yes, I did scrape my boot heel on Waller road before the railroad crossing - nice to go so deep and come up so well. I did stop to warm up and talk and find smiles.

Harley-Davidson has been advertising going down and getting a test ride on anything new on the floor, so I did. Yes, I know that I could have done that in Hawai'i and still done it again today, but I was sure I might never come back if I rode in Hawai'i. Today my Trusty Triumph would keep me grounded. So I really stopped there twice, the second time was after a long ride and much satisfaction, I was ready to top a perfect afternoon off and I actually talked to the salesman. It was easy, so I was looking at things I could afford if I won the Lotto (need to buy that winning ticket!), and they had an 883 in my price range (cheaper than the Trusty Triumph) but it was Spring Clearance Sales on many models, the size seemed right but the seat was only painted on - no long trips on that machine - only to the corner grocery and bar. I moved to the Dyna, pretty stripped, lots of shine and lots of engine and six speeds (slow start, faster, faster, faster, faster and fastest longer). I posed for a picture on it with the Sunshine upon the balding pate (?), but that could be a sign of God's favor? or not.



They had a copy of my license (Statewide background check? for the insurance, fool!) and I signed a waiver holding the Dealership and H-D free from my heirs and lawyers for my certain demise. They wheeled the motorcycle out, explained some things about the set up, and allowed me to circle the buildings in the parking lot and then out on the road to run up and down the gears, practice braking and leaning and rolling on that throttle - even got two exits worth of I-5 (never noticed if there were other vehicles I was so engrossed in the machine's power). Nice ride even had some twisty turns to play with and then back to the dealership, for a survey and contact points to see if they can sell me that fine beast (some days I wish I were forty years younger and single - but then I realize I have it so much better than when I was twenty-one and only a sergeant in the Army with Vietnam waiting...

A very nice ride, a bit louder than I like in the pipes (the British are so civilized about noise), but lots of potential for happiness in that machine - it sure runs and rides better than that 1948 Flathead I had in 1966 through 1971. It was heavier backing up than my Trusty Triumph (pushing with only leg power) so I rode up the sidewalk ramp to turn it in.

Thanks, Destination Harley-Davidson of Tacoma, for a very nice point in my afternoon on the motorcycles. Nice ride, very. I rode away on my Trusty Triumph, and it still made my heart sing on the way home, that was when I got deep into the curve and dragged boot heel and rolled that throttle on and came up solid. We are really made for each other, or I fit what I ride well.

I did sit on a couple of Bones with the half-ape hangers, and they aren't bad but I would look really funny wearing my work tie and such on that bad a bike. But then I do look funny any way you see me. The picture of me outside in the shade has the Trusty Triumph waiting patiently above the handle bars of the Harley, and the photographer's girl friend waiting patiently for the picture to be over... patience is so good to find.

A sure sign of Spring sprung, shining Gold Wings!

I was formally invited to a motorcycle ride by the Gold Wing Road Riders Association, Tacoma Chapter WA-F (F Troop), spin the wheel and your destination comes up, don't like it spin again for another six bucks. I signed up to ride with the other riders from McNeil Island. We began and ended at Crazy Larry's behind the BI, you have to be a local to know about where that is.

I had had my breakfast gruel, cups of coffee and a rare doughnut at the registration, I had greased the chain and filled the tires up to pressure for the day, we stopped to top off on our way out of town. Our destination was Ocean Shores and mission to pick up one dated receipt with Ocean Shores on it, round trip should be over two hundred miles. Six motorcycles, eight riders and the highway was made for us. Only one State Highway patrol, zapping our lead riders with a speed gun, but we were only around seventy when they hit the brakes and slowed the rest of us down.

One bank of fog and cold to slam into and ride under, wondering where the warmth and Sun had wandered off to - so we stopped at Starbucks for the charm of the tall blond behind the counter and hot coffee to wrap one's hand around. You see why I never get the girl, I wrap my cold fingers around the hot coffee.

Back on the road and our bikes were never cooled, running well and hot we finally reached Ocean Shores, topped off and stopped for lunch at the Harbor Port or was it the Home Port, since one of our riders was under age we had to keep clear of the bars and dives. I was only looking for more hot coffee and a mushroom burger with cottage cheese on the side. Lunch done and back out and on the bikes, different route back and finish up on time, one rider picked up a staple to flatten his front tire, but it didn't go completely flat. I won a pair of tickets to a Sounders game on the 30th of May, so I don't need to check my Lotto tickets - only so much luck in one's life, but it is good to have some along with the blessings.

Safe ride, good times and Spring is really here. High temperature was sixty something, low started around forty-two, the great Northwest will never compete with Florida, California nor Hawaii, but then it wouldn't want to.

I received my renewed Concealed Pistol License...

and no matter what the anti gun crowd says - no child has been shot, not one suicide in this home, and I have never been involved in a gun fight in the street, at the Mall nor during someone else's road rage. Of course, I respect life and fine shooting and good weapons of many kinds, that and the fact that more good things are done with the firearms than what the criminals do with them.

Today is the first day of Spring, 80% chance of rain, highs in the fifties - yes, that is motorcycle riding weather for Earl. No, I don't put on my rain suit until I have soaked to the skin, then I put on the rain suit. Work was fine, ordered the last of the books, correctly and then thought someone was telling me I had done something wrong (but it was shotgun management style - blast away -- a little birdshot bursting everyone's bubbles) and I had to learn how to submit my travel for the conference and that is all new - this being an old man is so frightening when they add easier software to help me. Okay, I am not scared, but don't like looking like an idiot to the computers - I have seen the Terminator in action, and I felt like an idiot while I played with the entries and the computer kept telling me I was wrong I couldn't go back in time - and I am looking at the machine thinking I almost wish I could.

I got two good rides in today, the rain hit before I woke, while I worked in the library, and before I left to ride home- I even saw the SUN, briefly between gray towering clouds pushed by high winds and sea gulls. Still I get a nice feeling that after a few more wicked weeks of Western Washington's Winds and Waves (the ferry slams into the floating docks!) it will really be Spring and more fun than I deserve. My vacation time has been approved for the Boomershoot!

Only one last thing to write about, opening the door to the house, seeing my wife cooking in the kitchen and her smiling and telling me that I have to take CPR training - cause her heart isn't working very well today. She got leveled, went to her doctor and then on to work, and her blood pressure is high and the results of her other tests aren't back yet. But she wants me to worry about her coming heart attack - okay, dear, put it right there beside the other stuff on the procrastination pile. I did tell her to put the salt shaker back down and don't add any salt to the dinner, there is enough in the meat naturally. I do know CPR, just don't certify frequently.

You did notice I haven't written about the President and World Shaking events? Notice that this starts with something seemingly important (the 2nd Amendment and Concealed Pistol License) and gravitates right up to the only thing that is critically important in my life - hot coffee, nice steak and vegetables and my loving wife. Yeah, I know what I might lose sleep over.

Well, there are heroes and there are heroes.... and I

ain't quite the hero some would want me to be but:

I also want to take this opportunity to let you know how fantastic Earl is and how much we really appreciate having him here at MICC. He is a pleasure to work with, always dependable, keeps things organized and running smoothly in the library and he did an outstanding job in the library to prepare for and during our ACA audit.

Thank you for the comment about Earl! He has a real "heart" for the branch and the work that he does there. I am happy that ACA went well for you and that we are able to help in that effort.

As I step outside the fence yesterday...

I get released from Prison every day, and am going to keep working on that certainty. I had a loaf of oat bread in my backpack (prisoner bakery school) and the sky was beautiful blue and Mount Rainer gleamed bright whitely across the Sound behind Steilacoom. There at the top of the little hill is where that picture of me on my Trusty Triumph should be taken, on a great afternoon like it was. Seems like all my pictures of me upon it and the road are in a parking lot, rest stop and boring. And riding isn't boring, but then I am not selling the motorcycles and no matter how many times one watches The Great Race, or some such almost reality programming - we don't have a cameraman or woman taking our pictures of boldly beating hearts leaning into the turn and twisting that throttle to power back up.

There were lots of motorcyclists and wanna-bees on the road going home yesteday - no flashing inverted Vs yet, too cool to cold, too anti-social (think bears woken early from hibernation - irritated and hungry), and I am not checking but my own fine motorcycle has water and splash stains and marks from rain riding instead of polished mirror finishes. I am so about the ride, that I forget the minimum image maintenance - being old I want more miles and belly laughing smiles than envious stares from those that just wish upon my happiness. It will be two years on the twenty-fourth of this month, and I have my registration updated, and my insurance company wants more money, sigh, and the weathermen say rain and colder are on the way -- but yesterday going home was great, especially the neighbor's grandchild on his training wheeled bicycle looking over his shoulder at me on my bike coming behind him at the court turn around. The one time I could have used the blasting bellow of a Harley, have you seen the Iron 883?

There are signs everywhere, I should prophesize??

I got up this morning and hit the scales, naked (don't visualize, please! it isn't polite), and I was 186.5 pounds (ain't an ounce of truth in that number), so I did it again, and was 189.0 pounds, same lie different verse, then 191.5 pounds was my high (nothing changed except time), and when the last time I got on the scale it was 186.5 pounds I decided to quit weighing - the numbers aren't really important - especially if they aren't true and you don't believe in them. So I didn't bother finding out what the blood pressure was today. Had my breakfast and got out the door to find a package from Freds in RAMSEUR, NC 27316 --- all night it had been waiting for my attention. Cool, my Marine shooting jacket (now have two to shoot twice as much), and a t-shirt that Defines Rifleman, wonderfully and has SHOOTING the only sport endorsed by the Founding Fathers, along with advice on shooting skills and TARGETS, lovely targets, lots of lovely targets. So I check it all out, and go back outside to move the garbage to the curb and put on jogging shoes, pick up the hand weights and go jog. Constuction on the short route, I back up and take the longer one. I think about riding my motorcycle last night - dark and cool, and if I am on the motorcycle and dry - that is always Cool. When I got home the lights were on, the garage door shut, I made the turn around and rode up the drive to the landing strip. Shut the machine off and back up a bit, and looking over my shoulder notice the door is open, my little garage door opener works on sound of purring Trusty Triumph and I am welcome in, to soup and salad and a kiss and a smile. About the signs everywhere? don't worry about the minutia, keep that little garage door opener working and happy --- She doesn't fear me falling on my bike, having seen that several times - what she may fear is the day I don't get up and lift it back on its wheels and ride home to her. Better do some more pushups.

11,111.1 miles on my motorcycle, all mine, all good

Nice to watch special numbers roll over on the odometer, and considering that it was the third time my wife graced my machine and self with her presence it was really special. Since I mounted the sissy bar I had been hinting that now the weather was nice it was time she took a spin with me. So after church and lunch she got dressed in denim with her H-D boots and motorcycle gloves, found a long strap leather purse for the essentials and used the full face helmet.

So the pressure is now on me not to drop us into the road, what me worry? better believe it. I was almost certain I was hitting the wrong brake going down the drive but changed to clutch and rolling on the throttle - which makes a better start than turning into the dirt. Shift gears slowly and smoothly - she listens to all clunks and thumps and thuds with mystical intensity. Stopping is the same, the turn after stop is heavier to roll into, but I will get comfortable with it, lots of turns on this trip. She grabs my Levi jacket about where my latissimus dorsi are, and I tell her she should sew handles on there for future rides - she doesn't let go. Maybe a rock climbers harness is what I need so she can have better gripping points. She starts leaning into me when she thinks we are going to go into and through a turn, since I am not wiggling the bike under me, like I would when I ride alone, the ride is stable and not very dangerous.

At full stops at light and stop signs we talk a little, if we were to do more riding together a radio headset for each rider would be best, but then we would have to have a conversation, hmm... We try all the roads and all the speeds except the highway I-5, some things shouldn't be shared - my fear of fool drivers on the expressway is one of them. It was a beautiful day, the Air Force is doing their final day of thundering jets and Thunderbird performance, picnicking in the park we ride through and lots of other riders to wave at - one has to be noticed, even waving at our neighbors as we come home, smiling safely, braking smoothly and dropping my wife off before I park the motorcycle. I get so many great days in my life, hope I haven't run out of them, they do seem to get better and better.

Sun's Day, soak it up now for tomorrow rains... return

I am up early and off to the church, Men's Breakfast, riding my motorcycle in the dark, no rain, no water, clear sky with stars - now that is different. Clean up after breakfast and hop on motorcycle to return for a checkbook, run out of fuel put it on reserve and carry on. Stop for fill up on the way back to church, write checks, practice anthems, robe up and more coffee before the service. It felt good to ride in the Sun - but the church is only two miles away from home, hardly enough to make a careful determination about the motorcycle, the day or my pleasures. After five hours in the church I have received the benediction and a couple of cookies and a lasting cup of coffee time to roll. Zach is walking by with his mother, I ask if he brought his helmet because he could ride with me if he had. Since Zach is only going on two he didn't bring his helmet, but he watches me carefully as I start up and pull out to ride, waving. I am off, only two miles from home and my wife said she won't be there this afternoon having a dinner engagement... so I am off to my girl friend's. Well, not really, just giving myself a reason for riding fast down the highway, around the Sound and ever onward. I do know where the local twisting roads, the straight fast lanes, the places where no motorcycle man has gone before... okay, I was there before and I enjoyed it and am back for more. I am finishing off as I ride by the Harley-Davidson dealer on my Triumph America, in silver and graphite. Lots of heavy V-Twins outside, lots of heavy riders - sometimes the price of the machine, the size of the engine and the size of the riders are in sync. Sometimes not, I ride on the country roads until I am back home, where I find my wife washing her car - her dinner canceled and football games waiting for me. Another great day wasted so well.