A couple three years or so back I put up this post, most of which is repeated below. I figure it needs repeating. Maybe not for you, but for me.
It is a beautiful spring day here in New Hampshire, Sunday in fact, and if all were right with the world I’d be out on my motorbike.
But for reasons too boring to bore you with, I’m not and it is still nestled away at my pal David’s house.
So, sitting here tapping away at the computer, I got to daydreaming. That got me opening this post and watching the videos in it. Yep, they still stand up well. I even added a couple extra at the end.
Maybe some of you will join me in daydreaming and enjoy it again. If you are new around here, maybe you’ll get to see it for the first time.
Anyway, here’s how it originally ran. Mostly, anyway:
Fall, 2013
As mentioned in my last post my travels to Ecuador served to shift my priorities to Susegar, that wonderful state of taking it easy. Of course, it also has meant that I’ve hardly posted here at all.
To my considerable amazement this short fall has generated concern and irritation on the part of some of my readers, and who knew I had any of those at all? But writing is hard work and besides I’ve had more important things to do. Like riding my motorbike:
Triumph Scrambler
**just like mine except mine is more beat up than this nice new one**
We still have beautiful weather around here, but an increasing chill is in the air. Winter closes in. My dog insists on walks and my motorbike insists on rides. Time is short and cold dark days are coming. Plenty of time to write blog entries then. If you ride this all likely makes sense to you. If not, well maybe this will help:
Even if you don’t care about motorcycles, it’s 15 and a half minutes well spent for the sound track alone.
(I have it playing as I write)
New edit:
(This time, too!)
“It doesn’t take very much and you don’t have to go very far to put yourself out of your norm.” Damn, I love this video.
This short film was created by Scott Toepfer and, as much as anything I’ve seen, it captures the sheer joy of motorbiking. Doesn’t hurt that most of the bikes in it are Triumphs like mine. Scott and his pals have good taste.
Here’s a still from his website as further proof of good taste
Watching it, I realize that my motorbike is also a time machine. Every moment on it I am again twenty-something and full of beans.
More videos:
Another cool short film with a very odd song for the road. It might grow on you. It did on me.
Here’s another I just found. Wicked cool riding on a Scrambler just like mine:
Starts slow but worth the short wait. Check out the dismount about 3/4 of the way in.
This one’s a bit more mellow:
And this is not mellow at all:
Mind Party with Johnny Lewis @ Wiggins Tree Farm
This one, courtesy of Vik in the comments below, is too funny (and true!) and makes me wish I was 50 again:
Mid-life crisis philosophy & motorbike riding
**Important FI message at ~4:00**
Don’t own one? You could always steal one:
While it drifts away from the riding, at ~5:41 one of my favorite pieces of music starts. At ~8:10, one of my favorite motorbike scenes of all time.
Ok, ready?
First, we go to India and build a Royal Enfield:
Then we ride it up into the Himalayas:
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And if motorbikes aren’t your thing, or even if they are, this book of illustrated adventures is great for jump-starting your daydreams:
I was arrested twice.
Once for reckless parking and once for grave digging.
I was guilty of both.
I like her work so much, I asked Trisha Ray to create the original illustration that graces the cover of my book. Her own book is filled with her wonderful water-colors; each with a wonderfully well told story behind it. There are even pictures of and stories about me in it.
Shhhh. Don’t tell anybody.
Psst!
You wanna have an advance peek at the cover of my book? With big-time, major league kudos to Carol who designed it, here you go:
It should be out in mid-June!