two hundred eighty eight

VIDEO LINK

(notice how we cool were back then)

To everything (turn, turn, turn)

There is a season (turn, turn, turn)

And a time to every purpose, under heaven

A time to be born, a time to die

A time to plant, a time to reap

A time to kill, a time to heal

A time to laugh, a time to weep

To everything (turn, turn, turn)

There is a season (turn, turn, turn)

And a time to every purpose, under heaven

A time to build up, a time to break down

A time to dance, a time to mourn

A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together

To everything (turn, turn, turn)

There is a season (turn, turn, turn)

And a time to every purpose, under heaven

A time of love, a time of hate

A time of war, a time of peace

A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing

To everything (turn, turn, turn)

There is a season (turn, turn, turn)

And a time to every purpose, under heaven

A time to gain, a time to lose

A time to rend, a time to sew

A time for love, a time for hate

A time for peace, I swear it's not too late

The Byrds, a rock band from the sixties wrote these words. Turn Turn Turn was one of their biggest hits. 

I was surprised when I discovered these words were almost word for word from the Bible. This led me to read the entire book of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 in the Old Testament. 

These words and the logic of this book made so much sense they changed how I perceived the world. A time for everything and everything in its' time, kind of a Yin and a Yang thing. Lucky for the Byrds God isn't into suing for plagiarism.

I started to look at life this way way before I thought much about God. In those days I thought religion was something really gullible square people believed. Being good was simply paying the the premium for eternal fire insurance. Yeah, a pretty pathetic rationalization.

This led me to explore more of the Bible but this is where it all started. I found this principle later in life clarified in a simple prayer, the serenity prayer.

We give most of our attention to the Roman numerals on the front of an AA chip because it signifies the length of time we have abstained from alcohol. The back of every chip has the Serenity Prayer. This simple prayer captures the idea of a time for everything.

There are things I can't change and there are things I can. Living in linear time is a bitch, we can't see tomorrow and we can't change the past. All we can do is live as fully as possible in the moment we are in.

If I'm at work, I work. If I'm on vacation, I relax. If I am in bed, I sleep and so on. What I have drawn from this is we only have now. We can remember the moments before now and imagine, hope or fear the moments after now. 

We have no control over tomorrow, the only thing we do have any control over is now, but even that control is fleeting. Choices like yes or no, start or stop, up or down, in or out and right or left are physical choices. Physical choices are things I can do with my physical 3D person. 

 Emotional choices are much more elusive. My thoughts and emotions are not like moving a pile of physical rocks from one place to another. Thinking on these things has been a life long struggle for me. I found these rock n roll lyrics a great help. 

I realized I could not live in more than one moment and feel life fully. A constant state of looking backwards or forwards limited my ability to be present. The dark days of my addiction caused me to miss now completely and separate myself from feeling life altogether.

After years of sobriety I finally learned to see, hear and feel the very moment I am in. I don't always live there but I know how to get there. My life is an endless series of choices now.

Am I in the moment doing the next right thing as fully as I can? Am I enjoying or experiencing even the smallest things like the smell of my morning coffee, the beauty of new snow or the warmth of a hug or handshake?

A time for everything and everything in it's time, sounds simple doesn't it? A moving target to say the least but a worthy goal to live every moment of life as fully as possible.

I apologize this post is a bit rambling. I think about this every day, I guess that is what it is like living life without control. I have finally accepted the fact that I control very little beyond my own choices and I have grown to trust the one who truly is in control. That is a good thing, but sometimes I forget......a little.

I do have places to remind me like the seat of my bicycle but lately I have friends to remind me. I guess that is where I get "the wisdom to know the difference".

two hundred eighty seven

A quote from Jack Welch, a successful business man. 

I'm not as familiar with his quotes as I am Joe Walsh quotes but this fits my story.

Like the rest of the human race I hate change. I have discovered at 70 years of age it seems to become ever more disturbing. 

I'm retired but not as financially secure as I would like. I have enough to pay my bills but disposable money for travel, toys and helping others is important. 

I have a commercial drivers license for driving buses and trucks. Lately I have been driving a daily 300 mile round trip from Bend Oregon to Eugene Oregon.

Bend is 3650 feet above sea level and surrounded by snow capped mountains. Every trip to a major city requires a trip through a snow covered pass.

I took route 58 to Eugene and back. This route is filled with mountain curves and elevation changes. Most of the year this route is actually fun to drive. These large buses can be driven smoothly without jostling a sleeping passenger. 

This requires strategic braking and minimal steering input. Like a race car driver looks for that perfect lap, I try to have a perfect run. No leaning, smooth braking and as few bumps as possible. 

In the winter months the curves can be unpredictable. It can be 40 degrees in Bend and be 15 degrees in the mountains. Each mile requires my full focus because with these changing conditions any moisture can turn to ice at any moment. 

I'm a very cautious and skilled driver so driving in hazardous conditions didn't worry me. The problem is my vision has begun to change. I had a condition in my 50's that damaged my retinas that resulted in years later double vision. 

This was successfully corrected with glasses for many years. In the past six months I have had brief moments that told me I needed a new prescription. I found a specialist and spent a fortune on new glasses but my eyes had reached a point that I can't take a risk driving large vehicles through snow covered mountain passes with a load of passengers. 

My eyes are perfect for an eight hour run but the second and third days I begin to struggle. "Change before you have to." came to mind. If something ever happened because of my bullheaded pride I could never forgive myself.

I love driving big vehicles and enjoy passengers. Some regulars called me "mister smooth" and one lady said I was "efficient" instead of saying I speed. My goal is; don't scare them or make them sick and get them safely to their connections on time.

The bullheaded part of me is still focused on bicycle touring again but driving busses and trucks are now a thing of the past. I love transportation and interacting with people but I think I'll try something local. For now I'm going to hunker down enjoy the holidays and wait out the bad weather.

Change sucks but being made to change is much much much worse. Like I have said in previous posts I'm sober 31 years. I would not have made it 31 days if I was being told or forced however I did find it tolerable to take suggestions, I think it is something connected to my pride.

I can't leave without a Joe Walsh quote......

two hundred eighty six

FRANKIE

This is my coffee addict parrot. She is five years old and very very attached to me. In fact she is like a crazy jealous girl friend.

two hundred eighty five

  

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times....."Charles Dickens

I was in the grocery business for about forty years. I have seen first hand the stress of shoppers as they plan that perfect holiday family event. 

The meal will be perfect, the children will be cute, grateful and well behaved. No arguments about religion or politics. The only conversations are about fun family memories, love for one another and gratitude for being together in this special season. 

No off handed comments, dirty looks, sarcastic remarks or cold shoulders. The weather will be perfect, planes will arrive on time, traffic will be light and the Cowboys/Lions game will actually be exciting. 

Aunt Milly won't fart and talk about her cats and Uncle Billy won't play with the children too much or get too drunk. 

Odds are that is NOT going to happen. All of the perfect families are in sitcoms, commercials and movies made before 1960. These families are  not real but they do tap into a very basic desire for belonging.

The media has cashed in on this by producing Cheers, Friends, Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, The Simpsons and my all time favorite Malcom In The Middle (I'm Reese). The characters are an odd dysfunctional bunch but all of these plus fifty more are designed to draw on our yearning to belong to some sort of family or group.

Malcom In The Middle

This theme has been around for a very long time. Today however it is popular to tear down these families to make them as messed up and divided as we are.

You can't choose your family but you can choose your friends. Even this approach has a basis in fantasy. Humans are complicated individuals, they do not mold their personalities and behavior to our will. All groups have the dynamics of barn yard animals, children on the school yard or drunks in a bar.

A big family has limited privacy, endless expectations, unsolicited judgments and are always in your business. On the other hand you belong for better or worse. 

The Big Fat Greek Wedding

This can be as basic as strength in numbers, a place to go if things go bad, siblings to pick on you and protect you. You have an identity, roots, a name and stability. There are however families so toxic that the negatives out weigh the benefits.

You can avoid the stress of an intrusive family by being a loner. This has the benefits of freedom. No one is in your business, you are free of demands for your time and you have the freedom to do whatever you want. 

This works well most of the year but when the holidays come around the media is relentless in making us feel like freaks if we don't have a perfect family experience.

The music, sitcoms, holiday specials, decorations and endless marketing. Early Black Friday shopping on Thanksgiving day. The neighborhood peer pressure to put up a tree and cover the house with the latest toxic plastic blinking decorations from China via Walmart.

Sometime during this we have a weak moment to question our choices.  Should I have a family around me or spend the day eating junk food binge watching a Twilight Zone marathon while fondling my holiday balls.

I am that loner and yes I have the same pangs of heart ache but year after year I have expanded my circle. Perhaps one day I'll have that perfect holiday experience but until then I'm happy doing what I do.

I have some money for food, a warm place to sleep and I'm not wanted by the police, life is good. I learned that on my bicycle.

Another thing I learned is to say yes when I am invited. When people invite me into their home I feel honored to be part of this special time.

two hundred eighty four

THE PROS AND CONS OF TRAVELING ALONE

The tandem bike in the picture looks like absolute touring hell to me. I have traveled and camped with tandem riders it does have many advantages but not for me.

I have been trying to find a like minded companion to share my next adventure. I have contacted a few but nothing more then light conversation. I hate to admit for safety alone it is a smart thing to do. 

The one Pro of traveling alone is the absolute freedom to do anything I want. I can ride less or more, camp or get a cheap motel, cook my own food or eat in a restaurant but mostly I can change my plans anytime I want. 

The theme of my style of traveling is "Wherever I end up I guess". I build my rig to deal with just about anything. Heat, cold or rain, enough food for three days, two gallons of water plus a filter and a tent, bedding and clothing to deal with any condition. 

Electronics and battery power for a full week of off grid entertainment, communication and emergencies.  I have tools for bike repair, three extra tubes and enough parts to repair my bike and gear. 

I'm completely self contained to stay comfortably off grid for at least three days until I need more food or water. After that I have a good water filter and at least five emergency dehydrated meals. I can stay in touch and send for help from anywhere on the planet with my InReach satellite communicator. 

I love being off of the beaten path. The main bike touring routes up and down the coast lines are not crowded but you see a fellow rider a few times a week. I love camping with a group of fellow nomads but the loner heart beats strong inside me so I rarely travel with a group for more than a day or two.

The bottom line is I go at my own pace, stop and start when I want and follow any twist or turn of the adventure. If I visit a friend I can stay or go depending on how welcome I feel. I don't get lonely or bored, I'm social with strangers and love taking any side adventure that comes along. 

The Cons of traveling alone is not having someone to watch my rig while I'm shopping or taking a long relaxed visit to a public bathroom.  I don't have an extra set of eyes or hands. Strength in numbers can help  not looking like a victim. The idea of one older man traveling alone doesn't concern me physically but health issues are a reality to be aware of.

I have talked with several father and son travelers. I didn't have that opportunity but that would be amazing.

I am chief cook and clean up. I set up my own camp, cook what I like, break camp and repack my gear exactly the way I like it. When I'm in the traveling mode that is what makes me happy. I have no problem helping but my stuff is my stuff.

An extra set of eyes and ears is nice but an extra mind is both good and annoying. A second opinion is nice if I have the first opinion. I'm easy to get along with but the very nature of solo touring is the absolute freedom.

The appeal is possibly the total lack of responsibility to and for others. I was a manager for several decades. I was responsible for managing the people under my charge.  

They were required to perform specific duties and I was responsible to hold them accountable. I was constantly slave to code dates, schematics, ordering, scheduling, customer complaints and profitability. It was not an overwhelming job and at times I miss it but it always controlled a part of my thoughts, on or off duty. 

I am by nature a go with the flow kind of guy. I have a management personality and an off work personality. Off duty I can dig my heels in to get what I want but what I eat, what I watch, where I go or what I do is a low priority. I will defer to others if it is important to them. I am not a wimp it just doesn't matter.

I have learned to take on my share of responsibility in these decisions. It isn't fair to put the burden of making all of the decisions on another person. I actually do not care or complain about everyday things. I don't pout or make passive aggressive comments. Ninety percent of everyday things are not a hill to die on.

Over time if I do have a specific choice people that know me and know how strong willed I actually am will understand that whatever it is is very important to me. I do not do this often so people pay attention.

Choosing a traveling companion is a bit different. These things matter when I am in full nomad mode. When I am in this mode what I do is very important to me. 

I am free to explore, take my time or hammer until I'm totally exhausted. I don't want a sherpa or passive person and certainly not a bully or a smart ass passive aggressive winer. I have searched for a fellow loner to travel with for safety. I'm not sure how that will work but I put it out there. 

In my life I have only found one person I fit perfectly, this is incredibly rare but they don't have any interest in touring. Sometimes opposite natures fit together so perfectly there is very little space. I'm very strong willed so bending my nature to make another worthy person's life easier takes someone very special.

I want to find someone who is likeminded. Keeping that freedom and enhancing safety is the trick. I believe it is a workable thing. I believe two able bodied nomads who can be just fine on their own can find a workable arrangement. 

I'll continue my search I'm sure there are others searching for something similar.

two hundred eighty three

THE "LIGHTENING BUGS" OF OHIO

 I was born in Eastern Ohio, in a small industrial town surrounded by small dairy farms, pastures, woods, ponds, lakes and meandering creeks. The mosquitos and flies were horrendous but I didn't know how bad they were until I moved to the desert southwest. 

We had very unpredictable weather because of the Great Lakes. Winters could be harsh or mild depending on the length of fir on the Wooly Worms acording to the Farmer's Almanac.

The mood of the jet stream had much more to do with it. If the Jet Stream flowed north of the Great Lakes winter was usually mild with little snow and no ice on the ponds and lakes. If it flowed south of the Great Lakes, Arctic cold air masses would line up to invade our state and give us six feet of winter snow and double digit below zero temperatures. 

This constant freeze and thaw created some of the largest pot holes in the country. A hard winter would reduce the insect population but a mild winter would give them an early start and a bad bug season. 

A few weeks each summer there is a bright spot we had what we called Lightening Bugs. You can find a few of them all summer but a couple of weeks in the middle of the summer they would fill the fields, parks and backyards. 

On those endless summer nights we would brave the mosquitos until they went to sleep and the air was filled with these surreal creatures. Children are fascinated by them and are compelled to catch as many as they can. They aren't actually flies they are beetles. There are many types of Fireflies, all I know about are the ones in Ohio. 

Our parents would call us in for the night but we were under the spell of the moment and ignored their threats. They would soon come out to scold us and realize it was lightening bug night. This was a wildcard moment and they would stop everything and sometimes join in or sit on the porch watching until we were all exhausted.

This is a stock picture, the boy is much cleaner then I remember ever being. All summer I was coated in dirt, tanned, scraped and bruised. I had to be threatened to wear shoes or a shirt. 

We played army, Tarzan and baseball. We drank from the garden hose, caught frogs, crawfish and snakes in the local creek. We had rock fights, explored the city sewer system and as boys we were fascinated with peeing.

In fact this was the penalty for the loser of our epic baseball games. We had arguments and fist fights over almost every call, balls, strikes, safe or out and foul or fare. At the end the victor got to pee on the loser that also ended in a fist fight.

I am covered with scars today that bring back childhood memories. The firefly nights were a pleasant moment of harmony that effected everyone. I actually saw my older brother and his bully friends join in in catching a few. They tried to maintain their cool but you could see the kid in their eyes and smiles.

If you ever get a chance to be in the right place at the right time to feel the magic of these mystical creatures, stop everything and see them. You could even leave your cool behind and look at them through the eyes of a child.

two hundred eighty two

ALWAYS WEAR CLEAN UNDERWEAR

It's always a good idea to be ready for emergencies. I'm 70 now and I need to be smart about my health and wellbeing. The loner Marlboro man lifestyle I mimicked most of my life was fine when I was young, reckless and bullet proof. 

My favorite Clint Eastwood line was "A man must know his limitations". Over the years this line has saved my life. I actually stop and think before I do something stupid. I'm not saying I won't do it but I do first think about it. 

I love being in the middle of nowhere making my way through wind, rain, heat, long stretches of empty desert, high snow covered mountain passes or endless farmland. 

In the beginning I had a flip phone with extra batteries, a paper map and compass. My gear was less than basic, I got wet, cold and blisters. 

There was as much as a week that I was out of cell range. I rode through the worst neighborhoods, slept in a few scary spots and I'm pretty sure I camped with a few felons.

I'm not afraid but I am a little wiser. Most of my life I have had a romance with danger particularly anything that pumped up my adrenaline. 

Having an ID and contact info is just common sense. Finding me unconscious or worse is just something to be aware of.

The simple cross is a reminder I have never been alone. That night at the church March 31 1980, everything changed. There is no power in a piece of jewelry but it is a constant reminder of my place.

Jude 24 my favorite verse for comfort.

"To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—"

In spite of myself I am loved and valued.

The other symbol is for Alcoholics Anonymous, on August 5 1990 I got sober. I now have family anywhere I go. The meetings I have found all over America were very soothing, I was amongst fellow survivors. 

Yes if you do the math I drank a few dark years with Jesus at my side. I now know I was never abandoned in spite of my behavior. The comfort of knowing this is everything. 

I work the steps of AA, go to meetings and help other alcoholics. I also keep the lines of communication open with God no matter what.

My actions always change my attitude both good and bad.

This is not my usual light hearted post but I felt it necessary to reveal more about myself. 

two hundred eighty one

                                I'M FOREVER

           TWENTY SIX YEARS OLD

               ............IN MY HEAD

I don't have many pictures of the younger version of me, in fact I have very few pictures of me period. This one is from the 80's, I was in my mid-twenties. 

Even though I'm 70 years old I still look out through my thickening glasses and perceive the world around me as a twenty six year old. 

I can still jump, run, work a twenty hour day, lift heavy things and fight. The problem is the actual thought of jumping or running triggers an override in my brain that shorts out all physical attempts to do either because I have had a knee replaced.

Working long hours is possible but the recovery time can now take days. After a manual labor career my body is capable of efficiently moving large objects because I have learned to use it, but overpowering a heavy weight with pure muscle still seems a waste of energy.

As for the fighting I still have a great posturing bluff that has served me well, but I'm not sure I'm regarded as much of a physical threat. What I do have is the "old man card".

The majority of men fight over pride. Sometimes you are at the wrong place at the wrong time. There is little you can do if you are the what I call "it". I have been the victim of this a few times. 

When I was young I healed quickly so even a real thumping never made me miss a day of work. Today I think I may stay down for a lot longer.

The "old man card" works like this; if a fight is about ego, both parties need to be perceived as a trophy. Beating up children, women or old men is far from sporting in fact it is shameful. 

If you point this out and own the fact that you are and old man, he and his friends will see there is no upside to a victory. You lose a little pride but it usually ends in a good laugh.

This is a common conversation I have with friends my age. We laugh about it but none of us are happy about this fact.

A few weeks ago I was walking out of Costco towards my truck when a woman driving by stopped, rolled down her window and asked if I needed help finding my car. I thought what the hell do I look that pathetic and lost?

I have had several young women offer to help load a heavy suit case in the past couple of years, but last week I had an older woman say," Let me load that it's too heavy for you". She weighed about 110 pounds.

I loaded them after I pressed each suitcase over my head five or six times. I think she got the point or she thinks I'm crazy.

I had an eighty year old lady hit on me. She was pretty up front about it. She said the men her age were dead and life is short. I was at a loss for words so I just smiled.

Another day I stopped to answer a phone call during a bike ride when a very nice woman stopped to see if I was having a stroke or heart attack. Bless her heart for her kindness but my ego felt like I had had my testicles removed.

This is just life I understand that, but I don't have to like it. All I know is I'm going to get up everyday and do the drill, what other choice do I have?

There is a choice but I refuse to stop living a full life. I want to do what I have a passion for as long as I can, after all I am only 26.

two hundred eighty

I LOST A GOOD FRIEND TODAY...

 

San Francisco

When I lived in San Francisco I met a man. We had very little in common because we were from very different backgrounds and social circles. We had a few conversations about life and politics over the first year. One day his wife who had been ill for a very long time passed away. 

We talked about important things but mostly guy stuff. He was a Doctor with an obviously successful practice. He had retired years earlier and was healthy for an eighty year old. 

Unfortunately his heart grew weaker over the years. He was always concerned with my wife's health, she has been dealing with a serious illness. We ate in a French Restaurant in Sausalito a few years back. We talked on and off over the years and lately he started to FaceTime. 

I asked how he was then we talked like a couple of guys. I always knew this day would come and wondered if he would return my texts.

Today I was in a mountain pass driving a bus. I was in a very spotty cell phone area and had passengers. I had to cut our call short and had planned to call when I was back in town. 

There was no answer so I left a message. A few hours later the phone rang and it was his daughter. I had no contact with his family we just talked from time to time. She said her father had passed away.

Not knowing this old friend other than our conversations, we were strangers. I gave my condolences and she said she would tell me about the service arrangements. We said goodbye as my heart ached.

I should have taken the time to talk. I wish I could have said goodbye but I didn't realize in the moment it was our last conversation.

I could roll with this guilt trip but he knew how I felt and I knew how he felt. We knew we might be saying goodbye for the last time at the end of most calls. He called me minutes before he died so that means everything. I had no idea I was that important to him.

I miss him.....

two hundred seventy nine

 THE FINAL PIECE IS ME!

My bike is ready, in fact it is beyond ready. I have food, clothing and shelter strapped to a tough and tested bicycle. I actually have water and four days of food on board. 

Now as for me, I have a new knee, an extra 20 pounds and almost ten years of limited riding since my last long ride. Every long journey starts with one turn of the crank. 

For the last couple of weeks I have taken a daily ten mile ride around the neighborhood. The bike was unloaded but the basic bike weighs over 30 pounds. Today I loaded it with full panniers and did another ten. 

I'm staring down the barrel of seventy years old so I feared my sight, hearing and balance would be an issue. I have to be realistic about these things and to my pleasant surprise I'm ready to rumble.

My body is weak, my lungs aren't the same and my eye site doesn't work well at night. My muscle memory and riding habits are still strong, so this gives me confidence that I simply need to focus on conditioning.

The extra weight of my fat ass and loaded bike does require a great deal of torque to launch away from a stop light. My new knee passed the test. It gets stiff and the muscles around it hurt but it goes away fairly quickly.

I have been in shape most of my life but this knee has taken a toll over the years. I'm looking forward to getting past the limitations of the bone to bone pain. That has been a real struggle on my past trips.

I ate Ibuprofen by the fist fulls for years and constantly while I was on the road. I have not taken any for months now. 

Getting started was really hard but now that I have the window is opening. Training sucks but I have the gear and the vision, now I just need me.

two hundred seventy eight

 LETHARGIC

TACO

What is lethargy? Lethargy causes you to feel sleepy or fatigued and sluggish. This sluggishness may be physical or mental. People with these symptoms are described as lethargic, I am lethargic.

I have spent the past winter upgrading my touring rig. I upgraded almost everything preparing for my next adventure. I even upgraded myself.

The bike itself is a tried and true product and only needed maintenance, new tires and bar tape. My electronics were modernized with lithium battery and smart technology. My kitchen, bedroom and wardrobe also had several additions and upgrades. The only thing now is me.

I had a knee replacement a thorough physical and a plan. There is nothing stopping me right now. The weather is great, I have the time and I have a great place to train. The only thing left is getting off my butt and doing it.

I could list my troubles and worries but everyone has them. I learned years ago a powerful truth, action changes attitude. I know how to change my mood, my problem is taking the action. 

I have joined at least five gyms, each time I vowed to exercise regularly. After the second visit I realized gyms are filled with people. I love people but gyms seem to have pushy sales people, over friendly women and men, muscle bound gym rats and hall monitors. I just want to do my workout and be left alone. I am generally pleasant and social but the atmosphere of a gym doesn’t bring out my best behavior.

I’ve been told to train with a partner, and that is a very valuable suggestion. However I don’t play well with others. I have been told that I turn everything into a contact sport. I have a competitive nature that brings out my dark side and I don’t like the way this makes me feel. 

Years ago I trained with a friend named Chris. We would run ten miles from one city to another every Wednesday night. It was a beautiful rural run with light traffic and plenty of hills. We did this for a few months then one day Chris didn’t show. He said he wanted to run with me and not be used as a rabbit. I had to admit I loved grinding him down and leaving him in my dust then seeing how many popsicles I could eat before he finished. 

I ride my 85 pound touring bike the same way. I see a cyclist on the horizon and I have to run them down. This is usually not possible so my knees pay a price for my stubbornness. If I hook up with another touring bike or group I make it a race so I’m not fun to ride with. 

The idea of training with someone isn’t that I don’t want to but I don’t know how to do it without crushing them, so in some ways I can be a bit of a jerk. In fact when I'm alone I compete with myself. If I allow myself I can get frustrated because I never ride far enough or fast enough. The years and my journeys have calmed this part of me but it still lurks below the surface.

Starting things and finishing them takes discipline. Small things are the most difficult for me. Big things like long bicycle trips are more manageable. The reason for this is simple, I rent a car, pack my rig, drive a few thousand miles, turn in the keys then ride home. The physical distance leaves me without the option of stopping. 

Running a mile on a quarter mile track gives you three opportunities to stop. Running a mile in a straight line does not give you any options other than finishing.

Right now getting in shape enough to attempt this is my present goal. If I start at the Pacific Ocean and ride to the Atlantic Ocean I will be either a broken man or a real bad ass. I have used this principle from the first trip but I was much younger then. I’m a little over a month from the big 70. I know it is the new 60 but climbing on an 85 pound bicycle and riding thousands of miles isn’t common or easy.

At my age I should be satisfied with a few rounds of golf at a high end resort, a two week fishing trip or a cross country motorcycle ride but my passion is my passion. I just wish I felt that passion part more passionately right now.

I will do this God willing because I’m stubborn and bull headed. Right now I need to move forward with my conditioning. I’m making progress and now I put it in words to be read by others. I have used talking trash to activate my ego. That usually gets me out the door.

two hundred seventy seven

BUSINESS CARD

I will hand them out along the way to stay connected to the people I meet.

 

two hundred seventy six

IN THE FAMOUS WORDS OF POPEYE "I YAM WHAT I YAM"

Well I'm an old straight blue collar Christian conservative white guy. Today some may say this is a brave and bold statement but like Popeye said "I yam what I yam". I am closing in on 70 years of age, far longer then I had ever expected to live. I have seen plenty of change in my life, some good and some not so good.

After that short statement I imagine a few people are already assigning labels, motives and tribal membership to me. If that is you there is nothing I can do about it. Name calling, judging and stereotyping does not promote discussion or debate it is simply a cheap tactic to silence and divide. 

I can't stop any of it I can only ignore the name calling, labeling and  implied motives and affiliations. I long to have honest discussions wherever possible but it is becoming rare. 

What once was common sense is now turned upside down and inside out. Name calling, assigning blame, guilt trips, victim status, self pity and rewritten history does not welcome debate. Censorship, changing the meaning of words, false science, the blanket omission of facts and character assassination are tactics to discredit and demonize opponents.

The desire to know the truth takes backstage to feelings. We don't speak the same language and don't share the same vision of history or the future. We now have narrative news coverage, blowhard panels of so called experts and the opinions of self appointed group leaders, all designed to justify hatred and resentments.

I think it is like two divorced parents in a custody battle that are trying to win the favor of their children. They desperately manipulate always masking it by saying things like "It's for the good of the children", however the tactics they use reveal their true motives. 

One offers no discipline, no bedtime, junk food and unrestricted playtime. The other parent has rules, bed times, nutritious meals and makes them do their homework. Both parents point out to the children how the other parent doesn't care about them.

It is up to the child to make a wise decision about their future and how they will be cared for. It is obvious most children will choose no rules, candy and playtime and think the parent with rules is mean and doesn't care how they feel.

Teaching children to be selfish is easy, it simply reinforces their existing immature natures. However, teaching a child about sharing, obeying rules and respect for others takes time, effort and struggle. 

Divorced parents have different motives. Some motives are loving and caring but some are based on financial gain, having control or revenge. The one constant in divorce is the children always pay a price.

The sad thing about political battles is many adults are subject to these same manipulative tactics. It is unfair to expect children to make adult choices but I do expect adults to make informed mature choices.

The notion of independence, personal responsibility and productive citizenship seems to be fading, but unfortunately jealousy, envy, self pity, hatred and emotional tantrums is becoming stylish. 

By their very nature all political parties seek power and control and they do not give a damn how they get it. Both parties spend billions on campaigns to sway voters to support their party by hook or by crook. 

Over two hundred years ago we saw the beginning of negative campaigns, so this is nothing new. What is new is the sophistication of the manipulative tactics they use. 

The targets of these campaigns have also changed. The ideal target of these campaigns are naive, poorly informed and self-centered people. They are easily swayed by emotion, transfer checks and envy. 

On the other hand the nightmare hard to manipulate voter is independent, informed and self disciplined. They need to be convinced using reason, information and principles. If you can't convince them with good arguments the only defense is to discredit, smear and discourage them to keep them on the sidelines.

I'm not saying the Republicans are better, smarter or more noble then the Democrats or that the Democrats are better, smarter or more noble then the Republicans. They are both political parties plotting and scheming to take power and money away from the citizens. 

Like the scorpion and the frog story it is just their nature, everything else is packaging and spin. We the people are responsible to keep both parties in check. 

Divide and conquer is the most effective tactic being used today.                  

Unity is becoming a forgotten principle, in fact it has been turned completely around. Some are again judging others by skin color, ethnicity, gender, sexual preference and religion. In some convoluted way they can spend hours justifying this backwards logic while demonizing those who call for unity. 

All I know is when I heard these words......

Doctor Martin Luther King Jr

"I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character"

.....When he delivered these life changing words on television, I like millions of others listened intently. I was deeply moved and from that moment on fully embraced this principle and have never changed. It breaks my heart that others have.

I have no answers other than encouraging others to be informed thinking voters. My heart is broken because of division and hatred. Forces are feeding this part of our lower nature to advance their agenda. 

This is not a partisan political post, yes I have conservative leanings. I think we should apply laws equally, live within our means, have transparency in government, a responsible media, value freedom and liberty and live in unity. If that makes me a racist, insurrectionist, radical, Neanderthal or bigot that is your problem.

I take my hat off when the flag passes, thank veterans nurses and policemen, wave and say hello to strangers and use my turn signals. Yes I'm a grumpy old guy at times but there is wisdom to living by principles instead of personalities. 

If we operate by principles we have a foundation that will last. If we follow or worship personalities we put our power and trust into another flawed human being. Politicians are tools, they serve a function but if they ignore the basic principles this country is built on they are destructive. 

...."Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: love your neighbor as yourself.  

                                           Mathew 22: 37-38

The theme of this bicycle blog resides in this statement. I traveled 14,000 miles on a bicycle using these principles. The neighbors (strangers) I met along the way responded to love in ways I will never truly understand. I'm not a naive fool I know I could easily be a victim. I claim no supernatural protection for my physical safety, I had to use common sense. 

However I now fully know two powerful truths, I was never alone and love reflects love.