My Holiday Message

The following passage just spontaneously wrote itself when I was writing about something else. I thought it was a good message for the holiday season so I'm re-posting it here:

I'm a WASP-born agnostic with zen leanings. I might be an honorary Catholic because my wife's family and so many of my friends have been Catholic. By that reasoning I might be an honorary Jew as well. And maybe an honorary black man. And I'm on my way to becoming an honorary east Indian and Mexican. If you hate me on sight for not being just like you, then stay the hell away from me. But I'll have a beer (or coffee) with anyone and everyone else. Most people are just people. Ignore the divisive media. United we stand.

I love motorcycling!

Today I took what will very likely be my last motorcycle ride for the year. It was also, possibly, the last ride of my life. (That last statement is truer for a leukemia patient like me than for the average rider. I'm doing well on that count but it's always touch and go.)

The day couldn't have been nicer. It was around 50 F and damp. In my cold weather gear I was snug and comfy and the big British twin LOVES damp cool weather. On days like this the Chrome Nun doesn't like to end the ride and neither do I. On my way home I kept turning down side roads and taking a longer and longer way home.

The Chrome Nun is a 2008 Triumph Bonneville T100, arguably the last truly great retro motorcycle. It's the last model year with real carbs. It also sports old-fashioned incandescent lights and mechanical gauges. It even has tall spoked wheels that require inner tubes. The only brake control and traction control are provided by the rider. The T100 version of the new Bonneville line is a 60s style motorcycle with 21st. century engineering and quality.

The Nun got her name because she's black and white and chrome all over and because in the hot months I take lots of early rides on Sundays which I refer to as "going to church." "The Chrome Nun" was a nickname that David Crosby gave to Grace Slick. Like her namesake, my motorcycle looks like a lady but is lots more fun than a lady.

Around Saint Louis, once the temps dropped below 60 F all the hogs disappeared. Below 50 F the sport bikes all disappeared. Then it was only me and a few BMW riders out risking ice patches. The BMWs were always newer models, probably equipped with heated handgrips. That means I won the prize for craziest winter rider. (The prize is really cold stiff hands.)

But in Northwest Indiana, I see very few BMWs. Instead, I'm joined on the road on cool days by hogriders. Any rider who can't wait for warm weather is a bro of mine. You'll hear me criticize hog-poseurs, fair weather riders who only ride to the bar to be seen with their fellow boys. But you'll never hear me criticize a true rider, no matter what he rides. Besides, some hogs are really @#$% cool!

On one of my last rides I went down to Cedar lake and rode all around the area. I saw a few real hogriders and a bar full of poseurs. Also, when I pulled over to check my phone for messages, I was passed by about a dozen youngsters on sport bikes. They were respectful and safe and several of them waved. They weren't in town on busy streets showing off like assholes, they were enjoying a ride in the country. That makes me feel good. 

It's noteworthy that my Bonneville gets respect from hogriders and sport bike riders alike. The two groups don't always extend the same courtesy to each other. I expect all real riders do. To me a real rider is someone who simply loves riding motorcycles, like I do. You don't have to be the fastest, loudest or most reckless in order to enjoy riding. Just seeing a nice motorcycle makes you feel good, and riding one makes you smile inside and out.

The Chrome Nun 12-2017

click to enlarge

Moto Explorer

[I've written about this before but it's one of my favorite topics. And though I tell some stories over and over, at least I never tell them the same way twice.]

I enjoy riding a motorcycle. I don't have to go fast or look cool or impress anyone in any way. Just being on a motorcycle makes me happy. I make this distinction because many people who ride motorcycles don't simply enjoy riding motorcycles. They are dissatisfied if their mount isn't fast enough or cool enough or impressive enough. But put me on any motorcycle and you'll put a smile on my face.

I do prefer naked standard midsize motorcycles. "Naked" means no fairing or other body work. "Standard" means an upright seating position with feet straight down, instead of reclining like on a cruiser or laying face down like on a "sport bike." Midsize these days would be around 750cc - 1000cc. My 865cc 2008 Triumph Bonneville T100 is all these things.

My favorite kind of riding is unhurriedly exploring back roads. I take off in no particular direction and when I see any road that looks interesting I explore it. I've equipped my Triumph with dual-sport tires for roads that turn to gravel or worse. I ride roads that aren't suitable for cruisers or sport bikes.

I've done this kind of riding since I was 16 and rode a 250cc Honda Dream.* As a result, I've seen countless interesting sights that no one else has seen unless they live down those roads or have had some kind of business there.

I know there are more moto-explorers like me out there, but I bet there aren't many. And I bet that between us we've seen as many interesting sights as all other riders combined.

You, too, can be a moto-explorer. You just:

get your motor running,
head out on the back way,
slow the @#$% down,
pay attention to your surroundings,
stop and take a closer look sometimes.

You can thank me later.

---------------------------------------------

*It wasn't fast or cool and no one was impressed, but I had a blast on that little bike!

Leukemia

Starting April 1, 2017 I was slammed down by Leukemia. Some April fool joke, eh?

Last Sunday, June 25, 2017 was the first time I rode the Nun since March. It was wonderful.

I'm in remission right now and feeling pretty good. But the doctors will soon put a stop to that.

Next on the agenda is worse chemo than I've already done, plus stem cell therapy.

Prognosis: 50% chance that I'll be "healed", 50% chance that I won't, and 15% chance that the treatment will kill me. Gentlemen, place your bets.

Those odds are based on average patients, meaning much older and sicklier than this tough old dog. So maybe I actually have better odds. Odds are for suckers, anyway. Anything might happen. The Russian roulette aspect of the treatment just keeps things interesting. Yeah, right.

I'm not really sad or despairing. It mostly just kind of sucks. I had finally reached a point of contentment in my life. All was well and I was looking forward to maybe ten more years of the same. Surprise!

Oh well. I've had one helluva good full life. If my life flashes before my eyes as I depart this existence, it'll be the blockbuster of the year.

Winter in NWI

Since buying the Nun in the spring of 2009 I haven't gone for more than two weeks at a time without riding... until now. Now I live in NWI (Northwest Indiana) where there's more snow and cold than I've encountered since a residency in Iowa in the 70s.

This winter hasn't been bad and I don't think I've gone more than three weeks between rides, but the winter is young and I'm not. If I stay here for the rest of my life, like I plan to, there will be some long spells between rides most winters.

Good thing I bought a battery monitor/charger when I bought the motorcycle, not that I've needed it until now. It was not a cheap one so I'm kind of glad to be getting use from it. I always use a little fuel stabilizer during the colds months which is probably not necessary but better safe than sorry.

Yesterday, January 21, temps got just over 60. All the motos were out and I was among them. It was a grand thing. I think all the waves and nods of motorcyclist to motorcyclist recognition were genuine and that most were accompanied by smiles. My smile was hidden under my full-coverage helmet.

The Nun is a true Brit. She loves cooler weather and especially damp or foggy weather. I used to think I was imagining it but it's too distinct a difference to be imaginary. Maybe its the result of the engine's first tuning taking place in the UK.

Nothing more to add today. I'll try to write again before 2018.