To See, Or Not To See

Distractions in any form can be a dangerous thing. Whether on the motorcycle, in a car or even some in life that sway us from our path from time to time. I am usually clear headed and very present when I am on my motorcycle but occasionally I find myself a little tired or impaired by bright sun or low lit areas at night. If I have the option to rest or wait before I begin riding I will do so. When trying to gain time or distance on longer trips sometimes I find myself pushing a little just to get to a destination. I've ridden on long country roads at night and often see animals on the side of the road waiting to dart out. Sometimes what I think is an animal is only a shadow or a tree branch. Even in the day time on a sunny day I'll see images in the distance that appear to be one thing but as I get closer they are not what I thought they were at all. 

To see things for exactly how they are can be a difficult thing. Situations may appear to be one way, but more often than not our own mind becomes the animal on the side and we wait for it to dart out in front of us. All the while its was just a shadow all along...

I have wandered all my life, and I have also traveled; the difference between the two being this, that we wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment. ~ Hilaire Belloc

Cheers.

Jim

OMG BRB with another blog!

Hey all, Happy Holidays!
So there is alot of snow on the ground and it makes it difficult for us to get around. I personally enjoy a good bottle of wine, a good movie and the warmth of my old dog curled up next to me on the couch. It's an extreme feeling from that of the warmer seasons when all I want to do is get out there and ride, make deeper connections to friends, family and the world around me. These cold months and time of less activity leave me with more time to embrace my technologically enhanced connections. More, blogging, more facebooking, more texting... It's a guilty pleasure of mine that I've often struggled with especially a couple years ago when we all started to lean towards those forms of communication.
I've shared some experiences on this blog about riding through parts of the country on the bike and the experience being heightened through the weather and smells that change constantly. To see the world from the motorcycle is a much truer experience than that of a car, not to say it's better unless of course you ride a motorcycle, then, yes its way better! Much like the experience of riding cross country and having a real tactile experience I enjoy the same with people I meet along the way. My hopes for 2011 is to embrace my true friendships I've made, those that have become stronger as a result of my crash and new ones that are not separated by a screen and some short hand text messages.
The convenience of staying in touch with people that  I wouldn't normally be able to without this technology is great, but I hope to see more of you out in the world we live in. I'll be riding my little heart out come the spring time and look forward to crossing paths on a human level with my friends old and new.

If you've got the time to follow this blog and you want to become a follower do it. I'd like to hear more from you all and be inspired to continue writing. I usually post these on Facebook but I'd like to get away from doing that at some point. Gimme a ring and let's grab a pop or a coffee and let me know how you're getting through this ride of life. Ideas and opinions, encouragement and inspiration are always great for this tattooed biker who occasionally has alot to say about nothing.

Cheers.
Jim

I got my baby back, baby back, baby back...

The ole scoot is outta the shop and being stored in a nice cozy garage for the winter, thanks to my gracious friends. She's running cherry and just needs a little cosmetic work over the winter. I have a new tank ready to be primed and painted and there are some other dings and scratches to take care of. I picked her up the other day and she purred like a kitten, well maybe a lion. Thanks to Shane and his trailer we had her in storage in no time. I had to start her up just to see what she had too say after over two months of being separated. I fired her up and rolled on the throttle and I could hear her repeating, thank you Jim, thank you Jim, thank you Jim, RIDE, RIDE...
Over the winter I will continue physical therapy for the finger, get back to work as soon as posible and prep the bike to hit the road in the spring time. I've got a mind full of things to blog about but I'm gonna keep this one short and leave you with a video that warmed my heart on one of the coldest days we've had...

"If you are going through hell, keep going." ~ Winston Churchill

Cheers,

Jim

Right Bike, Right Mind

Sixteen years ago I got my first motorcycle, a 1985 Honda Shadow 500. This bike was alot of fun, I learned on it and honed my riding skills. I rode that bike for a couple of years until I found that I needed a bigger bike with a little more power. I was taking longer trips and starting to ride with friends that had larger bikes and I wanted to keep up with the pack. I eventually bought a new bike with a larger engine that would help me pass cars in tight situations. It was a more comfortable bike and I could do longer rides on it which was my goal. I enjoyed that motorcycle for a couple of years. The more riding I did the more I wanted to do and the idea of traveling across the United States on a motorcycle began to enter my mind.
 I remember a trip I took up to Vermont with a friend. We were riding up route 7 in Massachusetts and got stuck behind a tractor trailer on a two lane highway. My friend decided to pass the trailer in the other lane and I followed him. As he buzzed ahead and back into the right lane I was traveling neck and neck with this trailer and I had my throttle completely open. As I looked ahead I could see an oncoming car in the distance and I needed to get around this truck asap. I creeped past the truck and scooted over to the proper lane nearly missing the oncoming car. This was when I decided once again maybe its time for an even faster more powerful motorcycle. If I was going to continue to take bigger trips that might put me in these situations where I needed the power to avoid cars and trucks with a quicker repsonse it was time to invest in a vehicle that could handle that.
2002...enter the new Harley. I've been riding this beast ever since, and I must say, I can count on this bike for all of the different kinds of riding I've done. I cruise on back roads in comfort, zip through traffic with ease and take on the occasional gravel road 1000 miles away from home. I've relied on this bike to start up and get me to where I need to go, it's taken me on some incredible adventures to explore the outside world and it gives me time to look at my own mind. I've become a skillful rider on this bigger, heavier bike and done some of the most challenging rides on it. A couple years and close to 30,000 miles later that beast has provided me with some of the most memorable times of my life. The bike has always fired up and been a solid reliable source of not only transportation but real enjoyment.
Of all the places I've gone and explored, this year will perhaps be the most memorable experience with the motorcycle. At the end of September, in the midst of a beautiful fall season when the thoughts of trying to ride as much as possible were constant, I crashed the bike. The crash seemed to be what might be the apex of a somewhat difficult year but it's been followed up by even more difficult situations.
Choosing a motorcycle to provide me with enough strength to get to where I need has proven to be a much easier decision than those I need to make within myself to get through the tougher times. Life's roads have gotten bumpier, there are more obstacles in my way and it seems as if I don't have the steam to pass them by. I don't think I can upgrade my mind to pass these times by any faster. In fact it may be time to downgrade to a slower version of my mind. A much more patient one and much more mindful one. There's tractor trailers everywhere and maybe it's time to back off a little and let them get to where they are going. There are plenty of side roads that offer choices to get you where you need to be. They are less traveled and move a bit slower but they give us a chance to look at ourselves and to listen closely to see how we are operating, even if it's not our bigger, faster, stronger version.

What is the best vessel to get us through our life, especially the tough times? While rolling on the throttle and passing things by is pretty exciting and effective, it's not always the answer. In these times where we are flooded with noise and opinions and distractions from all directions there has got to be some time to go down those quiet side roads and pull off for a little while. Maybe it's there we can take time and find that we are the vessel, and have to fill it with whatever provides us with the right amount of strength to get through a day, a couple of days or even 365 days.

Be well...
Jim

Green Leaves, Brown Leaves, Everything Leaves...

I've been lucky enough to explore a good part of the land in the United States on two wheels and it's a fulfilling experience. Some of the best times on the bike were spent traveling through the open spaces out west. I always feel relaxed and connected to everything around me. Not all of my travels bring out the same feelings though. One particular experience comes to mind for me. I was headed west and found myself stuck in rush hour traffic in the outskirts of Chicago. I was on a major highway, the traffic was dead stopped and the temperature was well over 80 degrees. As I edged my way slowly through car exhaust and heat I began feeling tired and irritable. I was eyeballing the closest exit and considering searching for a new route to get out of this metro hell. Once I got close enough to that exit I ripped off the ramp and searched for a gas station to stop and look at my map. As I drove through town I noticed it was crowded and a little run down, there was trash on the sides of the road and perhaps not the best part of town. I felt like an unwelcome foreigner, rolling through town with a giant pack on the back of my bike and an out of state plate. I plotted a different route to get back to the main highway and headed down the road. I was creeping in traffic again and as I approached some railroad tracks, I could see cars coming to a stop as the gates came down and the sound of an approaching train grew louder. So, here I am sitting in on the bike in rush hour traffic, in the hot sun, dehydrated, nervous about my surroundings and watching a textile train buzz past me. This train seemed to never end and I must have sat there for a half hour that seemed like a lifetime. As my patience wore thin I began considering pulling out of traffic once again and looking for yet another route. Frustrated and irritated I rolled on the throttle and pulled out of the mass of stopped cars and headed back the other way. After a couple minutes and a couple of turns I found and entrance to a highway in the direction I needed to go and jumped on.  I was moving again and I started to feel a little relief from my uncomfortable situation.
That situation brought up some anxiety and frustrations and I wished to get out of it as quick as possible. I knew it would be a matter of time before I got out of that mess but I had a really difficult time letting go of my aggravation.
Even in the slowest movements on the bike, stuck in traffic there were subtle changes and signs that everything would eventually leave. The cars would have thinned out and scurried off to there homes, the sun would have gotten lower and the temperature would drop, and I'd make my way towards more open land with less population.
Even coming to a place that I find visually beautiful, whether it be the mountains or the trees or open fields filled with wild flowers it all leaves in one way or another. The external always changes whether it appears beautiful to us or unsightly. So sometimes I wish for change so much it drives me crazy and sometimes I wish for things to remain and it brings the same discomfort.
While a good deal of riding my motorcycle on the daily basis consists of getting from one place to another, the best rides are those on the weekend with no real destination in mind. I can jump on the bike and just start riding and watch  things come into my sight then leave. I've spent years riding back roads in the East Coast, sometimes doing the same route over and over again. There is something different about them each time I do. Maybe the roads are a little more worn, a favorite tree is missing, or a new house has been built in a place it never was.  I could let those changes bother me or I can keep riding my motorcycle and think to myself, this is the way the world is. Is it easy to be at peace with the conditions in life? If you ask me about the last year I'd tell you hell no! It's certainly much easier to jump on my bike and hit those roads again and again. Somehow, while riding, I've managed to take in the ever changing surroundings and to look at them for exactly the way they are and be at peace with that. I've got to give it a little more practice while on two feet and not two wheels.

Keep riding, keep meditating, keep doing whatever it is you need to do to look at the world for the way it is and to accept that its nature is to constantly change.

Cheers!
Jim

Can you spare a little...

The first time I rode my motorcycle across the country I took the northern states. I started trekking through New York state, Pennsylvania ,Ohio, continuing right below the Great Lakes and heading towards South Dakota. The main highway that I took offered little scenic value and a large part of that trip looked very similar. I spent almost three days traveling with one thing in mind, and that was the terrain of South Dakota. Though I had seen pictures of  The Badlands,  The Black Hills and the monuments in the Midwest I was excited to experience it in person, especially on the motorcycle.
While making my way out there I had some difficult hours of riding, I was tired and sore, my ears had become clogged from the wind and  I was sunburned. At one point in Illinois I had gotten disoriented and actually started heading the wrong way, tired and hungry. That day I made little time and gained very little distance so I decided to spend the night and get some rest. The roads in those states, before getting into South Dakota, are mostly flat and straight and hours of that is enough to drive you a little insane. I found myself getting into an almost meditative state and just rolling on the throttle and looking straight ahead not thinking of too much. Occasionally a song would pop in my head and I'd hum or sing it to myself over and over. I did what I had to do in the midst of some uncomfortable riding just to keep trekking on.
An open field...some horses...some cows...another open field...a rest stop...another rest stop...and another...
On the third day I had crossed into South Dakota and spent the night. That morning i headed towards Rapid City. About an hour or two into that day I started to see some of the topography change. Up ahead I could see the faint outline of mountains. As I got closer they became more defined and I could see the red hue of the rocks. I made it to the Badlands national park and I drove my bike through some winding roads and pulled over to take in the land. There were layers of different colored rock and spires and other shapes that had been formed by the wind over millions of years ago. As my excitement for making it there took over, I found myself feeling rested and happy. My body didn't feel tired or achy and I was overwhelmed by the landscape.
The next couple days consisted of smaller trips on the bike through the twisting roads of the Black Hills. I took my time and saw all sorts of wildlife and the scenery seemed to change constantly. I drove through more large rock formations, thick dense forest , switchback roads that I couldn't do more than 5 miles per hour on and an elevation change that thinned the air out.
I was able to meet and talk to people at most of the sites I stopped at and shared stories about traveling across the states to get there. The land itself filled me with a sense of energy and new life and the miles of mundane trekking in the previous days faded quickly.
The change of scenery exceeded anything I could have imagined or sensationalized from photos alone and filled me with a sense of peace and real happiness.
I was scared when I set out on that trip because I did not know what to expect, I thought about the dangers of the trip as well. I was sore and uncomfortable and I even had moments that I questioned myself, Why the hell am I doing this? But after the long trip out there and the long straight road of miles and miles of constant, what greeted me was an experience I will never forget. I held on tight to those handle bars and  looked ahead and though I was not sure what to expect, if I had turned back I would never known that there was something incredible waiting there for me all that time.

“All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.”~Anatole France

To the winding roads, and switchbacks, and a change of scenery...CHEERS!

Jim

Life and Other Four Letter Words

I spend 2 days a week going to physical therapy for my finger and occasionally I run into the same people there for various reasons all trying to gain some use of there hands back. I've seen the same elderly couple there for awhile now. The woman is there for therapy and her husband comes along for company, both very sweet people. This woman has been sharing some great stories about her family and growing up and it's been nice to laugh a little and reminisce about my own childhood. They are both retired, seem very happy, they're active people and sound as if they get out and enjoy life as much as possible. She shared this funny story with me the other day.
She had been busy cooking and doing things around the house and her husband was relaxing on the couch with his feet up and she asked him, "What do you have planned for today?" His response was,"Nothing." She say's to him,"Didn't you do that yesterday?" and he answered,"Yes, but I'm not finished yet."
        You'd think I would be doing a whole lot of nothing since I got injured. It felt that way the first couple days when I was banged up pretty good and just lying around but since then my days are filled with Doctor appointments and running errands, doing what I can around the house and the days seem to roll by. I started the 3.6.5 blog in September and here we are getting ready to gorge ourselves on Turkey dinner and roll our way into December. I haven't worked in 2 months and somehow my days are filled with things to do. I look forward to getting back to somewhat of a normal routine but I hope that I don't forget to occasionally break that routine and enjoy my time with friends and family. It's unfortunate that the almighty dollar dictates alot of our actions on the day to day and somehow we've all been weaved into this web of existence. Gimme 10 bucks to fill my motorcycle tank and 150 miles of open road and I'll show you a break from this routine, one like you ain't never seen. (thank you David Lee Roth!)

The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it.  ~Author unknown

Enjoy Thanksgiving if you choose to celebrate it, enjoy the day if you don't have to work and enjoy doing nothing if you haven't quite finished yet.
Jim

Frankenfinger...It's ALIVE!!!

Hello all! I had the remaining pins removed from my finger today. Though it's got no protruding metal from it anymore it still lives up to the name Frankenfinger. Ol' Frankenfinger has some scaring and looks like it's been pieced together from Igor's collection of ghastly digits. I'll be continuing the therapy well into December but it's moving quite well. There is a loss of feeling in parts of it but I am well on my way to recovery. I'm thinking if I gain an inch or so more (please no "manhood" jokes) of bend-ability I can get that clutch in far enough to jump on the scoot! OK, OK I better not rush that. Right now the goal is to get this digit in working capability to get back to my first love, TATTOOING!!! It's been just about 2 months not working and as much as the finger has been hurting the wallet shares the same pain. In a time where most people are struggling with financial stability I'm certainly not alone, especially being a self employed person with no disability and no workman's compensation.
I've shared alot of things through this blog in the past 2 months and I hoped they would have been mostly adventures on my bike. As fate would have it the crash changed everything and to pile the shit higher I lost my best four legged friend, Tut. In the midst of everything I've struggled to keep my head up. I am still faced with alot of burdens but hell, so is everyone.
I was pleasantly surprised by my crew at the shop with a benefit they have decided to hold to help ease a bit of the money woes that wait for me with little patience. For those of you who know me I'm not one to complain and not one to ask for help, probably to a fault. That may explain why I stubbornly got back on my bike covered in blood with a finger hanging off , a motorcycle that barely ran and drove it back to my shop the night I "cracked up". Hey, I love that beast and I wasn't about to leave her alone under a bridge far from a familiar place with out me!
My friends have come together and good fashion will be throwing a hell of a time not only to raise a couple bucks but to show everyone a good time the way the Lucky Soul crew does. I was speechless when I learned of the great time they have planned and yes this big tattooed biker almost lost a tear from his eye...almost!
There are many people who have suffered hardships far greater than my experience and I  hope I keep them in mind as I continue on this interesting ride in life, to relate, to empathize, and to draw strength from them all. Let's continue the 3.6.5. ride mindfully, whether on 2 feet ,2 wheels, four wheels or however it is we make our way through each moment.

Happy Monday...
Jim

Big thanks to Steve Chanks for this incredible artwork!

 

 

 

 

 

Write it, read it, ride it!

This has been an excellent season for riding. We are heading into December and I have seen a good amount of bikes out there. It's been tough watching people pass by on there motorcycles while I watch with envy from the interior of the 4 wheeled cage. Still, I can't help but smile knowing that the weather has been so good to all the bikers out there. As much as I wish I was along side of all you two wheeled nuts, I'm pleased to see you all doing what you love to do, riding! With the holidays creeping up on us it can be a stressful time of year and having the outlet of a motorcycle is always a great source of freeing your mind and body from that stress. This is the time of year when alot of riders start getting the bike prepped for storage, maybe adding a little stabilizer to the fuel and pulling those batteries tenders out. People usually ask me, "Hey Jim, did you put the bike away yet?" My response to that was always, "It's never really away." They wondered how I kept the battery charged through the winter and I told them, that's easy ...I ride it!

This year is certainly different I haven't been on the bike since September 26th, the day my life took an interesting turn. That turn was a sharp one that landed my ass on the pavement and sliding into a street sign. So it's been almost 2 months since I've rode or picked up a tattoo machine and as you all know it's been quite the bummer. I'd like to say that I'm feeling much better and making some progress. The physical therapy is going good and the finger is bending a little more each day. Here are some photos too show you that progress. I've held back from the real gruesome ones but if you'd like to see some just ask!

This is a couple days after the crash

This is today!

 

Pins before they yanked out the 2 in the tip.

Those came out of the tip.

I have 2 more pins coming out this Monday and I hope to get the finger bending even more. As for the bike she's ready to ride but not as pretty as she was. I'll still give her all the loving she deserves when it's time to hop on that saddle!
I've had a couple people ask if I plan on giving the 3.6.5 ride another shot. I'm still pondering it and of course getting better and getting back to work is priority right now, but if you think you see Santa Claus shredding down the street in a bad ass black sleigh take a little closer look cuz it just might be yours truly.

If you keep reading,  I'll keep writing. If you're not reading, you better be riding!

Catcha later
Jim

Oppurtunity, I'd like you to meet Desire.

After a small reprieve I've decided to sit and blog. I've been asked a couple times recently ,"What happened to the 365 blog, man?" Simply put I haven't felt much like writing. Some time has passed and I've made some improvement with the injured finger but honestly I have been down in the dumps. So why write now, well...
I was told along time go that when opportunity meets desire you will make changes. I had the opportunity to sit and write tonight and I had the desire to say a couple of things. First and for most the object of my disappointment of course has been the broken finger and since I haven't spoken much about it perhaps it's time for a little update. To recap quickly, I crashed my bike, smashed my finger, my dog died, I can't tattoo and I can't ride. This has a little to do with why I'm "down in the dumps". Alas! I am starting to see a little light at the end of this tunnel. I had 2 of the 4 pins removed from my finger, started physical therapy to get that digit moving again and I have a little mobility already. The other 2 pins come out in a week and I am determined to get back in the swing of tattooing soon. I miss tattooing, my bike and my dog, but what is it that truly helps transcend the bad things in life that happen to us? Is it a pill, money, another person or merely a change of thought? You got me, but I'm guessing it's the state of mind. I've not done much with my time since the accident but I feel as if a great deal has changed for me. I keep moving and  try and change my thoughts especially when those nasty little buggers creep in like black clouds.
There had been alot of things in my life that I did not pay attention to and when the accident happened I had no choice but to stare them in the face. Not being able to do much of anything with the damaged finger, left we with time and opportunity and I've recently had the desire to make some changes in my life.
It seems like an easy equation...when opportunity meets desire. Hmmm...
If you have the desire to change something and the opportunity allows you to do so then that change will certainly take place. As far as changing my thoughts from bad ones to good ones, the opportunity is always there its just that the desire to do so is not always strong enough to change those thoughts. That's when I'm stuck down in the dumps. So whether your staring down a tunnel with a faint light looking back at you waiting to see if its a train headed your way, or sifting through shit looking for a morsel of gold, no matter how uncomfortable the wait might be, remember it's only your thoughts that can transcend the bad shit in life.

Go ride already will ya...
Jim

LOL

When things seem like they are turning to shit it gets pretty damn difficult to laugh or even crack a smile. I told my friend last night that if I ever stop laughing just shoot me. That's figuratively speaking of course. I'd take a firm crack up side the head, maybe.
It's easy to get stuck on the negative when things are not going the way you had hoped, but that's life. In the midst of it all sometimes we just have to laugh...

Thank you Shane for letting me feel the wind in my hair and your hand on my leg...uhhhh.....

A good friend lets you on the bike of the bike, a great friend stays your friend even when you post the picture on the Internet!

Thanks for the laughs bro.

Jim

Fire it up...

A couple years ago I was watching an episode of Bill Maher's show, "Real Time". George Carlin was one of the guests on his panel that night. I've always been a big fan of him and one of my greatest memories is seeing him at the Klein Memorial in Bridgeport. What makes that memory even fonder is that my Mom had taken me and my best friend to see him and we couldn't have been any older than 13, true story! Thanks, Mom! I don't think she knew how crude he was and I remember sitting there watching my Mom with tears rolling down her eyes from laughter. She was swatting me in the arm as if to say "close your ears for this part" but she couldn't say much because she was laughing so hard.
Bill Maher had asked George a question regarding the current state of the country and I remember his response. George Carlin said that as a comedian he was basically a commentator on life and that the things happening around us at that time were much greater than all of us. I've often taken that stance in the scheme of life and watched things just happen around me. I believe there are things happening that we do not have much control over. Some things on a spiritual level, political, environmental etc. I do think that talking about things without activity can be a waste of energy and if we do not make a decision to act this can be hurtful to ourselves and others. That activity needs to start on a personal level and getting through the fear and doubts to get moving is not an easy task. George Carlin's way of speaking and use of comedy helped provoke thought in other people and he had a knack for exposing the ridiculous things in life we all spend way to much energy on. Maybe that was his way of being proactive to make people think and fire them up to act.
Does anyone have a match or a lighter or perhaps a flamethrower please...

Here is George Carlin's take on the way life should really be...

I mean, life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time. What do you get at the end of it? A Death. What's that, a bonus? I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first, get it out of the way. Then you live in an old age home. You get kicked out when you're too young, you get a gold watch and you go to work. You work forty years until you're young enough to enjoy your retirement. You do drugs, alcohol, you party, you get ready for high school. You go to grade school, you become a kid, you play, you have no responsibilities. You become a little baby, you go back into the womb, spend your last nine months floating... and you finish off as an orgasm.

- George Carlin

I think he had the right idea. Happy Monday all.

Jim

Passin' time...

As I get older I find myself engaged in conversation with friends about our struggles and hopes for this life. We talk about our concerns for the future, our dreams and our effort just to get through the daily grind. Some of us have strong ideas of what we expect to do, others may not be so clear but still we all wake up and step into our routine of life. I usually end most of those conversations with this, "Well friend, essentially we are all just passing time". We work, we pay bills, we eat, we sleep and try to throw some fun in there from time to time for good measure. This may come across as a nihilistic view. What is it we are headed towards as an ultimate goal? We certainly don't all have the same idea about this and depending on our belief system this will vary greatly from person to person. We all believe we have control over most things in our life and on some level this holds true with the choices we make along the way. No matter where we come from there is one thing that we all share and have no control over, we will all grow old and we will pass on. So what do we do to "pass the time" and what determines the importance of what it is we are doing? I suppose we need a purpose or life can seem very nihilistic...

Here is an excerpt from some writing I did awhile back. It's not and answer to my own struggle with day to day life but it does act as a reminder of one thing that is important to me to get through. Maybe that's our purpose, to find what it takes to keep going along our own path in the most fulfilling and happy way possible. Control what we can and embrace growing older with a little peace of mind.

Purpose

I am not exactly sure the first time I heard the term “existential frustration”; I just knew that it somehow defined an experience at a certain time in my life.  So I looked further into its meaning and it basically came down to “What the hell am I here for?”  As the years passed, I felt as if maybe I do somehow have a purpose in life and I felt less frustrated at times but then inevitably the frustration would creep back up and I would find myself in the same situation, searching for a reason to be. My exploration into different spiritual paths seemed to define or shape the reasons I had to “carry on” or live for the day but they just never seemed enough. There were moments of groundlessness that I would experience and it seemed as if I had become free of attachments to this frustration. These occurred during long trips on my motorcycle traveling across the country and taking in the beautiful land of the Midwest. These temples of nature had a certain draw and calming feeling to me and I felt as if I needed no purpose to be here. I have sat in front of the Red Rocks of Utah’s most breath taking parks, climbed the Rocky Mountains, stared into the canyons of yellow Stone Park, listened to wind whip through the badlands of South Dakota and each time I was removed from myself. No worries, no anxiety, no frustration. I am not sure why these places have such a draw and calming feeling. I suppose there sheer size alone makes me feel insignificant in the scheme of life and detached from the empty idea of “purpose”. Whenever I would arrive at such places across the country, I had nothing to do but sit and stare and take in the landscape that had provided me with this feeling of calm and absence of existential frustration.

 I miss riding the motorcycle but I'm trying to stay busy until I get back on. I was hiking  through the woods today and felt very content just looking at the colors of the trees and listening to the river and I sat and watched the sun dance off the lake. Anything to grab hold of a little peace of mind is a fine way to pass the time...

Friday? Really... See ya, Jim

Back with a little of those Blog-rockin' beats...

It's been a few days since I posted anything. I sat down a couple of times with the intention of doing a little bloggin' but as I sat in front of this machine I felt completely empty. With the loss of my dog, I believe I needed to grieve and I know it will take more time to go through that process.
There is a Robert M. Pirsig quote that I keep going back to and  thinking about.
"If your mind is truly, profoundly stuck, then it might be much better off than when it was loaded with ideas"
I'm not sure I understand this completely but I've got some idea of what he may have meant. I think my mind was stuck this past week and I have certainly experienced it before quite often. Not being able to tattoo, or ride or do a bunch of other things that require the use of my left hand is forcing me to find things to do as I go through the healing process. It is hard not to think about those things I am missing right now and sometimes it makes me feel very stuck. I've often found myself in a spot where I may have been faced with an uncomfortable situation that I needed to deal with and my mind would race wildly with different possibilities on how I could face that with the least amount of discomfort. This injury has removed most possibilities of how I can deal with this particular situation. I need to listen to the doctor take care of my self and then go to therapy for the hand before I can get back to those things I miss. Time is the only thing that will help. I am still left with some discomfort and I know that sometimes there is no avoiding that. I expected to experience discomfort on the bike as the weather began to change. I knew those cold days would be tough riding through and probably leave me with an achy body. The physical aspect of discomfort is one element to deal with then the mind starts racing with thoughts like, "Oh it's so cold, my back hurts, my hands are stiff, my ears are frozen, why am I riding today, shit I have to stop for gas, I have to take my gloves off, and on and on and on...
These are the ideas that load my mind and are completely useless. They do not help me to remain present in anyway and they are just thoughts. Unless I am willing to take any action to relieve some of that discomfort there's really no point in allowing those ideas to float around. I certainly don't want to complain to anyone else either and make someone else suffer too!
I suppose for now I am profoundly stuck with this thought, I'm injured and I will heal...
I've got lots of things to embrace to get through this time and I'll keep bloggin' away to pass this time and as the finger heals and strengthens the motorcycle will also be on its way to shaping up.
I had quite a few people ask if I would ride again, the answer was easy to that. I've almost been hit crossing the street but that didn't make me stop crossing streets...
I've got a couple of pics to share and though I wish they were taken while riding the bike, it's important for me to remember to enjoy this great time of year broken finger and all.
Enjoy...
Jim

Nice morning

From the four wheeled cage

Penny riding shotgun

and goodnight...

I've been pinned!

Here's an updated picture of the finger. I've got some fancy pins holding things together. I was going to ask the Doc to put pins through my entire body, mind and spirit so that I could hold things together. Having taken a big bite of a crap sandwich this year invites some days where I don't feel very positive and things can appear to be falling apart. I know that it depends completely on my own outlook. Too much time spent worrying about the future can be a sure way of stopping you in your tracks and make you feel like sinking in quicksand. So what to do...
Stay present. Easier said than done of course.
I have a friend who experienced a terrible car crash and had several operations and spent a great deal of time in therapy. When I told her about my crash and that I couldn't tattoo for a couple months she offered this advice.

"You will be on an emotional roller coaster for quite some time. You will be sad, angry and depressed. You can not fall into that black hole. You have to let yourself heal, go through physical therapy and when you feel like giving up,  instead of giving yourself reasons why you can't (go on) give yourself reasons why you can."

Her accident was tenfold compared to my crash and she came through stronger and happier than before. I know she's telling me to stay positive and keep moving past those black holes. I've got a motorcycle waiting to bring me to the far corners of the states to explore more of this land and in turn more of my own mind. That's a pretty damn good reason for starters, for this "ole" biker...

Peace, Jim

Life is "Ruff"

The 3.6.5 ride was just a thought in my head for quite awhile until I decided to actually give it a shot. As a reminder to you all, it was going to be my attempt to ride my motorcycle everyday for one year straight. The main motivation to actually go through with it stemmed not only for my great love of motorcycling but as a reflection on everyday life with it's highs and lows. Forcing myself to ride was my way of staying present and mindful of things happening around me. The ride started strong and as you know not too far into it I crashed. Was I distracted and mindless? Bad karma? Oil slicks or sand? Whatever it was it happened and it has shaped this blog into a new kind of ride. I think the 3.6.5 ride is an appropriate name for all our travels through life. We are all on this ride and I hate to break it to you but there's no getting off. We experience life's highs and lows during the course of a day, a week, a month and of course 365 days one year at a time until it's our time to "park it". The injury to my hand has been a tough thing to swallow. Though it's temporary it has taken away things I love to do as well as my livelihood. As I start to heal I look forward to getting back to those things but realize I will have some tough days. Fortunately I have some personal friends who have gone through way more traumatic things and are living life with smiles on there faces.
At the end of September I titled one posting "When it rains it pours", that was in reference to some of the lows I was feeling but more towards the week long of rainy weather we had. I'm not sure of the phenomena that happens from time to time when a succession of unfortunate things seem to happen close together but I seem to be experiencing that. Maybe it's just timing...
Yesterday I lost my dear friend Tut, my 11 year old Boston Terrier. The health issue that took him came out of no where and the old boy lost the fight. I've read a great deal on impermanence and death. I've got some quotes that I believe are true and helpful in times of loss. I read them, I post them and I'd like to think I understand them. When I was experiencing this loss yesterday it was pretty tough to keep those thoughts and ideas of impermanence in mind. I felt as if I would have an easier time losing my finger than that dog and it has left me with an aching heart and a quieter house.
My fingers broke as well as my heart, my body is banged up and so is the bike. One thing I feel certain of in this moment is that I am going to keep riding two wheels or not. I'm gonna ride life with my friends and family through highs and lows and always make sure I'm occasionally stopping to smell the flowers.

A friend of mine passed this on to me today , "Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal."




Rest well friend...
I'm sure he enjoyed his ride



Just keep "riding"...

Jim

A cup of insight, extra light...

I've learned a couple things this week about myself, and it's nothing profound cuz frankly I'm tired...

1. Right handed shaving sucks
2. I can make the bed using my teeth (no sexy!)
3. I can rock sweatpants in public when I'm wounded but will always refrain from slicked back hair and gold  chains while sporting them.
4. Road rash scabs are not good snacks.
5. I have a new hairstyle because I have no style. One handed "Dapper Dan" maneuvering just don't cut it.
6. I can balance a piece of toast, a water bottle and a cell phone on a cup of steaming hot coffee.
7. A plastic bag over a bandaged hand makes a good loofah sponge.
8. A swollen knee is useless for trying to steer a car.
9. Hot laundry does not heal wounds.
10. I'd still rather be riding my motorcycle...



For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life.  But there was always some obstacle in the way.  Something to be got through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid.  Then life would begin.  At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.  ~ Alfred D'Souza

Have a great Friday...it is Friday isn't it?
See ya all...
Jim

GPS for minds?

I went to visit the bike at Valley Motor Sports yesterday and I have to say I think shes in better shape than me. The guys did some minimal work just to be able to test ride her and look for any mechanical problems. It was tough looking at her knowing I can't jump on and ride but a good lesson in patience. I think she's gonna be fine and I hope the same for myself.
Today's weather is looking nice especially coming out of that stretch of grey skies and rain. It seems as if that crummy weather started right when I went down. It was a reflection of the blues I was feeling after the crash. With the sun shining I'm gonna try and get some energy from it to remain hopeful and keep smiling.

I've been looking back at some of the past runs I've done and of course thinking about the ones I'd like to do in the future. I've met some great people along the way and  I wanna give more props to those respectable riders and friends of mine.
I met Keith through my buddy Jeff when we did the El Diablo Run in 2008 and we've stayed in touch. Keith lives in SoCal so he can ride the shit out of his bikes since the sunshine is plentiful. He's a talented photographer and a great dude. He's also the first person I met that had a pet pig.

While blasting through the desert in Mexico on a straight away we were all snapping shots with our cameras. I happen to get this cool photo of Keith. My camera was on the wrong setting and we were cruising pretty fast but I really love this shot.

I'll make my way back West eventually and ride some of those incredible roads again. In the meantime I'll be on this path of self discovery cruising through my own mind and taking time to stop and rest my attention on things that may arise for me. With the hand wrapped up and kinda useless right now, I'm forced to slow down and be very aware of every move I make so I don't hurt any work that the surgeon has done. It's a tough practice to keep my mind there with every action I make. I'll have to think of it as motorcycling and be conscious of every turn  I make. I know I'll fall off from time to time and struggle with thoughts, but at least I wont end up in the ER if I'm just having a bad day. Here's to a good day enjoy it before it slips away to quickly.

“Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts.” ~  TNH

Peace,

Jim

Damn this right handed world!

Surgery went smooth and the Doc was happy with the results. Now it's a waiting game and doing my part to heal  this digit healthy and strong. Since I'm doing one handed typing and I'm in a little pain, I'll keep this post short today. Thanks for all the well wishes from Facebook everyone.

Do not take life too seriously.  You will never get out of it alive.  ~Elbert Hubbard

For those of you who didn't know, I'm left handed and if you need a good laugh just watch me get through one day its quite comical.

See ya...

Jim

Sunday, Monday, Bruiseday...

I bet the bionic man rode a motorcycle...

If you don't see a blog for a day or two I'm recouping. Be well friends.

Jim

Hail, hail the pain's all here...

Tomorrow I go in for surgery on the index finger, and though I'm not very excited about it I can look at it as the true start of the healing process. With the help of some friends I was able to get some parts for the bike  today so she can start her healing process as well! She's laid up at the mechanics and I really miss the little lady. There was quite the chill in the air today and we even had a period of hail. It definitely presents a challenge for a rider. I got caught in hail once while traveling through Ohio and let me tell you it's like being shot with a BB gun. I think I would still take riding in cold, wet weather over laying on an operating table tomorrow. I went to the Doc's today to check the finger out once more before he works his magic and he reassured me, he's gonna "fix me right up". While I was leaving the office there was a little boy with his hand all wrapped up. He had lost the tip of his pinky and he was laying on the floor with a coloring book while his folks finished up with the receptionist. This kid was coloring with the wounded hand and I'll tell ya he was doing a hell of a job. It was a bit of inspiration before I get my operation done and it made me look forward to get back to tattooing. I'll be practicing patience for the next couple months so I'll try to keep that little kid in mind and maybe I'll pull out a couple of coloring books to keep the chops up!

I saw a couple of bikes out there this morning before the rain made it's way to us and I wished I was out there. I'll look to those of you still riding, like the little boy at the doctor's office, as an inspiration to do what you love fearlessly. Keep riding in warm weather, cold weather, rainy weather and for now I'll watch from the confines of my 4 wheeled cage as I sip on my coffee in humble appreciation.

Here's to a new day and a new finger!

Happy Monday...

Jim

Down on the Bayou...

A couple years ago I crossed paths with a young guy named Mark. He was referred to me from another friend to get some tattoo work done. I did a couple tattoos on Mark and through our conversation I discovered he also had an interest in motorcycling. The more we talked about bikes the more I could see he was crazed about them like myself. He really jumped into motorcycling with both feet. He's got a great scoot that he's learned to do a lot of wrenching on as well as riding the hell out of that machine. I know he's braved some harsh weather down south and driven in some very extreme situations.
Mark is a young guy with an old soul and a strong spirit.
I was able to shoot off an email and let him know about my crash and he wrote back with some very encouraging words. I'm gonna post some that stood out from that e-mail...

"Aw man. Jim I'm sorry brother. Your bound to go down sometime, I'm glad your alright though and still have your life. Being an occupational artist and hurting your hands is a rough time for a man's spirit...
... throw away how you do, take what you know and do it differently. Life is not stagnant and even though we are resilient to change, it's not so bad to get hurt when you learn of a new path.
I know you'll get back on, and you'll have the machines you love in your hands again soon enough. Take your time away from them in positive light. Breathe a lot, think a lot"

If you asked me what a real "biker" is, this is the kind of person that comes to mind. Thanks Mark, I hope our paths cross again soon.



Mark's sweet machine down on the Bayou

 Enjoy all...
Jim

Travel the path, become the path, hold the road rash.

It's been a week since I dumped the bike but my body feels like it happened yesterday. I know I'm on my way to getting better and it's gonna take time. I go in for surgery on the finger this Tuesday and that will be the real beginning of recovery. I've done alot of reflecting this week and I know the rest of this year holds alot more. I'm looking to next year as a fresh start to ride hard, tattoo my ass off, make some music and enjoy life. I've had a couple fleeting moments of feelin' blue but that's expected and if this had happened 10 years ago I would not have handled this as well. I'd like to think that some of the principles and ideas that I've learned and share within this blog have made a difference. My intention with the 3.6.5 ride was to practice getting through things in daily life that aren't always comfortable using the bike as the source of both enjoyment and challenge. I didn't expect a crash as the catalyst to force me to be more mindful but its part of the path now.
The Buddha said, "You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself" I should have explored that a little deeper before I projected off the bike and literally became the path! Like many of the winding roads I've spent time on, this ride has taking a new turn. When I'm on the bike and I discover new roads or even get lost, it's exciting  and there is never a sense of fear. I welcome the new sites around each corner and look forward to things I've never seen before in my lifetime. Can I adapt that kind of thought with this experience? That remains to be seen. I'm traveling this path now and there is no going back to before I crashed my bike.

It's a beautiful autumn day and if you ride, gear up and get out there! I heard a couple bikes buzz by earlier and I believe a tear came to my eye..I mean I...uh...was glad I'd be nice and cozy in my car today yah, yah!

Here's to my friends who ride and I hope they make me proud and put some miles on today. Much respect to my friend Shane today. He's ridden quads, dirt bikes, sport bikes and bought a sweet Harley this year. We had been riding every chance we got before I crashed. Shane picked up my bike and took it to my mechanic the other day and has helped me out countless times before. Hope he's out there in the wind right now!

Thanks Shane'dawg! We'll be shredding pavement soon enough. I'll try not do it with my body though!

Enjoy the weekend, all.
Jim

When it rains it pours...

Gray skies, pouring rain, broken finger...it's enough to crush a bikers spirit! With the intent of riding through the colder months this year I was hoping to avoid my usual diversion.When the weather starts to work against me, and  I get cooped up inside because of rain or snow, I find myself saturating my eyeballs with images of motorcycles. I look at websites with old bikes, new bike, bike parts, riding gear, bike runs, building bikes, motorcycle maintenance, bike trips, customizing bikes, bikes, bikes, BIKES!!!
With this bum finger I have no choice, I can't even brave the weather and get out there if I wanted to. With a broken finger I can't do alot of things I enjoy. So, guess what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna look at websites that have to do with MOTORCYCLES!!! Actually I have another idea...
Since the accident, I've had a large amount of well wishes from my friends, a lot of them bikers. When you're riding with a friend taking in the sights and enjoying cruising around, there is an understanding that takes place as you travel. You can sense the feeling of enjoyment from fellow riders just from a head nod or pointing to the sky. The communication between two riders becomes almost telepathic. When your buzzing through rolling hills hundreds of miles from home and the air is crisp you feel totally connected to the bike. There is nothing quite like it. That sensation is heightened when you get to share it with good people who truly love motorcycling.
It is in that moment that you are removed from daily stress and completely mindful of your surroundings.You become connected to the motorcycle, each other, and your environment. It's an example of  how, if we believe we are all connected and acknowledge that, we begin to appreciate all things on a deeper level.
I've had the chance to meet many people who share my love of motorcycling, some have become good friends. When I told those same people I crashed and got hurt, that I wouldn't be able to ride for awhile, they completely understood how much it bothered me. I didn't have to say much...
I'd like to take some time to show my respect to some fellow enthusiasts and friends who love the open road as much as I do.

My friend Jeff and I have racked up a bunch of miles together. We ride locally and have done some great runs as well. We did the El Diablo Run 2008 in Mexico and more recently the Gypsy Run in upstate New York. Once I'm back in the saddle I hope to get thousands of more safe miles with my good buddy Jeff. He's a stand up dude who rides hard. Here's to you buddy!

Jeff rides hard...

...sleeps harder.

Did you steal my ring dings?

 Thanks for keeping my spirits up through this otherwise bummer of a time, Jeff! 

Night all and be safe out there!

Jim

Dem Bones...

No, I'm not shooting you the bird! That's really not my nature. Unless of course your cutting me off when I'm on the motorcycle then you may get the one finger salute from me. That's the index finger on my left hand and yes, the tip is smashed. I thought about posting the gruesome photos of the tip hanging off but decided that wasn't necessary. I'll save those for Halloween...moohaahaa! The little pieces you see are just some happy little bones floating around in plasma and muscle. After seeing the Doc and having him assess the situation I was getting more concerned when he said "Boy, you really did a number on this finger." It turns out I may be looking at about 3 months to rehab my digit. I felt a wave of panic come over me after hearing that. No riding + no tattooing + no playing the drums = buuuummmmmmeeerrrrrr!!! My head started racing a bit as the reality set in of what has happened and my thoughts started to get way ahead of me. My mind was putting me in all sorts of terrible scenarios and self pity was trying to creep in. Then I remembered something...This crash happened to me the night I went to a benefit show for a friend who is battling cancer. A young guy with a great wife and a beautiful little girl. Everyday I get on my motorcycle I'm at risk for crashing and possibly hurting myself or losing my life and that is a choice I have made as a rider. This young guy didn't jump on a bike and say "Whoa there's a nasty turn up ahead, I hope I don't get cancer!" He is now forced to take each day, each moment as it comes and get the treatment that he needs in hopes that he can beat that cancer. The last thing the doctor said to me was " Don't worry we're gonna fix ya up." I have a feeling that's not what our friend heard from any doctor.
Some people's hardships come to pass quickly, others longer and still others end with hardship. Nothing stays the same no matter what, things will always change for better or for worse. We really have only the moment that we are in. We should do our best not to be carried away by fear and worry. This crash could have taken my life and maybe I was traveling too fast and running away from myself. I've got two banged up hands and a banged up knee and no choice but to slow down. Time to go back to oneself and be mindful in a way that I never lose myself.

Good night all.
Jim

Bad news bears...

Everyone crashes.  Some get back on.  Some don't.  Some can't.  ~Author Unknown

After sixteen years of safe riding I have finally earned my status of a "real bad-ass biker". I hate to have to say it folks but I crashed Saturday night. Too fast in a turn and a patch of sand makes for a messy ending to an otherwise good week. Trying to ride everyday for a year raises the risk for something like this happening to me and I knew damn well that anything could. I just didn't think it would be so soon into the 3.6.5 ride. The bikes banged up as well as yours truly. I am going to be out of work for about a month or so. I broke my finger and almost lost part of it. I go to a surgeon today to see how pretty they can make it.
I've understood the risks of motorcycling since I first sat on one. I also fell in love with the wind in my hair from the moment I took off on one. Once I rehab the hand and take care of the bike I'll be back on it. At this point motorcycling is in my blood and some of that got spilt the other night to mark my territory!
I am lucky that things weren't worse and they could have been.
There are always people in tougher situations than us and rather than compare our hardships we should relate to each others experiences and be there to help our friends through. I am lucky to have alot of them.
All though this blog was intended to keep you updated about a years long ride, I think I'll maintain it. This ride has shifted from one on two wheels to that of a ride in life to get stronger, mind...body...and spirit.

Peace for now friends...

Jim

354...

Congrats, we made it through another week. I myself have a busy work day ahead of me, but I'm glad it's Saturday. I've got two days off and it will be a nice break.
I wrote this little poem, if you will, a while back.

Monday looms above me as a great dictator
I climb up my soap box and step on his head
Now the weekdays and weekends
To me, are all dead!

I used to always get a case of the Sunday night blues when the weekend was over and I would have to start my week all over again. Half way through the day I would start thinking about going back to work and getting bummed out. Now, I wont tell you that it doesn't occasionally happen but its far better than it used to be. I realized just how fast the weekends were going by and the weekdays seemed to be going just as fast. Next thing you know I have a beard full of grays and my temples to match. I was spending way to much energy getting bummed that my weekend was almost over, I was missing out on enjoying it all together. I also realized that a Monday, or Tuesday , Wednesday or whatever day doesn't mean life stops. So what, you give up a couple hours to earn an honest living, but there's plenty of time to enjoy everyday. If the weather is nice out and I wanna go for a night time ride on a Thursday, you better believe I'm going. I don't want my mind to be conditioned to do or not do things because its a "weekday".  If certain concepts or ideas are going to dictate my path in life I might as well be a robot.
The only way I have found for combating those blues is to try and do my best to be in each moment. It's not an easy task but if you can accomplish that it makes those times more enjoyable and lessens the stress of things to come, or things we "think" are coming.

Don't be fooled by the calendar.  There are only as many days in the year as you make use of.  ~Charles Richards

Enjoy this day and do the same tomorrow, and the next day, and the next...
Jim

355...

Friday usually adds a little excitement to our thoughts of the coming weekend. For some of us its the end of the work week, for others it's just another day. The weekdays and weekends seem to blend together and just pass by with a quickness. A gray day can dull the mind and slow us down a bit and make it hard to look forward to anything really. Eat, sleep, work repeat...
Who knew it would take so much effort to keep the mind steady and stay present with all that happens and changes around us when it looks like nothing is happening at all? Don't believe that for one minute...

"You look at where you're going and where you are and it never makes sense, but then you look back at where you've been and a pattern seems to emerge.
"
-Robert M Pirsig (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance)








Time to "get going..."
Jim

356...

Rain is gone, sun is out, bike is waiting...

"To live only for some future goal is shallow. It's the sides of the mountain that sustain life, not the top."
—Robert M. Pirsig (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance)

357...

The first day of fall brought us nearly 90 degree temps and finished off the night with thunderstorms and lots of humidity. Not quite what I expected as a transition of the end of the summer especially since I've already said goodbye to the Heat Miser. I threw on my leather and headed out this morning and by the time I got to work I was ready to peel that jacket off and throw on some shorts. I've been preparing myself for cool breezes and dodging falling leaves, hot apple cider and chilly Autumn nights. Today I cranked up the AC and thought about a couple of tall cold ones! I've pulled out more cold weather gear and been mentally preparing myself to brave the threat of frozen snot! But noooooooooo... Instead I was staying inside out of the hot humid air looking at the sky waiting for the first clap of thunder and hopes that a good storm would cool us all down. What the heck man, I said goodbye to summer and the Heat Miser throws me for a loop. It's the first day of Autumn dammit and I had expectations! Winter cold, Spring warm, Summer hot, Autumn COOL!
Simply put, things are not always as they appear to be...
If we have such a tight hold on the way we expect things to be they often come with great disappointment. It's very difficult to let go of ideas we may have about our friends and family or certain situations in life, let alone the weather. Mother Nature is certainly a great force that leaves us no choice but to accept, so we learn to adapt and live with it's ever changing seasons and the surprises that come along with it. We have to be open to the idea that things may not go the way we thought and that it might be a good idea to come prepared for a storm even on the first day of Autumn.
If you've ever been caught in a rainstorm on a motorcycle you know it can be quite painful. If you choose to keep going it's best to keep your head up and the wheel straight and keep looking forward. If you look back the bike has the tendency to go in the direction your looking and there is a good chance your going to drive off the road. So even if the ride's a little painful just keep looking forward and know that the storm must always come to and end.

"For things to reveal themselves to us, we need to be ready to abandon our views about them."
— Thich Nhat Hanh

Bonjour  Autumn...Bienvenue!
Jim