What are Friends for!

SINCE leaving Glendale back in January, I have had several sets of friends use the condo.

Although not a 'rental' place, since I bought it in April of 09, it has seen visits from my daugther Lisa and her friends, Tom and I, and several other groups.

Holly was scheduled to come this time last year with her East coast cousin Amber, when tragedy struck Amber's Mom, my former sister in law, Karyn.

Riding their Harley home one day, a young driver in a van turned left into the path of the big HD.  Paul was killed instantly and Karyn went through a years worth of rehabilitation to bring her back to some semblance of normallcy.  As much as one can be after such a foolish and needless act.

The girls cancelled their planned trip, but I hope I can host them at some other point.  I plan on keeping this place for all time.

The latest visitors were long time biking pal, Dave... and his buddy Keith.

They Dodged the route only recently, bringing along several dual purpose bikes and spent the better part of 2 weeks exploring the area around central/south Arizona.

Sometime in the near future, we'll have some of their AZ biking adventures along with photographic evidence, here as a guest Blog.

I've spent the first two days onsite, tidying up the inevitable dust bunnies.  Sweeping off the deck/patio, getting groceries in the fridge, sorting out the required paperwork for the XT and about a hundred other things that don't look after themselves.

Finding a broken window in the spare bedroom upstairs, cleaned up the shards of glass, and contacted my Phx buddy Bob C of Bob and Val fame, to help me out with a replacement window.  We should be able to get that sorted on the w/e.

Last night as it was cooling off into the 80's... I had a wander around the complex.  You know, many Cdns would opt for a different type of Phx home than I.  Gated communities, with lots of facilities, homes with granite countertops... I wanted a more typical community feel where I felt part of rather than isolated from, the hood at large.  Of course there are advantages and disadvantages to both schools of thought on that.

Several of my friends and former clients (yes I'm retired!) have part time homes in Phx.  The most recent of which is Connie Z and her guy Dale.  They are building in south Phx, Mesa if memory serves.

Dianne and Nadia already have park model homes here, in Nadia's case... for 20 years.  It was her place where I got my first 'taste' of the area  back in 98.

This morning, my patio thermometer shows 23C at 8 am.  Sure glad I have those shade trees in my west facing yard!

Getting back to visitors, one thing that puzzles me about Dave's visit though...

I can't for the life of me figure out if those clippers he left me, are for my toe nails or nose/ear hairs?  I very nearly clipped myself Van Gogh style, trying to use them last night.

In any case, Thanks guys... I appreciate the gesture. (I think)

BTW... who knew peacocks tasted so yummy...

Jet Set

Technically, Phoenix is in the same time zone as Calgary, Mountain Standard.  Of course the difference, Calgary celebrates (?) daylight savings time, where Arizonans... don't.  I'd been looking for flight prices throught the winter months but nothing made me jump.  Expedia is always sending emails with the latest and greatest but I wasn't going to Cancun nor do I live in Toronto, The self acknowledged, "Center of the Universe" for many. 

When I got the latest 24 hour sale, I saw and immediately booked a flight for just under 350 CDN dollars a couple of weeks ago.  Because we are in the same time zone (much of the time) it's really a short hop.  With the sale of the business wrapping up all but a few loose ends, I felt confident I would be able to go.

The appointed day, well in actual fact, morning would be more appropriate came, I was up at 3 am showered and waiting for my cab to arrive.  Up is really a misnomer here, as the night before I was still sorting passport, meds, and a few essentials so really didn't get any sleep. 

Waaaay back in '79 I remember vaguely a trip to L.A. for the Yamaha dealer conference, introducing the 1980 models.  I was then living in Fort Mac Murray (or MacHell as Ron calls it) working for John at Four Seasons.  It was half way down to Edmonton to catch the flight, when I realized that I had forgotten every piece of identification right down to my wallet!

I didn't have a single piece of ID, absolutely no money, nothing... I knew there may be a problem and was prepared to send then wife, Beth alone with the gang, to Anaheim, the dealer show and Disneyland.

Upon arrival at the airport with jeers amongst my "friends," that disavowed me totally, I was actually allowed to make the trip.  A few of the group loaned me some money, Beth took up the slack and we got to sit in the Convention center to watch the show.  Imagine my surprise when Broc Glover, Bob Hannah and Rick Burgett, were introduced after winning their respective AMA MX titles, a Yamaha clean sweep, and they stood to wave at the gathered thousands, from directly in front of me!  That was also the year I got to meet a personal hero of mine in the form of one Mr. Kenny Roberts, who had just won yet another World 500 GP title, and the aforementioned MX stars.  To say King Kenny was one of the greatest and most respected riders in history would certainly not be in dispute.

To top it off, Yamaha rented the entire Disneyland theme park, for it's guests the following Tuesday for a reported 1M $$.

Any way, imagine making a trip into the USA today under those same circumstances!  Yeah... right.

It was a breeze getting through to security, having printed my boarding pass the night before and with only a small carry on bag for luggage.  A few minutes wait in line for US customs to open and a 2 hr wait at Gate 22.  Boarding went deliciously well, the plane accelerated as soon as we touched the runway, and 2 1/2 hours later, a whopping 30 minutes ahead of schedule, we were touching down at Sky Harbor International.  When was the last time you can remember a flight even being on time?

Turns out, arriving ahead of time left us parked on the apron for 29 of those minutes waiting for our gate to open.  The plane was stifling at 8 am.  That's right, eight o'clock.  Remember, it's MST not MDT! here in Phx.

What a treat to be in t shirt weather after weeks of snowfalls in Calgary throughout April...

The shuttle was quick, I was the first passenger to be dropped as it turned out, both the driver and parking attendent related to me how verrrry slow the job market had become.  A tale that has often been recounted to me these last couple of years.  How very sad, these are ordinary people that work hard, have families, and were still suffering in their jobs, losing savings and homes, while hundreds of millions of dollars are paid out to the very people that got us into the mess in the first place.  Makes no sense to me.  Where is the justice when business people? (I use the term loosely) and government screw the average citizen and no one is held accountable.  Deplorable...

Once the door was opened, I went about getting MC FOG running, a chore that took longer than I thought, and the XT 350 as well.  The Enduro was due for an emission test before I could renew the plate before May 1st.  With the afternoon temperature hovering upwards of 30C, working outside was a might warm.  I had to get the Adventure scooter running, it was my grocery mule and I needed some.

By 6 pm, both machines were in running order, and I was able to make my way south to buy some grub.  Wearing my backpack, and having the under seat storage and trunk full, and several bags hanging from my left arm, I was set for the evening.  I resorted to counter steering all the way home, in order to balance the drag to the left.  Once it was packed in the fridge and the cupboards weren't quite so bare, I had a chance to visit with NDN Judy and her pooch, Samanda, a take-off of Samantha.  Haven't seen Lisa, yet but I will soon, I have nice neighbours here in Olive Green Villas.

This morning, after a brief MSN conversation with Brenda, who tells me it's snowing large flakes back home in Winterland, I head off to the emissions station up the street on 59th.  Funny, it seems like everything is 'up the street' from me.  Safeway is over there, Walmart there, Lowe's just over there, the Bank around the corner there, and both the DMV and emissions center across 59th, up the street there. I am really very well placed!

I leave early after checking online to see what the status is at the test site, hoping to beat the crowds.  I'm there by 8 30 and sweat it out talking to a transplanted South Dakotan on a 1200 Sporty.  It's plenty hot, and standing in the sun without any shade, is already frying my brains...

Once in for my first ever smog test, I am done in about 60 seconds.  He didn't even ask me to raise the rpm above idle.  Nineteen dollars later, I am heading to the DMV to get my sticker.  Pain in the ass, but really, quite painless. 

The gal (April) at the DMV actually knows where Calgary is, and used to babysit Mario Gosselin's kids!

Anyway, I fill the XT with fresh gas at $3.59 a gallon, the US certainly isn't immune from rising gas prices, and spend the remainder of the afternoon getting my digs sorted once more.  Hopefully in the next few days, I can get the rear sprocket replaced on the bike.  The way it is, the engine is turning too high an RPM for practical highway riding.  Cruising speed at the moment is ltd to about 80kph/50mph.  Okay for zipping about, but impractical for any out of town exploration. 

Now, if I can only get used to the heat while I am here...

Of Mice, Men, XT's and other famous motorcycles...

Lantie, Holly, Rock and I were in a little bar, right on the malecon in San Felipe.  It was New's Years 2003/04, if fading memory serves.  I remember I was having sopa de pescado, and very good it was indeed.  We were sitting around yakking when this booming voice addresses me over my shoulder.  I turn on my seat, staring at a belt buckle directly in front of my eyes... Looking up, waaaaay up, I see the friendliest of giants.

Having overheard some of our conversation, he introduces himself as Paco, Spanish for Frank.  We have a jolly old talk, his Ingles was muy bien.  Standing over 7 feet tall, and weighing about the same as my DR650 and Holly's Suzuki TS250 combined, my new friend Paco had to stoop, to get in the doorway.

I have met soooooo many people while biking.  I am always inspired when I travel and awed by the willingness of strangers to approach just so they can talk motorcycles.             

Everyone has their experiences to share with me, whether it's the great grandmother that wanted me to know her husband had courted her while riding a sidecar equipped Matchless, or the young guys that encourage me to 'wheelie' my dirt bike for their personal entertainment in down town La Paz, to Paco here, just interested in buying some gringo's a fria cerveza.

What a fabulous experience this has been.

I can't share enough what a wonderful, delightful, interesting and rewarding world, two/three wheeling has opened up for this revolutionary refugee young boy. 

So... I'm officially, retired!

Yup that's right, after several careers, including 20 years in the MC biz, I have pulled the plug on this life and and heading off to the next.  Not literally of course, figuratively.  The immediate plan is to hop a plane on Wednesday and wing it to Glendale.  Once there I will change the gearing on the newly aquired XT350 and do some local riding.

From my first "touring bike" R 60/5 (pictured above), right on up to a Diversion in Europe, spanning many months, I learned that touring is really a state of mind.  Hell. Rob, Paul and I even rode YSR 50's from PEI to T.O.

Like Clive Cussler says... "Get your ass off that couch and get out there!"

Stay tuned for the next report from sunny Phoenix AZ:)



Is the END near?

APRIL 14, 2011

8 AM MDT

Yup... it's spring in Calgary AB Canada.  I woke this morning to this!  Even though the calendar confirms the date, Mother Nature doesn't pay much attention to what the Romans thought...

Standing outside on my deck in my housecoat, braving the frigid air, always watchful of the odd rampaging polar bear...

It has actually been decent the last few days, even got a car washing in, maybe that's what did it.

There's another 8 inches on my deck and it's still coming down!  A crack up on the corner opposite, wonder how that may have occurred?



                   

             

Even my pal is wondering when this will finally come to an end...



Surprise!

I often yak on this Blog about having and following your Dreams.  For some unknown to me reason, I have had an abundance of such nocturnal realities my entire life.  From an early age I've ridden my bikes into the sunset, and aimed my life pretty much where I felt I wanted to go...

Those Dreams have taken me to Baja Mexico, the Cabot trail, a popular motorcycle business called appropriately, Freedom Cycle.  They've taken me to Europe, Japan, partnerships and relationships and Fatherhood.

I've been very fortunate in having the ability at hand to pursue such adventures.  Racing on the ice with studded tires, building MX tracks and promoting events.  The YSR racing series was particularly special.

Dreams can do a lot for us a humans.  Whether it's travelling the World, or building a cottage.  Maybe it's fostering a child.  Going to art college... if you can dream it, you can create it.

I have always believed that we could shape and create our own realities.  Don't believe me?  Think of an Austrian body builder that had a difficult time stringing a sentence together in the early days...

This week I have put into play yet another.  I am ready to jump yet again, the latest in a long line of leaps of faith.  It takes dreaming to get you started and then making the decisions to forge ahead.  Forget what family tells you, or what friends say... you can make it happen.  I am living proof of that...

I will soon be heading in yet another direction, this one carrying me to a new home, one I have been designing in my head for decades, a new set of challenges and new frontiers. 

I will work at getting my novels and travel adventures into book form, and hopefully I can parlay my years of experiences into print.

Anything is possible.

This week... I have officially retired.

stay tuned...

??

There's this old biker dude, walking the beach in Malibu one sunny fall day.

He stumbles onto a half buried object, poking from the sand.  Digging it out with his heel, he sees a tarnished inscription.

He begins to rub it with the sleeve of his leather jacket.

To his utter astonishment, out pops this puff of smoke and there appears a very haggard looking *Genie...

"Thank you thank you, oh master"  the Genie says, "I've been in there for ten thousand years..."

The Biker being a fairly smart guy who rides a Japanese bike, says aloud, "Hey... you're a Genie!  You owe me three wishes..."

"Give me a break!"  The Genie doth protest, "It's been a very long time, I'm tired.  I'll give you one wish, make it a good one."

The biker dude thinks about this, if he only gets one wish, he does't want to waste it.  He's retired from Silicon Valley and doesn't really need the money, his kids are healthy, he has no desire for fame, what will it be?

Finally after a very long pause (in human time not Genie's) he says...

"I've always wanted to ride my bike to Hawaii."  pointing across the Pacific, "Build me a bridge to Hawaii so my friends and I could ride over there..." 

"Are you completely Nuts!!"  The Genie exclaims, "That's five thousand miles of Ocean, huge waves, major Typhoons, countless ships of all types, immense fog... no no no, it's totally impossible, out of the question, even for a Genie, unthinkable, far far too risky and dangerous.  You will have to think of something else..."

The biker sees his point, and thinks some more.  It takes a while but he comes up with an alternative...

"Okay, I've got it... I'm nearly 60.  During my whole life I have never been able to really understand women.  They seem to me to be an enigma wrapped nicely in a contradiction.  Before I die, I would sure like to know what makes them tick... how they think, what they really want..."

The Genie, arms crossed in defiance, now drops his gaurd totally.  He sighs a very long and heavy sigh, pauses and then says to the biker...

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"Will that to be two lanes, or four..."

*not Barbara Eden

Why are you not riding? That is the question...

Spring has sprung?!  Yeah... riiiight!

I got an email the other day, asking why I haven't been writing any motorcycle stories lately. Good question I replied, here's a little of that answer.

For the last month, I have been living with and looking after the health of two women.   One is 10, the other is "X" 

Riding opportunities have been, ahem... scarce.

As you can see from the "one picture is worth a thousand words file" ...

Several major snow storms as late as last weekend, have curtailed any riding into the early stages of Spring.

Last weekend alone, I shovelled three times, yes that's right.  That would be the first w/e of APRIL!

Being house bound with the women in question, has resulted in a major case of "cabin fever" 

Even little Phoenix has no idea what to make of the fluffy stuff...

"You bastard," he says... "I gave up Phoenix for this!"