Coming to a Browser Near You!

After some thinking, I have decided to open up a real motorcycle and adventuring blog/site. New articles, links and news blurbs will be posted there daily. The focus of these posts will be toward new riders, safety, travel and adventure riding. Originally it started on my website but decided to really make a go of it here on Blogger. It is not open yet, but in heavy development. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Moto Today

My Trip - Letting It All Settle In

I have received a few e-mails and comments regarding the almost complete absence of posts or pictures about my recent little motorcycle trip. The pictures have been reviewed and selected, my little Rebel is resting in the back yard. So, why isn't there more here?

Well, to be honest, the reality of the trip simply has not been absorbed and processed yet. Yet to be published blogs include titles like, "What is Home," "Viewpoint of Mundane," "The Return Melancholy" and "The Radical Path."

Times are just strange here; work is busy and evenings full. My wallet and bank account are nearing the Empty marker and there is a fork in the road coming up.

Anyway... Here is a picture of a sunset from the Outer Banks. Enjoy!

The Masochist

Why must I be afflicted with this???

Riding past a motorcycle shop, it is hard to not look. What sales are going on? Any special events? Free goodies? Is there a Kawasaki Versys in their used inventory? A Suzuki SV650? Maybe a little Yamaha TW200 as a change of pace.

Maybe... Just maybe there is an old machine out back that just needs a little TLC. Maybe an old Honda Nighthawk with a bee's nest in the carburetor, its soul on standby.

Why is it I crane my neck anytime I see a for-sale sign near a bike? Maybe it's a good deal. Maybe the owner low-sided his BMW R1200GS and got spooked, wanting to sell it for only $500, just to get away from it.

Honestly, unless someone was giving away a motorcycle right now, I couldn't afford it. For some unknown, illogical reason, that doesn't matter. I still stop at the local dealer about once a week. I still pull over when I see a motorcycle for sale. Heck, for that matter, I still look at Craigs List once in a while.

Be it masochism, or an affliction or a slight obsession, There is nothing I would trade for it. Well, except maybe an Aprilia Shiver. Then I would think about it.

Nature Photos - Oh Yes!

I, for one am in awe of anyone who can take beautiful pictures, especially country, farm and nature photos. If you enjoy nature photography, check out April's Art Gallery. She has a wonderful talent. Please take a moment, have a look and leave her a comment. Her photos, like her, are beautiful.

The SilverMan

While out driving around and running errands today I was granted the opportunity to see something that was fantastic. That thing, or rather things, were the athletes in the SilverMan triathlon. A 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and 26.2 mile run.

To be honest I have never seen a live triathlon. My assumption that only the most athletic, skinny, powerful people participated in these events was quite soundly trounced.

Not only did I see people who looked to be in my state of un-athleticness, but there was a person with one leg and a person who must have been 100 pounds heavier than myself. A couple that looked to be well into their 70's. These are serious people.

Serious about pushing their own limits. Serious about the struggle. Serious about living.

A million kudos to those out there in the Las Vegas valley, swimming, biking and running this event!

Ahhh, Google Cache

Thank goodness for Google Cache. Several weeks ago I was searching for a post that I accidentally deleted from a motorcycle travel forum and had minimal luck. BUT, a good friend told me about a good method to use and there it was.

To others, finding deleted posts are much more important. Sometimes the user deletes a post, then has an 'Oh Crap' moment. Other times, websites completely go down. Then there are the un-auspicious times when a website owner and/or operator goes rogue and deletes peoples' posts.

Enter the world of Google Cache. Google caches the forums it indexes. Say, you Google something like advrider.com +VegasRider You will get only five results. Well, at the bottom of the page is a link to "...repeat the search with the omitted results included." Click on that and there are more than five pages of posts. Do you see the little links labeled "Cache"? Those are the golden links for people wanting to get at stuff that is no longer openly available.

Even if advrider.com is not available, the post is still in the cache.

So, it is easy. Go to www.google.com Enter the website domain name, a space, a plus sign (+) and then the username or keyword you are looking for.

Say I am looking for posts about Renthal chains for a Honda Rebel. I would enter rebel250.com +Renthal

Maybe I want to find all of my posts on the local motorcycle riding forum my2wheels. I would just search by my2wheels.com +vegasrider and click the "...repeat the search with the omitted results included" link. There they are. I can either view them on the website, of if someone deleted the post, I can look at them in the cache.

One note on this... Password Protected forums and sites are not Googled, so therefore are not cached.

And a special thanks to a good friend who pointed this out to me! Thanks!!!!!

I'm a busy little fella.

Sorry, no motorcycle posts. She still sits in my back yard until this weekend when I can replace the chain.

--edited to remove something....--

A Sad Day for the Emotionaly and Verbaly Abused

Yes, this is a sad day. Due to the actions of the administration on www.drirene.com , I can no longer promote nor recommend that site.

Several associates of mine were banned from that site recently. I have had close friends and even family banned from sites before, but not this site. This site was special.

Last night I wrote a scathing letter to the administration of that site, but decided to do what was prudent in these situations; let it rest; think it over; step back to a distance where there is some objectivity.

I did, and decided early this morning to save my comments in the Never Sent folder on my laptop. The events of this morning on that website went far beyond what my saved comments could even touch.

You see, the operator of this site posted an email from a disgruntled site member. That is not the heinous part. You may or may not know, but people in abusive situations rely on anonymity to receive help. This is their buffer zone; their full face helmet and Kevlar, if you will.

Security, privacy and anonymity is a key aspect to an abused person asking for and receiving help. It not only provides peace of mind, but also protects the abused from the abuser, should the abuser try to stalk them. In some sad situations, this anonymity is the only thing that protects the abused from bodily harm.

Along with the e-mail, the operator posted the author's full name, private e-mail address AND referred to the author using their PRIVATE, ANONYMOUS username. Then, the operator made a remark about the author's peers seeing what she had written.

That was it for me. I wish them well, but can no longer recommend that site.

The things I write about, above, are not conjecture, word of mouth, or rumor. It is true. It is sad. I saved the pages. If you are in an abusive situation, please Google "Verbal abuse", "Emotional Abuse" or "Physical Abuse." I am currently working on a resource page to share.

Ride safe, all.

A Few Pictures from my Ride

Well, I have gone through all of them and decided to post a few. I have purposely not included much commentary because I am still working on that aspect of the entire ride report. So, here are some pictures from my Vegas to Kitty Hawk and back ride, 5800 some miles, on my little 250cc Honda Rebel. Yes, she can do it!



Utah Mountains

A valley overlook in Utah.Welcome to Colorful Colorado!!!