AWOL

I've been AWOL. And I'll probably be AWOL for some time still.

I've had to re-evaluate some things in my life, and sometimes there aren't enough hours in a day for one person to do everything. So I'm taking this quick opportunity to apologize to all of you. It's just one of those bumps in the road for me. I'll be back, but it might be awhile. I have a few medical issues to deal with first, and it involves a few major changes in my circumstances.

Over the next month, my job will take me away from home more than I want, and in between I have to pack up my house and store it. In the spring, I'll be making the move back up north to New England. The reasons are too long to list, but all of them lead to what's best for me, and I can't be any good for anyone else unless I'm at my best.

I can count on one hand the major life-changing events that have happened to me, and always my reaction is action. When life isn't right, change it. It has always worked for me, and in the end, I'm the one who has to live it, so it should be what I need and want. As a young adult, I did it as an aspect of my personality, and later I saw it was a good thing to accept change with such logic.

If I had only one wish in life, it would be that my daughters learn this bit of wisdom. It has helped me through the loss of loved ones, loss of security, and loss of health. Resistance to change and complacency is the path to destruction, IMHO. I've never been one to wallow in self-pity for long. I put the sadness and the pain some place where it can't hurt me, and move on. Over time, it becomes hidden away and leaves life open again for bigger and better things. We all feel pain over things that happen to us, and all it takes to overcome it, is an ability to hide it.

This is faith in its truest form I think. God holds out His hand and says, "I have given you free will to travel the path to your happiness, and I will carry you through it, even when you falter, for I love you no matter what." And I'll be holding on to that hand with all my might.

Ride safe, ride free, and ride with God.

Sam

Catching Wild Pigs

I've been AWOL for a while. Sorry for that. Sometimes making "Lemonade" is a hard chore. You know when a song or a phrase keeps running through your head? And it's all you hear for days? The one I keep hearing lately is an old Beatles song, "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."

But I digress. This post is about freedom, and the right to make choices. The right to vote for who we feel will do the best job. And the duty to ourselves to make informed choices when we do so.

The story below came into my email, and I thought it was appropriate to print it here. I don't know if it's a true story or not, but the message is the important piece, regardless of the thought provoking story behind it. So here it is, read it, chew it up, mull it over. In the end, Thomas Jefferson has it right.

Catching Wild Pigs

A chemistry professor in a large college that had some exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab the Professor noticed one young man (exchange student) who kept rubbing his back, and stretching as if his back hurt.

The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist government.

In the midst of his story he looked at the professor and asked a strange question. He asked, 'Do you know how to catch wild pigs?'

The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The young man said this was no joke. 'You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming.

When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in the last side. The pigs, who are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat, you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd.

Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it
that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity.

The young man then told the professor that is exactly what he sees happening to America. The government keeps pushing us toward socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP), welfare, medicine, drugs, etc.. While we continually lose our freedoms -- just a little at a time.

One should always remember: There is no such thing as a free lunch! Also, a politician will never provide a service for you cheaper than you can do it yourself.

Also, if you see that all of this wonderful government 'help' is a problem confronting the future of democracy in America , you might want to send this on to your friends. If you think the free ride is essential to your way of life then you will probably delete this email, but God help you when the gate slams shut!

In this 'very important' election year, listen closely to what the candidates are promising you !!

Just maybe you will be able to tell who is about to slam the gate on America .

'A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.' - Thomas Jefferson

Barack Obama - Is This Who We Want Running Our Country?

The quotes below are written by Barrack Obama. This may be old news to you, but it should not be ignored. Regardless of what race you were born into, this type of attitude will divide our country even further, and perpetuate racial issues, not help. Racial prejudice is a mindset that cannot be overcome by a leader of that mindset.

The quotes below are indicative of a man who harbors bigotry and racism from a very early age.

From Dreams of My Father: 'I ceased to advertise my mother's race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites.' (Obama's mother was Caucasian. That he would associate one parent or the other by their race alone is disturbing.)

From Dreams of My Father: 'I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mothers race.'

From Dreams of My Father: 'There was something about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white.'

From Dreams of My Father: 'It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names.'

From Dreams of My Father: 'I never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn't speak to my own. It was into my father's image, the black man, son of Africa, that I'd packed all the attributes I sought in myself, the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, DuBois and Mandela.' (The racial identification of these great men are irrelevant in comparison of what these men stood for. That Obama can only see what color they were is proof of Obama's "fixation" on how color defines a man.)

From Audacity of Hope: 'I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.' (This one quote alone is enough to tell me that Patriotism means very little to Obama, and I doubt very much this has changed.)

One could argue that Obama wrote these words years ago, but may have changed his views. I think not. As a well read and educated individual, he wrote this at an age when his views of life had already been formed, just not when he could recognize he might be judged by them at some point forward.

The heart of a man who would become President should not be of any color or race. It should be that of a human being who is 'color blind'. If anyone thinks a man of this attitude and stature will champion your cause based on race or color, you deserve whatever perceived prejudice comes your way, for you invite it with full clarity.

God, by all forms, and by all names, does not identify man by color. That Obama does is very frightening. I will not endorse a man who identifies anyone by the color of their skin, no matter when he wrote it. I would feel the same about any candidate who did so about creed, religion, or gender. Do you? Will you?

Doc and Abate Dive Deeper Into The Cess-Pit

I've written here before of my distaste for FL Abate's President and paid Lobbyist. I've always felt that holding both positions was a conflict of interest. No one I know disagrees with that opinion either. Thus far, I have withheld my opinion with regards to Doc, on this blog, but I can keep silent no longer.

I am not sure what hold Doc has over FL Abate's board of directors, but it must be something substantial, and perhaps either dangerous or damaging. Any other explanation could only point to extremely ignorant and/or blind qualities of the individuals holding those offices. I cannot believe they are so blind to what is happening right in front of their faces.

As a Lobbyist, Doc's actions leave much to be desired. And apparently, others feel the same. It has been my belief for some time now that state legislators hold very little respect for Doc as a Lobbyist, and perhaps as an individual.

My first suspicion came in the form of viewing their behavior when Doc spoke in front of them at a hearing last fall. Most were whispering between each other, and some were idling flipping through papers in front of them. A few smirked to themselves when Doc made suggestive comments on how well he knew all of them. This was not the reaction I expected to see from those who work with Doc behind the scenes.

The second revelation came when I spoke to an official (who shall remain nameless), and was interesting in speaking with RC and I on our views of what could be done to make highways safer for bikers. She asked if I was affiliated with Abate. When I said no, she said, "oh good, I cannot stand Doc, he is mean, nasty, and spiteful". She gave me her card, and has since kept her word on exchanging ideas and has offered her help in dealing with state reps.

Another person, also nameless, but I will say is a state rep, said he was tired of Doc but felt he had no choice but to work with him. Other Lobbyists have said they have heard this too.

Many of us, RC of Big Bend Bikers For Freedom, Bruce of Bruce-n-Ray's Biker Forum, and others, have been the target of Doc's nastiness first hand.

RC has been threatened physically and refused entry to a State Abate meeting. Bruce had his Abate membership revoked with no forewarning, and I have been attacked for reporting what I saw at a committee hearing, by Doc specifically, and had other members of Abate attack my integrity based on pretty much nothing (apparently, I'm not a "real" biker because my leathers look too new and I don't publish my real name on this blog). One Abate member took exception to my disgust for apathy among bikers in Florida and decided to label me with the "c" word in an email, and copy it to others. Not the stuff one associates with professionalism or integrity in my book.

We have heard of members unceremoniously kicked out of Abate, chapters disbanding, and other members stifled during state meetings when they spoke up in protest. The wonders never cease.

I've heard about nothing but strong-arm actions in this "MRO" of Florida (and I use that term loosely) for the past year and a half, since making my home in Florida. In researching Abate's past, the history is not pretty (a lot of legislative compromises, and blatant financial secrecy).

Conversely, I've also heard about chapters "doing their own thing" and steadfastly keeping to matters at hand. Still, they also refuse to see the writing on the wall; Doc is taking them down, through his own unethical actions, and the fact that the BOD follows him like lambs to slaughter.

Now we have word that the Whitesands Chapter (NW Florida) has disbanded. And the reasons are right in line with all the other horror stories I've heard. Only this time, the facts are out, straight from inside the organization.

In a nutshell, upon asking to be placed on the agenda at a state meeting, Whitesands members and their President, Diana Woods, were refused. Why? Because they wanted to see an accounting of performance and financial disclosure for what the Lobbyist (and President) was doing for his $50k/year pay (62 days of work per year - jeeeez, I'm in the wrong business!).

Read the entire letter from Diana Woods here. Apparently Diana received a certified letter of notice to disband her chapter. As RC says, how can you force disbandment of a chapter that has already disbanded?

Abate has lost a valued member in Diana, and a large chapter membership. That they cannot see the damage this has done, or will do nothing about it, alarms me. It shouldn't, but it does. How many apathetic bikers will stand by and watch more atrocities of this nature within their ranks and look the other way? If not apathetic, how many are simply afraid of retribution? And what does that say about those who are afraid, or about the those they are afraid of?

I know I will get "hate mail" from Abate members. Take your best shot, I know where the delete button is, right after I post your nasty emails on B-n-R forum for the world to see. The events of this past year speak for themselves, and the actions of Abate's president are directly responsible. The perception Florida has of Abate is rapidly going deeper into the cess-pit and Doc is putting it there. Doc's actions are nothing short of a despot, and if you can't see that, well, wish in one hand, shit in the other, and see what you end up with.

Nothing will change that perception until Doc and those in power change it through their own actions. Someone once said to me that good-will is rather like a bank account. You must make sufficient deposits to stay in the black. Too many withdrawals and the perception others have of you goes deeper into the negative. I'd say that Doc and Abate have made far too many withdrawals, and it'll be a long time before that account is reconciled.

Now's your chance to give your opinion anonymously. Vote in the poll (upper right hand corner of the home page).

Looking For Votes In All The Wrong Places

Last weekend, I rode with the Patriot Guard to honor Master SGT Shawn Simmons. Read the account here. When the time came for the escort to the cemetery and burial ceremony, the PG provided the escort and cross-street blockers - because Tallahassee Police and County Sheriffs would not.

While we escorted this procession, at nearly every cross-street, motorists honked and shouted obscenities at being blocked from continuing on their way while we passed. Several blockers on motorcycles had drivers attempt to go around them and cut in anyway, endangering their lives. The obvious disrespect of all was alarming. I had no idea just how much disrespect there is in Tallahassee for our military.

I came away from this mission with a blazing outrage - twofold; 1) the Tallahassee Police and Leon County Sheriff needed to be called out, on their refusal to provide police escort, and 2) the pissant attitude of Tallahassee citizens with regard to honoring our military needs to be addressed.

So Tallahassee's Sr. Road Captain, Mike Donohoe initiated the first contact with a letter, and others followed up with theirs, which prompted the Police Chief and the Sheriff to meet and discuss the policy on no escorts. Several Leon County Commissioners threw in their support as well, though they have no jurisdiction over law enforcement policies. We finally got word that the policy had been revised and police escorts for military personnel would be provided.

The fact that we had to demand the policy be changed is an outrage in itself, but either way, it appeared we would prevail.

With victory at hand, I anxiously awaited the promised press interview that would announce the change. Then I read the article, and sat here stunned beyond belief. Escorts would be provided, but with conditions; as long as they didn't conflict with football games!

Once again, I seriously question the integrity of Leon County Sheriff, Larry Campbell. So if I read this correctly, and based on the fact that football teams were often escorted by police prior to the policy change while soldier funerals were denied, in the event of a conflict, football games would prevail.

It could also mean that during football games, a funeral procession through town would be a nightmare, and he would choose not to provide the escort for that reason, or maybe he thinks he won't have enough officers to comply.

Now I could understand not wanting to take a funeral procession through Tallahassee during a football game. Tallahassee football fans are just as obnoxious as anywhere else. That's their prerogative. However, who says any funeral procession must go through town? There are any number of routes that can skirt the congested area. And, in the case of a conflict with a football game day, I feel certain that the family, whose son or daughter came home from Iraq in a casket, would not mind being flexible. He could also prevail upon neighboring counties for added support, couldn't he?

It's called innovation. I use it in my daily job, managers of grocery stores use it, high level executives use it, mothers of large families use it. So if Sheriff Campbell is capable of using innovation to make something work, why wouldn't he? I'd like to believe Sheriff Campbell is an innovative manager, so why would he voice this 'condition'? Was he trying to cover his ass in the event he could not provide an escort, or didn't want to?

Here's what I think. Sheriff Campbell is worried about re-election. I'd say football fans in Tallahassee outnumber those who are aware of military funerals. And I'm convinced there are many who never think about the daily lives of our military personnel so far away from home. What's a few motorcyclists, or Patriot Guard Riders, in comparison to thousands of football fans when it comes to voting?

So I question the integrity of a man, whose role is to protect and serve, but is willing to compromise the honor of the most honorable of any of us, by placing football games above the funeral procession of a fallen soldier, who is by all rights, a hero in my eyes. All in the name of votes? And, Sheriff Campbell is a Veteran. That makes his statement all the more despicable.

If anything, let's look at how this statement appears to the general public. It says that OK, he'll provide the escorts (because we pinned him down and he had no choice), but don't worry citizens of Tallahassee, they don't rank above you all, and your fanatical football games. So why in the world would the good citizens of Tallahassee care about fallen military soldiers? It doesn't appear that our Sheriff does either.

Is it any wonder that we were shouted at, cursed at, and threatened? And some of the comments written in response to the news article are even more evidence of the ignorant, and cowardly, attitude so prevalent in this city. Sure tells you where the priorities are in this town, and those priorities don't include the reverence and honor for those who fight so far from home, for those who die in the name of freedom, yours and mine.

In spite of the change in policy on escorts, Sheriff Campbell won't get my vote this year, or any other year. I like a good football game now and then, but not at the expense of those who give their lives for mine.

My prayers tonight will be for PGR missions to be few and far between. And for Sheriff Campbell to be replaced with another whose integrity is intact.

Ride free, ride loud, ride long, ride safe.

In my last post, I have printed my response to Sheriff Campbell. I encourage you to also write to him with your thoughts on this matter. His email is CAMPBELL@leoncountyfl.gov

Open Letter to Leon County Sheriff, Larry Campbell

In response to Sheriff Campbell's reply to me stating I would hear in the news tonight that the escort policy for military personnel would be allowed.

Dear Sheriff Campbell,

Better late than never, I always say. I can overlook the length of time it took, and the effort it took from us to bring this issue to the forefront. Changing the policy was the only decision that could be made, and is appreciated by many families to come.

Chief Jones' statement that it is only smaller cities that provide escorts is incorrect. Jacksonville is always there in full force when needed, as are many other cities in Florida that are much larger than Tallahassee. No matter. The policy is changed and that is what's important today.

What I find hard to overlook is your comment printed in the paper that football games take precedence. There are ways to cover both by working with other counties. The likelihood that both will happen on the same day is remote, but routes can be planned to avoid the city - any number of things. I'm certain the families would agree to be flexible so that they can be accommodated. And I would expect you to be innovative in a situation like that.

Making that statement was uncalled for, and takes all of the goodwill out of your actions in changing this policy. Was that really necessary? Who was that directed at? The outrage originated from escorts provided to sports teams but not fallen heroes. That statement makes it very hard to see you in a different light, Sir.

In spite of any conflict in providing escorts for military personnel, it is you and Chief Jones who will bear the public scrutiny; good or bad, depending on your actions in a given situation. What you say and do in the public eye sets a precedence for others, and this town already has a piss-poor attitude when it comes to our military, which was evident in the shouts and threats we received by motorists who had to wait the extra few minutes for the procession to pass. Do you think this town's sports fans would feel any differently about a fallen officer on your force? No, not unless you do. When push comes to shove, I stand for any soldier who dies in the war over any fanatic who can't contain themselves over a football game. For they choose to attend a football game, our soldiers don't choose to die in Iraq.

It is a sad day when a law enforcement officer loses his or her life. My heart and prayers go to all in this regard. Soldiers are no different, except their daily lives are far worse. They don't get to go home at night to their families, and many never see them again. The majority of them have not even lived long enough to have their own families, other than parents and siblings.

Those who ride with the Patriot Guard do not put their personal lives before these soldiers and their families, and the risks we have taken in escorting them is part of that. I would expect the same from our law enforcement, who are paid as public servants.

I'm not a Veteran, but I've lost loved ones in every major war since WWII. All were spit upon and dishonored. It is time for this country to STOP the disrespect, and understand that it is not about whether the war is right or wrong, it is about those who die in them, their service, and the families who love them. And you are in a position to help that change. Let's move forward and do the right thing.

Respectfully,
Sam

Freedom Isn't Free

I had planned to write up my rendition of the press conference that was held at the capitol Monday morning, in a dry blow-by-blow sort of way, but I walked away from that conference with something else, besides the distaste I had for our state's political blindness. RC had already blogged on this, but I felt the need to vent after seeing this new "dog and pony show". So this is what I saw of this conference, but more importantly, what I saw of RC in action.

The new campaign, "Ride Proud, Dress Loud", is at best a "feel good" move, and will contribute to future problems for motorcyclists everywhere. But RC made damn sure our concerns were heard. If they didn't know him before, they know him now. I knew we'd only get the chance for one or two questions, and I knew RC would hit them hard.

I have known RC for a little more than a year now. Each time I am with him somewhere, fighting the good fight, or supporting our troops, I see something new that smacks me right up the side of the head and says, see, there's another reason this man has more integrity than those lofty politicians sitting up there in their tidy little offices, or the "little Napoleon" who runs the [small] MRO called Abate in this state. Come to think of it, if any Abate members were at this conference, they did not make their presence known. Why am I not surprised at that?

The title to this blog is one of RC's favorite sayings. RC runs the Big Bend Bikers For Freedom blog, and if you haven't been there, you should go and check it out. And if you have been there, you know that RC is every biker's warrior. An "old school" biker in every sense of the word, RC is a bearded, long-haired biker who has been-there-done-that. His sense of fairness and compassion is evident in everything he does; quick to laugh and kind of heart, until you mess with freedom, or give yourself airs you don't deserve. Then you'd better run and hide until you've mapped out 100 ways to make it up. God love him.

So back to the press conference. Now I may be wrong in thinking that many of the 50 odd bikers that showed up for the press conference on Monday were there to hear the speakers, and maybe get on TV, but I know for sure that RC and I went there specifically to challenge the discriminatory flavor of this press conference. And a handful of others I know came for that reason as well. Some who showed up and made the "feel good" comments to reporters that were printed in the media, and may like wearing neon pink; the better to see them when they are riding home drunk after Hooters bike night. OK, I sometimes wear a white and red colored jacket. But that's because I want to. No one is going to dictate to me what I wear when I ride. No one. And I won't give lip service that contradicts that.

So while the majority are either standing around waiting for something to happen, or socializing, RC is documenting, networking, and cornering officials and reporters. I'm still hanging back and making myself available to him when needed. I don't recognize these people yet the way he does.

This press conference was nothing more than a publicity stunt designed to win public approval, in spite of what anyone else thinks. I knew that, RC knew that, but I don't think many others knew that. Some were indignant that anyone would protest such a "feel good" initiative the state had cooked up "for motorcyclists". Lord, help me look past their short-sightedness.

So let's examine why on God's green earth two of this state's freedom fighters would think our freedom is yet again up for grabs.

Fact: 2/3 of all motorcycle deaths are due to negilgent and/or distracted drivers of 4-wheeled automobiles.

Fact: Drivers convicted of right-of-way violations, and killing or injuring a motorcyclist, are fined for a traffic violation and allowed to go free.

Fact: The majority of guilty drivers who kill or injure a motorcyclist can get out of any restitution by stating, "I didn't see him/her".

Fact: Drivers who use cell phones while driving, hands-free or not, are equal to impairment of a driver under the influence of alcohol.

Fact: There are no valid studies that show bright colored clothing, or motorcycle color makes a motorcycle more visible to a driver, especially one who doesn't look.

Fact: Light colored helmets and headlights have proven to be helpful in making motorcycles visible to motorists, WHEN THEY ARE LOOKING.

Fact: The state of Florida now mandates that all new riders must take a state designated rider training course, for about $200.

Fact: There are 29 approved driver education schools for various fees.

Fact: A standard drivers license written test contains no information about motorcycle awareness or cautionary techniques.

Fact: A standard drivers license only requires a driving test and written test. Renewals only require a written test.

Fact: A motorcycle is bound by the same driving laws and is entitled to use the same roads as any other motor vehicle.

Fact: When a helmet-less motorcyclist dies at the hands of a negligent driver, the government and the public focuses on the absence of helmet, not on the guilt of the driver, regardless of the injury that caused the death.

This last fact is the most telling of them all. Tell me, dear readers, once this campaign is going strong, and "Ride Proud, Dress Loud" is plastered all over the state, how often will we now hear, "Well, she didn't see him because he was wearing black"? What this campaign will do is raise awareness for yet another excuse for NOT seeing motorcycles. Now it'll be, "he hit him because he was wearing black, and he died because he wasn't wearing a helmet". God help us all. Next thing you know, some uppity state rep with a hair up his ass, like Carlos-Cantera, will come up with a bill forcing all motorcyclists to wear neon orange vests, helmets, and plaster neon stickers all over our bikes.

There are 15.5 million drivers in Florida, and only 3.9% of them are endorsed. Why is the state trying to convince US to accept sole responsibility for those 2/3 motorcycle fatalities that are not the rider's fault? Does this not smack of the band-aid approach that helmets do? We know that helmets will only protect our heads up to 20mph, and that most fatalities occur at much higher speeds. We know that the head is only part of the body, which contains many other areas where we may be fatally injured, all of which is mangled in a crash between a motorcycle and an automobile. The physics will win every time.

Indeed, that morning I rode my bike down to the capitol, and while sitting at a red light, in the right lane, a pickup truck squeezed past me, IN MY LANE, to make a right hand turn. If I had leaned my body to the right even 6 inches, his mirror would have smacked me in the head. Somehow I doubt that wearing neon orange would have made any difference. My point being, drivers take full advantage of motorcyclists without any regard for their safety, and just don't care about looking for us, or are too distracted to. I've been told the risk of them hitting me is solely mine, because I choose to ride, which, in their mind, absolves them of any wrong-doing.

I would challenge you to an experiment, assuming the Director of FLHSMV has credibility in her statements about color of bike or clothes. While you are out driving your car next time, and you see a motorcyclist coming in the opposite direction from a distance, I'd like you to determine what color the bike is, and what color clothes the motorcyclist is wearing, first thing, the minute you spot them in the distance. Especially if you see a biker on a Harley, or cruiser type of bike. Can you see what he's wearing through the fairing? Can you tell what color the bike is on the small front fender?

Mark my words. Somewhere soon, a motorcyclist is going to die at the hands of a negligent driver, and the first thought that will come into their head as they look at him lying in the road is, "oh my, I didn't see him because he's wearing black, so it isn't my fault".

So yes, we went to that press conference to protest. What were they thinking??? The director of FLHSMV was adamant, in her words to us before the conference started, that this is about "everyone", including other motorists, but the official statements made by her, and by the Tallahassee Police Chief, and the FHP were all about motorcyclists taking the responsiblity and making ourselves even more visible so we don't have to die.

Both LEO's stated that enforcement of dangerous driving would be increased. My first thought was, "and they weren't enforcing all of it before?", then I thought, well that's nice, but what are you going to do about a deterent? What about stiffer penalties for killing someone in a ROWV? Enforcement will merely increase the number of citations paid.

There were other things that just fried my ass at this hearing. Most notably the eight, count 'em, eight motorcycle cops attending to lend a pretty picture with their bikes all lined up by the podium. Why does that piss me off? Because last Saturday the Patriot Guard escorted a fallen soldier through Tallahassee to his final resting place, and the county Sheriff and Police chief refused to give an escort. PG riders blocked roads for the procession, and risked being run over by angry Tallahassee citizens who couldn't wait five minutes for an honored soldier to pass. In the state capitol!

Another thing that came to my attention was the money paid to hire a marketing firm to advertise this campaign, which came out of state motorcycle safety funds. Yet, the state of Florida saw fit to pass an increase in endorsement fees to help pay for rider education, a portion of which is pocketed by the M$F, who will be delivering rider courses we are forced to pay $200 for! Gosh, do I "feel good" yet?

Now back to why 'when I grow up I want to be like RC'.

When the state officials were all done with their flowery speeches, one of the reporters asked if questions would be accepted. No sooner than they accepted this, RC stepped up to the plate. This may not be accurate word for word, as it is quoted from memory, but he asked very clearly, "What specific measures are you going to implement to assure that distracted drivers who kill us are punished?". And true to all politicians and most state officials, they danced around the question and merely repeated the "extra enforcement" comments. So, RC again repeated his question. And for a second round, they repeated their comments. The main thing is, everyone heard his questions. You could have heard a pin drop. And all the reporters were watching, and paying attention.

The officials then stepped down and disbanded, but every one of those reporters and cameramen clustered around RC like moths to a flame. He gave statements and answered questions. Sadly, the reporter that the Tallahassee Democrat sent to the press conference cared little for printing the truth. It most definitely didn't go down with "a roar of approval and motorcycle engines". See that story here.

I tell you here and now, the government will not tell me what to wear when I ride. I've stayed alive this long by treating every other driver as though they would run me down if they had the chance. If you can't see me or hear me coming, YOU DIDN'T LOOK!

And MY campaign will always be "Ride Proud, RIDE Loud". I'll leave the dressing loud for the FSU student body and the bike night drunks. My pipes are loud enough, thank you very much.

And RC? Well, when the chips are down, my vote stays with his. Watch out Florida politicians, he's got your number. Read RC's rendition of this press conference here.

Ride proud, ride loud, ride long, ride free. Freedom isn't free, especially if you're wearing neon pink.

(Note: As of this writing, the Tallahassee Police Chief and the Leon County Sheriff's department are [allegedly] negotiating a policy change to provide police escorts for fallen soldiers returning home to Florida. See the story here.)

Presidential State Of The Union

In a perfect world......

Presidential State of the Union Address:

"My Fellow Americans: As you all know, the defeat of the Iraq regime has been completed. Since Congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in Iraq is complete.

This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American forces from Iraq. This action will be complete within 30 days. It is now time to begin the reckoning.

Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. This list is short. The United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Australia, and Poland are some of the countries listed there.

The other list contains every one not on the first list. Most of the world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing copies of both lists later this evening.

Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those nations on list #2 ceases immediately and indefinitely. The money saved during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the Iraqi war. THEN EVERY YEAR THERE AFTER IT'LL GO TO OUR SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM SO IT WON'T GO BROKE IN 20 YEARS.

The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world 'Hellholes' and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption. Need help with a famine? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France.

In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home.

On that note, a word to terrorist organizations; screw with us and we will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the earth. Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France or maybe China.

I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France, Germany, and Russia. Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are retiring from NATO as well. Bonne chance, mez amies.

I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN-diplomatic vehicles located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid parking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don't care about whatever treaty pertains to this. You creeps have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious Benzes, Beamers and Limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops in the world. I love New York.

A special note to our neighbors. Canada is on list #2. Since we are likely to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not pissing us off for a change.

Mexico is also on list #2, its president and his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I will have a couple extra thousand tanks and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I am going to put 'em? Yep, border security.

Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA treaty - starting now. We are tired of the one-way highway and, immediately, we'll be drilling for oil in Alaska - which will take care of this country's oil needs for decades to come. If you're an environmentalist who opposes this decision, I refer you to list #2 above: pick a country and move there.

It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens. Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, 'darn tootin'.

Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America. It is time to eliminate homelessness in America.

To the Nations on list #1, a final thought. Thank you guys. We owe you and we won't forget.

To the nations on list #2, a final thought: You might want to learn to speak Arabic.

God Bless America. Thank you and good night."

OK, I can dream can't I? Darn tootin.

Our Congress At Work

If you think our Congress is earning their 6 figure paychecks, just watch this video and decide for yourself if our tax dollars are being used wisely.



So while we all pay at the pump for environmentalist lobbying against drilling for American oil, we polute the environment with Mercury. Gosh, knowing our government, why does this not surprise me?

For all you Hilary supporters out there, consider this: As a member of Congress, Hilary Clinton holds the record in history for voting yes on the most bills that spend the most tax dollars for things such as this. Are you ready to forfeit even more of your paycheck to pay Congressmen/women for work like this?

It's time to force the government to acknowledge the term "public servant". What are YOU going to do about it?

Bravo Rep. Poe from Texas.

Tip of the day: Buy stock in Duct Tape.

Thanking Those Who Defend Your Freedom

Being a Freedom Fighter isn't all politicians and legislation. It's also about supporting those who fight next to you, and for you. RC posted a great video sent to him by Papa John, illustrating a universal hand sign for "Thank You" that each and every one of us should be practicing. Check it out here.

Because I travel extensively in my job, I am in airports often. I make a point to address soldiers personally and thank them. They are often alone, and some seem to welcome conversation about where they have been and where they are going. Most are very young, and as a mother, I am struck by just how young they are and feel a strong sympathy for their families.

I know that not all people are as bold as I am, and might feel uncomfortable in addressing them in such a personal way, and some soldiers may also feel uncomfortable. And perhaps when you see a soldier you may be in a hurry to get somewhere and don't have time to stop and chat or vice versa. The universal sign for Thank You is the perfect way to let them know you care and appreciate what they do to protect your freedom. It's such a simple and easy thing to do.

These young boys and girls face atrocities most of us only hear about. Even though the nightmare of war affects fewer of our military than in past wars, that doesn't make it any less important. However, everyone should be aware and understand how significant that statement is when you consider what military personnel has gone through in past wars, and are still facing the aftermath of every day of their lives. Many of whom were spit on when they returned home.

I'm talking about our Veterans. The Vietnam Vets, those of Desert Storm, and many already in Hospitals resulting from injuries and trauma in the Iraqi war. For them, the war will never end.

Yesterday, I accompanied a group of people to the Veterans Hospital in Lake City, FL. This visit was planned and arranged by my friend Jewels (check out a past post on Jewels here), who is a National member of Rolling Thunder, a group dedicated to American POW/MIA soldiers and Veterans of all wars.

That's our Jewels, front and center with the ladened vest. And that's RC being conspicuously inconspicuous in the center back, and me kneeling on the left. The baby carriage holds two "mascot" Chihuahua's, always a hit with those interred in a hospital. Many thanks to Jewels for her big heart and huge efforts in making this visit happen and continue to happen for these deserving souls.

Some of the group dared the predicted thunder storms and rode their bikes, some rode in cars. We were to have lunch with these resident Vets and provide some light in their otherwise routine lives of dealing with any number of disabilities, in a place they have no choice in living.

Our gift to them was us. And it left me with even more respect for those who fight for my freedom. They sacrificed their own well being and happiness for me. For each and every one of us. It was the least I could do; so small of an effort for me, and so huge of a joy for them.

Let me describe to you some of what I saw there:

The hospital looked like most any other hospital; cleaner and nicer than some VA hospitals, and less than others. None that I've been in look like or feel like home. I know. Because of my job, I have been in many hospitals, including VA hospitals, around the country. I did see a view of a garden area where some residents can partake of gardening.

One delightful and very coherent man of an older age, probably of the Vietnam era, was confined to a wheelchair. On his head he wore a red, white and blue do-rag, and his chair was adorned with other American flag elements. He had lost one leg at the hip, and had no use of the other. He told me that the VA had sent him home at one point, but could not provide consistent nursing care for him, so he demanded to come back. He had no choice.

Another young man, with bright strawberry blond hair and the manners of a southern gentleman, who couldn't have been older than 40, was relegated to a walker due to back and leg injuries. I suspect his injuries also included brain or mental injuries as well, as he became overly tired after only an hour visit. But he was so obviously delighted to have the attention from women other than nurses, that I was reluctant to circulate more than I did. He was a delightful man, and was very proud of the lifelong military service his father contributed, and obviously his own as well.

Some of the vets in wheelchairs could not feed themselves, but were delighted to have someone assist. Many were quite aged, and some were very young men. A few had family members present, and their misty eyes matched ours throughout the entire visit. They know all too well the needs of these special people.

Some of the men could not respond to much of anything, yet if you looked closely enough, you knew they loved having us there.

As in the rides I participate in with the Patriot Guard, this visit will not be the last.

I went home to my big house, my daughter (who is home for the summer), and my computer; to write about this experience in hopes of convincing my readers to give a bit of your time to the Vets in your community. To get involved with an organization that contributes to our fallen soldiers; be they disabled Vets, or those who come home to bereaved families. It takes so little, and gives so much back.

It doesn't require a motorcycle, or anything else, except compassion and respect for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice; their lives, their well-being, their everyday joys in life. All because they were asked to serve, and many who wanted to serve. Their lives have been changed forever, in a service that directly affects each and every one of us. It's not about whether the war is right or wrong, it's about those who served in the name of the Freedom all Americans benefit from.

A quick Google search on Veterans will turn up many ways to volunteer a bit of your time. I have a busy life, like most people. It isn't about what I receive in doing this. However, in giving a small amount of my time to these Veterans and their families, I have received joy back tenfold in seeing the delight on the faces of those who get very little joy in life anymore.

Visit the Patriot Guard website. There are groups all over the country now. Membership is FREE, but no one must be a member to volunteer and participate. Most are motorcyclists, but owning or riding one is not a prerequisite. This organization is dedicated to protecting and preserving the Honor and Respect of our fallen soldiers and their families. Motorcyclist or not, you'll meet some of the most wonderful people, guaranteed.

Visit the Rolling Thunder website too. The link goes to their "About Us" fact sheet. These men and women volunteer their time selflessly and diligently to provide a better life for those who have served. Many of them Veterans themselves.

Both organizations are not-for-profit, yet contribute so much to our armed services.

Show your gratitude for the men and women of our armed forces. Because of them you live free.

Old School, New School, or In-Between School

When it comes to being a Biker, I've never thought of myself as "Old School". Most tell me I can't possibly be Old School because I'm of the female persuasion. In that case, I'm not. And though I've ridden one bike or another since my teens, which seems to be a prerequisite, I still don't see myself belonging to that cliche with any real conviction. Then again, what is Old School? A mentality? A way of life? What you ride? How you ride?

I think my good buddy, RC of Big Bend Bikers For Freedom could answer that question better than me. You see, he epitomizes Old School to me. I've heard some stories from him that would raise the hair on your arms, and some that made me cry with laughter. At the time, I thought, good Lord man, how have you lived this long? Then I'd think, well, my own family and friends have wondered the same thing about me. Yet my stories are vastly different than his.

RC is not a 1%'er, but I know he knows a few. There is no better friend than RC. I know RC always has my back, and I know he reciprocates the respect I hold for him without question. I remember bikers from my youth who could be RC this many years after. So, ya, he's "Old School" to me. And he's my brother.

Life for a woman is vastly different than for a man. Being a wife and mother trumps how often you get to ride, or even if you get to own your own ride. While men seem to have the option to make riding a priority, regardless of family. Funny how that is. Like most wives and mothers, my options were interrupted many times throughout my life. But the love for riding was always there, and I rode when I could, and owned when I could.

My experiences and memories are probably much like RC's, just on a different plane. I managed to skirt the law on many occasions, while still doing anything I damn well pleased, and though I didn't have a label for it at the time, unconventional was always the mode of operation. My life has always been "never a dull moment". I like it that way and you can't have that without risk or mistakes. Even with all the bumps in the road, I wouldn't do anything differently. Except perhaps to take even more risks than I did. Life is too short not to, but you don't learn that until you've lived more than a few decades.

Does "Old School" mean you have a long pony-tail (I have one of those), or a long beard? (Alas, I can't grow a beard.) But most of those I see as Old School have both. I still long for the days of motoring down the highway, going wherever for the day, in jeans, tank, boots, and bandana (they didn't have "do-rags" back then). Cars moved out of the way for you, mothers hid their children. It was a culture and a lifestyle that "good and simple" folk labeled outlaw. They didn't understand (and still don't) that it's all about nonconformity and being free to be who you want to be and who you really are. It makes me smile to myself, because most of those "Old School" Bikers have professional jobs like anyone else, and are contributing citizens of this country. The Biker lifestyle is simply that; no different than any other mode of dress or activity that individuals choose to love and own, and not let anyone gainsay them.

If anything, I think I'm really both - Old School and New School. I love that my bike fires up without stressing my ankle with a kick-starter. Both my ankles are old and tired some days now. And I especially love that I can ride for hours and not feel the engine vibration for the next three days after.

So sue me. Civilization advances, and so does technology. Back in the day, a custom or home built chopper was the only way to have one. Now you can buy one that is already "driveway trained". (For all you newbies, that means it doesn't drip oil all over the driveway or garage.) It wasn't even all that long ago before Harley redesigned their engine mounts to alleviate the engine vibration for the rider. My Dyna vibrates all over the place when I'm at a stoplight, but my body doesn't. How cool is that?

After-Market companies make seats that allows your derriere to continue normal circulation after 30 minutes of riding. That one thing alone would have been novel back in the the early days of riding on a seat that looked (and felt) like an inverted sauce pan.

I think Old School Bikers are the ones who were around to remember all those things; like when people had a healthy respect for them as Bikers, and cops didn't hassle you in every town, and politicians weren't so intent on removing the right to ride as you wish. My dad used to say, "when I was your age, I walked to school in the snow, uphill both ways". An Old School Biker says to his kid, "when I was your age, I had to kick start my bike, and Iron Butt rides really did give you an iron butt".

And perhaps that's why many of them are staunch Freedom Fighters. They remember the days of Easy Rider and life was good. Like RC does. And in that respect, maybe like me too. Though I doubt I'll be growing a beard anytime soon.

So I found this web page that has a quiz, to see if you're "Old School" or "New School", and I thought, OK, I'll bite. Could be a good laugh. And it was. Even funnier to me was the result, which I've posted below. Check it out and have a good laugh yourself. Take the Quiz. Be honest too, because regardless of the outcome, or how you see yourself, the love for riding and the lifestyle it represents is all that matters.

Are you an Old School Biker Your Result: You are old school You are a part of the true biker community. You probably understand the meaning of brotherhood and look after those you ride with as family. Ride Hard - Die Free is not just a fancy patch you bought at a bike rally. You probably ride your bike to Bike Week no matter how far it is. Bikers like you are hard to come by. Keep the shiny side up.
You are new school
Are you an Old School Biker Take More Quizzes

Old School, or New School, ride hard, ride long, ride free. In the end, it's the freedom to be who you are that counts.

Life Goes On

I apologize for another long absence from writing. I've got good excuses. Shut up. You knew I would.

A few weeks ago, I visited my doctor, who did a complete work-up because I've been so damn tired lately. I am pretty much a "weenie" when it comes to being sick, so I visit the doc whenever I'm not up to par, no matter how much I dislike going. The outcome was, I had a bad case of walking-pneumonia. I've had the "P" word quite a few times over my lifetime, and as they say, it is always worse each time. The solution was a heavy dose of antibiotics.

And, as my immune system was taking a beating, I caught a dose of the Flu as well, which compounded things. I managed to fight off the lung infection, but ended up with weeks of coughing and congestion anyway. I need a vacation, but work keeps interfering. So I took a few days of sick leave, and managed to sleep through them without answering the phone. Well, I still had to let the dogs out, and answer the door. I don't know about you, but I can't let someone ring the doorbell without opening the door to see what they want.

Nevertheless, my physical health is on the mend. Life goes on.

My job dictates that I travel on occasion, and I've just returned from a trip to Canada where I got a good dose of French/Canadian dislike of English speaking visitors. The US is not the only country that objects to language issues. The "war" between the French speaking east side of Canada, and the English speaking left-coast, is well known in Canada. I was aware of it, though I'd never experienced any of it.

The city of Montreal is actually a very cool place to visit, with it's beautiful Basilicas (churches) and historical architecture mingling among the tall modern downtown buildings, and I managed to get a few days of R&R while there. And a lot of exercise. You don't drive anywhere in Montreal unless you need to go miles away. You can walk 8 blocks faster than driving because of the traffic. It reminded me of Manhattan, only cleaner and more interesting.

Everyone speaks French in the Province of Quebec, but inside Montreal city proper, most also speak fairly good English. Go outside of downtown however, and the disdain for English-only is very evident. And since I was raised in the Southwest, my second language (barely) was Spanish, and I confess to not having any clue of what French words mean beyond the standard greetings. Finding a simple convenience store was even difficult. I'm not sure what the sign pictured means, or even how to pronounce it. Personally, it looks misspelled....

Underneath downtown Montreal lies a huge shopping mall. You could enter at some point, wander for hours, and resurface miles from your origination and not have a clue where you are without a city map. It is termed the "underground city" by locals, and is exactly that. A person could live in downtown Montreal (if you can afford the 1/4 million dollar apartment, or 1 million dollar condo) and never need to go anywhere else for anything. You would not even need a car, nor could you afford one.

As in every foreign city, and Montreal was indeed foreign to me, there are those who take advantage of visitors who don't speak the language. Specifically taxi drivers.

On my first day of work after arriving, I requested a taxi instead of the six-block walk, which I knew would make me cough more. The taxi driver took me miles from my destination, and dropped me off before I knew I was at the wrong place. Log $15.

Then I took another taxi and instructed him more clearly where I wanted to go, and ended up driving around for an hour looking for the right address. Apparently this taxi driver could not speak ANY English, but was better at masking that fact than the first one. Log $30 for that fare.

Eventually I arrived at the correct destination. I can still hear that cabbie in my mind, counting his exorbitant fare, and laughing at the "stoopid American". No matter, because I got myself a map, and used sign language for all other taxi rides.

And no big city is complete without panhandlers. I'm the first person to help someone out when they need it, but it still appalls me when I see such blatant scamming. The dramatic, tearful, performances designed to scam money from tourists were annoying.

I particularly liked the Door Man at the posh hotel I stayed in. Clearly Hispanic, but spoke French and English well, all laced with a Hispanic accent and something that sounded Bronx-ish. He'd had the job for 20 years and clearly liked it. I watched him manage the front walkway with efficiency, directing taxi drivers, carrying baggage, and opening doors. All with a no-nonsense manner and complete servitude toward the hotel patrons. He said he was uneducated, but loved his job, and mostly that he earned his own keep and never had to ask for any handouts. He ran off bums trolling for spare change with the tenacity of a Bull Dog after the neighborhood cat. And he always had a charming smile for me.

Now I'm back home, thankfully, in the mostly English speaking US. And life goes on.

Overshadowing everything else in my life, I've been thrust into a place I never wanted to be again - the loss of a dear and close friend. One who has been a part of my life for many years. In-between work and other aspects of my life, I have these moments of dead space where I feel lost and without purpose. Memories of happy times, both recent and years ago, pop into my head unbidden, and threaten to overtake my emotions and sanity. Enough to make me question my own convictions about everything. I come back to reality hearing my daughter ask, "Mom? Are you OK?".

I've been asked before why I prefer to live alone, why I won't let anyone get close to me, and why I take such a hard-nosed position about many things. And the answer is, I can always trust myself explicitly. I don't deceive myself, or lead myself to believe that anything is forever. Most of the time. I make of my life what it is, and have only myself to blame if it goes awry.

It's lonely sometimes, but preferable sometimes to the loss of that part of myself I would give away to another. And when you do, because everything tells you it's the right thing to do, and ignoring such a joy in life is a slight on the One who gave you the opportunity to have it, nothing ever prepares you for losing it. To that end, I have only a few close friends that I've allowed to know who I truly am, without reservation.

We all have our protection methods; that which we use to protect ourselves from pain. Sometimes you take the risk and lose anyway. And the pain of losing is always more severe when you have no control, when nothing you could do would change the outcome. Your trust in everything basically goes to hell-in-a-hand-basket for awhile. And life is built on trust.

And it is a shock to the psyche losing someone that close to you, close enough to finish your sentences for you without thinking, who instinctively knows every facet of your personality because you are so much alike, and who you believe will always be there. It is like leaning on a railing that is suddenly gone, and you fall - a very long way down.

Each of us recovers in a different way. The answer for me has always been to throw myself into the world at large, and fill up the void with outside stimulation; that space in your life that used to be peaceful, happy and carefree because of another, who is now gone. People you know cheerfully and with good intentions tell you, "when one door shuts, two more open", "time heals all", yada, yada. OK, sage advice. It does nothing, however, to stop the unwanted and sudden trips; very much like walking into a dark room with no exit door - no sight, no sound, only your sadness.

I know I'll survive, because I've had to do it before, even if that was a lifetime ago. But it forever changes your life, how you see life, and has for me, again. And I am left with wondering who I am now, because a part of me is gone, with a loss I could not prevent, did not want, and never contemplated. And I can only blame myself really. Maybe blame no one. It just is, no matter how unwanted, unfair, or unjust, it seems to be.

The one thing I can cling to is that God will show me His reasons, and help me find my way until I feel my feet on solid ground again with a clear path ahead. Time is always the answer, but time always goes at its own speed.

Life is short, relatively speaking. That's what justifies the decision I made to let someone in, losing part of myself in the process. When it's a gift from God, I will always accept, for it isn't often that anyone is given such a gift. The greater the gift, the greater the pain of losing it.

God giveth, God taketh away, and life goes on. I have a little catching up to do now. I guess I'd better get busy. Right after I take a good long ride on the bike and think about nothing for a very long time.

Top 100 Motorcycle Blogs: Motorcycle Treasures

I've recently discovered (much to my surprise) that Sam I Am is listed in the Top 100 Motorcycle Blogs on another blog, authored by Cristian Dorobantescu of Bucharest, Romania.

First, let me tell you that there is something for every motorcyclist in this list. I didn't highlight any of them here, because there are too many to list and Cristian already has them listed. Take the time and cruise through them.

Cristian has done some very cool interviews with other motorcycle blog authors as well, so don't stop at the blog list when you visit his site.

We all know that one website leads to another, and another from there. And in exploring Cristian's list of motorcycle blogs, I ran across some treasures you may not be aware of.

• For the serious customizer, of any type of bike, you simply MUST look at this website. It'll make you drool and start up a savings account just to buy some of their customized artistry.

Chrome Fusion Custom Engraving
Chrome Fusion eBay Online Store

• For very cool videos and slide shows of women riders, check out this site:

YouTube's Freak~N~Leather

I clicked on their main website, but it must be under construction as the Products page would not open for me. Keep trying. Judging from the videos I watched, it may be a nice resource for leather goods.

• Here's a site I couldn't pass up, even though it's not a motorcycle blog:

NOT NEWS by Drew Curtis' Fark.com

The reality of life often invokes the most laughter.

Then I came upon this motorcycle safety video.....


And this motorcycle awareness vid.....


Neither of which I'd seen before.

Lots more interested me, especially all the great ride stories and awesome photos. Happy surfing.

Clarification on Scooters

In response to a few emails I've received resulting from my last post, I'd like to clarify the purpose of the post. It stemmed from the on-going discrimination the media has for American Bikers. So I'm gonna jump on my soapbox for a moment and vent.

I do not judge anyone on their ride. Many ride Vespas and the like. It is their preference for their two-wheeled pleasure, just as my Dyna is mine. Some prefer to tour the countryside in cages, but those of us who prefer the two-wheeled ride love it for a variety of reasons.

Each of us is unique in our preferences, and that includes our rides. Some like pink, some like chrome, and some like fast. To each his own.


I am sick to death of being "labeled" by the media as a "noise polluter", "rabble rouser", "drunk" and having a "death wish", simply because I ride a big cruiser. I enjoy my ride for many personal reasons, with fuel conservation being but one of those.

Ya, that's me, and I ride a big machine because I love the sound, the look, and the power. My pipes are after-market but are still within the limits of any noise ordinance. I have no desire to ride beyond the limits of the law.

What I ride doesn't mean I am a drunk, or a party animal, or have a "death wish". I hold an engineering position with a global company, have a family, and put my drawers on one leg at a time, same as anyone else.

Sure, there are always those few who cross the line. The "mean" drunk, who also happens to ride a motorcycle, wear leather and gets in a fight. Don't other mean drunks do that too? I'm a mother, and there are bad mothers out there. Does that make me one too? I lived in the Boston area for a time, and each year during sports playoffs, people died due to over-zealous fans, yet society tolerates sports fans as though it were a religion. Yet motorcyclists are lumped into one category and attacked from all directions; directly or indirectly.

In the article highlighted in my last post, the media seemed to take great delight in letting the public know of all these "energy conscious" individuals, who suddenly found the need to buy a two-wheeled conveyance, for whatever reason, and have become paragons of society by attempting to preserve energy. Excuse me? There are hundreds of thousands already out there doing that.

Yet, when a motorcyclist dies at the fault of an inattentive driver who violated their right-of-way, their death is blamed on not wearing a helmet, by the same reporters and online journalists who wrote this "feel-good" article.

We already deal with inaccurate statistics the government likes to use as reason for more regulation that etches away at our freedoms. Sadly, more untrained, unsafe, Moped riders will occupy the roadways because of the energy crisis, and many of them will die because our government refuses to acknowledge that the major cause of motorcycle deaths are those who drive cages and ignore simple driving laws.

Many journalists are now adding the terms "old, fat, balding, long beards, and/or long gray ponytails" to the description of "bikers". At 52 I may be labeled as "old" by some, but none of the other terms fit me, or many others. The media seems intent on stereotyping, and/or segregating out those who ride the larger more powerful machines as being a pariah of society. By labeling us this way, they take journalistic license in creating this "picture" for the rest of society who doesn't know any better.

In 40 years, if I live that long, that will be me in the cartoon, except I'll still be wearing my leathers, and piss on anyone who doesn't like it.

The American Biker IS a "Brotherhood". What they look like has nothing to do with anything. Riding free is just an extension of living free; being who you are, and not giving a rat's ass what others think. And once again, society (and the media) adds labels and descriptions because we aren't mainstream. I often feel as though the media would rather print, "another disgusting biker has been culled from this world", because many of their articles say the same in so many words.

Well, I know hundreds of bikers, and none of them are disgusting. They all have families and those who love them, and who they love. They hold positions of integrity in the working world, just as other non-riders do. With all the laws against hatred and bigotry in this country, it amazes me that our society allows this type of discrimination to continue and does not recognize it for what it is.

This "biker" is Richard Quigley, who successfully beat multitudes of court cases in his lifetime, all in the name of freedom. He had more integrity than anyone I know. HE would not stand for anyone taking away his freedom, or any other biker, and lived his life to that end.

I ride with clean-cut businessmen, long-haired, bearded, tattoo artists, women of all ages, mothers, daughters, sons and fathers. We ride in support of our troops, we ride to end the fight against breast cancer, and we ride for those of us who have fallen. I can't say the same for a good many other people in this world.

Does running out and buying a Moped to save you bucks at the fuel pump put you in that category? Not in my book. So why would I get all warm and fuzzy over that article? I'd rather go for the government jugular, for THEY put us into this energy crisis, not the American people, not the oil companies. Politically incorrect to the end, and proud of it.

No, I really don't care what you ride. I hope to leave a reader with a fire in your gut to stand up for what is rightfully yours; freedom to ride what you want, where you want, wear what you want, and be who you are.

And if it affects those rights, I'll write about it here, guaranteed.

If anything, part of my "personal war" is on the overwhelming state of apathy in this world. I love what I do, what I ride, where I live and work. And I'd fight to the end to keep it all, even if I have to personally object to stupid, narrow-minded journalists who spout propaganda that threatens those freedoms.

And I would inspire others to do the same.

"The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." ~ Plato

Two-wheeled Conveyence Saves Fuel? What a Concept!

While motorcyclists everywhere are discriminated against, bullied, scoffed at, and treated basically like a pariah, the on-going energy crisis is pushing more and more Americans to buy scooters. Not of the Harley variety, mind you, but of the Vespa kind.

An online Missoula, MT newspaper implies new scooter converts to be energy-conscious citizens. I guess that doesn't apply to those of us who ride "energy efficient" motorcycles of the expensive kind. We just prefer to ride something more flashy or unique, but we are no different really.

One such convert proclaimed that buying a candy-apple red scooter would make him visible to other drivers. Another proudly stated she wore an orange helmet for visibility, and she said, "People respect us." This just about made me choke on my coffee.

Are you getting the theme here? What we are going to see is a sharp rise in deaths as those who learn the hard and irreversible way that cage drivers don't see us, in spite of an orange helmet or a candy-apple red scooter. Add to that all the people riding scooters that don't require a motorcycle endorsement, and thus no rider course.

Of course, one of them had to make the comment that they ALWAYS wore their helmet. I'm guessing they have no clue that their helmet protects their head at speeds UP to 20 mph only? And should a cage mow them down at speeds above that, well, they'll be "Moped Roadkill" anyway.

And Montana only requires those over 18 to wear a helmet. Do you really think all Moped riders are going to wear one?

And what I also see happening is the statistics from the deaths of all these Moped fools will add to the fuel that our government ignites in favor of universal helmet laws, and the growing number of discriminatory laws aimed at motorcyclists.

God help us all. Either the general public is going to learn sooner than later that America's drivers have no respect for two-wheeled vehicles, or our lifestyle is going to become so regulated we'll all have to fore-go the Harleys in favor of a Moped.

Not likely, and over my dead body.

I guess I'll have to stop calling my ride a "scooter" now.

Florida Politicians Block Resources to End High Gas Prices

The next time you fuel up and don't like the prices, look to Florida politicians, Mel Martinez and Bill Nelson, for the blame. We (Floridians) have the greatest amount of offshore oil as yet untapped, and our own state politicians are standing in the way of harvesting it. High fuel prices are a huge threat to Florida's economy and tourism, not to mention the wallets of each and every one of us. But apparently, rich coastal residents are more concerned with the view out their balcony windows than ending our dependence on foreign oil.

I don't know about you, but this gets my hackles up. Add yet another item to the list of government interference that dips into the American peoples' pocket books.

Drill, Coast Haste
By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY Posted Friday, May 23, 2008 4:20 PM PT

Energy Security: With the prospect of an oil shortage and $12 [gallon] gas, the energy crisis is turning into a national emergency. One solution: Give states the option to develop offshore tracts.

Uncle Sam bans states from drilling in the Atlantic, Pacific and eastern Gulf mainly to protect the environment. Some 85% of the U.S. coastline is off-limits to energy production — including huge reserves off Florida's coast, which China is exploiting in Cuban waters.

China? We are letting China have our oil????

To change that, a lawmaker is offering a novel idea. Rep. Sue Myrick of the House Energy and Commerce panel wants to let coastal states decide whether drilling is environmentally risky. She has introduced a bill that would give coastal states that want offshore drilling the power to opt out of the Interior Department's offshore restrictions.

And as a powerful incentive, Myrick, R-N.C., proposes cutting them (and adjacent states) in on the federal revenues from leases. Washington now collects as much as $8 billion a year in existing Gulf royalties, a figure that would balloon as coastal regions opened for exploration.

Her Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act would give states the ability to control energy production up to 100 miles off their shores and would extend their territorial waters.

The biggest energy finds are off Florida's coast. But the state's congressional delegation in Washington has almost single-handedly kept the national drilling moratorium in effect for the past 25 years — while keeping potentially millions of additional barrels a day of supply off the market.

That was when gas prices were $2 a gallon or less. They've since doubled, and now threaten to hurt Florida's tourism industry. The governor, fearing high pump prices will spook tourists, is trying to slash the state's gas tax.

Tallahassee also faces big budget deficits from a statewide recession, and may warm up to the federal revenue-sharing idea. Under Myrick's bill, state legislatures can vote to end federal restrictions and allow drilling.

But the bill faces major hurdles. Even if Myrick can get the House panel's Democrat chair, Rep. John Dingell, to take it up, it would face stiff opposition in the Senate. Florida Sens. Mel Martinez and Bill Nelson have blocked previous attempts to lift the ban on drilling — although Martinez, a Republican, lately has shown signs of softening.

Foes have successfully cloaked their arguments against offshore drilling in eco-apocalypse, claim it will lead to oil spills. Fearing tar-ball-pocked beaches, the tourism industry has joined the greens in lobbying against such bills.

Wonderful. Our own tourism has joined with the tree-huggers. Look to Oregon and their screwed-up economy in an effort to save a field mouse. The government isn't the only one who needs to do their homework!

Their fears are unfounded. And politicians concerned about America's energy security ought to do a better job educating the public with the facts. For example:

• Less than one one-thousandth of a percent (0.001%) of the 7 billion-plus barrels of oil that Washington has allowed to be produced offshore over the past 25 years has been spilled, according to the Interior Department.

• A whopping 63% of petro pollution in North American seas comes not from offshore rigs, but from natural seepage from the sea floor. Source: National Academy of Sciences.

• There hasn't been a major oil spill from an offshore well since 1969 even though rigs since then have been lashed by Katrina and other major hurricanes.

Don't we pay our politicians to serve the public? And doesn't that include making intelligent decisions based on accurate research? When will the American public wake up and begin voting with some sort of logic? Why are we allowing these politicians to stay in office when they continue to rape us daily through their ignorance?

Today's drilling operations are safer and cleaner. Offshore operators are subject to at least 17 major permits and must follow 90 sets of federal regulations. Clean beaches can coexist with offshore production. The mammoth reserves can be captured with little risk to the environment.

In fact, the government estimates that 50% of our undiscovered oil lies offshore. It's time to let states go after it.

---

Write to Rep. Sue Myrick and tell her you appreciate her efforts to help end the energy crisis.

Write to Rep. John Dingell and encourage him to support Rep. Sue Myrick.

Write to the overbearing, arrogant politicians below and express your views on this issue. Don't forget to tell them you vote, and they won't be getting that vote in the future should they decide to ignore you.

Senator Mel Martinez

Senator Bill Nelson

---

Read more about the energy crisis here. That is, if you want to be informed. Lead, follow, or get out of the way.

Ride safe. Ride free.... if you can afford the gas.