Looking for America - A Listening Tour

  Emptiness, in Buddhism, is the goal one should attain in this lifetime in order to achieve true happiness.  Nirvana is not akin to the Christian concept of "heaven" - it is, rather, the end of our struggles lived out through many reincarnated lives - vanishing into nothingness in the afterlife .  Mindfulness, or other popular meditative practices, is meant to achieve the result of emptiness of mind without the cosmic theology.  In either case, one becomes an observer who is not affected by the ups and downs of life.  Ideology has no place in this empty world.  Magic is the result. I can think of no better teacher than nature.  "My thoughts are scattered and their cloudy" (Simon & Garfunkel - Cloudy), and dealing with weather on a motorcycle can absolutely be Zen.  Unlike stormy weather, clear skies do not inspire poetic description.  Two instances from last years tour bring this truth to light: Las Vegas, NM to Taos, NM:  A crysta...

I am freak'in enchanted!  From the moment I entered the State of New Mexico I noticed road signs with the above symbol of the Zia people.   Four is a sacred number which symbolizes the Circle of Life: the four directions, the four times of day, the four stages of life, and the four seasons - symbol of perfect friendship among united cultures  (thanks Wikipedia). There is just a different feel - a different "spirit of place".  The observation of spirit of place is very much a part of Indian perspective, and is integral to the works of many authors (e.g. Ken Kesey), and recognized in early Roman literature.  We, as modern Americans, have lost the tether to history of place.   All of a sudden, I drove the motorcycle around a bend and an open expanse lay out far below me.  Just at that moment, Estimated Prophet, by the Grateful Dead, blared out from my bluetoothed helmet.   A perfect moment in time.  Bluffs in the distance with the...

I have observed a general rule of life: whenever you undertake a challenge or change of lifestyle, it takes three days to assimilate to the new reality.  You eventually become comfortable with the new reality.  This rule applies to almost anything: from starting a new diet, taking a cross-country bicycle trip, roughing it in a new country, or doing without our modern conveniences.  Maybe even more relevant, the change that comes from committing to the quarantine.  People reorient themselves to the new circumstances, create new patterns and routines. These reorientations can also appear in reasoning patterns as well.   Growing up in a family that is conservative creates thought patterns and preferences, as with liberal families.  But if you truly seek to understand "the other", then you may see the value of "the other" and then develop new patterns.   I could go on about this theory (I have many experiences that support it), but it all relates...

Well, today I beat my previous distance records for driving my motorcycle in one day: Today I drove 880 miles from Boca Raton, FL to Baton Rouge, LA in 14 hours (with gas stops).  My previous record was in late June 2018 from Spearfish, MT to Spokane, WA for 814 miles.  In September 2017, I drove 646 miles from Boca Raton, FL to Athens, GA.  However, today, the temperature got to 98 degrees.  My motorcycle was not happy. I got up at 2 am, and left the garage at 2:45 after having a light breakfast.  It was not uneventful - on the way to Orlando, FL,  I had to slow down for a major auto accident - at least 10 highway patrol and EMS vehicles were flashing all their lights - a real light show in the dark.  Then I stopped for gas at the Canoe Creek Service Area - there had been a hazardous material leak from a large tanker truck - foam everywhere.  Hazmat suited specialty teams were on cleanup.  Lots of action for 5 am.   Man, Florida is...

Red, White, & Blue - July 8, 2020 I think it fitting to begin the blog this year with a reference to a Leon Russell song.  I could have titled this first entry Stranger in a Strange Land  (partial Leon Russell lyrics below)- a nod to both Leon Russell and Robert Heinlein.   Well, I don't exactly know What's going on in the world today Don't know what there is to say About the way the people are treating Each other, not like brothers Leaders take us far away from ecology With mythology and astrology Has got some words to say About the way we live today Why can't we learn to love each other It's time to turn a new face To the whole world wide human race Stop the money chase Lay back, relax Get back on the human track Stop racing toward oblivion Oh, such a sad, sad state we're in And that's a thing So, in this crazy year, I will dodge enemies seen and unseen.  To quote Russell again: How man...

 Harley Packed and Ready to Go - July 25, 2019 The Welcome Squad - Westin, Memphis Beale Street.  Notice the grand treatment of my bike! Beale Street - Memphis Gus's Fried Chicken, Memphis - That sign is 40 years old without any changer whatsoever.

I-35/135 from Stillwater OK to Salina, KS.  Took a left - I-70 all the way to Limon, CO.  This route did not tax GPS abilities. A few hours in the morning and I was in Kansas,   When I took a left onto I-70, heading West, I was hit with very strong winds from the South.  I had to adjust big time.  My plan was to take an overnight stop in Hays, KS.  The problem was I was concerned about the winds and was not sure I would make it to Hays by end of day. Miracle of miracles, I arrived in Hays at about 1 pm.  Had lunch at Pheasant Run .... a small old small wood building located right in the middle of modern chain restaurants.  It was great - and the people there were a blast from the 1950's.  I was told that Hays is a old German/Catholic settlement in the Midwest.  It was recommended that, once I get to Colorado, I should visit Greeley, Co and go to Schwartz's Krautburger.  I will probably not maker it there, but always good ...