Breaking the mold

Sometimes you need to do something drastic, change everything even though you like what you have.

We've been getting assistance from everyone and everything to get through these slow economic times, and the point came to sell my motorcycle to make my house payment. Now I could have thrown a fit and kept my Katana but what fun is it to have a motorcycle when you can take off and ride it without the family and can't afford insurance, gas, or parts for the thing? So I sold the bike knowing something else would come along, hopefully something my kids could ride with on. Then my brother calls from North Dakota and says he got me a 1974 CB125 for my birthday.

Now I know the average rider is going to say something like why not just ride a moped or minibike. This has five gears and something like 100mpgs. What really surprised me was how fun it is to take my daughters out on a ride since they can reach the foot pegs! The new toy has been a blast but my yard is paying the price because there's no title and Minnesota is a real pain about not just anything hitting the road. I have no money to put into the paperwork right now either. So I got a small displacement bike like I've been dreaming about and can't take it around the block, unbelievable. I did discover though that I really miss kick starting. The neighbor was walking by with her son in a stroller and he saw me kick start the bike and he jumped up and pointed at me. I miss the excitement of a good kick start from time to time. So for my next bike I'd like to pick up something like a cafe racer, but that's not gonna happen.

I took the family out to a cycle dealership we don't go to once a week and the misses found a 150cc scooter she loved. She knew she would have to get a motorcycle endorsement but she said, "Have you ever seen a girl on a scooter pulled over by a cop?" My wife is so cool! Well things being lean like they are we couldn't pick up the scooter yet, but I've had so many bikes it's ladies choice this time. So here's to hoping we can by one in the off season. It really is the best time to buy.

How many times can you do that before you fall down?

Ah, my imprompt return to my blog!

I have been riding in inhospitable cold on untamed bike trails which has prompted the title of this "post". I also have a unicycle now.

To add to the title I was riding on my bike trainer, a thing you hook up to your bike to make it an exercise bike, and pedaling away when the right pedal broke off. So I've been thinking, how many times can your do something your good at, something you love to do, before you fall flat on your face from the slightest mistake?

In all honesty nobody likes to think, "yeah one of these days I'm going to miss that turn and fall into a medical bed" but the truth is going faster than your body was ever made to handle is dangerous. I've heard that the best way to protect yourself is to prepare for failure and hope for success. Here's a toast to hoping we all get the next year done right.

In other news the Focus wagon lost a wheel bearing, as in look at all those shiny broken pieces. The part was only $50, and I had to bring it somewhere to be pressed in, $50. Luckily it happened on the weekend so no school was missed. The thing is I just gave it to God. I said God it's in your hands and praise for what will be. And you know what, it all went well. So maybe the best way to stay up is just to let God know your still rolling and let him show you the path.

So now it's time to scrounge up another set of crank arms and tools. I have entirely too many bicycles, I hope to get a good riding party in this summer. Let some of the parts fall off, just keep rolling!

Anything but rolling

As the cold deepens in Minnesota and we consider the thought,"how long until I freeze to death in this tempature?" I like to spend my time looking at pictures, videos, and toys that remind me that the sun will return to this side of the planet and we'll all get to ride again soon. I haven't been able to find a job yet, two years now. I should just travel around selling baked goods or something. Then at least I'd be rolling.

Repairs...

So after much prompting the Impala has a new wheel bearing in the back. This took care of most of the grinding noise that has been coming from the back of the car. As I feared, this didn't get rid of the shaking the car tends to do above 60mph. That means the tires need to be balanced, but the front tires are to the ware point and need to be replaced. This means more money spent on a car that isn't running all that get in the first place. There has to be a plan here.

My toys sit in wait for warm spring days. The Focus is limping through life. I had to kick the power wheels out of the house because the kids kept doing burnouts on the hardwood floors. Something else to fix. I'm thinking about cracking out Gran Turismo 4 for the Platstation to get my racing fix. I miss autocross, even just watching was fun. I gotta get back out there somehow. This is a hard time of year for rolling. Soon the indoor car shows will start up again. I wonder which one I can make it to this year?

The light onto my feet

So I been throwing around ideas of what to do next with what little I have to dedicate to keep rolling. I would like a gas scooter for my wife, and a gas motorcycle for my kids to grow into, but it keeps coming to my attention that they don't even desire these things for themselves. So it was made clear to me today when the bill came to keep my Katana insured that I needed to focus my attention and effort on the motorcycle God had provided me. The rear tire is shot, it's faded and cracked in places, and I just found out there's a ton of fancy parts to dress it up. I haven't even got into the neon lights yet. I've been told that my Katana is just a way for me to pretend I'm young, but that's not how I see it. I see my bike as a ministry tool. People always as "Why did you buy a rocket?" It was the cheapest, fastest, best condition thing I could find. The other thing is all the reviews I could find said this motor is bulletproof and should last over 150 thousand miles. Fingers crossed. So what does a Hot Rod Christian do with a rocket motorcycle? Cover it in stickers that reflect who he is. It's the fastest way to change the attitude of your stuff, cover it in things you endorse.

The other thing is that I keep facing this unsure future. The only thing I'm fairly certain about is we will get to keep our home and I will get to keep my bike. My mission in life is to figure out how that's going to happen and keep thanking God for giving me so much in life. I do miss kickstarting Bessie though. One of these days.

Bump in the road.

You can't make a plan without feeling at some point like the whole shooting match has fallen apart. I guess that's why so many people live in the moment. The thing I find is that you pick a goal at the end of your ride and don't worry about what wayward path gets you there. So many people have forgotten that the road is the important part and what you have to go through to get there.

So I looked up this thing called Amway, and it's a good thing but it says to become rich you have to build a life that will promote income based on what your company you built makes for you. That's logical. It goes to say the biggest hurdle for people to cross is to get pasted the idea that you have to slave away for someone else to earn every dollar. That makes sense too. Then I thought maybe I like poor and rolling. The thought made me smirk a little. There are those who build a company to hand down generation to generation, but they need workers. Lets face the fact that unless there is much divine intervention I can't run a business. Now I am open to the idea but it's never been my strong point to take orders and fill them. Ever. Someone told me they pray for witty invention to keep their operation going. I kinda think of that as praying for wisdom. That's always a good thing to ask for.

So next time your on the road and you see a gnarled patch of earth headed your way give it a wink and say, "I know I can ride over you and not fall!"

Some assembely required

I've known men over the years that were building their own pride and joy buying one part at a time. Most of these men have had a clear vision of what they wanted the bike or hot rod to look like when they got done. I have never been one of these people. my own impulsive nature get in my way of making a vision come true. That doesn't mean I don't have drive or ambition, it's just uninhibited. So I should mention here that I donate plasma for extra cash, and that is what funds poor and rolling. Some day I hope to change the Blog name to "Rich and loving it" but until then I digress.

One day my wife said "You spend all your plasma money on food." I was using the money to take them out to eat when I could. If she didn't think it was right I thought I would use the money to get more bikes. Then I reasoned I don't need anymore bikes and nothing needs parts till spring. That's when I decided to use the money to get the kids as many rides as I can. As they're getting bigger they've needed toys that can keep up with them. The bikes they have now should last until they are about eight, that's four more years. So what will they ride next? I'm sure they'll inspire me to find something for them to ride. Here's some options from photobucket...