Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Good-Bye 2013



The year 2013 went by so fast it wasn't funny.  A lot of changes took place in my life but I guess I will always be a Motorcyclist.  I thought I would build an Indian and that fell apart, then I messed with a few Triumphs...ditto.  I had always likes BMW's so I went that route for a minute. 

Sometimes you have to go back to your roots, and for me that is Harley Davidson.  I was a die hard Harley fan when I was young then I bounced all over the place.  I got a set of Harley Davidson wings on my arm in 1978 by Lyle Tuttle Jr. and have worn them almost my whole life it seems.  That was a long time ago.  I was in my late teens , I had just moved to the Bay Area from Montana and I thought I had the world by the tale.  It was more like having a dog by the ears !

I had a 1947 45" bobber when I was in my early twenties and I kept it for a long time.  I bought it from the cousin of my old girl friend and was told all kinds of wonderful things about how the engine and transmission were fresh built, etc.  Of course it was a shambles but I did build it and rode it for quite a while. Harry's Cycle in Vallejo built the engine for me, I ran out of cash and he accepted a trade for the balance.  Do these kind of guys still exist ?   It was built in our living room where it was just good to sit and look at while I was too broke to finish it.  It was in the living room and I had an old cantankerous BSA chopper that I rode in the bedroom.  My land lord came by one day and saw how I stored my motorcycles and for the life of me I couldn't understand his concerns !! I had that old Harley long after the BSA was history.  I traded the BSA for a 1952 K Model which I later gave to my good friend Mike Dickerson after the motorcycle accident.  He never finished it and I think his brother got it after he died tragically.  Like I said it was more like having a dog by the ears than the world by the tail .  I later sold the '47 Flathead for a down payment on our first house and I was with out a motorcycle for about 15 years.

I found out that life is good when you use good judgment and find a balance in your life.  The Lord found me in 1985 and my life has never been the same.  I have had about 300 motorcycles over the last 12 years and folks are usually amazed that a minister would also be a motorcyclist.

There is a whole new year ahead of us and trust me, it will go faster than this one !  I have a motorcycle in my mind that I plan on building and will update this blog as we go along!

May you have an enlightening New Year !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!