PEOPLE--MY FRIEND--JAY MORIN

 

GOTTA ADMIT I THOUGHT I WAS PRETTY MUCH DONE WITH THIS BLOG THING..PLENTY OF BEAUTIFUL PLACES THAT I JUST RODE PAST RATHER THAN STOP AND TAKE PHOTOS OF..THE LACK OF RESPONSE TO THE POST “WARRIORS-COMFORT FOR THE WOUNDED” REALLY KICKED THE WIND OUT OF MY SAILS..BUT I GUESS THAT AT LEAST PART OF THE BLOG THING IS SHARING WITH OTHERS..SO--

JAY SHOWED ME MANY GREAT FISHING SPOTS DOWN THIS OLD GRAVEL ROAD-
HE ONCE CAUGHT A LARGE-MOUTH BASS THAT WE HAD NICK-NAMED "HOLLYWOOD"
BACK IN ONE OF THE HIDDEN PONDS

WHEN I WAS ABOUT NINE OR TEN YEARS OLD I FIRST MET JAY IN THAT FAIRYTALE WORLD OF CHILDHOOD..SUMMERS LASTED FOREVER AND WINTER WAS JUST ANOTHER SEASONAL ADVENTURE RATHER THAN A STRUGGLE WITH HEATING COSTS, SNOW TIRES, FLU-SHOTS, SHOVELING SNOW ETC. ETC.

A VIEW OF THE RIVER AS WE APPROACH OUR FISHING AREA

WE LIVED JUST A FEW HOUSES APART AND WE WERE BLESSED WITH A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT BORDERED A LARGE SECTION OF FOREST (FOREST IS NOW GONE, WAS REPLACED BY A HOUSING PROJECT)..TOGETHER WE CAUGHT SNAKES-SALAMANDERS-LIZARDS AND DID A BIT OF FISHING..WINTER WOULD FIND US TENDING TO OUR LITTLE TRAP LINE THAT FOLLOWED A BROOK INTO AND THROUGH THAT FOREST..WE NEVER CAUGHT A THING BUT WE BOTH LOVED THE MAJESTY AND BEAUTY OF THE FOREST AND OUR LITTLE BROOK..WE WERE FULFILLED BY THE WILD SPLENDOR AND DIGNITY OF NATURE AND HER CREATURES..

"OUR SPOT' WHERE ALL THE CRAP OF THE WEEK AND DAY TO DAY HEADACHES WOULD MELT AWAY

TIME WENT ON AND WE DRIFTED APART..I JOINED THE MARINES, JAY-THE NATIONAL GUARD..MY MOM OFTEN SAID “I SENT THE MARINES A YOUNG MAN-THEY SENT ME BACK A MONSTER.”  SHE WAS QUITE RIGHT..BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER AND MY SOCIAL CIRCLE CONSISTED OF OTHER ‘MONSTERS’..THERE CAME A CERTAIN EVENTFUL NIGHT WHEN I REALIZED I WAS GOING TO END UP AS EITHER A DEAD ‘MONSTER’ OR A ‘MONSTER’ THAT WAS SAFELY LOCKED AWAY FROM SOCIETY..IT WAS AFTER THIS TURNING POINT IN MY LIFE THAT JAY AND I MET AGAIN IN THE PARKING LOT OF A COFFEE SHOP..AFTER SOME LIGHT TALK HE CHALLENGED ME TO A CHESS GAME, I ACCEPTED, HE BEAT ME BADLY..

WE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS SURROUNDED BY THIS BEAUTY..
WE ALWAYS RELEASED THE TROUT WE CAUGHT RATHER THAN DIMINISH THE RIVER BY TAKING
HER FISH
 

I LOOKED FORWARD TO PLAYING CHESS WITH HIM AND ONE FINE NIGHT I FINALLY BEAT HIM IN A DUNKIN DOUGHNUTS PARKING LOT..HE EASED ME BACK INTO FISHING-HUNTING-ARCHERY..EASED ME BACK INTO THE LOVE OF THE OUTDOORS AND THE PEACE OF MIND THAT AWAITED ME THERE..SIMPLE MAN-SIMPLE PLEASURES..EASED ME BACK INTO A GOOD WAY OF LIFE..   

LOOKING UPSTREAM FROM 'OUR SPOT'

JAY WAS IN MANY WAYS A LONER AND SO AM I..HOWEVER, WE WERE ALWAYS COMFORTABLE IN EACH OTHER’S COMPANY..STRAIGHT FORWARD AND TO THE POINT..I WOULD SAY WE WERE JUST SHY OF BEING BROTHERS AND WE GOT ALONG MUCH BETTER THAT SOME BROTHERS DO..JAY STOPPED OVER OUR PLACE ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 21.. WE WENT TO A LOCAL GUN SHOP TOGETHER THEN VISITED A FIRING RANGE..LATER WE RETURNED HERE, HAD SOME HOME-MADE APPLE PIE, SOME TALK ABOUT ONE MORE AFTERNOON OF FISHING BEFORE WE CALLED IT A SEASON..HE WENT ON HOME AND LESS THAN 24 HOURS LATER MY LIFE-LONG FRIEND PASSED AWAY SUDDENLY..I’M NOT THE TYPE OF GUY THAT SHEDS TEARS-LAST TIME WAS IN 1999 WITH THE PASSING OF MY FATHER..DON’T MIND TELLING YOU THAT I SURE HAVE SHED A FEW THESE LAST FEW DAYS..THOUGHT I’D SHARE SOME PICTURES WITH YOU OF THE PLACES THAT WE BOTH LOVED SO MUCH..THESE PLACES WERE ALMOST SACRED GROUND FOR US—NOW THEY ARE CERTAINLY SACRED GROUNDS FOR ME..

JUST A LITTLE FURTHER UPSTREAM

I AM DEFINITELY A RELIGIOUS TYPE OF GUY BUT NOT IN THE CLASSICAL SENSE..AND I DO BELIEVE THAT AFTER JAY GETS SETTLED IN, HE WILL BE LOOKING FOR SOME GOOD FISHING SPOTS TO SHARE WITH ME SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD..TILL THEN THE FARMINGTON RIVER WILL NEVER BE QUITE THE SAME FOR ME..

WE HAVE WAITED FOR YEARS TO SEE THIS TREE FINALLY FALL IN
NOW I REALLY HOPE IT DOESN'T--FOR SOME REASON

 I TOOK ALL OF THE RIVER PICTURES ON THE EVENING OF JAY'S PASSING..SOMEHOW I FELT LIKE I OWED IT TO HIM TO BE AT THE RIVER THAT NIGHT AND JUST BID HIM FAREWELL FROM THE PLACE THAT WE BOTH ENJOYED SO VERY MUCH AND THAT SOOTHED OUR SOULS FOR SO MANY WONDERFUL AND HAPPY YEARS..THANKS JAY FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP--I AM HONORED TO HAVE HAD YOU AS A FRIEND..




HAPPY FISHING MY OLD FRIEND--SEE YOU DOWN THE ROAD--HOPE YOUR GETTING SOME GOOD
"RIVER-TIME"
JIM 

THINGS--"DREAM RIDE-2012"

 

SO MANY PICTURES TO POST THAT I WILL ONLY STATE A FEW FACTS ABOUT THE ANNUAL “DREAM RIDE.” TO DATE (NOT COUNTING THE RALLY MENTIONED IN THIS POST) THE DREAM RIDE RALLIES HAVE RAISED OVER $1,385,000 FOR THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES..GOOD PEOPLE HELPING GOOD PEOPLE..KIND OF THE WAY THINGS SHOULD WORK..

COUPLE OF FRIENDS-DAVE ON THE LEFT, FROM NAGAUTUCK
AND JOHN FROM NORWALK

MOTORCYCLES SHOWED UP FROM CONNECTICUT-MAINE-MASSACHUSETTS-NEW HAMPSHIRE-NEW YORK-PENNSYLVANIA-RHODE ISLAND-VERMONT AND EVEN FROM QUEBEC CANADA.

FIRST ROWS

NEXT ROWS

THE NEXT ROWS

STILL MORE ROWS

AND MORE KEPT COMING FOR HOURS AFTER I TOOK THE PREVIOUS PICTURES

ONE OF MANY EXOTICS



ONE OF MY BROTHERS IN ARMS

SOME GOOD FOLKS I HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING

ONE OF MY LONG TIME FRIENDS, MOE AND HIS WIFE EDITH
YOU'VE MET ONE OF HIS BROTHERS (PHIL) IN ONE OF MY EARLIER POSTS

BOE-ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL WOMAN BIKER ENJOYING THE DAY

NOTHING BUT THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR THIS BUNCH OF TROOPERS
THEY KNOW HOW TO KEEP THE PUNKS AND SPINELESS COWARDS THAT TRY TO DISRUPT THE DIGNITY AND HONOR OF A MILITARY FUNERAL IN LINE
MUCH RESPECT

ANOTHER EXOTIC

LOT OF COLORS-BUT EVERYONE WAS COOL AND THINGS RAN SMOOTH

NO NEED TO EXPLAIN WHY I LOVED THIS BIKE
CHECK OUT THE REAR FENDER BELOW

LOOKS LIKE IT'S FLYING EVEN SITTING STILL
THIS IRON HORSE HAS BEEN FEATURED IN SEVERAL MAGAZINES

WELL --I CAN'T BELIEVE I GOT ALL THESE PICTURES POSTED--HAD MORE BUT JUST CAN'T GET THEM ALL ON ONE POST--HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE PHOTOS--
BELIEVE ME-NOT TOO MANY SOUNDS ARE AS IMPRESSIVE AS HEARING ALL THESE MOTORCYCLES
RUMBLING IN YOUR DIRECTION-PEOPLE LINE THE STREETS, SIT ON BENCHES IN THEIR YARDS, WATCHING AND WAVING.. THE EVENT
IS A SMOOTH BLEND OF LAW ENFORCEMENT  BLOCKING INTERSECTIONS, THERE BY ASSURING
SAFE AND UNINTERUPPTED PASSAGE OF MOTORCYCLES FOR ABOUT A HALF AN HOUR OR MORE..
UNTIL NEXT WEEK (MAYBE)
ENJOY THE RIDE
JIM
P.S.--CLICK ON THE PHOTOS TO ENLARGE AND GET A CLOSER LOOK AT THE SCOOTERS AND PEOPLE 

CRUISEN--AND SOME NICE MACHINES

                                                                     

WELL LIKE I MENTIONED IN MY LAST POST, I WAS REALLY DOWNED OUT OVER THE LACK OF VETERAN RESPONSES TO OUR 93 YEAR OLD LADY FEATURED IN THE POST ‘WARRIORS-COMFORT FOR THE WOUNDED.’ SINCE THAT POST WENT UP I AM GLAD TO REPORT THAT SHE HAS RECEIVED A DEGREE OF RECOGNITION FROM AS FAR AWAY AS AUSTRALIA (MANY THANKS TO YOU ROSE)..SHE WAS MOVED TO TEARS..ALSO SIX BRAND NEW SHEETS WERE GIVEN TO MY MOM TO FORWARD TO THE WONDERFUL WOMAN..A UNEXPECTED $51.00 DONATION CAME IN, WHICH I HAVE YET TO FORWARD TO HER..

ON SUNDAY THE 22^ND I DID ABOUT 200 MILES ON THE BIKE AND IN THE COURSE OF MY AIMLESS WANDERING, I NATURALLY STOPPED BY THE GOOD OLD BARKHAMPSTED RESERVOIR..TO SAY IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY WOULD BE A GROSS UNDERSTATEMENT..GOT REAL LUCKY WHILE I WAS THERE..GOT TO SEE A BLACK BEAR HUNTING AROUND AT THE BOTTOM OF A SPILLWAY-NO PICTURE, THEN EVERYONE GOT REAL EXCITED WHEN AN EAGLE CAME SOARING OVER ONE OF THE HILLTOPS..I’VE SEEN THEM BEFORE BUT THIS ONE SOARED THEN KIND OF JUST HUNG IN THE SKY.. BY THE TIME I GOT BACK TO THE BIKE AND GOT MY CAMERA HE HAD LIFTED HIGHER AND TOWARDS THE SUN..TRIED TO PICK HIM UP IN THE ZOOM BUT I JUST COULDN’T GET A GOOD PHOTO OF HIM..

LOTS OF FOLKS OUT THERE (OF COURSE A LOT OF BIKES) BUT ALONG WITH THE BIKER CROWD, THERE WAS A NUMBER OF OLD CAR FANATICS OUT ENJOYING THE DAY ALSO..I WASN’T MUCH IN THE MOOD TO TALK TO ANYONE (JUST WANTED TO GET BACK ON THE BIKE) SO I SNAPPED A FEW PHOTOS AND WAS ON MY WAY..

PRETTY COOL CARS (AS FAR AS CARS GO)..NOT THE KIND OF MACHINES YOU SEE EVERYDAY SO FIGURED I’D JUST SHARE THEM WITH YOU..GOTTA APPRECIATE THE EFFORT AND DEDICATION THAT THESE FOLKS PUT INTO THEIR AUTOS..HOPE YOU ENJOY..

TILL NEXT WEEK (MAYBE)

****************************************JIM****************************************** 

P.S.--CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE AND REALLY GET A GOOD LOOK AT THESE MACHINES..

THINGS--EXPECTATIONS & DISAPPOINTMENTS

BACK IN FEBRUARY I DID A STORY ABOUT A TERRIFIC MAN I HAD THE PLEASURE TO HAVE MET..HE GAVE ME DOWN TO EARTH ADVISE AND PRESENTED ME WITH DIFFERENT WAYS OF LOOKING AT THINGS..YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE POST ON HERVE IN THE FEB ARCHIVES..(HERVE’S FARM).

ONE OF THE MANY THINGS HE SAID WAS SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF ‘DON’T EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM LIFE OR PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU’LL END UP DISAPPOINTED.’ WELL THAT IS SOMETHING I HAVE ALWAYS TRIED TO LIVE BY..BUT THAT MUCH BEING SAID, WITH SOME THINGS YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE EXPECTATIONS--SORT OF THE ‘CAUSE AND EFFECT’ PRINCIPLE..SOME THINGS JUST GO TOGETHER—ICE CREAM=COLD AND DELICIOUS—SUGAR=SWEET—FIRE=HOT—ICE=COLD, YOU GET THE IDEA..STICK WITH ME AWHILE NOW..

THIS MONSTER BELONGS TO ONE HECK OF A MAN.
72 YEARS OLD - A REAL ONE OF A KIND GUY THAT I HOPE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU
"DOWN THE ROAD"

MANY OF THE BLOGS I READ SEEM TO BE OF AN ALMOST PERSONAL NATURE, (I DID THIS—I WENT THERE—I SAW THAT ETC.ETC.) NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT, A LOT OF MY POSTS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME FORMAT..I DO HOWEVER TRY TO BRING OTHER PEOPLES’ LIVES AND STORIES TO MY BLOG..SOMETIMES IT’S KIND OF HARD, SOMETIMES IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE..BACK IN MAY I DID A POST ON A WONDERFUL 93 YEAR OLD WOMAN WHO SPENDS HER OWN MONEY AND TIME MAKING AFGANS FOR OUR WOUNDED SOLDERS..(MAY ARCHIVES-COMFORT FOR THE WOUNDED)...NOW BACK TO THE TITLE OF THIS POST ‘EXPECTATIONS AND DISAPPOINTMENTS.’ OUT OF THE HUNDREDS OF READERS WHO READ THE STORY ABOUT HER ONLY TWO SAW FIT TO COMMENT ON THIS WONDERFUL WOMAN’S EFFORTS..ONE WAS A BLOGGER FROM AUSTRALIA (ROSE FROM OZ IS BACK) AND THE OTHER WAS ANOTHER BLOGGER WHO WAS NOT EVEN A VETERAN (PIGZSFLY’S WORLD).

EXPECTATIONS ? MINE WERE TO BE ABLE TO TELL THIS ANGEL OF A WOMAN ABOUT ALL THE VETERANS WHO WERE MOVED AND THANKFUL TO HER FOR HER SELFLESS DEVOTION TO OUR WOUNDED SOLDIERS…

DISAPPOINTMENTS ? NOT ONE VET SAW FIT TO POST A COMMENT OR A WORD OF THANKS..I GAVE IT A FEW WEEKS BUT THOSE TWO COMMENTS WERE THE ONLY ONES I COULD TELL HER ABOUT..WOW!!

JUST THOUGHT THIS LITTLE FELLOW WAS SO BEAUTIFUL AND DELICATE
HAD TO TAKE HIS PHOTO

KIND OF ROCKED ME A BIT..PUT A BAD FEEL ON ME—A MAJOR NEGATIVE WAVE..BROUGHT BACK AN OLD BOOT-CAMP MEMORY..THE DRILL INSTRUCTOR, STANDING IN WHAT WAS CALLED A ‘SCHOOL CIRCLE’ HOLDING UP A M-14 RIFLE AND SAYING SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF—‘THIS IS THE ONLY THING YOU CAN COUNT ON..IF YOU TAKE CARE OF IT-IT WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU..UNLIKE PEOPLE, IT WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN, YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM IT WHEN YOU PICK IT UP TO USE IT. ’

GOT TO ADMIT IT, THE LACK OF ANY VETERAN RESPONSES TOOK THE WIND OUT OF MY SAILS…THEN TO SEE THE DISAPPOINTMENT ON THIS WONDERFUL WOMAN’S FACE BOTHERED ME EVEN MORE..JUST MAYBE NEED A BREAK FROM THE BLOG SCENE FOR AWHILE—DO SOME FISHING, SOME RIDING..GOING TO VANISH FROM THIS BLOG FOR A SMALL WHILE..SEE YOU FURTHER ON DOWN THE ROAD…

THIS HANDSOME GUY LIVES IN OUR BACK YARD

TO YOU READERS WHO HAVE BOUGHT MY BOOK-THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YES, I AM WORKING ON ANOTHER BOOK THAT TIES IN WITH “EPILOGUE: TIME MACHINE CHRONICLES” GONNA DEVOTE A BIT OF TIME TO THAT…UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN-HOPE ALL GOES WELL AND STAYS WELL FOR YOU AND YOURS..

                                                                                          JIM

  

BIKER DOWN !!

LOVE THIS OLD ORNATE BUILDING IN NEW HARTFORD
HAD TO SHARE IT WITH YOU

BACK IN THE SEVENTIES I WORKED ON A SMALL CONSTRUCTION CREW--WHEN THE WORK WAS AVAILABLE..MY WORK ETHICS WERE PROBABLY NOT THE BEST..AND MY BOSS MADE IT KNOWN THAT IF I COULDN’T START MAKING IT TO WORK ON TIME I SHOULD PROBABLY THINK ABOUT GETTING ANOTHER JOB..I REALLY DIDN’T LIKE THE WAY WORKING CUT INTO MY RIDING TIME-MY DRINKING-AND SLEEPING TIME..I GUESS I FIGURED THAT MY TIME IN THE MARINES WAS ENOUGH DISCIPLINE TO LAST ME THE REST OF MY LIFE—BUT I WAS WRONG.

WAS GETTING READY TO HEAD HOME WHEN THIS BEAUTIFUL MONSTER PULLED UP

ONE MORNING I WAS RUNNING LATE (AS USUAL) AND I WAS DOING MY BEST TO GET TO THE JOB SITE AS QUICKLY AS I COULD (STILL ABOUT TEN MINUTES OR SO LATE INSTEAD OF A HALF HOUR OR FORTY-FIVE MINUTES)..YEA, I WAS FLYING LOW ON MY BIKE (A SUPER-GLIDE)..ABOUT THE TIME I WAS FLYING TO WORK ONE OF THE LARGE FACTORIES IN TOWN WAS JUST CHANGING SHIFTS..IN FRONT OF THIS FACTORY WERE FOUR LANES AND TWO OUTLETS FROM THE PARKING LOT EMPTIED ONTO THE MAIN ROAD..

THIS BEAST HAS BEEN CLOCKED AT 135 MPH AND STILL HAD MORE TO GIVE.
SUPER-GLIDE FRONT END-5 DEGREE RAKE--SANTEE HARDTAIL
AND WAY TOO MANY GOODIES FOR ME TO LIST HERE..

AS I WAS RIPPING DOWN THE ROAD IN FRONT OF THIS FACTORY A CAR PULLED OUT INTO THE LANE I WAS ON, TRAFFIC WAS BACKED UP AND HE COULD NOT PROCEED INTO THE ONCOMING LANE--HE STOPPED DEAD IN FRONT OF ME..I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO SWITCH LANES AND GO BEHIND HIM—WELL JUST ABOUT THE TIME THAT I HAD SWITCHED LANES ANOTHER CAR PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AND OF COURSE STOPPED RIGHT BEHIND HIM..NO WAY I COULD STOP IN TIME (MY FAULT-SPEEDING, THEIR FAULT-DIDN’T LOOK BEFORE THEY PULLED OUT)..I’M NOT A PANIC TYPE OF GUY—LOOK FOR A WAY OUT..NO WAY TO STOP IN TIME-LAY DOWN THE BIKE AND I’LL JUST BE A MESS UNDER ONE OF THE CARS..ONLY ONE CHANCE—GO BETWEEN THEM-DON’T HIT THE BRAKES AND MAKE THE BACK END COME AROUND, DON’T FREAK--JUST GO BETWEEN THEM..IF I CLIP THE BUMPERS SO WHAT—I’D RATHER BE TOSSED INTO THE OPEN SPACE BETWEEN THE CARS INSTEAD OF COMING TO A DEAD STOP BY SMASHING INTO ONE OF THEM..HELMET OR NO HELMET, IT WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN PRETTY..

MEET JIM CALVO JR.  HE PUT THIS BEAUTY TOGETHER OVER A PERIOD OF TEN AND A HALF YEARS.
JIM'S BEEN ON BIKES SINCE HE WAS FIVE YEARS OLD (A LITTLE MINI-BIKE)
THIS IS HIS SIXTH BIKE AND HE'S GOT PLANS FOR ANOTHER CUSTOM JOB BOUNCING AROUND IN HIS HEAD.
NEED SOME BODY WORK DONE ON YOUR CAR HE'S THE MAN TO SEE.
CHECK OUT 'CALVO'S AUTO BODY & MOTORCYCLE SHOP' ON SMALLEY STREET, NEW BRITAIN, CT.
GREAT MEETING YOU JIM-AND I LOVED YOUR MACHINE

I MADE IT BETWEEN THOSE TWO CARS, BROUGHT THE BIKE TO A STOP AND SAT DOWN ON THE GRASS. I REMEMBER TREMBLING FROM THE ADRENALINE AND THE REALIZATION THAT I HAD JUST SLIPPED BETWEEN THE FINGERS OF DEATH’S HAND.. I HAD ALREADY HAD ONE ACCIDENT THAT HAD LEFT ME BRUISED, CUT UP AND WITH A MESSED UP BIKE..THAT ONE WAS PARTIALLY MY FAULT-SPEEDING AGAIN. BUT THE KID WHO HAD ROLLED THROUGH THE STOP SIGN DIDN’T REALLY TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK BEFORE PULLING OUT.. 

I STARED AT MY SUPER-GLIDE AND BEGAN TO WONDER IF BIKES WERE SOMETHING I SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM..I CAME CLOSE TO LEAVING THEM BEHIND THAT MORNING. INSTEAD I LEFT BEHIND MY FEELING OF INVINCIBILITY AND ACCEPTED MY VULNERABILITY..JUST COULDN’T LEAVE BIKES OUT OF MY LIFE..

THIS COULD MEAN TROUBLE--HE'S BEEN BEHIND ME FOR MILES
BUT EVERYTHING WAS COOL

ON FRIDAY JUNE 8^TH ONE OF THE BIKERS I HAVE INTRODUCED HERE HAD A FREAK ACCIDENT.. HE WAS ENJOYING A RIDE OUT IN THE COUNTRY WITH HIS LADY WHEN HE CAME OVER A RISE..THERE IN THE ROAD WAS A TURKEY VULTURE CHOWING DOWN ON A ROAD KILL SQUIRREL..THE BIRD LIFTED OFF AND FLEW RIGHT INTO THEM.. HIS LADY ENDED UP FALLING OFF THE MOTORCYCLE AND HE RECEIVED HIS SHARE OF SCRAPES AND BRUISES BEFORE EVERYTHING CAME SLIDING TO A HALT..HIS GIRLFRIEND WILL NEED SOME MINOR SURGERY BUT BOTH OF THEM WILL BE OK..HE SAYS HE’S ALL DONE WITH BIKES AND HIS MOTORCYCLE IS NOW UP FOR SALE..I REGRET HIS AND HER MISFORTUNE, BUT AM MORE THAN HAPPY THAT THINGS WILL BE OK FOR BOTH OF THEM..BUT—IN ALL HONESTY, I WOULDN’T BE SURPRISED IF IN A YEAR OR TWO HE DECIDES TO STOP BY THE HOUSE TO SHOW ME HIS NEW BIKE…

MEET CHACY--BEEN ON TWO WHEELS SINCE HE WAS TEN.
THIS IRON HORSE HAS CARRIED HIM ALMOST 200,000 MILES!
BEEN ACROSS COUNTRY THREE OR FOUR TIMES--BEEN TO STURGIS, LACONIA ETC.ETC.
81 YEARS OLD AND WANTS TO DO STURGIS AGAIN THIS YEAR-GOD BLESS..

WAS ANOTHER CRAZY WEEK FOR ME..LOT OF YARD WORK TO BE DONE..MOM HAD AN EYE OPERATION (EVERYTHING IS COOL WITH HER)..AND A COUPLE OF PROJECTS THAT HAVE TO GET DONE ARE STILL WAITING TO GET DONE..HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE YOU HERE AGAIN NEXT WEEK.. TILL THEN STAY SAFE--STAY WELL..HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU AND YOURS-----JIM

THINGS--JUST A SMALL MISSION AND A NICE RIDE

A ONE OF A KIND BEAUTY

SATURDAY MAY 26^TH WAS ONE OF THOSE DAYS THAT YOU JUST COULDN’T BE TOO SURE HOW IT WAS GOING TO TURN OUT..LOOKED LIKE RAIN THEN IT LOOKED LIKE CLEAR SKIES—THEN, TEN MINUTES LATER, IT LOOKED LIKE RAIN AGAIN..WELL EARLY IN THE WEEK I HAD DECIDED THAT I HAD A MISSION TO ACCOMPLISH UP IN THE NORTHWESTERN CORNER OF THE STATE, PREFERRED TO GET THERE ON THE MOTORCYCLE AND DECIDED TO CHANCE IT..I WON’T TAKE OFF IN THE RAIN BUT I HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN IT MANY TIMES..I’VE PROBABLY RIDDEN MORE MILES IN THE RAIN THAN SOME GUYS RIDE ALL SUMMER..

LEFT TO RIGHT---TODD MISIURA 27 YEARS ON TWO WHEELS---
JOE SCE 30 YEARS ON TWO WHEELS
AND JEFF SCHAD, WITH HIS BEAUTIFUL MONSTER, HAS 45 YEARS
OF MOTORCYCLE TIME BEHIND HIM..
ALL THREE--HARD CORE LIFERS
GREAT MEETING YOU GUYS 

MY FRIEND STEVE DECIDED TO HEAD OUT WITH ME ON HIS VINTAGE 1976 ‘MOTO-GUZZI’.. IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY, YOU CAN MEET STEVE IN THE NOV. ARCHIVES..KNOWN HIM SINCE HIGH SCHOOL AND, AS IT TURNS OUT, I HAVE THE GOOD FORTUNE TO HAVE HIM AND HIS WIFE JO-ANN AS NEIGHBORS..WE HEADED OUT, STOPPED AT JO-ANN’S FOLK’S HOUSE FOR A SPELL (YOU MET HER DAD, MR. RICCIO IN THE MAY OF 2011 ARCHIVES)..AND AFTER A FUN VISIT WE WERE ON OUR WAY..

LEFT TO RIGHT
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING AND INTRODUCING PAM A COUPLE WEEKS BACK--
LINDA HAS BEEN RIDING SINCE 1981-THIS BEAUTIFUL 'FAT-BOY' IS HER FOURTH BIKE
I LOVE SEEING WOMEN ON BIKES AND ENJOYING RIDING 
VERY COOL

I WASN’T ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT I HAD SET OUT TO DO—WHAT I HAD WANTED TO PURCHASE JUST WASN’T AVAILABLE, BUT WE DID TAKE CARE OF A LITTLE BUSINESS FOR MRS. RICCIO..ON THE WAY BACK HOME WE STOPPED FOR A SNACK AND STEVE MENTIONED SWINGING BY THE GOOD OLD BARKHAMSTED RESERVOIR..WELL, I SAID IT MANY TIMES IN THIS BLOG, IT’S A BEAUTIFUL RIDE AND THERE ARE ALWAYS MOTORCYCLES IN AND OUT OF THERE..IT IS ONE OF THOSE BEAUTIFUL AND SCENIC AREAS THAT JUST DRAWS PEOPLE..

LINDA'S LICENCE PLATE--SHE ASSURED ME IT'S TRUE

AS IT TURNED OUT, I HAD MY CAMERA WITH ME AND BEING VERY BUSY THIS WEEK, I DIDN’T REALLY HAVE TIME TO DO ANY KIND OF REAL STORY ABOUT ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR.. SO, ONCE AGAIN, I AM GOING TO INTRODUCE SOME OF THE GREAT FOLKS THAT I ALWAYS MEET WHILE I’M IN THE WIND ON MY TRUSTY IRON HORSE..

MY FRIEND STEVE AND HIS TRUSTY 1976 MOTO-GUZZI--STEVE ALSO OWNS A 1973 BMW-R75
STEVE IS A AIR FORCE VETERAN-THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE

LATE SATURDAY NIGHT AS I WAS GETTING READY TO SHOWER, I DISCOVERED A TICK THAT HAD BURROWED HIS UGLY LITTLE HEAD INTO ME..RATHER THAN JUST REMOVE HIM, I DECIDED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL AND HAVE THEM DEAL WITH IT (KIND OF HAD THE LYME DISEASE FEAR IN ME)..WELL GETTING THE TICK OUT WAS EASY—THE ANTIBIOTICS THEY GAVE ME DID A BAD NUMBER ON MY GUTS AND RIDING THE BIKE ON SUNDAY WAS IMPOSSIBLE—SOMETIMES JUST WALKING WAS PAINFUL..ANYWAY, THAT’S DONE AND BEHIND..SO I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE PHOTOS AND HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK…  

                                                       ******************************

BELOW ARE A COUPLE OF PHOTOS THAT STEVE SENT ME OF OUR LITTLE HOME-TOWN MEMORIAL DAY PARADE-IN THAT GROUP OF MOTORCYCLES IS A 75 YEAR OLD LADY BIKER!!

IN THE PHOTO BELOW IS OUR HOME-TOWN HERO--MR ED RICCIO JR.

IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE IT YET-CHECK OUT THE POST ABOUT HIM--INCREDIBLE STORY --I AM HONORED TO KNOW HIM..

 UNTIL NEXT WEEK--STAY SAFE --STAY HAPPY--BEST WISHES TO YOU AND YOURS

*****************************JIM******************************