It is that time of year again where those poor bikers who can't ride all year round are starting to get back on the road... which means more times I get told how dangerous it is to ride. How some random person I don't know knew someone who died on a motorcycle and that is why they will never ride on one.
I ride all year round... almost every day. The likelihood of me dying on my motorcycle is pretty high. No matter how cautious I may be you never know and have no control over when your ticket is up.
It doesn't mean I shouldn't go out and do what I love. I also would never want someone to be afraid to ride if I died from riding... to me, that means they are afraid to live because I learned to live riding Blue.
There are 3 places I don't want to die.
1. on the toilet
2. in a Walmart
and 3. the worst of them all... on a toilet in a Walmart.
So, if I die on the toilet, please feel free to never use the toilet again in fear you may die on one. If I die in a Walmart, please feel free to never go shopping again in fear you may die at some big box store. And if the all horrible, worst way for me to die happens, feel free to never use a toilet or shop in a big box store ever again.
In all seriousness, I would never want anyone to regret the way I lived because I died. Even worse, be scared to live because I died living. I hope that the way I live my life gives courage to others who want to do something a little out there... that whatever they dream is a possibility.
Everyone enjoy the ride and the journey. Hope to see some of you out on the road!
BlueRoad is a multimedia project about the life of Patches O’Nassis, the 1st person to live fulltime in a teardrop trailer pulled by a Harley Davidson motorcycle. Documenting her life on the road with her dog named Yoska, chicken named Esmeralda, Harley called Blue and teardrop trailer called TicTac. Empowering herself and women everywhere to follow their dreams no matter how wild they may seem. Anything is possible.
What a witty & poignant reflection, Jaclyn - Thank you for sharing! My brother-in-law lost his life on the bike he loved, but it could just as easily have been a car, a horse, or a poorly-timed potty break at Wally World. We can no more predict or prevent the timing & manner of our departure from this world than we could our entry into it, so we may as well live fully, freely & fearlessly while we're here!
ReplyDeleteYes!
DeleteJaclyn_
ReplyDeleteTo live fully, freely, fearlessly...what an aspiration. I came to your blog thru Bob Wells. I'm not a religious person but mannn! Riding that rig in the winter has to be a spiritual experience sometimes. I'm living mobile for the last 18 months or so in an extended high top van w/ solar, tryin' to pay it off and hit the road for a bit next year...if I reach my savings goal.
I'm going to add you to my mental blog checklist for motivation. Dig the Dylan song, I play that one at farmers markets some time...you got a sort of Indigo Girls thing going...you may be to young to remember them. Peace.
I do know the Indigo Girls... I hear that a lot. Riding in winter you have to be at least a little spiritual... you need something to thank you made it safely. hahaha Thanks for following!
Deleteam finding that its the inexperienced, hotrod, crazy people who die on motorcycles. The careful people never have issues. Because they watch all the idiots and avoid them like the plague. Also careful people watch road conditions. So many have said they have been hit because of idiots. Well watch for them? (Never laid a bike down, never been hit),
ReplyDeleteI usually stay off the roads on weekends and holidays because everyone who owns a bike think they are bikers... it's a scary place. I also never ride in large groups. It is dangerous enough out there with everyone preoccupied with everything else other than their driving skills. I'm probably overly cautious... but I'd rather be slow and sure and make it there.
DeleteWe're all going to die sooner or later. The question is whether we will live until then. I have a different example. My whole family is convinced that my brother knew his heart was about to give out and planned his last day. He spent that last morning riding his bike to another brother's place about 125 miles away. The bike didn't kill him; it helped him live.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great example!! So true, it is about living not dying.
Delete"run what ya brung". don't listen to people, unless they call lunch. when people give unasked advice, i make chicken noises at them. bwaakk bwaakk bwaakk, chickenman hes everywhere, hes everywhere. google "chickenman". just because i may not want to do what you are doing does not give me the right to find fault with your life. laugh at them and make chicken noises. works for me
ReplyDeletea lot of people are jealous. they don't like that you are free. too bad. did i say to bad. they are afraid. i used to hitchhike in the 60's. we used to laugh at the cars that would hit the power door locks at 70 or 80 mph. lots of caddies. i was a strong boy 5' 5" 180 lbs, not fat. but i was not attacking cars. we still laugh about it. america is full of grumpy old people. some aren't so old. bwaakk bwaakk bwaakk.
we all are going to die. ain't life great. i'm 70 and still crazy. i can provide references. methuselah lived 969 years. his dad enoch 365 years. bbbuuuuttttt they are still dead. get out there and enjoy yourself. you owe to yourself. " run what ya brung" is a term used by street drag racers. i don't race now, but i run what i brung and that is what you are doing.
i carry a note in my pocket that says "booby can play in traffic" signed MOM. seriously. i hope to die broke or close and with a grin on my face. i spend a lot of time grinning.
ice cream raz
Awesome! hitch hiking would of been awesome! I could totally see people locking their doors as they drive by. People are just funny and weird.
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