Man, does time fly. Someone on one of the Buffett mailing lists asked what a blog was and I mentioned mine. Then I noticed that it had been over 10 days since I last updated mine. Ouch!
===
The photo that I'm showing at the top of the blog is a gentleman that I met at the Iron Butt Association dinner in Daytona during Bike Week. He's riding around the world, which is impressive enough to begin with. Even better, it's not his first trip around the world, and he's not riding an on/off road bike like a lot of us would us, he's riding a Yamaha R1 go fast bike. He's from the Netherlands, and if you look at his website you will notice that he was visiting Indianapolis in late February, at which time I can assure you it was cold. Wow. Check out his web site at http://www.sjaaklucassen.nl/
===
John DeLorean passed away a few days ago. Everyone remembers him from the downfall of the DeLorean automobile and John’s subsequent arrest for trying to raise money with a suitcase of cocaine. Which is too bad. The attempted cocaine bust was thrown out by the courts, and the DeLorean auto was actually pretty good even if both DeLorean and the Northern Irish government (which financed the venture) all got the numbers wrong. It takes courage to start up an auto manufacturing enterprise these days. And DeLorean was, indeed, one of the fathers of Pontiac’s original GTO which increased Pontiac sales dramatically at a time when General Motors decreed that sports cars were bad and that only bland autos should be produced. DeLorean was a maverick in the gray corporate world, and this universe needs more men like him. Let’s just hope that the next ones to come along don’t lose money quite as badly as John Z. did.
===
Poor Terry Schiavo, her parents, and her husband. No matter where you stand politically on this mess, what happened to her was a tragedy, which has now been compounded even more so by the controversy. And I have to assume that her husband and her parents are all sincere in their beliefs. Now the rest of the nation has gotten involved, spinning what was a personal tragedy to suit everyone else’s political purposes. After the protestors are long gone their mean-spirited comments will have been forgotten but this drama will linger with Terry’s loved ones for the rest of their lives. This was one episode where the busy bodies really should have left well enough alone.
===
My first book is selling well, especially considering that it hasn’t been printed yet (grrrrrrr …) Hopefully the first printed copies will be available in about 10 days. I have sent out preliminary Adobe .PDF files of the book to several motorcycle groups and the reception from the folks that downloaded it has been very, very positive. The printer sent me a pre-production copy that was missing about 15 pages, the index, and page numbers but you know what? It looks great! The cover designer did a really good job. So I’m quite optimistic. On the other hand I’m putting together the notes for 3 other books right now and will be traveling this weekend in order to gain material for the Southern Florida book. At some point riding a motorcycle, hanging out at bars, and shooting the breeze genuinely starts to look like work! So let’s hope for the best.
And if you want your very own copy of PirateJohn's Most Unique Guide To Motorcycling in Northeastern Florida you can find it at www.BuccaneerPress.com
Most Unique is intended to be a series of travel guides. I can’t die anytime soon because I need to put together about 10 of these things over the next several years
===
Spring has just arrived, and that means that the riding season in Florida should be getting into full swing at any time, with the rest of the country only a few weeks behind. It’s time for us all to get out, get some exercise, and commune with nature. Sniff those flowers, or, if you are from Florida, get out and pet those alligators. As I told a friend recently, as long as Florida has ‘gators and tourists (and the occasional UFO sighting) things will never be dull down here.
===
As I mentioned in a previous blog, BMW has some really interesting bikes coming out. I’ll get ‘round to detailing some of them in another blog in due time. In the meantime the bike announcements are coming out faster than they can be digested. Which is interesting, but to be honest, for the time being I’m pretty happy with my previous-generation bikes with new-fangled electronics. I’ve just ordered a satellite tracking system so that my heirs and creditors can find me when I’m riding in Appalachia, the Everglades, or the Sierra Madres. Or down to that nasty local pub where the bartendresses are barely dressed, for that matter. Now where is that on/off switch ;)
Seriously, with motorcycles with GPS navigation and satellite radio, it’s becoming easy to roll off 500-mile days and still have the time to sightsee and hang out with your pals at the local pub. I especially enjoy riding some distance to catch musicians perform in out of the way places, and if I can do those kinds of trips everyone should be able to do ‘em. You just have to practice and plan a bit.
===
If you get a chance to see The Aviator starring Leonardo DiCaprio my advice is to go. The Aviator is quite a film experience. Just like John DeLorean deserves to be remembered for much more than his failures, The Aviator is the story of Howard Hughes the legendary businessman, aircraft pioneer, movie producer and just all around visionary as he begins his descent into madness and before madness totally consumes him. Some critics contend that the movie is a tragedy; I contend that The Aviator is a celebration of a man who overcame tremendous odds for as long as he could and a warning for all of us. Not only should we maintain a vigil over our own mental well being, but it pays to remember that Hughes would eventually become a major player in the Nixon government as well as the Cold War, and at that time Hughes was paranoid and as loony as they come. Sometimes the Emperor wears no clothing, and for Hughes in his last decade that was more than merely a metaphor.
===
Best quote that I’ve seen recently:
“Whoever said that money cannot buy happiness doesn’t know where to shop.”
Of course, that legend is on the site for a BMW motorcycle dealer (http://www.bmw-ok.com/) so there’s clearly some element of temptation for ol’ John ;)
No comments:
Post a Comment