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Showing posts from 2019

Life is all about ____

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Motorycles .. or Jeeps .. or Vettes .. or.. SCUBA Diving .. or ... . ______ .   Sorry, this isn't about some deep meaning of life. Depending on one's hobby(s), this may be true?   I happen to be a pretty die hard motorcycle  ... biker, rider, enthusiast, or whatever you want to call it.  Been riding for over 35 years.  Own a few bikes of different brands.  Most of my friends tie back to this fact.  We've met because of the bikes, see each other throughout the year because of the bikes.   It's a huge part of my life. And yet, its not everything .... My First Jeep and  the LTD1000. Circa '86  I've owned Jeeps for almost as along as I've been riding motorcycles.  I'm not as hard core with the whole Jeep thing, but damned if they haven't became 'part of me'.   I own several today and plan on doing more off-roading in the near future.  The point of this blog post is simply that .. .when one is part of something like this, you find your

VROC - Veterans Resource & Outreach Center

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One of my CVMA Brothers heads up a local 501C3, the Veteran's Outpost .   Few days ago, he reached out to our CVMA Chapter, asking for some financial help on a current project.  Wasn't a huge dollar amount, Lucy asked me what I thought and we both quickly decided "we're in!".   We quickly agreed to help with the last bit of costs to get a car to a deserving Vet in need, as well as fill up the tank with fuel for him. Maestro asked us if we were available to come out and meet the recipient personally.  The Veterans Resource & Outreach Center is located in Rowlette so we agreed and headed out that way yesterday.  To be honest, I had no idea what we'd just agreed to help with, except that they were in the final stretch and had come up short. Well, we rolled into the VROC and David Thompson was there ahead of us.  We then got to meet some key players of the VROC and get the tour.  Awesome newer facility there to help Vets in the area that are in need.   P

Dive Trip - Spring 2020

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Just locked in another AirBnB home on the island of Cozumel a few months from now.   Looking forward to diving with Julio and crew, with my family and friends. I've blogged about this before.  First time I stayed on the 'economy' was back in '12 then in '16.  I made the mistake of letting someone else run the show, manage the books, pay the bills. In other words, pay for it yourself and you then know where every penny goes.  Kicker is, it's crazy affordable if you just do a lil' leg work.  Good news is, AirBnB (as well as other similar companies) out there have simplified the process.  Now, if you're going to go long term ( month or more) it probably pays to pick up the phone, or use other avenues to secure the best price.  But for a single week, which most of us do, AirBnB is the perfect solution.   I mean, you can get a 3, 4 or 5 bedroom house/condo for 2k or less.  Do that math on that one?  I remember someone fucking me over for $1500 for a single

Out with the Old and In with the ... ummm... Old

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Been blogging for the last year about losing weight.  I've done this slowly over time and now down approximately 40 lbs give or take a few, depending on the time of the day.    Over the last decade, I've purchased 3XL shirts more and more, since 2XLs are a notch shorter and when they shrink, sometimes unwearable for me.  So, the ultra comfy 3XLs have been my go to.   Kicker is ... I never packed away my 2XLs that still reside in the closet....  they've been there waiting for me (with a small smattering of 3XLs tucked away in the mix).  Not all shirts are sized equal and many of them still fit, even if a notch snug around the belly?  I chose to keep all my 3XLs in my dresser for easy access.  Then ... also on the dresser.  Then, on my recliner.  It'd gotten out of control.  I contemplated packing away the 2XLs . .... but .. them 3XLs were getting looser.   The other day, mama' said it was time for them to go.  They were starting to bag off me.  My weight is now under

Cozumel Dive Trip - NOV 2019

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This past July we started the planning.  My nephew has been wanting to get back down for some diving since our Jan trip , and I'm always up for a trip and some SCUBA time.  We create a FB group to help formulate the trip, Darla and Steve immediately lock in and I'm scrambling to setup reservations.  We immediately notice something is weird about the dates/costs.  The days before our trip, the cost is 3-4x normal for flights.  All my flags go up so I make sure 'everyone' knows something is up and they need to lock in .. soon!   Well, lets just say ....  not everyone did.  By the time people figure out who wants to go, who will go, who's rooming with whom... shit gets weird.  Flights are unavailable.  Rooms are unavailable. Turns out there is an Iron Man Triathlon on the Island the same time; whoops.  When the smoke cleared, there are only 6 of us rolling in.   And less than a week out, the Foster's have to canx due to a family situation they need to be around fo

In Search of Better Health: Part VI

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Been on this subject for about a year or so .. more ... now. Seems like it was 'yesterday' when I saw a pic of myself down in Mexico and thought "WTF?!?" as my weight had upped towards 330.    Since then, I've been focused on my caloric intake, type of calories, etc.   As always, my gym time goes and comes, with the health of my lower back. Last week my back took me to a dark place, but I've come back around.  This afternoon I take the next step with some testing and see what the future holds for me in this area.   But, the real story is the scale.   I've been 'stuck' for months and months just under 300lbs.   That's been my 'normal' weight for about 13 years...but I've been trying to get lower, without doing anything drastic.  It's seemed strange how I've been 'stuck' at this weight.  Well, last week when dealing with my back issue, I also got the Flu.  Here's where it gets weird.  After 3 days of dealing wi

Indian Motorcycle World Record Certificate

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I've blogged on similar subjects before.   Back in '16 I participated in a record run, but to be honest it wasn't that big of a deal to me.  I thought it was over advertised, and came up short, way short.   Advertised as a '500' it barely surpassed 1/2 that amount.   At the same time, I didn't get on board with the 'parade' concept at first.  I wanted to do an actual ride.  I thought the parade part was ...   a joke.    So, I never even got the certificate.   I wasn't proud of it.   Then the following year, it was almost a repeat.  I about fell out of my chair laughing when it was named '500+' and was destined to be a repeat.  It was, barely having more bikes.   I've covered elsewhere how some of those bikes shouldn't have been counted in the mix. Since then, I've come to appreciate the parade concept.   Though I still don't like it, you need to keep the folks tight, organized and the longer you travel, the more chances for

2008 Chieftain - THE Original

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You read that correct.  That's 2008, not 2014. I outright love this bike.  Can't help myself .  Wrote about it a few weeks back after sitting on it.   Carolyn Tomas sent me the pics below.... which got me thinking about it.  Just thought I'd share. ________________________________ Michael Thomas wrote: It was 2008 when my creation of a modern Indian with true routes back to its original DNA was born. The Indian Chieftain was born. I utilized S&S X Wedge engine which is the same basic design found in the new Indian Chiefs. Kiwi, Making history. #kiwiindianmotorcycles #indianmotorcycles #indianmotorcycle #indianmotorcycleridersgro up #indianridersgroup #harleydavidson #cyclesource69 #indianlarrymotorcycles #popeofwelding #jayleno #mikewolfeamericanpicker #rolandsandsdesign #polaris #harleyownersgroup #indian #indianchieftain #indianroadmaster #antiqueindian #vintageindian #antiquemotorcycles #vintagemotorcycles #oldmotorcycles #chieftain

Biker Code # 432120

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Okay .. I made up that number. Posted this in a FB Group yesterday.  Saw it on one of my CVMA Brother's pages and busted up laughing.  Not sure exactly what about this that had me smirking, but it did.   Then, wondered where I could share it off to. Almost put it on my own page, but decided to put it somewhere more visible.   What I never expected was the array of responses.   Like I said, I simply thought it was funny.  Now, why did I share it off to an Indian related FB Group ?  Good question, and thank you for asking... haha.   I've been Riding Indians for over 10 years now.  In that time span, I've seen folks talk shit about the Gilroy Generation.  The Kings Mountain Generation.  The newest Spirit Lake Generation.   Then there was the BS about the Victory's.  Then the drama of Vics vs Indians.  Then the drama of the Vic's going away in '17. The BS about the Scouts (blasphemy, they are liquid cooled!). Then the BS about the 111's moving away fro

LONE STAR RALLY ( LSR19 )

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It's almost here.  Crazy weather down in Houston / Galveston this week due to a Tropical storm, but in a few weeks it will all be dried out and just history. Six weeks from now is the Lone Star Rally! Rally Locations condensed  I wrote that in September '19 to start the preparation for this Blog Post, then things got busy.  Hot Springs for the Gregory 500+ then back to get ready for LSR .  We prepped the bikes early, loaded them in a trailer and headed down a week early to enjoy some time at the beach first. My sis n' law was flying in for some sister time with Lucy, so we had a few days of good times.  Then, mama dropped me off at the airport and I headed to Vegas for 4 days of business with customers and peers.  Then, left a day early to get back to the rally and the folks rolling in. It was time for LSR to kick off! Farley's and mine (Sugar B) loaded up Donnie pulling his baby around after unloading When I'd left it was warm and dry but upo