Mad Dogs and Fear Biters

I’m not sure how to say this, other than simply and clearly. An attack on gay Americans is an attack on all Americans. An attack on Muslim Americans is an attack on all Americans’ religious liberty. Attacking a Latinx dance party assaults every American’s right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of beats. Attacking gun culture … [more]

In Memorium

A simple whispered lesson from those who laid down their lives for us.

Painting by the numbers

“__________ is just a number.” Is it, really? Only that? When you’re painting by the numbers, the colors aren’t your own. The amount of weight you lifted ten years ago (or last week): that’s just a number. It means nothing to you now. The amount you lift today is a piece of your life as it … [more]

Not Really About Motorcycles

I only knew “T” because of motorcycles. When we moved in, the guy across the street introduced himself and asked what we had under our bike covers. Tony turned out to be one of the good guys, loaning tools without being asked and even putting us up in his RV for a couple of nights when … [more]

A 9/11 Forget Me Not

In a word, “no.” This day – one that will live in a lesser infamy than Pearl Harbor, as a time when our self-declared enemies intentionally selected non-military primary targets to show us our vulnerabilities and terrify those willing to be cowed – will not define me. It will not rule me by fear. It … [more]

Look Twice

Couple of days ago, I had the honor of delivering a short address at the opening of the Buffalo Chip Freedom Celebration Ride launching from Spearfish, South Dakota. The following post is the approximate shape of that little speech. ================= Hello, and thanks for having me. I’m afraid I’ve got a few holes in my … [more]

Redeployment

The first of us headed out last night, on bikes and planes aimed homeward. Tommy and Max were kickstands up this morning, burning west toward Boise to knock off a Saddle Sore 1000 sanctioned by the Iron Butt Association. We’ve all swapped hugs and commitments of goodwill. A knot of four riders and one girlfriend … [more]

This… is… STURGIS!

The first reaction a guy might have to Sturgis is that no rules apply. Like most first reactions, this is bullshit. The rules are just different: specific, unspoken, and not applicable elsewhere. Like the rule asserting that bare torsos are acceptable on Main, with or without body paint. Also its unspoken corollary that states, “Large, hairy … [more]