Travels with Kodak

Travels with Kodak This is gonna be a travel log. Initially it will be about my Memorial trip for my Mothers fulfilling her last wishes.

02/09/2024

Hey y'al bikers in wnc. I ridin tomorrow. I don't know where yet, but I’m ridin'. Who is a shepple and who rides?

02/09/2024

I think I am gonna need to ride tomorrow. My brain is getting suddled up, cloudy, I think i need to ride and look around me. I'm a'gonna take my camera and take a few pics!

02/04/2024

I just had this thought score out of some other place, "I cant believing I am negotiating with a cat about where she can puke!"

01/15/2023

I wrote this a minute ago, but Life got in the way and I could not post 'til today. Sorry, no pictures, I was too busy riding to do that stuff!.

It has been a minute for me to sit down and write a few words for y’all to read, but here I am again, like that dream that will not stop.
I finally got a pick’em up truck. I guess this old body is gonna feel the cold more than in the past! It is a good thing, cause we had a really cold snap a couple weeks ago—the temp musta gone a little below 40.
Then for Christmas, I got that devious virus, covid!..for the second time! I spent the Holidays in bed trying to swallow by the lump in my sore-sore throat, not much sleep, nor food either! At least I was able to loose about 10-12 pounds in 4 or 5 days though!
Well, after a few more days of resting New Years came along. Someone told me a while ago that what you do on the first day of the year will determine how the rest of it goes. Well, I was tempted to succumb to my ingrown laziness and this stupid virus and stay in bed all day. However, I am superstitious enough to listen to that whole thing about the First Day of the year.
So, I dragged my lazy ass out of bed and stumbled around the apartment for a long minute, had a cup and stuffed an orange down my throat. I thought maybe I would stop and get something to eat during this New Years Ride.
Finally, I wrapped myself up in some clothes and grabbed my Cut and jacket and headed on out. I just bought a new(to me) bike back in September and I love the performance of the thing(specs and details upon request(Please ask, I love talking about it!)). It has fishtail pipes that are really long, but have no baffles. IT SOUNDS AWSOME!
The bike had not been started in a couple weeks, but it started without skipping a beat, but one cylinder did cough a little for a short moment. It smoothed out and I just let it rumble for a long minute, all the while reveling with that grumbling Milwaukee 103.
Finally, I got on and revved it a bit and started to back out of the space. Whenever I write about riding , I always gush on about the power of whatever bike I am riding, but today I'm gonna skip all that and talk about the ride.
It was wonderful! The bike had been waiting for me and was ready to go. Though there had been some rain the night before and the roads were still a little damp, I still thrilled for the wind in my hair and feel of acceleration from stop light to stop light and especially the curves! Dogs have it right!
Sometimes I go out and look for some kind of spiritual experience, most of the time I just want to ride and enjoy it. And too many miles are spent doing long highway runs to get to someplace important. But today, I just wanted to ride, I didn’t care what happened.
The curves came and the breaks worked, and those tires would break loose a little coming out. There were few cars, but during this ride I just wanted to flow around the curves.
It was a short ride, maybe an hour or so, capped off with a stop at the food store. But boy, when I kicked out the stand, I almost floated off the bike. I was high with endorphins and adrenaline for hours after. No drug i have ever taken has ever beat that rush!
People ask me why a ride. I answer that they need to do it, and maybe, just maybe, they will understand.

Kodak

olc

Well, I wish I could live this fantasy longer, the time has come to return to the real world
10/09/2022

Well, I wish I could live this fantasy longer, the time has come to return to the real world

07/22/2022

I’m gonna call this one: I Got a New Pair of Boots

Well, my riding boots need to be rehashed, the soles are blown out and the zipper is shot, and a little while ago the velcro ankle strap got gummed up and I had to put on a snap fastener to replace it. Time for new boots.

I had no idea that I was so particular about my foot wear, but I am and I had a really hard time finding boots I like. Thank you Georgia Boots! and GB Shoes.

I found them yesterday, and at great price, something like $113. I can finally enjoy shifting gears again, ‘cause I can slip my toes under the shifter! Yeah BABY!

Yeah, I know the simple things!

A friend, Gemini and her sister, are talking about doing a ride out of Brevard, N.C. Basically, it goes up Rt. 215 under the Blue Ridge Parkway and transitioning over to Rt. 278 up thru Cruso and back under the Parkway. Ending back in Brevard. There is almost no combination of roads, about 75 miles, as beautiful, as these roads are.

I have new boots and a day off, so I decided to make sure this route is as good as I thought was.

My soul is enriched for that decision.

The ride starts with my stopping by work to drop off some paper work for an application for enhancement, then I rode out to Brevard and had lunch at Dugan’s. Such a fine place to eat and have a beer.

After lunch and walking to my beautiful Ginger, she was so beautiful sitting and waiting for the ride to come. I started her heart and heard her calling for the road ahead. You know, I took a moment to hear her excitement while putting on my gloves and helmet on—I just wanted to hear her song.

Sitting on her, feeling the Milwaukee power throb, I started onto the road ahead. I felt the s**t fall off my back, my muscles loosened, my brain began to loose all the crap of everyday life.
I focussed on the ride ahead: where I was going and the curves ahead.

215, they call it The Park Way Road, does just what it sounds like—it takes you to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Oh but what a trip it is..turns and curves, dips and elivations to challenge the best riders.

This road traverses the most incredible mountains. People live on this wonderful road, yet I wonder how they defeat the ever changing climate. It speaks to the strength of those who live in the mountains, I guess.

Ginger and I powered through the curves and beautiful vistas this road offers. We had to pass a couple of slower cagers, but the locals knew why I was riding this journey through their world and made little effort to slow my progress.

I felt my tires spinning as I sped thrush sharp turns, and felt the rear scream trying to slow enough for the next curve. Ginger was ready for every thing I asked of her. She wanted more. I only wish I knew the hard hairpins better.

We would come upon a slower cage, but there was a straight just ahead. Dropping a gear and hitting the throttle, we passed that slow moving obstacle and hit the break so hard I felt the frame squirm. Drop a gear, or two,-open the gas-break break, so hard to avoid the turn ahead. Tail shimmying and sliding to go around the hairpin. Hit that throttle, feel the power-all the while I was desperately holding onto the grips.

Such a ride-what a road to be on!

Finally my bike and I get to the Parkway. I can feel the release Ginger has when we turn onto the parkway. She wants more. So do I, but we have to respect those who do not understand. I open my tunnel vision and see the beauty of the mountains around me.

Oh what a beautiful place I live in. Clouds draping mountain ridges, blue skies above. Trees growing all around. Crows and hawks flying above, screaming their prey to be aware while rivaling their territory. Such a rush reminding me of the thrill to be alive.

There is so much more to this ride, please read it tomorrow.

here are pics
05/27/2022

here are pics

05/27/2022

I am supposed to be a biker and not let little things effect my emotions. Well, guess what ya'll, that ain't the case this weekend.

So much happened!..so many profound events went by that my simple little brain just about burst.

So much to talk about. Where to start? My feelings about this past weekend are not part of this journal, so let’s just do the facts(with a few pics to make it real).

It all started around 730 on Saturday, I guess. As Historian and unofficial photographer, I made my way to 2 Trees Sports Bar and Grill (check out her FB Page!) to get an idea of how to shoot this incredible event, THE HUNDRED MILE RIDE!.

For about 2 minutes I had the place to myself, then all hell let loose and I was lucky to do anything but try and get what I could in pics.

After a minute of walking around before anybody showed up, Rowdy and the wonderful Pippi showed. So much for trying to get an idea about setting up preprogrammed ideas for images!

Someone smarter than me knew that I, as Historian, needed to let me do my thing for the Chapter. I floated around and got a few pics for history and had little of anything else to worry about. You will see them at the bottom of this post. There are a few pics there that go outside the bounds of our emotional culture. Deal with it. We are BACA and sometimes our emotions need to be let loose.

As the morning lead on, more and more bikes showed up. We had so much local MC support. Bonehead, a co-founder of our little Chapter, sat down with the current President. So many bikers showed up for the cause. They all helped support our Mission!

But this was more than an event to create awareness of our Mission: “…to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live.”

We had other celebrations!

To start with Buzz received his Patch! There is an elaborate conspiracy behind all this. Rowdy infiltrated Buzz’s castle and pilfered Buzz’s talisman, Harry, the Chicken. Rowdy’s co-conspirators were the incredible Hotdog Chef Kyle and the one only Father of Buzz, and the ever so wonderful Twerp informed of our little conspiacy!

Harry, the Chicken was replaced by an old and smelly Boiled Egg!
All sorts of mayhem and hilarity ensued when Buzz found Harry was replaced with an Egg! Bounds were crossed and calamity was made while Buzz tried to figure out what the F**k Happened to his Harry Chicken!

We had over 60 bikes register for our 100 Mile Ride. And when it came time to get every one together to start, Rowdy sat upon
his Seat and related our history in BACA. Then he called up Buzz and asked just what had been going on all day. Then he asked Buzz just what was BACA all about. This is the first step to granting a Patch, but I don't think Buzz had quite caught on.

Finally, Meeep tapped him on the shoulder and presented it to him!

A great moment in our Chapter’s history!

BUT WAIT! There is more.

The group was beginning to break up when Meeep told every one to hold on.

He ran down to his beautiful and unsuspecting, Tessa and got down on one knee to ask her to spend the rest of their lives togather. Yes, he proposed to his incredible Tessa!

Tears flowed, sighs were had. They hugged and kissed. I think they grabbed each other’s asses!

Good luck Brother, you deserve the happiness that a strong union between two lovers can give.

There will be more for you guys to read later on. But for now here are a few Pics to enjoy.

Liking this bike.
05/22/2022

Liking this bike.

04/06/2022

The other day I went for a little ride. I wanted to stop at a few places and drop off some flyers to places- advertising an event that is important to me. Along the ride is a fun little road that twists and turns beyond my ability to ride fast. Yet, it is so much fun to test my ability as a bike jockey.

It is one of those roads that goes up and over a ridge in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It has footpeg scraping turns and straights that make the gears dream for relief.

Unfortunately, a farm truck was head of me. What with all the power of my infernal machine, I did not have the balls to go around it. Maybe I could have, maybe not. I chose the course of caution and the knowledge that I would ride again.

Settling in to that justification of unfounded weakness I decided to let the bike control the way ahead. Gears shifted without thought—brakes slowed my steed with no effort from me.

My mind wondered. I thought nothing of import. No earth shattering musings spontaneously erupted from my idling brain. I did think about a story I am trying to put together, but it passed. For a moment I worried about a thing I had to do for that group I ride with-but that thought slipped away too.

My life slowed a little during that ride. I felt my need for speed, adrenaline, slip out of my hands. I let the need to control slip away a little. I let the farm truck ahead of me control my future for moment.

There were a few moments during the ride up the hill when I could have taken control of the moment, but I was able to stay in the moment and relax a bit. Underneath, I wanted to get ahead of that slow moving obstacle—but I surpassed the urge. I let my mind, my motorcycle, relax into the moment. I could see the trees around me. I heard the creek to the right gurgling with the force of gravity and rocks. The sky was blue above. My mind wondered into the realm of wonder and openness.

Finally, that cursed farm truck turned off my road. I found 2nd gear, then 3rd. Going faster than I should, I felt 4th coming, then the curve ahead came and the force of slowing and the scraping of pegs as I leaned into it. I was free, I had escaped the oppression of that obstacle in front of my freedom and was free again!

This musing did not go the way I thought it would. Yet, somehow I feel I have said what I wanted.

01/15/2022

I'm going thru some old clutter on my Desktop and keep finding stuff i meant to post but forgot:
I ride a lot of miles on my bike, most of them are long distance, over 100 miles or more. They are ridden to help or just be with people who need some kind of support. A shoulder to lean on, or merely a strength they know is there. I do this because it is a calling. My only regret, as far is this goes, is that I did not start this part in my life sooner.
But this post is not about my altruistic passion. It is about a purely selfish moment I had today.
I woke up from a long nap in the middle of the afternoon with the sun shining in my eyes. I thought that we were going to have a hurricane blow through, so this was a nice surprise. I lay there thinking about the weekend coming up and all the planning I needed to do. A cloud passed under the sun, then moved away.
I needed to go for a ride, just to enjoy the ride. To remind myself of the love I feel for nature, physics, the scent of the world, the feel of Milwaukee Iron and the love of the ride.

On the long runs to where ever I go, I listen to music to help stay aware, but for this ride I just wanted to live the bike and ride and road ahead… no distractions, just me and the bike.
Well, nothing goes off 100% the way one wants, I caught rain and thought about putting on the rain suit, but decided against that. The sky cleared and I dried off in no time. I finally found the road I was looking for, rt. 215 out of Waynesville, going up to the Blueridge Parkway.
What an incredible road it is!. In Waynesville it is simply a road going through beautiful farm country, cows, corn fields and farmhouses.
After a bit though, and a couple turns, the road narrows and houses became scarce. It turns and twists and goes up and down. A bikers dream. I go past a lake and a kids camp. A memory pops into my wide open brain. One of a little disappointment, but also triumph.
A car blinks its lights at me and I wonder what could be ahead that I need to be aware of. The road is a little wet and my tires a little slippery. But that does not slow me down—much. I see a bike ahead parked at a pretty waterfalls turnout. When I round the turn, I see 2 guys with helmets on…”they are on one bike?”
Who am I to judge?
I look for a turn-out at which my little Runtyun and I stopped and spent the night beside a stream. Now this is a wonderful place. A long story about that, if you are interested. Finally, I find it and a warm feeling pushes out the disappoint from before.
Now this part of 215 is twisted and turns like a knurly branch from a wind demented Georgia pine. It goes up and down and twists around the ridge. If I wanted to I could have pushed my steed and felt the thrill, but I wanted the flow of well executed turns. I did not want to concentrate solely on the ride. I wanted the thrill of everything. I did not feel the Need for Speed, but the thrill of adrelninialin—the clearness of the moment. The MOMENT that was my world.
However, my aggressiveness won out toward the end of this incredible road and I pushed it a little. And what a thrill! Wheels spinning, wide turns, speeds sliding around curves!
Adrenaline flowing!
Yes, this reminded me of why I ride. I ride for the children whom need us. I ride for the thrill of it. Mostly, I ride because it is what I do.
Finally I found the Parkway and rode it for a bit. If you read my posts you will have seen that part already.

Please let me know what yo think about this post by leaving a comment.

olc

AKA Kodak

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Asheville, NC
28803

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