MotoReview- Harley-Davidson backpack

                                                     

MotoReview: Harley-Davidson “Tough Terrain” Backpack

Quick details

• Price: $140
• Size: 19" x 12" x 8.5"
• Manufacturer: Athalon Sportsgear, Denver, CO USA

Cool and most notable features: attached hideaway helmet carrier; numerous pockets; lightweight; sturdy nylon material; sternum and torso straps; padded back with airflow channel; hidden compartment in rear; lockable main compartment (TSA approved); looks great; comfortable to wear; easy to handle; huge main compartment; nice finishing details.

First Impressions

 Let’s jump right into this, shall we? First of all, I’m a function over form type of guy, so whatever it is, it has to be functional first. I want it to look good, but if it doesn’t work worth a damn, then it doesn’t matter how good it looks. This pack delivers on both.

Function: It has a nice, durable shell made of honeycomb nylon, making it rip stop and water resistant, it has comfortable, padded, straps, a padded back with an airflow channel, a thick, padded top handle, a sternum strap and a torso strap, more pockets than you can fill, and a lockable main compartment that is TSA compliant. 

 Form: It has the best color combination- black and gray; it has a cool interior liner that looks like a topographical map; the bag is sturdy; has heavy duty zippers and zipper pulls that are adorned with engraved bar and shield logos. It also has a good overall feel- it feels like a well made pack. 

It also has some nice details, such as: a sewn-on Bar & Shield logo; and some small, reflective strips to offer a bit of visibility without the reflective overkill that many manufacturers like to add to their gear. The zippers are nylon with metal pulls and they seal the pack very nicely. Initially, I was a little concerned about how well they would hold up against overpacking the pack, but I have been pleasantly surprised at how tough they are and how well they hold up. The seams are all well-stitched and sturdy and all of the most common tear and damage points of a typical backpack, have all been reinforced and redesigned. Areas like the top of the bag where the straps attach. Most packs just have the straps sewn to the top of the bag, but this one has the straps made as one large piece that is sewn in across the top. This allows the weight of the pack to be evenly distributed across the top of the bag, making it more comfortable to wear, while eliminating the stress points of the straps.

A year of use

I’ve had this pack for a little over a year now and, while I don’t use it every day, when I do use it, I really use it. I have packed this thing to its capacity several times- often using it like a small suitcase; I’ve carried books and binders when I was in training classes; I’ve taken it on several flights and, on one of my last trips, I used it as my only suitcase on a trip back to the motorcycle motherland, Milwaukee, USA. 

Going through TSA screenings, wearing it in narrow airplane isles, and stuffing it under the seat in front of me, were all easily done, thanks to the slim design and the way it expands (to the back, instead of the sides). The pockets and compartments are perfect for storing all of your essentials- chewing gum, earbuds, phone, keys, glasses, water bottles… you name it, there’s probably a pocket or a compartment to hold it. 

In using it as a suitcase, I’ve easily packed several days worth of clothes in it, along with my iPad and, of course, personal hygiene essentials. Now, remember… I don’t often wear suits, so this isn’t for that, but for my normal daily wear of jeans, t-shirts and the occasional button-down shirt… this pack worked great. 

 Even when fully loaded, this pack is still very comfortable to wear. The straps are padded, the back is padded and it has a padded carry handle on top for when you need to hold on to it after taking it off. The back padding has a channel that runs along the center for airflow so that you don’t wind up with that awkward back sweat in the warmer months. If it feels a little wonky, simply buckle the chest and torso straps with the quick-release buckles, pull the strap to cinch it up and keep on truckin’. 

The material is a rip-stop nylon with a honeycomb pattern and the pack has a nice mix of textures and materials that compliment each other nicely. Like I said previously, this pack feels good.

 The bottom of the bag, which will typically get worn through from being abraded by the ground against the weight of the contents, has been reinforced with a heavier, coated nylon. But, this bag also has a little something special at the bottom- a zippered compartment that holds an integrated helmet holder. While I haven’t used this feature a lot, it is extremely handy to have if you don’t want to leave your helmet behind. It unfolds easily and has long straps and quick release buckles for ease and convenience of use, and it will accommodate just about any type and size of helmet. I’ve used it with my HJC modular and it worked very well to secure my helmet to my pack. 

Weather and Durability 

Full disclosure- I haven’t drenched this pack in the pouring rain, but I have worn it in a couple of moderate rain storms for 15-20 minutes at a time and it has resisted the water intrusion, pretty well. Nothing inside got wet, but I can’t say that it wouldn’t, given a more concentrated exposure. I will say, however, that I wouldn’t be afraid of wearing this pack on a road trip and riding through a rain storm with it… I just wouldn’t have any electronics at the top near the zippers. Speaking of electronics- I try to bring my iPad with me on trips, so that I can do some writing when the moments are right for it. When you’re traveling, you don’t necessarily want to open up, and start digging around in, your bag to get to your laptop or tablet. After all, you don’t want your private garments becoming public garments. This pack keeps your bag contents private, by having a large, flat, “hidden” zippered compartment in the back, between the shoulder straps and the main compartment. It opens from the side and, when its closed, if you didn’t know it was there, you wouldn’t notice it. It’s a great place to slide your tablet, a notebook, and maybe even a slim laptop, into for quick access.

I haven’t tried to tear this pack up, but I certainly haven’t babied it, either. I believe in actually using gear because that’s the best way to see how good it actually is. With that said, it is holding up to the abuse, quite well. After a year of, sometimes hard, use this pack doesn’t show any signs of wear. The seams are all intact, the zippers all pull smoothly and close tightly, and the outside surface and inner linings of the bag still look, for lack of a better description, new. 

Pros

This bag is, almost, all pros. Seriously. I can’t find much to complain about for the kind of use I have put this pack through. It’s about as ideal of a bag as I could ask for. It’s strong, well made and is proving to be more and more durable with each use. If your’e looking for a cheap pack, this isn’t it, but if you’re looking for a nice, quality, motorcycle-oriented backpack, then you can’t go wrong with this one. 

Cons

The only real “complaint” on this pack would be the “Harley Tax”, aka, the price. It seems that everything that Harley-Davidson makes, or anything that is branded with the H-D logo, that is worth having is no less than a hundred bucks. Having that in mind, I don’t mind spending a little extra if I know that what I’m getting is of good quality. At $140 USD, the pack is a little pricey, but considering that you can’t get it anywhere else (Athalon makes it, exclusively for the MoCo), the H-D pricing isn’t so bad. Let’s face it, any really high quality bag is going to cost you anyway, so what’s a few extra bucks toward keeping an American company running a little longer? Especially if those few extra bucks will get you a long lasting piece of gear that will likely survive just about anything you throw at it.

Final thoughts 

I’m not a particularly difficult person to please when it comes to gear, parts, equipment, clothes, boots, and so on. Just give me what I’m paying for. Whether it’s a good pair of boots, a nice set of handlebars, a good jacket or an overall great motorcycle, I just want the quality, performance and durability that I’m expecting to get for the price I’ve paid. I work hard for my money, and I’m sure you do too, so it’s not too much to ask that we are getting a fair trade for our hard-earned wages. If you’ve read, or watched, any of my reviews, you’ve no doubt noticed a trend toward the positive. That’s because I try to make good, well thought out decisions before I drop cash on something. That’s not to say that I don’t sometimes buy a dud or expect something to be better than expected, but overall I do try to do some research before I spend money. This pack was no exception- I read the reviews on the H-D site and tried to weed through those that were given in exchange for a free backpack, and those that were written after unreasonable expectations weren't met. 

Overall, if you’re looking for a high quality backpack that will do, almost, anything you need it to do and look good doing it, then you need to head on over to the Harley-Davidson website and pick one of these awesome packs up, before they sell out and, in true H-D fashion, are gone forever. 

Pack light, travel often and until next time, MotoReaders… 

…ride safe and make good choices!

      

Dyna update

The MotoWriter Dyna 

As many of you know, last year, I crashed my Dyna Street Bob (affectionately known as the MotoWriter Dyna). 

For those new to the blog (or missed the original post)- basically, I was riding on a road that I knew had a dangerous intersection, where gravel from an intersecting road washes into a curve of the main road. While I wasn’t speeding, I should have slowed down more than I did, because I wound up encountering the gravel that was perfectly in line with my front tire. In what turned out to be a failed attempt to avoid it, I lost control, high-sided and won a busted bike, a gnarly cut across my back and some bruised internal organs as reward for my carelessness.

Once the insurance company and I settled up (I chose to keep the scoot and rebuild it), I set out to tearing it down and repairing it, piece by piece. Now, I’m not rich by any means, but I’m not poor, either. I chose to do the work myself because I enjoy it. Besides, if God gave me the confidence to try, and the ability to succeed, why on earth would I pay someone else to do it?

Tear down

The tear down involved taking the bike down, basically, to a unicycle. The forks, triple-trees, tank, seat, and a bunch of small, miscellaneous parts came off. From there, I inspected each piece, determined what was damaged and what wasn’t, and then made a list of what I needed. Fortunately, the frame was solid, straight and undamaged (which was my biggest fear), and the tank wasn’t dented, just scratched up on the low side. 

In removing the triple trees, I found that the neck bearings were worn out and unusable, but I’m not sure if that was a result of the crash or simply a previously unseen result of, prior to my ownership, neglect. Either way, those were replaced. I found a set of “new” take-off handlebars that I picked up at a pretty good price, and I found a nice set of “new” take-off fork sliders (these things couldn’t have had more than 100 miles on them when they were swapped out). I picked up a nice, used clutch perch, a new set of levers, a new pair of fork tubes and a couple of fork rebuild kits from my local Harley-Davidson shop. The front wheel and wheel bearings were good, as were the front and rear fenders. The exhaust survived, but the heat shield was tweaked and a clamp bracket was broken, so I repaired that and massaged the heat shield back into shape. 

After rebuilding the forks and installing the new neck bearings, I put the front end back together and then I rewarded myself with a nice cold Miller High Life… because let’s face it… making a motorcycle out of a unicycle is worthy of the reward of the “champagne of beers.”

Once the front end was back together, I set out to cleaning up the tank scratches. I had some paint left over from the quarter fairing that I installed before the crash (R.I.P. to the fairing, as it did not survive the crash, nor did it make the final cut of replacement parts). I tried painting a patch area, but that effort failed, so I put that on the back burner and decided to make sure the damn thing would run and ride again, instead. I’m glad I did, because I was seriously considering selling or trading the Dyna until I fired her up for the first time since the crash. The 96” Twin Cam came to life easily and it ran and rode great- so great, in fact, that I have ridden it several times over the last month… funky paint and all. Riding it reminded me how much I actually like this motorcycle.

After riding it a few times, I decided to dedicate a day (today) to repainting the tank. Over the past few months, I’ve been trying to decide if I should change the color, or maybe do a cool design, or maybe even swap the tank badges for decals. Ultimately, it was Mrs. MotoWriter that reminded me what one of the guys at the Harley-Davidson Museum said to me, when we were talking about the MotoWriter Dyna. He told me that, since Dynas are no longer made, and since so many of them have been hacked up and made into stunt bikes and racing machines, that a (mostly) stock Dyna Street Bob in Brilliant Silver paint, was likely to become a pretty valuable machine one day. Now, he may have just been telling me that to make me feel better about my relatively boring silver bike, but it did make me start looking for others like it. To my surprise, I didn’t find many silver Street Bobs out there. Like the guy said, most Dynas I’ve come across have been turned into wheelie and stunt machines (which is a trend that I can’t stand… maybe I’m just getting old, but public streets where my family drives just isn’t the place for f*@%ing around on a 600+ pound projectile that is precariously balanced on one wheel by a SQUID that doesn’t believe, or doesn’t care, that he could lose control and kill himself or someone else- rant over).

As of today

So that brings me to today. I took the tank off, prepped it for paint and have begun laying the metallic goodness down (I’m between color coats as I type this). After I finish the color coats, I’ll go over it with several coats of clear until I’m satisfied with the results, then I’ll let it set for a few days before I finish it up and get the badges back on, and get it mounted back on the bike.

Stay tuned for more photos once it’s back together and ready to hit the open road again. Until then, ride safe and avoid making the same mistakes I did!

Motorcycles and Motorcycling

American Travel… Progress? 

The invention and advancement of the automobile has had an incredible impact on how we move as a society- how we travel from place to place, faster and faster as each decade passes. We are constantly looking for ways to reduce travel time and increase speed and efficiency, all while unintentionally destroying our own country’s infrastructure and our overall mental health. 

Back in the early days, before the interstate system was built, Americans traveled on two and four lane highways that that followed the landscape and accommodated stops in small towns and cities. All across the country, creative entrepreneurs built neat roadside attractions, cozy diners and motor hotels that were the perfect oases for weary travelers. In 1956, President Eisenhower’s interstate highway system began construction and, in the decades that followed, an unforeseen change began taking place. The new “improved” highway system carved new paths in the landscape- cutting through the mountains and hills instead of going around them and flattening the horizon for miles and miles instead of following the changing elevation of the rolling hills. Small towns all across America were bypassed, their roadside diners forced to close, their silly attractions falling into disrepair and the cozy motels where weary travelers and families once stayed, turning into places fit only for a horror story- nothing more than dirty flops for prostitutes, drug addicts and criminals to hide out and do their ill deeds. Main streets that once bustled with patrons, were forced to shutter their stores, by the strip malls that were built along the interstate corridors. In some places, the new shopping centers were only a few blocks from the historic downtowns where so many Americans once ran their family businesses. All across America, small towns fell into disrepair- their stores closed, their buildings vacated and their economies suffered… all in the name of progress.

Yes, the interstate system made short work of crossing this great country of ours, but with every advancement, it seems there is a sacrifice that must be made… and small town America was forced to pay that debt. 

Motorcycles and Motorcycling

No other vehicle produced has ever brought people together, quite like the motorcycle has. In the early days, the spirit of invention led numerous companies to create motorized bicycles, and later, purpose-built motorcycles. While the intended purpose for these machines was to primarily be a practical and functional form of transportation, it didn’t take long for motorcycle riders to figure out that their machines were much more than just a vehicle. Motorcycles were used for racing and cruising, they were used in wars, commerce, public safety and leisure. Motorcycles have been an integral part of this country’s history, as well as the world’s history. They have been, and still are, used by outlaws and law enforcement, by tough guys and by nice guys. They’re used by women and men of every race, creed and color. Motorcycles don’t discriminate and they don’t judge. Even better than that, for the vast majority of motorcycle riders around the world- the commonality of being a rider is often enough to forge bonds and bridge gaps among people that might not ever even speak to each other. 

Motorcycling is a great conduit for conversations and for building friendships. It’s also a great way to explore the world and overcome fears and adversities, just ask guys like Ted Simon and Dave Barr (R.I.P.). You see, while they are both machines designed to transport people from place to place, the motorcycle is different from its 4-wheeled counterparts in a variety of ways. One significant difference is that the motorcycle becomes an extension of the the rider. It requires… no, it demands, full attention and engagement of its rider. It requires input from every part of the body- the left hand for the clutch, the right hand for the throttle and front brake, the left foot for shifting and the right foot for the rear brakes. Every movement must be accounted for- the turn of the head, the focus of the eyes, the shift of the body, all of these things will affect the movement of these vehicles. Motorcycles are visceral machines and because they become extensions of our bodies, it only makes sense that they become extensions of our personalities.

Exploring the backroads is best done on two wheels

Remember how I said that all of those towns began to fade away? Well, fortunately for them, and for us, many of those towns have regained popularity and, through revitalization efforts, many are making a comeback. Efforts to restore main streets across the country are in full swing and there is a growing trend among Americans, to get off of the interstates, avoid the giant retailers with their concrete cities of discount racks and chain stores, and instead, shop at local establishments that are owned by individuals and their families, eat at local diners and walk along the historical streets of these small towns, once again.

One of the very best ways to explore those small towns is, and has always been, by motorcycle. I know it is presumptuous to say so, but I often wonder if the revitalization of small town America wasn’t started, at least in some small way, by motorcyclists. Consider this, motorcyclists have always preferred the backroads and scenic byways over the superslabs of tractor-trailers and distracted drivers racing to their destinations at breakneck speeds. We have always preferred the curvy, hilly, country roads and two-lane highways and stopping at places where we can get a home-cooked meal and a comfortable, peaceful night of sleep. While a lot of motorcyclists are plain folks like me, and maybe even you, others are influential, some are wealthy entrepreneurs that are looking for investments and some just want to save the history of this great country. While most people speed past these small towns, little main streets and historical downtowns at 70+ mph on the interstates, most motorcyclists cruise into them, admiring the architecture, drinking the coffee and eating in their diners. As word gets out, more and more visitors start to visit, and some even take notice of their charm (and the opportunities) that are hidden in these little communities of Americana. Maybe I’m wrong, but maybe I’m not?

Riding together

I’ve made a lot of friends over the years because of motorcycles. I’ve ridden alongside people I didn’t know, had conversations with people I would have never otherwise spoken to and I have had experiences that have molded who I am as a person. In my motorcycle travels, I have seen the beauty of this world- I’ve slept under the stars, drank from a river, been drenched in rain, watched lightning crackle across a midnight sky and I have felt the presence of God in the air and in the surrounding landscape. 

Motorcycles are more than just machines for transportation; they are devices for transcending differences. They can heal broken friendships, they can help to overcome fears and insecurities. They are tools for individuality and togetherness. The motorcycle is the physical manifestation of independence. That is why there are museums dedicated to them, like Barber Motorcycle Museum in Alabama and Wheels Through Time in North Carolina.

While there are always certain exceptions, most riders will ride with just about anyone, regardless of what they ride. Most riders don’t care about race or nationality. Proof of this is found in just about any place there are motorcycle gatherings. You can find riders of every background, walking around and checking out the other bikes and talking to the other riders at these places. That’s because they all have that one thing in common- they all ride.  Nearly every person that I’ve met, who is on two wheels now, got started on some sort of similar machine. Many started on small bore Japanese motorcycles, several on dirt bikes, and even more on those little single cylinder, centrifugal clutch, solid frame motorbikes. Because we all have a shared history of how we started riding, and because we can all relate to the riding experiences that we share with each other… we find ourselves on common ground, and it becomes easy to overlook our differences. 

Bad actors

In every facet of our society, there are bad apples, the worst among us that are selfish, inconsiderate, immature, lawless and reckless. They are the bad actors who make us all look bad. They are the ones that cause us to be vilified and antagonized by those among us that can’t, or won’t, make the distinctions between us. I won’t give them any time or recognition here, as we all know who they are. Instead, I’ll focus on those among us that do the most. 

The squeaky wheel gets the grease, and as such, the shitty motorcyclists get the attention. But while those among us are getting negative attention, the others (the majority) among us that are doing good, still keep up their good works. Groups like the Patriot Guard and Bikers Against Child Abuse, just to mention a couple. Not to mention all of the smaller, local clubs that are doing God’s work- raising money for local sick kids, injured veterans and first responders and just about any other charitable cause you can think of. Here, in my little corner of the world, there is a group that collects toys for Toys for Tots every year and they’ve been doing it for the past 40 years! Just think about how many kids over the past 4 decades, that have woken up on Christmas morning with toys under the tree… toys that weren’t delivered by a chubby guy in a red suit, but rather by a scruffy guy in a leather jacket!

Groups like this rarely get the attention they deserve and you may be wondering why. Well, it’s simple- it’s easier to vilify things that we are unfamiliar with, especially when those things oppose and challenge what is considered societal “norms.” While motorcycling seems to be coming into the mainstream a little more now, it is still considered a pastime and conveyance of the rebels and risk-takers of our society. Consider this- automobiles are getting bigger and bigger with every passing model year. If you don’t believe me, park a 2024 Chevrolet 1500 or Ford F-150 next to it’s 1984 predecessor- the difference in size is mind boggling. Motorcycles though… well, they are still the small, fast, nimble machines that they have always been. Some are designed for two, and many others are meant for the solo adventurer. You see, society as a whole, still sees bikers as The Wild One, when most of us are actually more like Wild Hogs. This is another reason why, when my friends or family ask why I ride motorcycles, I will recommend the movie Why We Ride. It does a great job of explaining the passion of riding to the unfamiliar. 

The takeaway 

Look, the reality is that riding motorcycles isn’t for everyone. But, to be fair, that goes for every activity. Golfing, fishing, hunting, shopping, paragliding, skydiving… I could go on and on… are not activities for everyone, and that is okay. Everyone has something that they are passionate about and to that end, I say- send it! Have fun! Enjoy yourselves and activate those brain cells, dump those endorphins, breathe it all in and live the life that you have! 

I don’t know what motorcycles mean to you… but I know what they mean to me. I know that being a motorcyclist has given me memories that will last a lifetime. I know that I have more stories of my adventures on two wheels than I probably have time left in my life to tell them. I know that riding motorcycles has enriched my life with friendships, and bonds of brotherhood that can never be broken or lost to the cruel march of time. I know that motorcycles and motorcycling has given life to my pen (or keyboard, as it were) and they have allowed me to express my thoughts, insights and advice to a worldwide audience that I would have, otherwise, never known had it not been for my desire to share my passion of riding with others. Others who, like me, are overwhelmed with their joy of the open road and their everlasting longing for their next adventure in the wind. A shared love of motorcycles has led thousands of good folks from across the globe- from Germany to the Netherlands, Moldova to Morocco, India to Luxembourg, and everywhere in between… to read this very blog… this one, specific site, among this massive omnium-gatherum, that we call the Internet. 

Motorcycles have led me to so many wonderful things in life, and they have allowed me to experience this world in a way that most people never will. God has blessed me with the ability to, not only, ride these machines, but to also write about them… and that is something that I’m most grateful for, because had it not been for my motorcycling exploits, I would have never had the opportunities that I’ve had. 

So go…go ahead and shut the computer down, put your riding gear on, take that bike of yours out of the garage and blow the cobwebs off of it. But remember, there’s someone that loves you and wants you to come back home, safe and unbroken… 

…so please…

…ride safe and make good choices!

The past few months…

I’m back…

First off, let me say to all of my devoted MotoReaders- I’m sorry to have left you with nothing but the rest of the dumb old internet to read and peruse, over the last few months. 

It’s not much of an excuse, but it’s the only one I have, so here goes: This year has been incredibly busy for me at my payin’ job. I’ve also been working on a side project (hint- it’s a crime novel… stay tuned for more on that later) and I’ve been trying to get the MotoWriter Dyna off the lift. Add to that, I also wrench on the bikes at work, as well as ride them, and by the time I get home from work… I’ve been pretty well spent, physically and mentally. Like I said, it’s not much of an excuse, but it’s all I got. With that said, though… a lot has happened, so let’s get into it, shall we?

What’s new?

Well, let’s take a quick review… 

Mrs. MotoWriter and I visited the great state of Georgia in April, where we visited some of the filming locations of a little Netflix series you may have heard of called, Stranger Things. We had a blast and even ran across the crew while they were filming some of the final season. 

When we got back home, I took a day trip to mid-Alabama with a good friend (and creator of the novel I’m writing) so I could help him get his new-to-him motorcycle (more on that in a later blog post).

After getting back, I started tearing into the MotoWriter Dyna (not to keep teasing future posts… but there’s just too much to write about that on this one… so, more on that in a future blog post). 

In May, I took a trip to Daytona to pick up a couple of new motorcycles for work. June was nothing but work, so in July, Mrs. MotoWriter and I decided to go to back to one of our favorite places- Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On the day we left, the Microsoft Crowdstrike outage occurred, causing software outages across the world and impacting travel worldwide. We made it safely to our destination, and had a great time while we were there, but the travel was a pain in the ass and we ended up having to rent a car and drive the rest of the way back home. We made a fun road trip out of it, though, and made it back at the same time we would have, so it turned out okay in the end. The trip to Milwaukee was awesome and I’ll probably follow up with more details on that in the future, so keep an eye out for that. 

August was another busy month of work, followed by an almost-as-busy September and October. I know that the busiest times of my job lately seem to be between spring and late summer, but damn… if I didn’t know better, I’d say that 2024 really added some extra to my proverbial plate. Now, don’t get me wrong… I was able to get some personal stuff done over the past few months and Mrs. MotoWriter and I were able to enjoy some down time together. We even got to spend some quality time with the MotoKids, and that is always great. In October, Mrs. MotoWriter and I were even able to attend our goddaughter’s wedding, which was awesome. Full disclosure- Mrs. M and I aren’t exactly what you’d call “social butterflies”, so we tend to avoid big social gatherings, but we are both really glad we pushed past our anxieties and attended. She was a beautiful bride and her new husband seemed like a really great guy. The wedding was beautiful and the reception was really nice. Not to mention, seeing my brother-from-another-mother and being a part of this very special day for his family, was a memory that we will both cherish for a very long time to come.

November has started out busy, but I’m finally saying “enough is enough” and I have finally decided to dedicate some time for myself, my writing and to reaching some of my own personal goals.

What’s next?

I love that question. It’s so full of hope and promise. Moving forward, you’ll be seeing a return to the regular posts (and I’ve got several to write, so you can expect to see a few more than I usually post) and I’m going to get back to writing the novel. I’ll also be sharing some photos of the Dyna resurrection, some trips I recommend and you’ll definitely be getting some insight and opinion pieces to reflect on. I might even do a review or two… you’ll have to wait and see. 

For me, writing is the intellectual equivalent of riding my motorcycle. This blog, not only, serves as an outlet to express myself creatively, but it’s also a therapeutic device to help me deal with stress in a way that is healthy and productive and, hopefully, a little entertaining. It’s odd and, at the same time, astounding for me that so many of you read (and seem to enjoy) what I have to say. For that- I offer a heartfelt thank you.

I’ve got another piece locked and loaded and I’ll be putting the final touches on it this afternoon, so check back in a day or two for that to be posted. 

Thanks again for staying with me and, as always…

Ride safe and make good choices!