JustAL Loqui

Category: Solitary – Without The Confinement

  • Who Am I?

    Born in Central IL in 1955 I grew up with 4 brothers and two sisters. I joined the Army in 1972 and, barring a short stretch between ’76 and ’82, I have been in the U.S. Army my entire life; first as a soldier then as a DA Civilian for the Department of Defense. I cannot say I have always had a motorcycle. But, for the most part, a ride was always within arm’s reach and utilized on any given opportunity. There was a time, in that stretch between ’76 & ’82, I associated with riders from the “outlaw” side and, after a couple of near miss events, decided to turn 90 degrees and ride away. For years I steered clear of riding groups; regardless of genre.

    Hoka Hey Bike 3

    In 2008 I came across a group called Rescue Riders and, during that encounter, met some of the finest people I have ever met. People who give of themselves and ask nothing in return. This was the type of person I wanted to be. In 2010 I came in contact with information about a long distance endurance ride from Key West Florida to Homer Alaska. At the time I could not fathom such a ride, but got my chance to participate in the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge in 2013. To say it changed my life would be a gross understatement. The impact was so great I was compelled to narrate the event in book form. The ride showed me that I was not the person I thought I was and showed me a glimmer of what I needed to do to strive to become who I wanted and needed to be. Hoka Hey has taught me much and is still instructing me on a daily basis. To put a life in two paragraphs is an impossible task. A personal bio is a narrative of who we are. I learned, through the Challenge, that who I thought I was and who I really was differed greatly. I believe a true metric of a person is best measured by what they do to become someone people deserve. So, who am I? Not sure yet, but my prayer is that with each passing day I will get closer to that person I am supposed to be.

  • Is Riding a Motorcycle Dangerous?

    Before I start I will say I am an avid rider and have been for years so it’s possible this collection of thoughts are biased. I’ll answer the question up front.  Is riding a motorcycle dangerous?  The answer is yes, but, if you ride you already knew that.

    To prepare for this little narrative I did a considerable amount of research to determine the number and type of accidents and the cumulative nature of sustained injuries. Oddly enough each report I read contradicted the one before so, lucky for you, this chronicle will contain very few statistical facts, but will contain real data based on my years of riding experience.

    There are a number of variables that make riding dangerous. The environment, road conditions, wildlife, other occupants on the highways, rider attitude and the attitude and driving habits of cagers to name a few.  An occurrence that will not blip on the radar screen of a cager will get the full attention of a rider.  For the benefit of all, a “cager” is any person in a car or truck; pretty much anything that is not a motorcycle—the car is your cage.

    From a rider’s perspective the biggest danger is the distracted cager. You can dispute that if you like but the fact remains, from our perspective cagers are the most looming hazard to our riding experience.  If a rider wizzes by you on the street it is not because they want to go faster or show off, well, maybe for some, but for most of us it is because we want to get out of your blind spot; what we refer to as “the kill zone.”  We want to be as far away from you as possible because we know, right after you hit us, the first words out of your mouth will be, “But officer, I didn’t see’em!”

    Most cagers, who is not a rider, will look around as they drive and acknowledge other cagers. Their brain is not geared to register a motorcycle; even if they look straight at it.  I’ve seen it time and time again.  I’ve had cagers look right at me, or at least in my direction, and pull right out in front of me.  They looked, but they did not see.  I cannot count the number of times a cager has pulled into my lane when I am right beside their window and surely within their peripheral vision.  They looked but they did not see.  I cannot count the number of times a cager in opposing traffic has turned left in front me.  They looked but they did not see.  You will drive and not notice other cagers talking/texting on the phone.  When I ride I know who is talking on the phone and they get my attention real fast because I know they have no concept of the danger they are inflicting on those around them.  It’s not your fault, you’re cagers and you can’t help it.  Well, actually you can.  You all know someone who rides whether it be a family member, friend or co-worker.  From this fact alone you should be able to surmise that, while in your cage, your family member, friend or co-worker is out there riding the same streets so take an extra second to really look, focus not only on other cagers but on motorcycles too.

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    Yes, there are reckless riders out there, but there are reckless cagers too. The bad attitude that plagues some riders is the same attitude held by some cagers.  We are often our worst enemy.  But, it does not have to be that way.  Here’s a little game that will help us all.

    While driving, count the number of motorcycles you see and give yourself points for each one. For every ten points you get, treat yourself to something you would otherwise deny yourself—like one of your favorite cookies.  When you reach 100 points then buy yourself that new thing you have been eyeing for weeks—or eat a whole box of cookies.  Do this for a week or two and your brain will be attune to motorcycles and you will never find yourself in a position to say, “But Officer, I didn’t see’em!”  The one you “don’t see” just before you hit them may be a family member, a friend or a co-worker.  The alternative is not something you will want to live with.

  • To Be Or Not To Be… …what?

    If you have been reading my blog you probably know I wrote a book. “Solitary – Without the Confinement.” The book went public on the 30th of January. According to the publisher (one I am quickly losing faith in—but that’s another story) the book will eventually find its way to the shelf’s of major book outlet stores like Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million—as well as others. When I first approached the publisher about my book one of their questions was, “What type of book is it?” Meaning is it a documentary, adventure, fiction… I could not really answer their question.

    They told me they would assign a “genre” when it got close to the publication date. Imagine my surprise when they categorized it as a “philosophy” book. If you know me personally then I am sure that makes you laugh as you know I am no philosopher. In fact I needed to let spell-check provide the correct spelling of philosopher.

    ancient-philosopher

    I rolled with it in the beginning as I really didn’t think it mattered all that much, but now I think it may be a problem when it comes to book sales. I mainly wrote the book for the hard-core rider as I think only the hard-core rider will fully understand the premise of the intent. Therein lies my dilemma. First, no hard-core rider is going to go to the philosophy section of a book store to look for a book. That is not to say a rider lacks the ability to understand philosophy—I think a rider may understand it more than most. The difference is a rider (especially a hard-core rider) does not learn philosophy from a book—they learn it through life events while traveling the road less travelled. A true philosopher (by that I mean a book taught self-proclaimed philosophy guru) will buy a book and learn from reading; or rather think they learn from reading. A self-proclaimed philosopher cannot conceive of building a philosophical base from the saddle of an iron horse.

    I submit building a philosophical base from the saddle of an iron horse is one of the best way to learn life’s lessons.

    philosopher modern

    So, what does all that mean?   I have no idea because I am not a philosopher. In fact, I’m not really sure what a philosopher is. What do they do? Is it a full time job, do they get a paycheck for their efforts?

    Some will buy the book and enjoy what is between the first and last page and others will not understand. I think, I don’t know for sure, but I think if you read it and do not understand at least a little then maybe there is something missing—something you need to try and find. Of course there is the opinion that I’m a lousy writer and the thing missing is writing skill.

    Not sure why I wrote this blog. It really has no point to it. If I were a philosopher I could write pages and pages on the purpose of a point and the lack thereof. But I’m not, so I won’t. When a philosopher speaks all stop to listen. When I speak people look at me funny and start to giggle. It’s true I can speak to a bunch of dogs and get their undivided attention… but that might have something to do with the bacon I carry around in my pocket.

    I was going to add some quotes from famous philosophers but had no idea what they were talking about. I was afraid someone might ask me what their quotes meant which, if I tried to explain, would result in the suspicion of my lack of intelligence being removed and replaced with an assurance.

  • Self-promoting “Solitary – Without the Confinement” has turned into a dilemma…

    If you have not yet heard that I have a published book then I am not surprised because I do not really know how to self-promote my book. I have a Facebook page specific to my book and I even have a few followers, but I suspect they followed for no other reason than the entertainment value of watching me flounder. I’ve added a page to my personal website (www.stevebriscoe.net) about the book, but again, the numbers of people who visit my website over a period of a week has yet to go past double digits-more often than not the daily number of visitors are all single digit hits. I’m thinking people who actually hit my website are looking for either the actor or artist who go by the same name.

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    I’ve never been a “limelight” guy so for me to step out and shout my name to strangers is nowhere in my character—prefer instead to stand in the shadows and watch others shout; it’s more entertaining.

    I’m not an overly educated man. My 4th grade education comes in handy from time to time but it has its limitations. I can’t write a paragraph without having to stop and do a google search on a word to make sure it means what I think it means. Case in point; I looked up the word limelight to make sure I was spelling it correctly. Imagine my surprise when I learned the origin of the word came from the light that came from a lime filled cylinder after applying some heat—used mainly in theaters back in the day.

    So, how would a person self-promote when the only available tools stem from a 4th grade education and a desire to accomplish things while residing in the shadows? Therein lies the dilemma.

    Some have taken the time to write a review of the book on Amazon and others have made comments on Facebook and those comments are greatly appreciated. But how do I let the world know that the greatest book (OK, maybe the second greatest book) is available and that this grand opportunity should not be missed? I’ve thought about sending a copy to The Five on Fox News but how would I know it was not thrown into the trash can with all the other books mailed to them. I’ve thought about writing a review of my book and sign it Stephen King, but what would happen if Mr King took exception to the inappropriate use of his name. I might be the topic of his next horror novel. I could be the guy who buys a possessed vintage car that can start fires on a whim while running away from the Walkin’ Dude and end up getting buried in a pet cemetery after being humiliated at the high school prom—suspect I would not like that, but at least I would be famous.

    Any suggestions on how to self-promote while hanging in the shadows would be helpful.

  • This Blogger’s Nemesis

    When I started this blog I made a commitment to myself to blog at least once a week and preferably once a day. Well, the once-a-day thing fell to the wayside rather quickly for obvious reasons—who has time to blog daily? If you blog daily I will assume you do not have a day job that also interferes with the daily duties that come with other self-imposed projects. My self-imposed projects include my involvement with the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge, work I bring home, reading and TV—as well as the ever-present “honey-do” list. I love watching TV. I used to tell myself I was not a TV addict, but I think I am. I love old movies and I thoroughly enjoy watching a good action movie and the suspenseful intrigue of a “who-done-it” crime show. To prove a point—if I were to take a week off from work and do nothing but watch every episode of every season of “24” I would not consider the time wasted.

    I also have a 1946 Dodge pickup truck that I am restoring—but haven’t started that project yet so really can’t add that to the list of distracters; yet.

    Most of the things I want to write about are the thoughts that roll through my head—especially those thoughts that fill my mind while I ride. But I can’t do that. I can’t do that because most of the more prevalent thoughts are outlined in my book “Solitary—Without the Confinement” and I do not want to put them here. At least not yet. I want to wait until the book is published then expound on those thoughts once the book has been in the public for a while. Who would want to buy the book if they can read it here for free?

    I know I will never sell enough books to get rich (and that was never the intent) but I would like to sell enough to make my money back. As a side note, I plan to write a blog about my publishing experience as some of it was good and some of it was bad—and it was all expensive. If I “break even” on sales I will consider the project a stellar success. Actually, breaking even has never been my objective either, since I am not confident enough in my abilities to warrant a sale of over 4,000 copies—Stephen King I’m not. In fact, based on an educated guess, I will need to sell 10,000 copies to break even.

    Please consider this particular narrative as a two-pronged plea. One—is to ask those select few who follow my blog to continue to do so because it will get better. Two—this is a plea to buy my book. I think you will be pleased with it and will not consider the money spent as wasted.

    “Solitary” has completed the editing phase and is currently in the design phase. I anticipate the book hitting the streets before the 1st of February, but I’m guessing since this is my first published book I am really unsure of the time-line.  If you like adventure, if you like facing insurmountable odds, if you take pleasure in facing an obstacle where failure is a distinct possibility, then you will love “Solitary—Without the Confinement.”

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    Ain’t but two things to do while riding. Think and look for State Troopers.

    I would like to ask a favor. If you read my blog and find the narratives worthwhile please tell your friends and share on Facebook. I figure the more exposure this blog gets the better my odds are of selling books.

    Can I count on you?

  • The Inevitable Crash

    As we ride we know calamity is just a matter of time. Murphy’s Law says, “If you ride you will crash.”  It is not a matter of if, but a matter of when and how bad.  We can take available Motorcycle Safety Foundation courses and we can ride with the right attitude. We can also keep watch for obstacles and hazards and evade as needed, but all that will, at some point, fail us when we meet that distracted driver or the deer that wants to cross the highway.

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    So, how can we ensure we will never crash? Well… you can’t. But you can prepare for that inevitable day and act accordingly. There is an organization out there called “Road Guardians” and their intent is to prepare riders for that day. Ask yourself, “What will you do if your lifelong friend has an accident?” How will you react? What do you have on hand that could be used to render aid to your friend? Do you know how to render aid?

    There is a term used by medical practitioners, “The Golden Hour.” The Golden Hour is the amount of time that it should take to get from the accident to the hospital. Short of a catastrophic event, what happens within the first few minutes can mean the difference between life and death. Ask yourself one more question. How would you feel if your loved one crashed and you stood there and watched them die… not able to prevent it but knowing someone with the proper training and proper equipment could have saved them? The answer is obvious.

    There are a few options available to you. One is to plan your rides to always stay within a block of an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) station or Hospital. Another is never ride unless there is a fully equipped EMT riding with you. Yet another is to spend thousands of dollars on training and equipment to be an EMT yourself; shouldn’t take more than a year or two depending on your schedule.

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    But there is another option. This option is well within the grasp of every rider. Contact Road Guardians (www.roadguardians.org) and schedule yourself for Accident Scene Management (or you could say “A Crash Course for the Motorcyclist”). The Basic and Advance courses can be completed in a weekend. This will not make you an EMT, but it WILL prepare you and equip you with the resources needed to render aid for the most prevalent of injuries received in a motorcycle accident. Don’t get me wrong, this is not an advertisement for Road Guardians, but it is a call to action aimed at you to prepare yourself for that day. I’m not going to claim this as solid truth but am confident most deaths from motorcycle related accidents come from a lack of quickly administered aid. More often than not if an injured rider gets into the hands of an EMT they will survive. The key is to treat serious injury until the EMTs arrive. An inability to breathe and excessive bleeding will claim a life in a matter of minutes.

    road_guardians

    We travel the roads less traveled which means we are often 30 minutes (or more) from an EMT station. If you can control the breathing and bleeding of the victim there is a significant chance the rider will survive until the EMTs arrive. If you make no attempt then there is no chance. Some accidents are catastrophic and there is nothing anyone can do; death is instantaneous. Many accidents result in an injury that, if treated quickly using simple techniques, do not result in death, but if the injury is not treated quickly then death ensues.

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    Every responsible rider should know 1st Aid and carry a basic aid bag and also know how to manage a motorcycle accident scene. How would you feel if you could have saved your friend, but did not because you did not take the time to learn some very simple techniques?

    The next move is yours; don’t wait. Rather than sit in your house during the winter and dream of riding you can take the time to properly prepare for riding; prepare for that day when your friend will need you the most.

  • The Cost of Commitment

    We all associate ourselves with something. Call it a need to belong, a need for recognition, a self assurance, or just because we like the people in that particular arena. Some wear some type of indicator on their clothing or tattoo their body, or adorn their automobiles with emblems, symbols or decals portraying these associations. You see it at every turn; T-Shirts for Vietnam Vets, jackets for Ford Motor Company enthusiasts, baseball and football teams, a specific sports figure, your employer’s company logo or the local volunteer fire department. Many of us in the iron horse community wear a Shield and/or Banner that displays our association.   The number of motorcycle clubs, associations, chapters, and groups grow daily. Some are local and never stray far from home whereas others are national and have multiple Chapters.

    For the purpose of this narrative we will use the term “club” when a reference is needed. Granted there is a difference between a Motorcycle Club (MC), a Motorcycle Association (MA) and/or Riding Club (RC) but that difference is not pertinent to this discussion. So, when I say “club” I am referring to all three; take no offense.

    The focus or objective and the level of dedication within these clubs and individuals within these clubs can be found on both ends of the spectrum. From the “outlaw” biker attitude (aka 1%er) to the individual whose focus is based solely on charitable and selfless accomplishments. (Now, short disclaimer here, do not read into this that 1%ers have no use for charitable efforts. I think 1%ers, or any riding club, have been labeled as undesirables when, in many cases, nothing could be farther from the truth.) Within these clubs you will find riders whose entire existence focuses around the club whereas others are hit and miss; sometimes there, sometimes not. Some join, are on fire for the club, then fade away and are never heard from again; flash in the pan scenario.

    For the purpose of simplicity and to narrow the focus of my audience I am going to drill down and talk about riders who wear a Shield and Banner. I do not want to insult anyone’s intelligence here, but a Shield, when used in this context, is the large patch worn on the back of a jacket or vest. The Banner is the scroll below or above the Shield that identifies a specific Chapter or Region within the Club. The Banner and Shield go by many names; Cut, Vest, Chit, Patch or Colors to name a few. For the sake of simplicity we will refer to them as a “Cut.” Some believe the Cut was first displayed by an Outlaw Biker gang. I don’t know who the first one was and to be honest that fact has nothing to do with this topic.

    What I want to talk about is the level of dedication and the level of commitment one has to the Cut, whether that Cut be the Hells’ Angels, Harley Owners Group, or a Christian rider’s club or group. In a very real sense the dedication is not really to the Cut, it is to the cause or idea the Cut represents; much like the Flag of the United States. The Flag is not the cause or the force that drives the cause; it represents the force, the people and the attitude that perpetuate the cause. The Cut worn by a rider is the same. The rider wears the Cut so all who see it will know what the rider stands for.

    Regardless of your Cut you proclaim allegiance to that organization; why else would you display the Cut if you were not dedicated to the cause. The question is, “What is your level of dedication?”

    Let’s take a side road here real quick so you can gain a little insight into where I’m coming from. Years ago an English Teacher told me, “…with everything you write you should strive to leave your personal opinion out of it…” I thought that was a dumb statement and had no qualms about telling him that. My out-spoken nature may have had something to do with the less than desired grade received, but that is a different story. Everything we do, everything we say, our every response is governed by our opinion, our past choices, lessons learned and life experiences. When writing your thoughts down on paper how can you keep your opinion out of it? In my way of thinking, or, if you will allow me the pun, in my opinion, it can’t be done. So, what follows is my opinion, take it for what it’s worth.

    In 1972, when I reported to Fort Leonardwood for US Army Basic Combat Training, over half of the “company” was draftees. Their level of dedication is not hard to imagine. They were thrust into a military environment and had no say-so in the matter. Most did their time and got out as quickly as they could while staying under the radar as best they could. To say their level of commitment was less than desired is an understatement. This should not be the case with your affiliation with your club or association; nobody made you join. One can only assume it was your opinion that joining this organization was a good thing to do, something you wanted to be a part of. Now what?

    Depending on your organization and the correlating philosophy of that organization the level of accomplishment enjoyed by that club is entirely up to you. Everything you do and say, both good and bad, reflects on you and the association you advertise by wearing your Cut. Some clubs require an annual payment of “dues” that help facilitate the operational needs of the club, but the actual cost is greater. I’m talking about the cost of commitment.

    The club or event you willingly associate yourself with is dependent on the commitment you made when you joined. If you joined your club and verbally committed yourself to that club, but do not really commit yourself to the cause then you are disrespecting your club and yourself; you are wasting your time and theirs.

    Dedication and commitment are the prices you will pay to be associated with this group. Are you a valuable part of your club or are you a “poser?”

    Perception is reality. If you display your Cut then you need to respect your Cut. If you do not respect it, then how can you expect others to? The stereotype of the rider has improved over the years. Think back to the staged photograph in Hollister back in 1947.

    Identify This Scene

    The posed picture was taken after bottles were gathered into a single location around a bike. The man on the bike didn’t even own the bike; he was prompted to sit on it by the photographer. Rumor has it he wasn’t even a rider at all; just a local resident walking down the street admiring all the iron. From this and other events that were blown out of proportion, we got “The 1947 Hollister Motorcycle Riot” that never was. Subsequently Hollywood took this false picture and the false tails from it and produced “The Wild Bunch.” The perception from that single picture and a single movie took us years to overcome.

    Do you wear your Cut on your jacket, vest or shirt? If you do, then wear it with pride and wear it knowing people are watching you. They will measure your worth and the worth of your club by what you do; or what you do not do.

    If you have taken the time to read between the lines you know this attitude does not limit itself to the iron horse community.  If you are not willing to commit yourself to your efforts then why bother?

    Whatever you do, do it well; find something worth dying for and live for that.

  • Excerpt from, “Solitary – Without The Confinement”

    A short excerpt from my soon to be published book, “Solitary-Without The Confinement”

    …There is a memory in my head that is as clear as if it happened this morning. When the grandparent’s house was filled with grandkids it was a special treat to be the one who got to sleep on the couch in the living room. On one particular weekend I was fortunate enough to be the recipient of that treat. I was quite young, perhaps seven or eight years old. I woke up very early one morning before sunrise and saw my Grandfather sitting in his chair looking out the window. There was no radio playing, no lights were on and the small black and white TV was turned off. The only light in the room came from the glow of his pipe as he smoked it.

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    As he put the pipe to his mouth the increased glow of the pipe illuminated his face and gave it an uncanny glow; highlighting the lines and features of his face. It was apparent to me, at this young age, that his mind was intently engaged, but I had no idea what he was thinking about. I laid there and watched him for a time then drifted back to sleep; to this day I wonder what he was thinking.

    I miss them both and regret the times I could have spent with them but did not because of some event I felt was more important; like spending time with friends. The sad truth here is I can’t remember the names of most of these “friends” now. Little did I know I had missed an opportunity of a lifetime; an opportunity that is gone now and can never be reclaimed…

    Hope you enjoyed this little tidbit… more to follow, but not much more, just some teasers. You’ll have to buy the book to get the whole story. Anticipate the book hitting the streets around the middle of January.

    My book is illustrated by Lacey King; an up and coming graphic artist.

     

  • What Riding Can Do For You – Proof Provided

    The riding community is a combination of every walk of life, every gender (there are two if you are unsure), every race, nationality and creed. We all ride for different and multiple reasons. The one reason that spans all walks of life is, “for the fun of it.”

    I’m not an overly intelligent person so I’m not able to adequately describe, or put into eloquent words, why it’s fun; it just is.

    There are others reasons as well; economics, availability of parking spaces at work and possibly because you can afford a bike, but not a car. Regardless, we ride.

    Over the past 30 years I’ve conducted a number of study groups using thousands of paid subjects and numerous computer programs and post-graduate students to calculate the results and… wait, that’s a lie. I’ve not done any of that. I did read a book on it once, but since there were very few pictures in the book I never finished it.

    But here is a truth. Riding is good for the overall well-being of the rider (unless acted on by a texting cager). Here is the proof…

    This is a picture of people who do not ride…

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    Here is a picture of people who do ride…

    3313912As you can see the riders appear much happier than the non-riders. I take this as proof that everyone should ride; the world would be a better place if we did.

  • Solitary – Without the Confinement

    What is this all about? Everyone knows what “solitary confinement” is.

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    But what is solitary without the confinement?

    I guess you can put any definition you like to that, but here is how I explain it when asked. Solitary without the confinement is a condition in which we place ourselves with intent. There are those who enjoy solitude and seek ways to facilitate that condition. There are some who dislike being alone and work diligently to always be in close proximity to others; I am not one of those. I’m not saying one is better than the other, just stating a fact.

    Any avid rider knows when we ride we are alone; even if riding in a group. While riding our iron horse we are secluded from the world. Our ride takes us away from the troubles of life. No so far that we evade our troubles but far enough away that we can think though them clearly. If you do not like being alone then I suspect long distance riding is not your forte. To enjoy the solitude of riding you must first and foremost be comfortable with yourself. But, on the other side of the coin, if you are not comfortable with yourself I would submit a series of long rides would open the door to understanding who you are and hopefully, with that knowledge, change in such a way where you are comfortable with yourself. If you are not content with yourself you will never be content with another person. You will always yearn for something just outside of your reach.

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    The book “Solitary – Without the Confinement” is a narrative of what permeated my thoughts while out there alone, riding that 8000 mile endurance challenge. I will not say it will be a number 1 best seller, but, considering this is the first book I have written, I can attest to the fact it is the best book I have ever written. But I digress a bit…

    This BLOG touches on riding and what befalls the rider. Perhaps a better way to explain it is, “This BLOG reaches for the real purpose of riding.” Numerous articles, books, notes and BLOGs are out there about riding and each makes an attempt at helping non-riders understand. But words alone cannot explain it. Avid riders already know the purpose so there is no need to explain it. But there’s more…

    I will not confine (no pun intended) this BLOG to the book’s intent. A rider, like any person, has outside interests and thoughts not associated with riding. So, considering this is my BLOG, I choose to write on many topics. My hope is you enjoy them all, but understand some you will like and others you will not. Don’t dump me based on a single article you do not like or disagree with. Feel free to comment about your disagreement; I have very thick skin and you will not offend.