JustAL Loqui

Tag: adventure

  • 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.

    Picture_18

    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.

     

  • The Bumper Sticker Epidemic

    It is not my intent to insult, but evidence points to a drastic problem in our society. When I write a BLOG it automatically posts to Facebook. My BLOGs range from 500 to 1000 words which, based on what I have seen, is rather common for a BLOG. I believe, albeit a biased assessment, my BLOGs have worth and make a statement. So it saddens me when only a few (if any) make a comment or click the “like” button. This tells me few if any take the time to read them.

    If I post a 5 word comment or a picture that really has no value in the grand scheme of things I will get multiple likes and several comments. Everyone is looking for an answer that will fit on a bumper sticker and that is not going to happen. If you want the truth you will have to work for it; you will have to read more than a bumper sticker.

    bumper_sticker

    Do yourself a favor and work for it, get the truth, don’t rely on the cute little posters that are so prevalent on Facebook. Find the answers for yourself and don’t rely on someone else’s bumper sticker. More often than not a bumper sticker is designed to hide the truth, not proclaim it.

  • Words Speak Louder Than Action

    Wait, that’s not right. I can say anything, but if my actions do not bear witness to my words then my words mean nothing. Sadly, sometimes our words paint us into a corner and we fail. Our words out-maneuver our intent. Other times we accept the words of others as truth without first verifying their intent and we fall prey to foolishness.

    Let’s talk about a few words and see how they play out:

    Integrity – Does not mean you never make a mistake. But what it does mean is if you make a mistake you claim responsibility for that mistake and act proportionality to correct it.

    Endurance – Many claim to possess it, very few actually do and even fewer still put it to the test.

    Honor – Has nothing to do with words. But has everything to do with actions.

    Wisdom – Has nothing to do with how many big words you know. But has everything to do with how you act in a difficult situation that words have created.

    Compassion – Has very little to do with how you think, but that’s where it starts. Compassion with no action is pity.

    Strength – Has nothing to do with holding 100 pounds over your head for long periods. But what it does mean is an ability and desire to help a friend hold that 100 pounds.

    Kindness – Has everything to do with a kind and charitable act… so long as you don’t expect anything in return.

    Purity – None can claim it, but many do.

    Courage – Is not being fearless, but acting even though you are scared to death.

    Leadership – The ability to win the trust of people around you to such an extent that they want to follow you. Forced leadership is not leadership; it’s tyranny.

    Verbally claiming these traits is contrary to the trait being claimed. These traits are assigned to us by those who know us best.

  • Solitary – Without the Confinement

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

    solitary_confinement

    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.

    lone_rider

    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.