My recent trip to visit dear friends in California allowed me a glimpse inside a gay community and I have to tell you it was everything I expected and nothing that I expected at the same time.  It was a little surprising that nothing was freakish, nothing was “perverted”, and nothing seemed unusual.  It was comforting that the same things that strengthen and trouble my “sanctified” marriage were the same types of events and situations that face my friends.  There was an underlying pain that comes from trying to make your way in a sometimes oppressive environment but none of that pain was worn on shirt sleeves, there was no self pity but rather a resolve that things are what they are and with a lot of perseverance, education and compassion - human dignity will one day win the day.

My sister blogger, www.hahnathome.com links a website called the Faggoty-Ass Faggot, “his loafers are light, his tongue is acid”  http://www.faggotyassfaggot.com that I visit from time to time.  The author, Brian, is a fun writer although his topics are rarely what I might describe as mainstream.  On July 26^th he had a post that made a lot of sense to me.  Another blogger, Angry Black Bitch, http://angryblackbitch.blogspot.com had an interesting post August 3^rd with some thought provoking ideas on the efforts to rape our constitution so that it only recognizes marriage as being a man on a woman. 

          Brian had some intelligent things to say about the Gay Rights Movement possibly fighting the wrong fight.  Some of the same ideas were alluded to in comments to Angry Black Bitch’s post that argued you can’t change ignorant minds overnight.  Black Americans began their campaign for civil rights in 1850 and generally accept that their status was secure in 1970 but some argue there is a lot of work to do before equality is a reality.  Brian wrote about the premature celebrations in 2003 when a group of Massachusetts couples won a court case to make same-sex marriages legal in that state.  It resulted in a huge backlash in Red States who took advantage of their homo-phobic constituencies to mobilize voters to not only vote on same-sex marriage bans but sweep shallow like-minded legislators into office.  You have to admit that the GOP are masters at using scare tactics to hold onto their power.  If they had to run their campaign on important issues they would be thrown out on their ears.

          Shortly after Massachusetts allowed same-sex marriages Missouri, Louisiana, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Michigan, North Dakota, Ohio, Kentucky, Okalahoma, Arkansas, Georgia and Mississippi ratified constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage for their states.  Another six are on the ballots this November and all of them are in states that have vulnerable GOP held congressional incumbents.  Recently courts have gotten involved and there have been setbacks for Gay Rights in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Washington.

          Brian’s post goes on to say that the Gay Rights Movement is losing everywhere because they are not winning the hearts and minds of the people.  Sort of like George and Rummy are losing in Iraq.  Anybody else find that ironic?  The post goes on to explain that while same-sex marriage is possibly an iconic goal for equal rights the resultant backlash of fighting that fight is leading to Gay adoption rights being overturned, domestic partnership benefits being revoked and the acceptance of “gay panic”  as a legitimate defense in murder and battery trials.  Perhaps most disturbing to me is that any judge or jury would even entertain a “gay panic” defense.  It has been used time and time again to excuse murders and the most evil of hate crimes against people who are your brothers, sisters, cousins or neighbors.  How does that work that one would be excused for savagely murdering another person because he was afraid another was trying to show them affection?  By this thinking if my Mother, a beautiful 72 year old Mexican American, offers you an enchilada you should be able to beat her senseless for trying to make you Mexican. 

          Brian wrote that polls indicate a majority of Americans support certain rights and specific protections from discrimination for Gay Americans.  The public doesn’t like gay marriage but they support equal employment and equal housing protection.  The American public supports corporate partnership benefits, hospital visitation, adoption and even civil unions.  Those are the areas in which the Gay Community should be focusing their efforts.  To be sure those issues, were they denied to you for any abstract reason that could be hung upon you would be worth fighting for.  Can you imagine; if things were just a little different, if the perceptions of an influential leader a century ago found any number of reasons to preach against you how different your life might be.  Think about that.  Think about if you had been born differently or if your life experience had lead you down a different path.  Do we really want to treat our brothers, our sisters our cousins or our neighbors with less human dignity simply based on whom they chose to love?

In an odd story about a bad case of the munchies KUNI Radio reported today that a Cedar Rapids, Iowa resident was arrested for animal abuse for allegedly trying to kill his neighbor’s goat.  The defendant was also charge with possession of marijuana and being under the influence of a controlled substance.  He claimed that he was attempting to kill the goat to eat it.  The guy must have had some really kick ass pot because he was so loaded that the goat was able to escape with it’s life.  Yep, this is an example of the sort of people I call neighbor.

          Today hearings were held before the Senate Armed Forces Committee and Gen. John Abizaid the top U.S. Commander in the Middle East said that “spiraling violence in Baghdad could propel Iraq into outright civil war.”  "I believe that the sectarian violence is probably as bad as I have seen it, in Baghdad in particular, and that if not stopped it is possible that Iraq could move toward civil war," The Bush and Rumsfeld administration's policies in Iraq sustained sharp criticism from Democrats and some Republicans Thursday. Sen. John McCain likened the positioning of forces in Iraq to a game of "whack-a-mole," where generals try to curb violence in one area only to see it pop up somewhere else.  "It's very disturbing," said McCain, R-Ariz. "And if it's all up to the Iraqi military, General Abizaid, and if it's all up to them, then I wonder why we have to move troops into Baghdad to intervene in what is clearly sectarian violence."   When asked just what our policy is to be if and when the sectarian violence in Baghdad is finally recognized as civil war the Commander had no idea.  Instead he just stumbled his way to claim that we had a mission to support the new government of Iraq and that is what they would do.

          It was pointed out in the hearing, which was covered extensively on NPR Radio today, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5614034 that we have been in Iraq for 40 months and 13 days (14 days as you read this) and our involvement in WWI, Korea and the Gulf War were substantially less.  The amount of time we have spent in Iraq is equivalent to the time we were engaged in WWII and our own Civil War lasted only 48 months.  Senator Kennedy of Massachusetts asked, “What more can we expect of our troops.”  It was projected by leaders in the military that we would be seeing gradual troop reductions by the end of the year.  Many Republican congressional leaders up for mid-term reelection had hoped to smile and wave triumphantly to constituents in welcome home parades this fall.  It seems that photo-op is unlikely to occur as more troops are being called to Iraq not less.  We have the most advanced and highly skilled military in the world fighting a third rate militia and we desperately need an exit strategy for our troops to come home.  I’m telling you, nothing is going to be resolved in Iraq that even closely resembles what the White House has been projecting as the impetus for us to see our troops come home. 

This just in from the ACLU: Only weeks after the Supreme Court declared illegal the Bush Administration’s military commissions — which were set up to try and convict detainees held indefinitely without basic due process protections — the White House and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales are pushing Congress on an illegal proposal that violates the Supreme Court’s decision and abandons the rule of law.  During Senate hearings yesterday, (Wednesday) even the Pentagon’s top military lawyers agreed that no one should be convicted based on secret evidence and that every defendant has the right to be present at his own trial. They also made clear that coerced evidence — such as “confessions” beaten out of witnesses — has no place in any trial.

Your Senators and Representatives need to hear from you that Americans want the rule of law restored. Tell them that any legislation on criminal trials of detainees being held indefinitely must protect the Geneva Conventions and maintain basic due process protections respected by all Americans.  Take action now at http://action.aclu.org/tribunals  Tell Congress that it should not take away the protections of the Geneva Conventions and basic American values like due process when trying detainees being held indefinitely by the federal government.

Is it just me or do you all see our President and the significant partners in his administration as being morally bankrupt?  The only way I know of to get through to these people will be on November 7, 2006.  Mark it on your calendars.  You will need to vote on that day.  I’m outta here.  See you Saturday.

 

          What a fantastic evening hump day potentially provided.  I was all excited to tell you about the wine tasting I had attended at Benz Beverage Depot after work. http://www.benzbeveragedepot.com  The event was hosted by Castle Rock's Wines which are carefully made from grapes grown in the most prestigious areas of the West Coast states - California (Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and Alexander Valley etc.), Oregon (Willamette Valley), and Washington (Columbia Valley).  I am not much of a wine expert so I will not begin to describe that the Castle Rock Reserve Chardonnay had the richest and fullest oaken flavor or how the Castle Rock Reserve Pinot Noir was a supple, medium-bodied wine offering rich complex layers of plum, cherry, sweet vanilla oak, spice, cinnamon and floral notes while holding a long velvety finish.  I can tell you I stayed long enough to sample quite a few of their offerings and realized it was time to go when the beginnings of a wine buzz began creeping through my brain.

          Nor will I tell you how excited I was to discover that Cedar Rapids' own Cedar Ridge Vineyards is hoping to have their first batch of port available for the holidays.  Jeff Quint, owner of the vineyard did a barrel pull of his nearly ready port for my sampling.  I was truly impressed.  I gave him my card and told him to keep me apprised of the date of the release.  You can learn more about Cedar Ridge Vineyards at http://www.crwine.com.  I would love to support a local winery but would never do so for the sake of “buying local.”  Jeff’s products are very good, however, and I feel we began what could be a beautiful producer/consumer relationship.

          I believe I have had proper measure of wine for the evening so the remainder of my current bottle of Taylor Fladgate 10 year Tawny Port will need to hold for another day.  When it is finished I will be anxious to uncork a new port that Benz had in stock today.  Krohn Porto 10 year is the new product and it was a bargain at $20 if it holds to be as rich and complex as the other 10 year ports I have sampled.  So I got that going for me.

          I alluded to the day having a potential for being fantastic and while the day is not a complete bust I got a buzz killing email from one of my favorite antagonistic readers that I will share with you here.  It seems this reader took exception to my comments that the brunt of the dangerous work done in our military is by less affluent and minority Americans.  We shot some emails back and forth today but I think you can pick up the gist of our correspondence by reading his last email:

REPUBLICAN John McCain’s youngest son has joined the Marine Corp and is expected to see action soon.  Is he not one of America’s elites? Is he a poor, minority as you say?  Also, why do some minorities and poor kids come out of their environment and become leaders while others don’t.  Are you saying that the military is a bad thing for these kids?  If my kid wanted to go into service I would be proud of him to do so.  He has several friends that are there now and I’m proud of them.  All those kids come from middle income families. Actually one of his buddies is at the Air Force Academy and he came from one of the less privileged families. He worked hard to better himself and plans on flying jets in a few years.   You are 50% Mexican so I guess we should expect to see all your kids in the military since they have some minority in them?  After all it’s only minorities and poor people who have to go to the military.

You still didn’t answer me on what you liberals will do when they hit us here at home again?  Even though it will be big oils problem (you know they are the root of all problems) we will have to deal with it.  I can’t wait for Hillary to be president so we can watch her put her head in the sand like Billy Clinton did.    

          PS You have got to start putting some of my responses in your blog….not fair the be “unfair and unbalanced” as you say. I know, I know, I must be getting paid from big oil to say things like this. 

            Regarding poor kids rising from less privileged economic situations to become leaders; why do some kids come from lives of privilege and opportunity and end up broke, addicted and depressed?  I don’t believe that military experience is exclusive to anybodies ability to improve their economic standing.  What I alluded too is that the dangerous work of soldiering is disproportionately undertaken by people with fewer options in the Bush economy.  My kids may indeed join the military and while it is true they have a Hispanic heritage I’d like to think that they are not poor.  It has long been the first mentioned career choice of my oldest son to be a chaplain in the Navy.  His mother served proudly in the Army and I think that has more to do with his interest in the military than his heritage. I didn’t say the military was a bad thing for anybody.

If John McCain’s kid is ever on the front lines doing the work of a regular grunt soldier I will buy you dinner at the restaurant of your choice anywhere in the great state of Iowa.  (Beers included)  To say that American oil company interests have nothing to do with our presence in the middle east is so ludicrous that I know even you can not believe that. 

Well that got me all worked up so I'm gonna haveta uncork the Taylor Fladgate now.  Fair and balanced?  How’d I do?

At first news of the expanding conflict between Hezbollah militants and Israel I said to a friend, “Damn, those crazy Muslims must be idiots to rile up the Israeli army.  They are just askin’ for an ass whoopin’!”   This particular friend became animated at once and insisted that he wanted to see those words quoted in my blog.  My friend subscribes to the thinking that if you are not with “The Decider” then you are weak and soft on defense when it comes to matters of foreign policy.  I think a lot of people are wrapped up in the war on terror thinking that it is unpatriotic to not fully support and expect the complete submission of all insurgents in the Arab world.    The various factions in the Arab world have been warring with each other for 4,000 years and I think they will be able to wait out George Bush and Donald Rumsfeld.  I regret making the statement in the context I did.  Clearly Muslims are not idiots. Just as Christianity or any other faith or non-faith might cringe from the association of some of its membership; Muslims must indeed loathe the violent tactics employed by some of their fringe radicals.  I am not going to pontificate that some of my best friends are Muslims because I knew a handful of Muslims in college but I will tell you that I found those Muslims that I did know to be extremely moral, righteous and conservative in their dealings with the world around them.  I am certain that where ever those men are today that they are as horrified by the atrocities occurring in the Middle East as you or I.   

          So what could have possessed these Hezbollah militants to take such ill advised and brazen steps as to kidnap Israeli soldiers and hold them for a prisoner exchange?  Well other than a 4,000 year history of war and hatred, precedent.   “In the past Israel has traded 1,150 Arabs, mostly Palestinians, for three Israeli soldiers in 1985; 123 Lebanese for the remains of two Israeli soldiers in 1996, and 433 Palestinians for an Israeli businessman and the bodies of three soldiers in 2004.”  Jimmy Carter, August 1^st 2006 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/31/AR2006073100923.html   It has been suggested by numerous think tanks that the United States policies in the Middle East are rudderless and that we are expending our resources to the detriment of not only political support at home but in a very real way we are expending the very capital that ensures our domestic strength and prominence in the world economy.  With our armed forces already starving for new enlistments and the financing of the war being held more and more by Chinese investors one has to question how long we can continue on the present course of action and how dangerous it would be for us to expand our military operations in the Middle East.  Were our forces not already spread as thin as they are many strategists believe that the Hezbollah would not have been so bold at this point in time.  The Hezbollah do not believe a victory is eminent in the current campaign but they are determined that they will win in the end and they are a very patient people.

          I ponder what our response would be were the United States to have a hostile neighbor who would launch rockets across our border.  I would hope and expect that our actions would be similar to that of what Israel is doing.  What is clear in all of this is that if you have a policy of not dealing with terrorists you must be consistent in such policies.  The fact that Israel had in fact made trades in the past and now decides to put their foot down suggests to me that, just as we entered Iraq without fully contemplating our actions, the Israelis may have underestimated the resolve of their enemies.  

The United States has problems of its own.  The last thing we need, the last thing the world needs is for the United States to get embroiled in a conflict that is most likely to soon see Iran and Syria join.  The notion that we can nation build in an ancient civilization, Iraq, that shares few of the fundamental principals our nation was built upon is myopic.  The ego-maniacal aspirations of this administration have run their course and an exit strategy is needed immediately.  If the people of Iraq want to establish a democracy then let the leaders of that land work for it and build it.  The only people benefiting from our continued presence in that civil war torn nation are oil companies and military industrialists.  But then again, maybe that is the point.  It is a shame that those who benefit from such foreign policies are not the ones whose sons and daughters are wearing our military uniforms.

          Thank you charter reader Jay Sherman for reminding me there is important work to do and while Harley vacations are nice there are a lot of issues facing this nation that we had better pay attention to.  Mid-term elections are right around the corner and then we will be full swing into the 2008 presidential election cycle.  Never in my life has there been a more urgent time for us to pay attention to the choices before us as an informed electorate.  A large percentage of conservatives believe that their party has lost sight of the principles that they hold dear and moderates and liberals are in shock of what a mess the current administration has made of the economy as it impacts main stream Americans, the environment, education, energy and international relations.  Jay pointed out an excellent editorial by Robin Blummer of the St. Petersburg Times where she endorsed Al Gore as a viable candidate for 2008.  “Gore told Rolling Stone, "Right now we are borrowing huge amounts of money from China to buy huge amounts of oil from the most unstable region of the world, and to bring it here and burn it in ways that destroy the habitability of the planet. That is nuts! We have to change every aspect of that."” 

          She further commented, “A candidate who operates with the candor, sincerity and smarts of someone not beholden to focus groups and polling data is what rank-and-file Democrats desperately want. By all accounts, Gore understands this now and would resist any reformatting by consultants.

America is ready for an adult like Gore to take charge and put the nation back on sensible footing: a footing where deficits do matter, where energy conservation is not sneered at as a "personal virtue" but is an aggressive national policy, and where science, facts and reality drive public policy, not the Christian Right's neo-medieval agenda.”  The problem is Al Gore has shown no indication he is willing to run in 2008.  http://www.sptimes.com/2006/07/30/Columns/For_2008_election__Al.shtml

          My favorite potential candidate is Barack Obama.  If you want to know where Barack Obama stands on the issues go here: http://www.issues2000.org/Senate/Barack_Obama.htm the website has bullet point quotes of exactly where he stands on nearly any issue facing us at this time.  Senator Obama speaks from the heart and is politically young.  If he could mount a campaign without the Democratic machine handling him and formatting his issues he could be a great leader for this coming election. 

I think all Americans are ready for candidates who are true to their hearts, true to their constituency.  The loss of touch with real Americans is apparent when the issue of an estate tax repeal for the richest one percent of Americans gets more of our legislature’s attention than an exit strategy for the occupation in Iraq that is costing the lives of proud and selfless Americans in our military.  When corporations get tax cuts and families lose the child tax credit there is a serious disconnect with who our government is working for. 

          I have just returned from some extensive traveling in more than a few prime vacation destinations and I have to share with you what I did and did not see.  First of all traffic was light.  I have to imagine that gas prices have a lot to do with that.  When I am on my Harley I pretty much am obligated to pass any vehicle that is in front of me.  One of the things I dig about passing people is that if there are kids in the car you inevitably get a thumbs up as you roar past.  There weren’t a lot of kids in our National Parks last week.  Mostly I was passing Buicks and Oldsmobile’s and retiree’s.  There was also a large number of high end motor homes on the road, not the 10 year old second hand Winnebago variety you might see in your neighbors driveway.  My point is that for all the talk of the robust economy; it is truly an expanding economy for the investing class and not beneficial to the masses.  When young families are absent from national treasures such as the Pacific Coast Highway, Glacier National Park, Mt. Rainier and Yellowstone during prime vacation season something is wrong.  I don’t think the problem is stem cell research, gay marriage or prayer in schools either. 

          My brother Steve, Gimp, has a website and he has put up some pictures and stories of our trip that are different than what you may have seen here.  If you would like to check it out, click here: http://harley-davidson-gps.blogspot.com

          How do you come down from a trip such as the one I just experienced?  Somehow I am feeling cheated that mail needs sorted, laundry needs folding and long ago promised home projects need to be begun.  I don’t want to do any of that and I am not particularly interested in going to work tomorrow either.  I would like a damn cigarette.  Today was the big day, the day that I would lay down cigarettes and never look back.  I’m thinking that quitting cigarettes at a time when I am emotionally susceptible from the vacation lifestyle letdown is not a good idea.  Maybe I should wait and quit next week when I am better able to handle it…. LMAO!  I almost had myself there.  I better not write any stream of consciousness blogs for the next couple of days but rather stick to an outline.

          All smokers know that they should quit and I think most smokers at least attempt it numerous times throughout their lives.  That’s how it has been with me.  I know that by this time Tuesday I will no longer have any physical cravings for cigarettes and only the mental hand to mouth thing to get over.  I’ve quit before and know that once I get through this period of time that we are sharing as this is written I will be good to go.  The thing is; this wasn’t even really my idea.  I was talking with Sister Hahn www.hahnathome.com  about a week before I left for the great west coast tour and she told me she was quitting as soon as my visit with her ended.  We had both looked forward to smoking cigarettes and sipping port on her back porch so quitting prior to the visit would just not have done.  So in this great show of support and solidarity I blurted out to Lori that I too was going to quit, as soon as I returned from my trip.  Shit.

          Okay, I have control.  That momentary crisis has passed and while I am familiar enough with the routine to know that I will have such moments from time to time over the next couple of days I also know that anything worth having is worth working for.  So what I have to ask myself is, “Are pink, elastic and functioning lungs something that I value more than being free of angst, rage and evil thoughts for the next 72 hours?”  Actually I’m on to something here.  The resultant frustration of not being able to satisfy my craving can be turned against my feelings of weakness and urges to give into my depraved addiction.  I henceforth choose to focus the resultant anger associated with breaking my addiction to the addiction itself.  Instead of thinking “I want a damn cigarette and it pisses me off that I can’t have one because I am quitting!”  I will instead think, “It pisses me off that I want a damn cigarette and it pisses me off that I am struggling in fighting the urge to find and smoke a cigarette.”   

          You know, this is going to be harder than I thought.  I just sat back down after taking a lap around the house hoping to find a butt in an ashtray that could be lit.  I did this after writing that I thought I had a strategy for success.  I am an evil evil boy!  I must be an excellent smoker too because they were all smoked right down to the end.  Thus will be my life for the next 71 ½ hours.  Little mind games, lies and deceptions will be the modus operandi of my psyche as I argue back and forth over the merits of that which I have set out to do. 

          If I break this down, on one side I have good Chris, responsible Chris, the Chris that knows he can quit, that knows it is the right thing to do and believes that he can do what ever he sets in his mind to do.  On the other side is the fun Chris, the carefree and vacationing Chris who knows that everybody dies of something someday and smoking might not be his thing.  There is the added benefit that his smoking annoys some people that he enjoys annoying and that may be the hardest thing of all to give up. 

          So far I feel like I am losing in this battle to become smoke free.  If I were a betting man I would give me a 2 in 5 chance of success but you know what?  I have no cigarettes in the house, I can go sleep as soon as this is posted and in the morning I will have fresh resolve.  I’m confident that the odds in the morning will be more like a 3 in 5 chance of success.  Tomorrow I will get out the heavy duty positive self talk and mind over matter exercises that have worked in the past and make a run at it.  Wish me luck and if you are of a mind to pray, well, I’d appreciate your prayers for strength in my attempt to leave cigarettes behind.

          Before I forget; When we left Sheridan, Wyoming Friday morning we were treated to the sunrise to end all sunrise’s.  The sun had risen fully above the horizon by the time we got on the road and was brilliant behind a waffle pattern of altocumulus clouds.  Leaving Sheridan on Interstate 90 the scenery is of high plains, buttes and table mesa’s which made for a spectacular canvas for the morning sunrays.  The sun was shining through the clouds in a picturesque array, not unlike a child’s drawing with symmetrical beams of light emanating from the sky above.  It was as if a giant Oriental fan were hung inverted from the sun.  Too cool, you shoulda been there.  http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/cloud3.html#Anchor-47857

          We began our final leg, the road home, at 4 AM Saturday in hopes of beating the forecasted heat.  All of the way home I felt like Brad Davis playing Billy Hayes in the movie Midnight Express.  Remember the scene where the inmates were all walking around in a circle and Billy walked counter to the direction of everyone else?  The other inmates kept saying, “You are going the wrong way.  You are a bad machine.”  I felt like I was going the wrong way all day because we saw literally thousands of motorcycles heading North and West as we made our way home.  Sturgis is not until the week of August 6^th but it seems many have wised up, as my group had 10 years ago, that it is really better to get in and out before the massive onslaught of weekend warriors arrive.  From the looks of the highways today if I ever return to Sturgis I may decide to go two weeks early instead of the usual one.  Whether I do ever return to Sturgis as the primary purpose of a trip seems at this point unlikely.  The most I would expect in future Sturgis visits would be a drive by on my way to the more glorious West. 

          We stopped for gas just east of Sioux Falls at about 8 AM this morning and as we gassed up a quad cab diesel truck pulled up with a trailer toting four brand new looking Harleys.  I couldn’t help myself when one of the “riders” made his way past me as he was heading in the store.  “What’s wrong with your bike?” I asked.  “Oh, nothing, we are going to Sturgis!” he cluelessly and proudly exclaimed.  In case you hadn’t noticed by now I think there is a big difference between riding and posing to ride.  Maybe that’s not much different than the distinction Eddy Bear made in Saturday’s post between bums and hobo’s but just as Eddy was passionate about his claim, so am I. 

          We made it back to Iowa in great time.  I am sure Steve and Rick made it home by 1:00 PM.  I stopped off in Cedar Falls to mooch an iced tea and snag a hug from my mom and sis.  It was all good.  I even turned the tea mooching into a ham sandwich on the side.  I don’t know what it is, I fashion myself to be an excellent sandwich maker but there is something special about having them made with a mother’s loving hands.  Her sandwiches always taste better.  Hell, I wasn’t even hungry but when she offered I couldn’t resist.  So it goes.

          I made it home to Palo by about three in the afternoon but DAMN!  I am sad to report the Harley did not make it with me.  To not finish a ride such as that smacks of the ultimate injustice, an irony of the nth degree.  My bike started sounding a little rough just a few miles outside of hometown Cedar Falls.  At first I thought that I was just hearing things.  The motor had made a lot of funny noises at the various altitudes along the journey.  By the time I was off the super slab and down to ground level roads I was certain. Blown head gasket.  OH MAN!  That hurts  but get this, I am the Karma KING!  Remember when I nearly lost my shift linkage in Salt Lake City?  And then in Olympia, Washington I did lose my shift linkage only to miraculously find an open Harley dealership at 6:00 PM at the end of the particular exit ramp I had randomly chosen.  As I was downshifting for the only traffic light between the interstate and my mothers home the linkage broke.  It didn’t fall off this time, it just broke.  As my good fortune would have it the light turned green just as I got to the intersection and I was able to continue on to my mother’s driveway in third gear.  I think I better buy a lottery ticket tonight.

          My sister, Cat Woman, was kind enough to drive me home to Palo and in the morning, after church, I am going to hook up the trailer and go rescue my noble steed.  An unfitting ending for an incredible journey for sure but the old girl maybe deserves a ride.  I rode her hard, very hard for nearly 6,000 miles over the last two weeks.  If there were a register of excessive rpm’s and too hard of braking I would most likely shudder upon review of the data. 

          Once home, I called “She Who Must Be Obeyed” in Washington DC to let her know I had arrived home safely.  When I told her about the bike she reminded me that on two previous dream rides I had returned with a broken ride.  She said, “To me that means only one thing.  Next time you go for a dream ride you should never let it end!”  You just can’t beat a woman that thinks like that.  Well, you could but your friends and family would think you are crazy and the district attorney might want to have words with you.  HEY!  That wasn’t right!  It was there, however, so I had to take it.  It ain’t easy being me but lately it has been a lot of fun!  See ya!