Lookin' down the barrel...

Of the Hwy 50 ride. Just about two point 5 weeks out. Sometimes I'm excited and sometimes I'm depressed. Its my moods. Changing from moment to moment. I feel like a failure sometimes wondering why I can't raise money for the cause. I know things are tough. I don't blame people. I remember Craig, I have been thinking a lot about him in these months before. I can't help it, he's  the reason for the ride anyway.  I think of all the premature thank you's from all his family and the letter I got from his son. I just don't wanna let anybody down.

 The first time I rode across America in 2005-2006 It seemed like I was more excited. I was escaping, I was on the run. From the twist and turns my life had taken lately. I never did figure out all this mess? I just knew that for the very first time in my life I was free. I used to rebel against what my life had become. I still do. I remember a crazy night of drinking once at Craig and Amy's bar. Do you remember the "rebel without a cause" thing that was me. Sitting there Craig said to me "Joe what are you rebelling against?" I just said my whole life man. It was some bullshit like that. I guess I just didn't see every thing as blessings. I had a house nice wife, two boy's. By the way I love the hell out of them! They are both just really good people and that's what the world could use more of ,just good people! A good job, cool motorcycle and I didn't have too many clothes that made me look funny. What it boils down to is just that I've always been restless. My first grade teacher even attempted to tie me in my chair once.

 I guess its just time to accept that I just get board with the norm, pretty quickly. I've never held a job over 5 or six years straight. Man that just kills my mother! She from the day's when people used to work forever and get a gold watch and retire. Sorry I just can't do it. I may end up homeless some day? Who knows?

 I guess that I am learning to let go. Let go of the dreams most people had for me. Be free and live my reckless life. 

 Some picture's of that year, when I rode across America and stayed with Amy and Craig on that little Ponce de Leon, Missouri farm by the James river.

The story of Bob.

Well the name is Drunk Bob. I know it seems silly to name a motorcycle. It all started when I got two bikes (Harley's) I bought this old girl down i n Phoenix while attending Motorcycle Mechanic school. It was a pretty beat up shovel head. More speciffically a 1982 FXB or better known as a "Gold Sturgis". Now she wasn't much to look at with her black and brown paint, and gold colored wheels. So after hauling her back to Oregon, well thats when I moved to Oregon I should say. I bought another bike a 2005 Sportster. So you have it two bikes, well talking to my friends and Steve. I had to describe the bike as to which one I was talking about or gonna ride that day. Yes it is pure heaven having to choose between two motorcycles. Blah Blah Blah. So anyway the Sportster became known as "little Baby". Yeah so what! I know.

Skip ahead I am working a S&D Custom cycle with my friend Steve who I met down in Arizona. Like the need we had to diferenceate between bikes, we had these serveral "Bob" customers. So Steve would say "Bob's" comming in for a oil change etc. So would have to say: OCD or "weird Bob", Cussin' Bob or Drunk Bob. Well this guy who had this particular bike was named "Drunk Bob". Now I can't tell you he was a drunk for sure, I had hear stories that he drank a lot of whisky and maybe I smelled it a few times. I really didn't think of him as a down and out drunkard. havin' said that. He was hard of hearing and I believe that had something to do with the way he talked, kinda talked loud and slered his words. I mean no disrespect, I really like all the "Bobs" we'd give 'em all of a bit of a hard time.

So old drunk Bob went down one day. We did the estamate on the Red FLSTN (Softail Deluxx) He managed to reck up nearly $9000. in damage. He also broke his leg. So while going to various doctors etc. Shortly he finds out he's got cancer! What a bummer! He decides to sell the bike. I thought I'd like to have it. So the best boss and friend Steve bought it for $5000. I went to the bank and got a loan to pay off Steve.

Soon it was really mine (thanks again to Steve). So began the rebuild of "Drunk Bob". It was a blank canvas, seeing how all the sheet metal would have to be replaced. I first wanted to pain it flat black like you see so many of these days. It just seemed like everyone was doing that, and I would hate to be associated with a fad. I thinks to my self "I never have had a Blue bike" so.. Its blue. I had saw a Dave Mann painting in am Easy  Rider Magazine years ago and I remembered that image. I looked through all my old mag's to hopefully find that painting. No use! so I just went down ot our painter Dennis and best tried to pick out that paint form my dusty closit of a memory. The thing is now. I was in a toy run in Medford OR. and next to  me drives up this police car, and its almost the same paint. I wasn't planning on that but it does look a little different than it did. travelin' joe