I got gas

On a personal note, I have had a knot in my back for days that will not go away. I was thinking maybe it was ORSD. (Obama-Related Stress Disorder) However, today I have figured out what's ailing me. I got Gas.

This fall, I've been doing my part to rid my family from its dependence on foreign oil. I bought a motorcycle in August. I have traveled 2000 miles on two wheels since August and have left my 1991 4x4 Toyota Pickup in the driveway 95% of the time. In addition to awesome acceleration and an ear drum-damaging exhaust note, the bike gets me 56 mpg. Before I dog too much on the truck, I have to admit that it gets me a freakishly good 33 mpg hauling a dirt bike and a trailer carrying a 4-wheeler. That being said, I figure the bike saved me about $300 in gas this fall. I filled it up in August with gas and just yesterday, I had to drive it to Salt Lake for work and so I filled it up. (I had a $50 gift card I won at a business meeting that was only good in SLC) That's three months people. I can handle 4 tanks of gas a year.

So if you're on the fence about a motorcycle...or you are a wife that is concerned about your country's dependence on foreign oil, you have to get over yourself and let your husband get a motorcycle! It's for the good of the country! Imagine if we all did such a patriotic thing as buy a motorcycle! We could give OPEC one big collective biker "finger"

*At the time of this posting the author owned stock in 5 major motorcycle manufacturers

I Love You So Much....You Remind Me so much of Myself

I rode to Salt Lake today on the motorcycle and thus had adequate time to process the garbage in my head.

You may have noticed that the politician's signs are coming out, big flashy billboards hover overhead with a gigantic head shot of your favorite local yocal running for office again. Next to gigantic head shot is most likely some form of Donkey or Elephant immediately labeling themselves as a member of a party. Like this tells me everything I need to know about the candidate. So do fun words like "Experience, Leadership, Responsibility." I would like to see someone run an honest campaign and print a sign that said one of three things...."I am in your tax bracket" or "I will make your wildest dreams come true" (Can't take credit for that one), or "Constant Bickering, Politics and Bribery" At least the last one would be an honest ad.

So I gather that everyone in Northern Utah presumably belongs to either a cult of redneck Republicans that follow after their elected leaders as long as they are wearing an elephant-kicking-a-donkey lapel pin and hate democrats OR a throng of democrats who are forward thinking, progressive, intellectuals that are amazed that people dare call themselves republican because of the public embarrassment.

Might sound a little over the top and it might be but please....just because you put a little donkey or elephant on your sign doesn't make me want to vote for you. Get out of your shells people! Look the guy up. Write him an email, take him or her to lunch.

I was able to talk to both Glenn Donnelson and Ryan Wilcox several times before Wilcox won the primaries. I found the exchanges to be very refreshing. Both answered my questions....(little did they know that I couldn't even vote in the primary because I am not a registered Republican!)

Second example.....I now apparently belong to the coolest gang in the world...that's right people I am a biker. I get the little "hand off the handlebar half wave" from my fellow bikers. I'm sure you've seen it. I'm also sure you have secretly longed for the opportunity. Some guys just have their ladies do it! Trust me, I am taking advantage of it! I have made so many new friends! Until I bought a motorcycle, I was just another guy driving to work....now I'm a somebody!! You have to be really careful not to "half wave" to a scooter though-how embarrassing!

So I drew the conclusion that we are all very accepting people.....as long as you aren't different from me. Republican/Democrat, Vespa/Harley...I mean how are we supposed to live together?

What are you smoking?

Tonight my awesome parents called at 9:30 and asked if Carin and I wanted to go for a motorcycle ride since the kids were in bed and it was a nice night. We said yes of course. We rode over North Ogden Divide, through Huntsville and over Trappers and home. When my head is in my helmet, I think I have many more tangential thoughts than normal. I get a lot of thinking done since we can't converse amid the wind and roaring exhaust.

As you ride a motorcycle, you are treated to a vast variety of smells that otherwise pass you by in an enclosed cabin. You also miss the pockets of warm and cold air as you ride. As we crested North Ogden Divide, a car pulled in front of us and the air became cooler and much much "sweeter'. I have never been the smoking kind you see. (I do however admit loving the Steve Miller Band's 'The Joker') So this car took off pretty fast. We had to have been a half mile behind and we could still smell them. Carin suggested that perhaps they had discovered an alternative fuel and a car that runs on weed. As a "valley girl" she has been told that this is a common practice because there is nothing else to do. That got me thinking.

I would like to thank my parents for raising me right. I never once felt like I needed to try smoking or booze or weed to entertain myself. As a matter of fact my dad has constantly drilled in my head most of my life that most things in a salad are weeds and we should not eat them. I suppose this is a challenge for most parents and just wanted to say thanks for doing a great job.

As for other smells, I am not sure why 7th and Monroe smells like dryer sheets the mouth of Weber Canyon smells like pencil erasers. If I knew what Meth smelled like I could have probably identified a few Meth houses as well. And why someone can't be paid to expeditiously clean up dead animals off the road? You completely miss the experience of dead animal stench in a car.

So instead of writing a synopsis on tonight's presidential debate, I got to ride behind a potentially new form of alternative vehicle, spend much needed time with my sweetheart and ponder the challenges of parenthood. Very good night...except now I have the munchies.