Recently I've noticed that when things don't go the way I want them to I lose hope at a startling rate. When there are so many things I want to do with my life, but no immediate promise that it's all going to work out I get a bit worried. I think that a big part of my problem is that I worry too much about what others think. I measure what I think I can do by what others think I can do. I know that I have the potential to achieve my dreams, and just because I see so many people fail doesn't mean I will. A lot of it is from lack of trying. I'm not going ot let someone else tell me how I need to live my life (except God, cause He really knows best) but as for other people: thanks for the opinions but I'll sort it all out in my own time.
In other news I love transportation, vehicles, travelling, and all that that entails. Someone once observed that most of the things that I love in life are things that take me away from where I am. Astute, but not entirely true. It's not that I'm completely unhappy with where I am in life (physically, mentally, spiritually, geographically, etc.) but I also love things that will take me to places I've not yet been.
I was checking out Craigslist the other day when I stumbled upon a decent motorcycle for $350. I do get sidetracked pretty easily. The boat is still at the forefront of what I'm working for right now, but I've always wanted a bike. Fortunately the weather warmed up for a little bit and the road cleared so I could go take a look at it. I told myself that if it didn't start, or if it was all beat up, or if there were parts missing that I wouldn't get it. I'm so sick of falling in love with vehicles just because they're in my price range and then they turn out to be a money pit. After looking it over and hearing it run I was sure it'd be a good thing. Unfortunately I wasn't counting on how much more this bike weighed than my dirt bike and scooter that I'd had in the past. Once 500 pounds of metal starts tipping one way, it really doesn't like to be stopped till it hits the ground. So yes I tipped it over... twice. It was very embarassing, and sadly after the second knock over the bike refused to start. I still wanted it, but I was now stuck in a "you broke it, you bought it" situation. I didn't bother negotiating on price, I just put on my helmet and we push started it on a hill. It rode beautifully all the way home, but then it say for a couple weeks behind the car dealership, and then on the road by my apartment. Each passing day the weather made it worse and worse to be outside, and I was getting more and more frustrated at having yet another fixer-upper. I hoped that this wasn't a dooming foreshadow of my endeavors with my boat. As I was lamenting the horrible weather and the sad state of my bike my Mom said, "why don't you just fix it in the kitchen?". I love my Mom. Unorthodox at times maybe, but I'd like to think that none of her 8 kids have gone too far astray, and I'd like to find another mother that would allow dirty motor oil and a motorcycle right next to that evenings' meal. (Don't worry, I cleaned it all up). My brother in-law, John, my brother, Spencer, and I took apart the crank case and put the new starter in. Now apart from the battery being low she runs great.
Of course the second I have a working vehicle I am mentally planning long distance marathon bike trips. I figure it'd be fun to attept to ride from Sheboygan to Phoenix (1857 miles) in under 24 hours. We'll see how reliably the 27 year old bike actually performs this summer. It seems that this summer is going to be the proving period for a lot of things. Will my motorcycle work, can I live on my boat, can I get her in shape for a trans-atlantic crossing next summer, am I going ot be up for it? I guess I really don't know what I don't know yet about blue water cruising. For now these are all just dreams for the future. But I don't want to let them stay that way.
