since you’ve all been so kind to listen to me carp these past weeks while i’ve been heavy laden with anxiety, i thought it only right to share about these past few days and how much better i feel, thank you all very much.
bob and marcia bertalot belong to a time share and generously planned out months ago this trip for 6 couples to go to a resort in klamath falls. ray and lesa, along with cmack and tenetia flew out to be with us. six of us rode on motorcycles… three of us on loaners, a harley and two bonnies.
And it was a hoot. i’m sure greg coming to see me, along with some recent resolutions, contributed to the elephant getting off my chest… thx greg especially!
and now having the macks and the roskes with us, and my lisa being able to get away from the house and take a trip with us; well, i just wanted to tell all of you it was really, and i’m not exaggerating at all, the first totally stress free days i’ve had in a while. several times i laughed so hard i couldn’t breathe, which sure beats feeling so much pressure you can’t catch your breath. thx for all of your prayers and encouragement.
and since cmack doesn’t ever look at fb, here’s some pictures of our trip…
klamath falls is about 60 miles south of crater lake. ray told me some time ago that there’s two places where he’s never been and i told him that if he’d come out here we’d fix that. crater lake was one of those places.
it’s 2150 feet deep and ray can now tell you about the great fishing opportunity there.
and i want you all to know that i’m so proud of bob bertalot. he’s stayed really good friends with a guy named fred who resells harleys and when fred heard bob wanted to get a friend a harley for this klamath falls ride he told bob to take this ultra for free. so cmack was on familiar machinery the whole time.
i’m also proud of mike mathis. i haven’t seen mike this happy in years. he’s an amazing man and always an upward call to me. i’m convicted about not spending enough time like this with bob and mike, and i can’t thank cmack and ray enough for coming to be with them and get to know them. i think some real good stuff happened these last few days, and i’m eternally grateful. greg did the same thing spending time with the biordis last week. it really helped and i think also is part of that elephant getting off me. (rick, i almost said, ‘now, i know it’s not over but maybe the elephant got off a little bit for a little while, maybe…” then thought of that article you sent ‘waiting for the other shoe to drop’… i’m trying to find the old stevie who wasn’t always seeing a half spilt broken glass, thx)
crater lake,that was friday.
saturday, yesterday, the four of us went to see the redwoods. it’s about 170 miles to get to this tree… remember greg? ever since i got greg to ride a road king for a week this tree has been one of my photo destinations for anyone who ain’t been there yet.
And Ray had never seen the redwoods before. this was that second place i promised him we’d ride to if he’d come hang out with my portland friends and me.
i think greg, gordon and ray know more about what this next photo means than i can explain…
and i think you can see that the thruxton was the photo prop of choice on this trip…
yes, this is the same triumph i rode to sturgis years ago, and which greg wouldn’t get off of on that one trip to yellowstone, and canada and … and has belonged for some time now to mike mathis…
… and still looks pretty dang good and is usually the star of the show.
since we were now so close to the ocean, we had to go on to crescent city…
and a word about my great friend Bill Croft who loaned me this t100 in the foreground. Bill and his wife Deb are incredibly generous and a hoot to be around. Thanks Bill! for loaning me Deb’s bike! : )
… and then we rode back together for a while. until…
… i split off and came on home last night; ray and cmack and mike went back to klamath falls and are on the road as i write this, racing to get to church in a couple of hours.
love you guys and wish you all could be here. all the time. i think what you heard is that i’d like you to come visit. what i said is that i wish you all could be here all the time.
ps…i’ve been a bit lazy photo wise the last few trips. consequently i missed a few great shots the last few days. one of the places we rode through on our way down was mckenzie pass. the two lane blacktop heading up to the 5000 feet elevation of the pass is a twisty delight. ray and i were on two bonnies, more equal bikes and conditions you rarely enjoy. i chased ray best i could, but he’s a god. we all ride, and well for that matter. i never seen nobody ride more natural on a harley and be harder to stick with than rick. i never seen nobody bloom like gordon and become a trick to follow on switchbacks, or greg for that matter. joel is a true racer and it’s an understatement to say he blows past me on the track; mike… gonzo… doc… you… you always seem a bit incredulous when complimented for your speed but there have been times it’s been scary trying to stay up with you…hey… i’m gonna quit roll call … who’d i leave out??? … but, you all are good riders; we are all proficient and have finally matured enough to know not to get cocky and keep the mindset that we’re humble cowpokes trying to learn better how to stay on the horse.
but ray.
mayday.
he’s who we all want to be.
watching him on that little bonnie just smoothly, effortlessly glide, and keep pulling further and further away between each turn … and we were going uphill, so it was truly like watching an ascension (too much???)… really. ray is probably the most modest man i’ve ever met. not much he can’t do. following ray keeps you humble. there’s a jesus lesson there somewhere…
Response:
out of fear and reverence and knowledge of worm death in Acts 12:22-23 I give glory to God for whatever talents I demonstrate during our two-wheeled adventures.
This adventure with our wives has brought a whole new perspective to 1* and it would be wise to consider something similar for next year.
Steve, thank you. CMack and I both have experienced a completely new level for fellowship, bonding and riding.
the time and miles were timeless and .. just ..wow
Let’s discuss next year soon! Mayday.
Thank you for sharing all of this brother. I wish we were all there, but…I feel in some small way , thanks to your e mail and photos ,that we have shared a piece of it. Thank you. Thank you also for seeing each of us as individuals and all of us as a group. I thank God for each of you ,and all of you , in my life.I miss you. Captain Obvious.
