Abbey at is orneriest.  Includes the Southwest, Appalachia, love story, tragedy, goat roast, cross country journey, Mozart and Waylon.  His second to last book published in 1988.  485 pages.  Recommended but not to the faint of heart.  

Me: I wonder what made those Russian composers so consistently good? 
Wife: It was those long winters.  Kind of like how the Milwaukee boys bikes are prettier than the Birmingham boys.  

Celebrate

It may not be as romantic as all of this, but I’m not sure that Steinbeck could have written better characters than my friends.  Not intended as an insult to Steinbeck (or my friends), his characters were brilliant, if not well educated and often had true insight.  Their combined antics  and since of loyalty create a force  that even fate seems to have little influence over.  Every moment is reason for celebration or quandary of some cosmic mystery.

A few of my friends have now combined efforts and funds into a building which can house our greatest shared passion.  Not unlike Danny’s house in Steinbeck’s, Tortilla Flat, it has quickly drawn a set of regulars into weekly revelry, creativity and production.   Duane referred to it as the Chopper Kai Dojo and it has struck a chord.  The "chopper" part being in slight jest as most of our chopping experience is limited, but then if you don't laugh a great deal your life might be boring which may be why jest is often high on the priority list.  Just under rent.
   The “Dojo” part of  the name has stuck.  If you have been lucky enough to see the brilliant 1984 americana art film, Karate Kid,  you know that “Dojo” is Japanese for a place of training or learning.  It’s a perfect name.  Our dojo is not a sanctuary, but a gritty collection rooms which is too small to house the amount of people working in it and it has propelled a heightened state of learning, productivity and community amongst us.  

A month before the we signed the lease a few of us helped Duane freshen up the top-end of his Shovel Head motor at Nick’s work shed.  At the end of the day he said, “We need to do this again soon.”  I assume he wasn’t referring to us repeating the work we just did to his engine, but acknowledging the combined since of utility and camaraderie we get from making things on wheels go.  No of us are experts, but every one of my friends is creative and willing to share his past experiences to keep his friend on the road.  

I

true freedom “means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience. Because if you cannot exercise this kind of choice in adult life, you will be totally hosed.”
RIP David Foster Wallace 

More wonders from TX, OK, AK, MS and of course AL.

1935 Theresa Wallach

London to Cape Town, South Africa on a Panther single. I don't remember when I first read about Theresa Wallach but you should know her story too.

http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/hofbiopage.asp?id=309