Knowledge

Why is it that I always feel like I don’t know enough? Every time I start a project of some sort or come up with an idea for a project, there always seems like there is an aspect of it I just don’t know how to do. I know it can’t just be me. Good example is I want to paint my bike, ( I actually want to build my next bike but that’s another story) thing is I don’t know how to airbrush. Thanks to several key hardware donations I now have a small compressor and airbrush so I will take the time and learn. Sad thing is I don’t see how I can afford to buy everything I need to learn all the associated skills needed to do everything I want to do.
I am looking at a collection of things I have aquired over the years as part of one of my hobbies or a needed component of something I wanted to do. When I think about the cost of these things it makes me want to cry as the accumaleted cost is a bit high, but when compared to what I’ll have to spend on future gear and knowledge… I shudder at the thought of the cost.
Bikes are expensive. Custom bikes more so. Add the cost of learning the skills involved in building one yourself to the cost of the parts plus the cost of tools both purchased and rented and the price quickly reaches the astronomical range right quick. Not that its going to keep me from trying, just hurts to think about it.
Money has never been very important to me. Sad that it is so important to others. I guess that instead of giving things I no longer use or have use for I’m gonna have to start selling them. Sad as I always felt that giving to those that did have a need but not the funds was always the right thing to do. But having been told to fuck off when asking someone I had helped in the past for a break in price for something I needed has made me begin to reconsider. Just re-enforces what I’ve always said. People suck.

Gear

What do you carry on a daily basis? What will you not leave home without? Are there gadgets that you just have to keep with you at all times?
I had never given this much thought, but after gearing down after having gone out late last night. For me the usual load includes keys, wallet, blackberry, zippo, leatherman, colors, jacket (cold weather), helmet, gloves, pads, n810 and camera. These I always carry. Depending on what i am doing or where I’m going the list might grow, but day-to-day this is the norm. What do you carry daily?

Riding

There are days when you see quite a few bikes on the road. You know that  it’s riding ’season’. WTF is riding season? I just don’t get it. I have a bike, I ride my bike because it’s my sole means of transport except for shoe leather express. I have issues with the buses in my area. I just don’t get people that ride only on nice days. I see them all the time rocking club colors. How hardcore are you that you put up your bike if it gets a little windy or god forbid it starts to rain? I see these guys that to hear them tell it they are more biker than anyone else. They live to ride and all the other cliches you constantly hear. Where are all these hardcore bikers when the temp starts to drop. I have to laugh. Last winter wasn’t what you can call a bad winter by any stretch of the imagination, yet on any given day you might see a bike on the road. Usually a cruiser and round here like as not it would be a Hells Angel. Chances are though that if it was a rice burner it was a Hardlife Rider. In my opinion thats a rider. People that truely are born to ride. Nevermind the wind rain and snow, you ride not only because you have no car, but because you have no car because you choose to ride. Only regret I have in riding a bike is that I can’t afford the bike that I want. If I owned an American cruiser (be it a Harley or a custom) I would ride even more than I do now. (which is every day already) So to all you guys that have bikes that don’t get used or barely touched, give some thought to helping out a biker that can’t afford what you have gathering dust.

Hardlife forever forever Hardlife