Christian Motorcycle Association

GET ON THAT BIKE AND RIDE!

Damn. A quarter of the year is already gone! Hopefully you didn’t waste any time! The weather is getting nicer, restrictions are loosening up, and events are starting to take place all around our beautiful state. If you listen to the rumor mill, it says we have a lotta really cool events coming up in the next couple of months for all of us to get out there on our bikes to enjoy. Along with all this beautiful weather we also have snowbirds still among us. Y’all know better than to slack on paying attention and keep an eye out for those cages that are among us. Over the past few writings, I’ve been pretty adamant about the topic of accountability. Always remember that the bottom line is that what you do or decide to do is up to you but be prepared to be held accountable for your decisions. Don’t go crying to your mama when you decide to do something stupid, and your response is to try to blame everyone else but yourself for your actions. We’re supposed to be adults out there, so let’s try to do the right thing. I’m not saying don’t go out there and have fun. On the contrary, we need to get out there more and enjoy what we have left of our lives. If last year taught me anything it’s that you only get one trip around this world. I know I’ve spent a lot of years on two wheels and I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to many destinations. The experiences I’ve been able to have, thanks to being on a motorcycle, are too many to count. The people I’ve encountered along the way have taught me that there is so much out there offered to us, that we would be fools not to experience it. Motorcycling and living a biker lifestyle is an education in itself. People like to say it’s wind therapy, but I believe it’s so much more. I truly believe that if you open your eyes to it, you’ll discover that riding is both enjoyable and educational. Pretty bold statement. So, what has my biker life taught me over the many years? Well, it’s a pretty long list so I’ll just touch on some of the main points. I guess we can start out with the fact that bein’ a biker is helping me develop patience. This one for me is always a work in progress. I never claimed to be a great student but I try my best. Every time I’m on my motorcycle my patience is tested by those around me. Either by their actions, attitude or just lack of caring for others. But it is what it is and like I stated, for me, that’s a constant work in progress. My motorcycle also taught me patience early on as one of my first sleds was an AMF. Which we can all pretty much say, if you owned one of those, you had to develop patience. Tolerance. This kinda goes along with patience as we have to tolerate those who test our patience. Whether it be weather, mechanical breakdowns, traffic, ignorance and the list goes on and on. Accountability. There’s a big word I use all the time. I figured out that over the years my actions have a direct impact of how the outcome of those actions affect me. For instance, if I don’t maintain my sled, it won’t be reliable for me. If I don’t figure out directions to where I need to go before I leave, it will take more time to get there. If I ignore the knowledge of others before me, I learn things the hard way. If I decide to get hammered and ride my sled, well a multitude of results could happen from that. I don’t blame everyone else for what I’ve decided to do. I own what I do and pay the consequence for those decisions. But let’s not be all negative about it. On the flipside, I also reap the benefits of my decisions when I make them wisely. Fun, enjoyment, and quality of life. Riding all these years has also taught me that there’s more out there in the world than just my own backyard. Every flavor of person is out there to be experienced. So much scenery to be taken in. So many things to do, so many places to go and most importantly, so many things out there to enhance your quality of life. I’ve had the honor of being able to do this through living my biker lifestyle. Everything is going to have its ups and downs. It’s up to you whether you want to dwell on the negative and be miserable with your life. A great organization out there uses the saying “adapt and overcome.” This is the way to move forward. Take life head on. Don’t hide behind excuses. Be the person that you admire the most. There is no hardship that you cannot survive. There is no hurdle you can’t get over. Even at your darkest moments you can still move on. I know this to be true. You may fall along the way but you pick yourself up, dust yourself off and push ahead. Respect. My lifestyle has taught me the meaning of respect. Respect of the road, respect of those around me, respect for others’ opinions and viewpoints. I will be the first to admit I am not always right. I’m a true believer that every day in life you should learn something new. Because again, the world is bigger than just your own backyard. If there’s a point to be made, I guess it’s that riding motorcycles has taught me a lot. The experiences I’ve had, the people I’ve met and the lessons I’ve learned are things you can’t learn from any book. You have to live it.

In closing, I guess what I want to say is, go out there and live your life. Enjoy what there is out there to enjoy. There’s more of it out there than you could ever dream of. I’ll leave you with this saying. It’ll make about as much sense as military intelligence. Make smart decisions but have some stupid fun. Hope to see you out there. Now get on that bike and ride. NEFARIOUS JAMES AMERICAN

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!

It’s springtime in Florida and we’re feeling the full effects my BTR friends. The pollen covers everything with a green haze and makes everyone sneeze a lot. The spring breakers acting stupid at the beach makes the locals green with disdain. Mike boils eggs way too long and turns the yolks green that makes for funny looking deviled eggs after losing the Easter egg cracking contest down at our local pub. Speaking of eggs, it’s that season for me to pop out a few. Mike cuts me off saying, “for the past few years I’ve been forgetting about your motherly instincts. This Easter I took you, your buddy thumper and a few of her chocolate cousins to the beach for sun, sand and surf. The next thing I know y’all become butt up in some kids’ baskets and start popping out eggs. It’s a good thing we only made it to the picnic pavilion. Had you two done that in the sand, some crazy conservative Eco freaks would have thought those were turtle eggs, immediately roped off the area and called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC). The last time I dealt with FWC was when you turned up missing. I had to supply them with proof of ownership, a photo of your leg band, the ID number from your microchip and your BTR press pass to identify you. OMG, talk about bureaucratic red tape. Had that have happened now during covid era, I’m sure they only would’ve accepted paperwork by hare mail. It’s a good thing there were no shellfish involved. ‘Cuz I would’ve been fined for harvesting oyster bunnies out of season.

I’m so glad that beach patrol didn’t catch you two misbehaving at the pavilion. We would have been egg-spelled because they don’t take too highly to your crack ups. During the last run in with the sand cops, you tried to pass off your shenanigans as a type of eggsercise calling it hare-aerobics.” I cackle behind Mike’s back,“knock knock.” Mike turns, looks at the door an answers,“oh shit, I hope that’s not FWC? ”I squawk “police!” He trembles saying, “police, what now?” I gaggle, “police no more of your cockamamie hare and egg jokes! It’s Good Fry-day, I don’t want you beaten. Even though people tell me that you’re over easy, you do better when your sunny side up. But Mike, I’ve got your back. I’ll just tell them that on the bigger plate of life you’re just a little scrambled!” He looks at me sternly and says, “sorry, I can’t, I’m on an egg roll. You just keep it up my little buddy, the next three out of your butt are going to be hard boiled, sliced and sprinkled over some chicken salad!” I squabble, “come on dude, you’ve been threatening me with that for years. You’ve taught me not to be a dumb funny colored little chicken. Eventually when I mate and have eggs that will hatch, I will never mislay, overheat or get them mixed up. Lord knows I wouldn’t want a bunch of loose, hard boiled or scrambled youngins flapping around. The last thing you’re going to do is tease my egg whites. They’ll be coming from good stock and will be able to take a yolk. I think we both need to get out of the house. Let’s put some wind under my wings.” Backing out of the driveway, Mike has to slam on his brakes. A UPS truck was passing quickly behind us and we heard something go splat on the road. The neighbor’s kids had a basket with a little bunny and eggs in it and were collecting more from around the mailbox. The driver wasn’t paying attention to where he was going and ran over the basket with the bunny in it. The kids saw what happened, started crying and screaming, “oh no, the Easter Bunny is dead! The UPS man killed Easter!”

Just then, the kids’ parents, Joe and Jane, come running down the driveway and try calming them down. Mike thinks quickly, jumps out of the truck and grabs a can of aerosol spray from his door. He runs over to the squashed bunny and begins hosing it down.

Slowly the bunny starts sitting up out of the basket. Mike keeps spraying and even more slowly his one arm comes up and it looks like he’s waving. To everyone’s astonishment, the kids stop crying and Joe comes over asking, “hey good neighbor, what is your miracle in a can? How did you raise the dead and just save Easter?”

Mike holds the can up to him and reads the label, “hairspray, restores life to dead hair and adds a permanent wave!” I squawk loudly, “hey you sad excuse for a Jesus impersonator, climb back in the truck. You need to get your knees under the keys, the wheels rolling down the road, with my wings out the window. The next thing you know Joe and Jane will want you to spray them both down and see if anything rises up between them.

THE TANK WHISPERER MAKES YOUR OLD TANKS LAST FOREVER

The heart and soul of your bike is the fuel tank. Originally, the tank was new and clean, but over the years that all has changed. If you are tired of cleaning carburetors or think you need a new tank because yours is too rusty or it leaks, I have the solution. We clean tanks and preserve the metal – even permanently stop leaks! The highgrade epoxy coating we use is second to none; we can even remove most Kreem and Red-Kote liners. We have a fast turnaround time; it’s the easiest thing you’ll do all week.

RONNIE and EMILY’S RONNIE and EMILY’S

CHRISTIAN MOTORCYCLISTS ASSOCIATION

One of the great benefits of riding with friends is the fact that when you ride in a group there is a lot of support. That help, from one’s brother or sister, is available in the event of something going wrong along the way. It is also a blessing that the help provided isn’t based on owing a favor, or paying for the help received! The help is simply based on there being a need present and an opportunity to help fulfill that need.

I’ll never forget a situation one of riders found herself in, and the wonderful help she received. The group was coming home from a rather long ride and one rider needed to stop, she was flat worn out. To make matters worse, It was after dark and the group was about 80 miles from home.

The group pulled into a fast food burger joint and began making calls to see how the worn out rider could be helped. After several calls a brother with a utility trailer available was located. The only problem was that the trailer was 40 miles from where the group was located.

The trailer was hitched up and on the road in short order, but it took about an hour to get to the group. Upon arrival it was noted that all of the riders from the group had stayed with the rider and her bike. Very quickly several of the brothers set about tying the bike down to the trailer, and everyone mounted up for the final 80 miles to get home. The bike was off loaded from the trailer, and everyone rejoiced that there were no further challenges. After all shared handshakes and hugs, they headed home to call it a day.

The point is this; the initial anxiety caused when the rider realized that she could not complete the ride was overcome by her knowledge of how close everyone was. She knew that the leaders of the group would find a solution. She also knew that the other riders cared for her and that they would take care of her. This was evident in that the bikers waited with the worn out rider, they stayed by her side! That kind of compassion and concern goes a long way to give confidence in the bikers being there for her.

In 1 Peter 5:7, the Bible says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” The fact is that Jesus loves you and me. He is incredibly interested in and cares for us, and what is going on in our lives. He listens, and He calls our voice when we reach out to Him. He doesn’t want us to be anxious for anything; rather, He wants us to be happy and secure. He is only a prayer away!

Like the riders in the above story, Jesus not only has to answer to all of our challenges, He is the answer. You can trust Him!