Finding Pure Zen

Have you ever found yourself missing a place you once lived in or visited? Then you find yourself there again, only to realize that you missed it more than you thought you did. Well, this happened to me while I was in Milwaukee over the weekend. I know what you're thinking, it's cold as hell there, how do you even love that place. Fair question, let me explain.

Back in 2013 I did a motorcycle ride to the 110th Harley Anniversary party. When I left Milwaukee to head back home to Pennsylvania, I went by way of Canada. Prior to crossing into Canada, I had stopped for gas. A lady pumping gas into her car kept looking at me. She eventually got the guts to walk over and start a conversation. She had noticed my bike fully loaded with gear and dirty. She asked me where I had been, and where I was headed. We talked about the places I had been and all the people I had met. She asked me where my favorite places where and why. At the end of the conversation, she said she lived where she felt relaxed. Where she felt like part of a community. I told her I didn't feel that in Pennsylvania, and that was probably why I always ended up back there and then left again.

After that conversation, I drove across the Canadian/American boarder and was cruising along. Then it hit me. A thought hit me so hard, I about lost control of my bike. It was like a movie scene, when all of a sudden you are holding your arms out and rotating 360 degrees and there is a light that shines down on you and the scenery behind you is just all white or blurred. It was a total ah huh moment, to say the least.

While I was riding, I was looking around at this new country. Which did not feel new. It looked like America, I mean there were stores, shopping malls, gas stations with different names. All in all, it is the same shit. This had me thinking of all the places I had traveled to in the USA. It was really all the same. The landscape changes, and so do the faces....that's it! That's all that changes! So, that brought me to question, where do I love the landscape and the faces! Ha, I know it sounds silly, but this was the ah huh moment.

So, what does all of this have to do with Milwaukee? Well, I love the landscape! I'm in love with the people, the food, the city, the community feel and the cultures. It seemed to be such a perfect blend of all of these things. There are no mountains, but Lake Michigan has a magical feel to it. It is hard to not be attracted to the purity of water. I feel like I have found Zen being around the water. Out of all the bodies of water these eyes have seen in my 39 years of living, its these waters I crave. It was hard to leave, it's been hard adjusting back to PA life.

Pennsylvania just has nothing zen about it. I feel like I am suffocating each and every single day. Sure I have plenty of family and friends here. I mean, this is where life began. This just doesn't seem to be a place that inspires, or cultivates creativity. It masks happiness and creates struggle. I see it everyday in peoples eyes that I pass walking in the street, or seeing their faces while driving their cars, or just people watching at the gas station. You just feel the anxiety, pressure, routine, all of these things that breed the "keeping up with the Joneses" type of mentality. It is in the air, and seems to be suffocating everyone.

Once you cross PA state boarders, and I don't care who you are, it is as if you dropped all the boulders off of your shoulders. People change, you sense happiness again in folks. I don't know what it is, but something must change!

What to do about the Sons of Anarchy Craze?

 The Sons of Anarchy craze just doesn't seem to be letting up. The 5th season of the show launched this past fall in 2012. The 4th season was the last season I watched. I lost interest in it all, when I started attending events and people started talking about adding accessories to to make their bikes look like SOA bikes. Even better, tattoos or apparel. Since then, I've just been disconnected. 

A few companies are offering the custom 1/4 fairing for HD Fat Bob bikes. While others offer derby covers, turn signal and even the fairing and bars kits in one! 

Picture provided by Alex Ben Block-The Hollywood Reporter

My question: Why on earth would you want to replicate being a 1%' er? Obviously, the show depicts a bike gang that is fictional. Nonetheless, organized motorcycle clubs still exist in this country (and world). Whether you've seen them or not, they are there!

I've rode on rides with many 1% clubs. There is an element of respect to show, as well as your own smarts of when to leave. When I lived in Arizona, I did an annual ride that was extremely popular called the Hells Angles Prison Run. I joined in cause the ride was through Pinal County. One of the most beautiful areas in the valley of the sun. There is no way on earth would I have pulled up to that ride, with a 1/4 fairing, SOA derby cover and shirt and thought I was a bad ass. A) You'd get laughed at big time! B) You'd get laughed at big time! C) You might get your ass kicked so more people can laugh at you big time!

When I lived in Milwaukee, I meet another group of riders called the Outlaws - Milwaukee Chapter. The community feared them and the cops were present anytime these guys were around. Last year I hurried back to Milwaukee from a 5,000 mile trip I had taken to Carson City, NV for an AMA event. I was rushing to get back so I could attend the Rockerbox Rally. When I got to the rally, the Outlaws were parked right in front of my friend Sue's corner store. Whether they liked or not, or even me, we were all left getting to know each other a bit more that day. I told them I just hauled ass back for this rally and they talked about their bikes. After that day anytime I saw them, I would get invites to all their events. (Never went though- no time) When they would roll in club deep to the Harley Museum Bike Nights everyone would watch them. Like time stopped. They did have some very fancy custom bikes with TV screens, gold leaf work, speaker systems and so on. I always got a head nod from them as they rolled on through. The funny thing about that, is for me, it was just another riding say hey to another rider. It's the people that are with me that always got freaked out by it. 

Nonetheless, from my experiences as a motorcyclists you should just be you. People will like you cause of you. There's nothing wrong with joining or being part of a club. I'm a AMA, HOG and RockerFoxMC member, love it! I ride with these groups cause they are part of my identity The AMA helps keeps roads safe and biker laws in our interest. HOG, is my exclusive connection into my Harley family. RockerFoxMC, is a group of women riders in Milwaukee that love to ride and motivate other women to ride. Throwing a SOA accessory on my bike, is like selling out to everything I believe in. It causes a loss of identity and increases the "idiot consumer affect" that Henry Ford Sr created when we developed the Model-T. "Ain't nobody got time for that"- Sweet Brown