A couple of things.....some pertaining to fear of death.

I ride my motorcycle a lot. But I struggle. I struggle every time I park in a big parking lot like that of a grocery story or mall. I hear that people are bothered seeing a motorcycle taking up a whole parking space to themselves. Yet, where else am I to park? I see motorcycles parked often in the striped lined areas or on the sidewalks right next to the entrance of the attended store. I see that and I think it's nice to be able to do that.....but I don't know if I can do it. Is it right? Who made me more special than all others with such privileged parking, even parking closer than the handicapped just because I ride a motorcycle. I attended a church service the other day at a local mega church with a friend. We were on Bonita Moo. We had to park sooo soooo far because we were a few minutes late. When we finally walked and made it to the entrance we notice that there were several motorcycles parked in a striped parking section, closer to the church entrance than any others. "Sinners" or privileged few?

Anyhow.... this goes through my mind.... a lot. :) especially since I just came in to this restaurant after parking sooooo far away, and then I get to the entrance and a motorcycle is parked right there by the door on the sidewalk. How do you feel? Should motorcycles park like every one else or should they have special privileges?

Ok. Moving on.

This is a photo of me in Spring of 2002 at Calvary Chapel Bible College in Murrieta, California. I used to be somewhat of a familiar face at that college. I used to participate in skits and other musical things in front of the student body. This was a skit I created with a song I wrote back then. I've never been the best at creating my own lyrics, sooooo I used to steal them from the bible and make bible songs. Here is the skit on YouTube for your viewing pleasure.

You know I really appreciate faith and religious function and all these days. I see it as good. Unless it is bad, then I see it as bad. I see it for what it is and not for what it generically is supposed to be. For example, I don't appreciate someone being a cop just for being a cop, or a teacher for being a teacher; both of which typically are praised jobs. I've learned that not all teachers give a shit and not all cops are there to protect the people. But I digress. The songs I used to create are floating around on YouTube somewhere. People see them and are still blessed (happy) by them. And that makes me happy. It helps them. It encourages them in their faith. That's fine with me.

Lastly.

Last weekend I went to my first motorcycle rally with my pop. He's been doing this stuff since I was a kid, actually since before I was born. He'd have trophies all over the wall from winning slow race competitions. Well several bikers went out for a bike ride that Saturday. At one point we (my dad, my half bro and myself) were behind but we caught up to the rest of the pack as they were all pulled over. What happened a Great Dane. Dannnngggg!!

Great Dang Damages

My dad is a Gypsy Lifer (motorcycle club)

The dad on the left and brother.

Anyhow, what may startle you in a vehicle and what may cause some car damage has a great potential of killing you if you are on a bike. This guy lived. He didn't even fall off his bike.

Anyhow I feel like I could go on. I just need to write stuff more often so I don't have such long posts.

After I left town, me and my half brother took off. He video'd me riding the bike on hwy 119 leaving Yorktown while taking a short break.  I messed with it on my laptop. :) Have a good day. Be aware of motorcyclists on the roads. Hug.

Bonita Moo (Moo)....and the furtherance of the Adamo.

Remember the Adamo.

Hi. It's been a while. And though it's quite possible for a come-back blog to go on forever and ever, I'll try and make it short and sweet.


I don't read a lot of blogs, but when I do, it's because they make me happy. They make me think. they make me smile. Laugh. They challenge me as a person. They teach me something. Many people encouraged me quite a bit in the past few years about my blog. This one. They enjoyed it. It made them happy. And I'm glad they told me......cuz that makes me happy. It's nice to tell people the things you appreciate about them. Doesn't it encourage you?

I'm currently living in Austin, Tx. 83 miles from my house in San Antonio, though I drive back pretty much every weekend. I've been here for one year and 4 months. It's been quite a trip. I've made a couple of good friends. I've had a lot of interesting experiences. This town is weird. People would often say for me to "Keep Austin Weird" upon my moving here, because they think I'll fit right in. That's a catch phrase up here in Austin. People have a lot of bumper stickers and shirts that say that.




Anyhow. I know I'm weird, but I don't think I fit in just because of that. There's got to be more to it. And though I enjoy the beauty of the hills and the utility of the river that runs through this city, I still don't feel I belong here. For several reasons. At least 10.

But one is traffic.

This place is horrid when it comes to traffic. I'm not someone who does well with traffic. I don't get road rage or anything....I just hate being forced to submit to such a horrible thing. Austin currently adds about 85 people a day, roughly about 70 cars. Even though I still don't catch a lot of traffic in Austin, when I do, it kills my joy. It's just really really really really super bad traffic. :P

It goes as far as the eye can see. Ugh.

Alright. enough of that.

My job moved me here to this city.

Wait. What job? Update: After my car broke down in Wyoming at the end of 2010 (two posts ago I think), I needed to work to pay for my car. It was quite the costly repair. My former employer took me, the quitter, back among its ranks. I was extremely thankful. And still am. Even though I sometimes don't like the work, it still is a great company to work for.

Anyhow. We had/have a store up in Austin. We sell specialized air conditioning controls. The store has two employees. An outside sales guy and one inside/technical sales guy. Well the outside sales guy quit and the store manager needed help pretty bad. Soooooo, they sent the single guy and I was willing. I thought I'd give it a try. One year and four months later I recognize I'm not happy doing this. Outside sales that is (and something else....). Seems like a good job for shmoozers. People who like to bull shit and shoot the shit on the company dime. As long as you are bringing in sales, shmooz all you want. I really admire (some) people who can do that, but it's certainly not for everyone. Including me. I'm just not that good at it. The last guy was really good at it. Sooooo, when he left the company, he took a whole lot of our customers. They like his mad schmooz skills. He is really a good people person type of guy. Thus....the shoes to fill are very schmoozful. But I will not be here much longer. I will be moving back to my house - god willing (that means "i hope so" right?) I'll speak more about this later.

Geez. So since I said this will be short, I'm losing opportunity to keep my word. I just wanted to say I'm gonna try and attach my latest life adventures and musings to this blog again. I'm still on the road to find out. Not so much whether or not Jesus is the way or the one or whatever....but on the road to find out more of who I am and what makes me happy...and what makes me tick... and where I fit in...and what I'm good at... Still learning to be true to myself and true to what I believe in. When my thoughts and my actions match, then I think I'm happy. :) That reminds me of a quote.

I think I try to live like this because it makes sense to me. Not perfect, but who is?  

On a side note, the title of this blog is Bonita Moo (Moo). She is my new motorcycle. I have adventures to speak of regarding her. See her below. 

Til next time. Be warm and filled. Make sure you're happy. If not, you should do something about that. 

Adamo. (9:30 pm @ Tom's Tabooley, Austin, TX www.tomstabooley.com) 

The options for the last leg to Texas eggs

So my car is Lusk Wyoming. My friend Mark from Rapid City came and picked me up from there on Monday night. I'm at his house trying to figure out cost efficient methods to get me and my car back to Texas. The price and time it will take to have it fixed in a Po Dunk (whatever that means) town is prolly a lot of cash and a long time to wait.

So I got a price from Budget. $920+ my gas to texas...umm. so maybe 1300ish. i'm guessing. Then I have someone to fix it in Texas.

The engine will be about $1500. plus labor.

The cheapest auto transport place I found was $860 door to door. The thing about this is, I still need to get back to texas.. so i can take a bus for 190 or a plane for 232. But now i have a bike here in Rapid City and a guitar and my luggage. sheesh. I'd need to get it inside my wagon. Then i have a big luggage thing on top of my car. I need to get back to lusk, stuff everything in my car and then get back to Rapid city for a flight. That takes more gas money and time of others.

The options are plenty. the price is high. The stress is at a fairly low level. I don't know why. =) That rhymes.

I am also looking for people needing cash on Craigslist that might have some time to tow me down there. I'm getting a lot of responses but they aren't sounding like quite the deal yet.

=) The question is: will i make to Texas for Christmas? in this economy can i get a job to replenish my funds? will i find true love? =P just kidding.

Be warm and filled.

This is an update by Adam.

a present up-to-date - date....the destruction of the Subaru's internals.

I will have to go back in time to finish up the 3 blog series ... but for now i thought i'd update you as to my being.

I left the Gavins in Rapid City South Dakota about 2pm Sunday afternoon. On my way towards Colorado thru the Black Mountain Hills of Dakota, I stopped to see the big Crazy Horse monument. That's one crazy massive horse monument. It will be the biggest statue/monument in the world when it's done.. but it's not nearly done. The guy who started on the project believes in free enterprise so they are not using government funds to pay for this project. I like that. They even turned down two 10 million dollar offers to from the mothership.

it's going to look like this little thing.

this should give you an idea of the size.

Anyhow. I cruised a sweet ride from there towards CO.

At one point after this beautiful sunsetting, I passed up a big big truck. i think this is the problem. I was passing him going up a hill. I shifted to 4th gear. and then up to 5th while passing him.... but then I felt something odd briefly in the car.. like stutter..then i noticed it was in THIRD friggin gear. I was red lining it.. it was briefly though. I changed to 5th pretty quick. I took it easy for the next few miles giving a feel to see if anything was wrong with it. It seemed fine. Then i came to a van to pass. Here is the break down situation. I passed this van up in 5th gear. I was flooring it. It didn't seem like it had much power, but i blew it off as it just being that I'm cruising up a hill. So I pass the guy up....there is a train about 75 ft to our left. It's loud. I have my head phones on cuz there was no radio stations. I pass this guy up and get in front of him and then I feel as though i have no power at all. Nothing. I'm going slower and slower.. so i put on my emergency flashers. the van i just passed up I imagine is like, "what's up with this fool?" He passes me up as i'm pulling to the side as much as i can. there is no shoulder. it's pitch black outside. There is nothing......wait a minute... as i'm coming to a stop from my 75 mile speed. i see a house up ahead. There was about 20 miles of nothing since the last town of Lusk. Isn't it amazing that my car stops right in front of the only house for miles.. (actually I saw one other house on the ride back to Lusk, but i think they woulda shot me)...some might say this is God's provision towards me. =P I think it's still open to interpretation. I just do want to say that I'm very happy that it turned out that way. Others don't have the same fortune. Is that god's lack of kindness to them? anyhow...

I looked under the hood....as though I knew what i was looking for. It didn't stink. No smoke. not overheated. It just wouldn't start again. I had fuel.

So the walk to the house across the street. That's always scary. People out in places like this have guns and signs on their porch that say "trespassers will be shot". He just had one that said "private property.

So I walked up to the door and knocked and walked back away as to not startle whomever would open the door. His name was Thurman Thomas. He had guns alright. and dead animals all over the house. It was great. He was kind enough to show me where i could get some phone reception. It was in a 1 sq ft area by a post out by his truck. I made a call to Mark, my only mechanic friend for advice. (i just left his house in Rapid City). Thurman got dressed and we drove out to my car to check it out.
Thurmans girlfriend showed up as we were driving out the street to my car. This guy was soooo nice. the car started.. but it was making a loud pinging noise and i didn't like running it.
We got back to the house and I made a call to the local tow people. I spent some time chatting with Thurman and his girlfriend Rayleena. aka Ray. Interesting name.

Anyhow, the tow guy came and drove me back to Lusk, Wyoming, 20 miles back. He took me to the first hotel. The guy at the desk was so nice and told me there was a cheaper room at the next Hotel called Raw Hide Hotel....he even called and checked their availability and checked if they had wifi. So i was thankful and went the the Raw Hide where I stayed the night.

thurman and his chick Ray. dangit. her eyes are closed.

Thurman couldn't take a steady photo. but this elk head is massive!!! just above the couch. =)

It's presently monday morning. I called not too long ago to the Tow people. My engine is shot. It sounds like I threw a rod or something. So this is big bucks. I'm waiting for a call back to see what it will take.

Twists and Spins. We shall see what comes of it.

Options:
1. fix the car. big bucks are required and lots of time. we are in the middle of nowhere. Mark told me they'll come pick me up and let me stay at their house while the car is being fixed.

2. ditch the car. um. not really an option.

3. Start working in Lusk. Fat chance. =)

Just staying as optimistic as I can. I'm not too worried about it. Trying to go with the flow and not be overwhelmed with worry or anything.

So we'll see. If any of you own a private jet. pick me up. i'll pay for gas. =P












307-334-3560

rods are rattling in it. bottom end. jim.

Theresa. Pronounced Thur-essa.

I shall attempt to break down my blog in 3 sections so it will not be overwhelming reading and hopefully make it easier on my readers, who are the inspiration of my life. (sorry, that isn't entirely true. i wanted to sound like the author of a real book, though i do really like you readers, whomever you are).

* I haven't been writing so much.. i'm guessing it is cuz this take so much time. I was thinking about hiring an assistant. The assistant would write as I speak my memoirs.

I hit up Chicago after leaving the holiest of all Toledos, hung out there a night. Rode my bike around and got a photo or 2. I wanted to hit up the Sears tower this Saturday night, but the line for that thing was ridiculous. I was going to check it in a few days when i came back down to chicago in a few days.

I forgot this guys name but he yells nice things at people trying to bring a smile to them, hoping to get some cash for the day.  sounded insulting to the women.

Homeless and his sidekick

  This saxophone guy raised a big stink cuz i took his photo. I wasn't planning on giving him money cuz he wasn't that good. I was just taking a pic cuz it seemed like the right thing to do. He stopped playing right in the middle of his song and started lecturing me on people taking pics and going and making money off of it while he gets nothing out of it. He spoke of people recording his music while he plays on the streets and then people taking it making it big while he gets nothing. gosh. kinda dramatic. but whatever. I gave him a dollar and tried leave. he was wasting all his time talking to me, no one was donating to the cause.

roll that beautiful bean footage

I arrived in Theresa Sunday night I knew it'd be cold here so I drove to the local Walmart and purchased a 4-in-1 hoody type thing. It's amazing. It's cold here. It's gonna be colder. Today it was 21 degrees when I went outside to walk the lovely puppy by the river.

When I first arrived here, I was staying up pretty late chit chattin away with my home boy Chris. The first morning after my first night, I slept in til 2ish in the afternoon. Oh my. I didn't realize it, but I hadN'T been getting the best of sleep for quite a long time in my car. I had been feeling sickly, but it was sooo normal to be filled up with phlegm and waking up with sore throats every morning. For the first few mornings i was sleeping in like a slug. It was great. It felt great. I didn't even hear the whole family waking up and leaving for school and work AT ALL. I was out cold, and it was cold out. My body recovered and recouped. Ufda.
<side note: i went to go get some string cheese from the local refrigerator, as i was eating my string cheese, my friend grabbed the cheese from my hand and whopped me over the head with it like 3 times super quick; jerk!!!  =)>

k. What was written above was written weeks ago.

So the VanDyke house was a very pleasant experience to me. I love these guys sooo much.
some of the hi lites of being with these guys are just that.. being with these guys. Their family is amazing.

We took a hike. The suspense was in the air. The orange men were everywhere on the opening day of hunting season. As you drove through the streets of the small 200-3000 population towns, you could see the men in the fields along the roads colored in orange, stationed at just the right places to shoot, kill, and destroy mama deer as she went looking for a berry to feed her sister and children. =P So we took at hike through the woods,...until we could see orange hunters not too far in the distance. not too safe walking around where gunfire is going off.

We visited a cheese store. Ate some cheese curds which make a squeeky sound on your teeth when you eat them when they are somewhat warm.

We took a tour of Sprecher Beer and Soda Brewery. They gave us coupons for four free small glasses of beer each from their little bar. some was yum. some was nasty. But they do have some pretty yummy soda.

We took a tour of the Sprecher Soda and Beer Factory in Milwaukee.

We visited Madison and walked in the Capital of wisconsin.

We checked out free movies from the Library. My favorite was Gran Torino with Dirty Harry... er. Clint Eastwood.

I read a whole book while in Theresa. I know you might read 50 books a week. But i'm not that fast. The boy in the Striped Pajamas. I know it was a movie. but i forgot the movie. That's the second fiction book I've read on my trip. and i'm diggin fiction books. very stimulating and pleasant. While i chilled at the casa and read, I spent lots of time with Miley the dog.

while the family is away at work and school, my closest companion was Miley.

So on one of the days that I was here, a friend of mine from San Antonio, Ryan Leatherman happened to be in the Chicago area, 3 or so hours away. I headed toward Chicago early in the morning, stopped by in Milwaukee to scope it out. Milwaukee is, or rather was the city of Beer. It used to be a booming beer town. I noticed the most gothic cathedral type churches i've ever seen in my life in this town. it was pretty. while there i went to the banging art museum with wings. the wings flap on this building at noon. I was excited to see that until i saw it. it wasn't too appealing.

PBR. They do still sell it. Pabst Blue Ribbon. The cheapest beer at every bar.

The front of the winged museum, wings spread out.

The back side of the museum, wings down.

If you know the name of this artist and/or the name of the painting. i'll mail you a prize if you find out!

I was in the city of Milwaukee for a few hours. IT WAS FRIGGIN COLD!!. i drove my bike around the coast area, visited the museum and then split. Then i drove to chicago. I went there so i could go up the Sears tower.. which by the way is no longer called the sears tower. it's called the WILLIS tower.. That's right. you heard correctly. The willis tower. Start telling ur friends. Oh my. what a view. While I was up there some kid proposed to his girlfriend. She slapped him and ran away crying. .. .. .. .. That woulda stunk huh? but actually she did say yes.. her mom was there and they were blocking that window view for the next 30 minutes talking. =) but i didn't mind. They just got engaged. i just missed the pic while he was on his knee.

Get it right Willis!

On the glass hang over on the Skydeck of the willis tower

At helicopter height. prolly even higher. I think this guy flew around for our enjoyment.

Then I saw ryan later in the evening when he was free. We had dinner. I crashed in his fancy hotel room and left early the next morning. He's actually from the chicago area. When he lived in Illinois he found me on the internet when he was looking for a place to stay in San Antonio while he interviewed for an Army Musician position at Lackland. he found me on a link that I had posted about house church a while back in 08 sometime. So he came down to san antonio and stayed in my house after i did minor investigation and found out he's a nice guy. Two months later i went on my very first vacation in my life to Chicago, I got to stay at his house in the Illinois area. He's now housing me again up north.So it was good to see a little bit of  Texas for a few.

my only lame pick of ryan when he pulled up to meet me at the hotel where he was staying.

The next morning I headed back to Theresa. I stayed a few days with the Van Dykes in Theresa Wisconsin where they are living and Chris and Jen are working. Then  on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving we loaded the vehicles up and took off on an eight to 10 hr journey to Fergus Falls, MN where their house is that they are working on.  What a fun drive.

To be continued. Part two. Thanks giving/ Snow Storms/ Fergus Falls and Duluth.