Mini-bike racing and an upcoming return to the American Southwest. #jkroams

I helped with a quick write up for a new (to me) charity I volunteer for, and figured I would share. Motorcycle Missions is based in Austin, Texas but does different programs all over the country. However, since they have multiple programs happening this month in the central Texas area, I'm down in Austin helping out. For blog posts though, I can of course be anywhere, so I've already done a profile on…

I finally found a movie I wanted to review that involved cars instead of motorcycles, but it had all the momentum of a flat tire. Red Dirt Rising is a 2010 film that felt like a straight-to-TV movie from the 1980's. They clearly had a budget for cars and wardrobe, with the 1930's-1940's era vibe being pushed very well through the imagery.

I believe a huge reason I like the old "Chopper Operas" of the 1950's through the 1980's is nostalgia. They are usually filmed in Southern California, where I'm originally from, and I can recognize many of the streets, bridges, and even the buildings used. The old school bikes and costumes were new at the time, and there's usually an interesting contrast between characters dressed by the wardrobe department and actual bikers used as extras.

Just a quick note. Because I got a new helmet and need a new mount for my camera, I don't have many pictures to share of my travels recently. I reckon most of you just scroll through and look at the pics anyway, so why waste time writing about things if there's not photos to keep you on the page for more than 30-seconds?

I attended a rat rod show on the Kentucky river and my only regret is that it didn't last longer...

While I haven't finished reading it, I still want to recommend this book-- The Penguin's Progress -- and for you to get a library card if you don't have one. #jkroams

My time at the Jackpine Gypsies Super TT ended up having me be a stand-in crew member for a few brief but memorable minutes. #jkroams #americanflattrack #flattrack

The ride home gave me time to reflect on Sturgis Rally 2025 and my time with Motorcycle Missions. #motorcyclemissions #harleydavidson #sturgis2025 #jkroams

Not only did I make it to Kentucky since my last post, but I then went north to Milwaukee, for the Harley Homecoming event, where I met up with the people at Motorcycle Missions. While I had met th…

Questionable YouTube channels are using AI-generated videos about new motorcycles that don't really exist, all in the name of chasing clicks.

Laws aimed at protecting landowners from liability lawsuits could encourage more people to allow recreational off-road motorcycle riding on private property.

Not only did I make it to Kentucky since my last post, but I then went north to Milwaukee, for the Harley Homecoming event, where I met up with the people at Motorcycle Missions. While I had met the founder, Krystal Hess, at Sturgis while volunteering for Veterans Charity Ride, this was my first chance to volunteer and see what the programs and people were all about.

There is still no plan for a big summer trip this year. I'm in the process of moving from southern Arizona to Kentucky, via Lake Tahoe, California, but with it being mostly interstate, there is little to get excited about as far as photography is concerned. I spent some time in Las Vegas helping a friend with a used truck he purchased, then shot up out of the desert heat into the quiet reaches of Tahoe in a single day (about 450mi).

While it's common for militaries of the world to use motorcycles, they are normally used in small numbers and either for courier work behind the lines, or by small teams conducting special operations. I recently came across an article about the war in Ukraine though, where Russia is using dirt bikes and quads in blitzkrieg-style assaults. This was something you didn't even see in World War 2, where motorcycles saw peak-usage.

Generative A.I. continues to improve almost daily, and I've been using it as a tool to shorten the path between question and answer. It's strength is in doing the 20-minutes of internet searching I would do, then summing it up, in about 10-seconds. I don't expect it to actually have opinions or to figure anything out, but it really surprised me the other day.

It's interesting how things unfold. It feels like nothing has happened since the last update, though quite a few things happened. Perspective is everything. Meeting new people and having several of them mention that I must have a lot of stories and my life seems really wild reminded me that this my "business as usual" isn't very "usual." Part of why I document my travels is actually so I reflect on them and let them sink in a bit.

I just saw this article on the BBC's website about a photograph. It was eventually used by an article called "The Big Empty," which shared photos of how empty things were during the pandemic and lockdowns. This particular picture was taken in February or 2020, very early on, but in Beijing, where people were staying home even before the lockdowns became literal.

Some thoughts on mindfully exploring, and a recent road trip I took into the desert mountains. #jkroams

A weekly update that is more an inquiry of the nature of understanding and what is means to be present in the moment.

I buy a VW Baja Bug and have some ideas. #jkroams

The Biker B-movie that really launched the "Chopper Opera" genre is not Easy Rider or The Wild One, but it has familiar faces...

Another lap around the sun for planet Earth. Deciding where the beginning and end of a circle are is a bit more than I'd like to fathom at the moment, but the beginning of a new year is always a good time for reflections. I don't see reinvention though, but an apt time to simply look at progress, goals, check the definition of "here" and "there" and to see if all the effort is worth it.

Sense of accomplishment is a funny thing. We can get it from summiting a mountain or fitting into our pre-Christmas skinny clothes. Really, who cares where it comes from? The main thing is, things must be getting checked off whatever list is in our head, or we wouldn't likely feel it. The last two weeks though I've had one main task that was actually several tasks smooshed together: do all the deferred maintenance on the Indian Chieftain after this year's trip.