Chain Ring Cowboy

Mason's travels have, over time, delivered him to many places. Part of the deal, the other half if you will, is that going places always results in coming back to where he started. He never thought much about it, that Mason fellow, but every time he ventured off on a journey, whether it be planned out for a long period, or just a whimsical jaunt, he always came back to where he started. It was always part of the trip, most times just the unwinding spell put in for digestion and reflection. There was always time to relish the trip just made, and perhaps overlap thinking about the next. Never ever has there been the thought of "no more trips." Round trip has always been to a place called home. Once upon a time not too long ago, Mason left home and ended up in a place he called home back in a day. On that certain day, the day he left home that traversed him to arrive home, his thinking changed. He began to not reflect or digest his first half of the journey. In fact the oppo...

Trip Planning. Picture this. With little say, on any given day, put in a picture instead of words, and just be on your way DEF MODE At all times or at any time it's ever. Forever has been that way and will also be from now on.

If I've learned my lessons in life it means that I paid attention to errors in judgement I've made along the way. I think this holds true for the good choices I've been lucky enough to make also. That old saying that history repeats itself is so true many times over in this world as it it begins at the individual level and weaves its way through the family, community, city, state, world, and perhaps the universe. But it doesn't have to be that way we all know, and in fact nothing is exactly the same even though it seems that way to the undiscerning eye. Self help books and thinking that I first became aware of about 25 years ago drove it into our heads that we keep repeating bad choices, especially in regard to relationships or substance abuse, because of some unresolved issue we acquired in our youth. Now I am not discounting this theory or those like them in anyway, but contend that no two experiences are the same, just only may appear that way. It is though, worth ex...

Abigail was tired and weary, her horses were tired and weary too, but as a team they were dedicated to moving forward through the rough hills and bumpy trail of this vast wasteland; trudging the wagon westward. Abigail had been through a lot in this life. Strong willed, yet humble, never to complain or despair about what life brings in the way of trials and rewards. Going across this barren land in search of the proper place has brought on trials of many kinds with few rewards. Her strong resolve toward the daily push set the best example of what her Creator had intended for all of us to have. Knowledge that life is a toil to be relished not so much seeking the comforts of relaxed idleness has to be taught to most people, but few like Abigail understood intuitively that the purpose of life is to toil. When one gets it as she has, one becomes synergistic with the grand plan of the universe. Calvin was moving slowly over the trail with his team of horses pulling the rickety wagon. The ho...

There is a project, "White Bike", I think it is called. I googled White Bike and come up with a community bike program where one is supposed to ride a bike when they need transportation and then leave the bike unlocked for someone else to use when they need transportation. But around here that is the Yellow Bike Project which is a dieing program and an another issue all together, I'm not sure where or how Whit Bike originated, maybe Ontario, or Quebec, or Chicago or who knows where, but I hope it continues and grows as an awareness program. When a bicyclist is killed on public streets someone chains a bicycle at the spot of the "accident" and leaves it there. There are two white bicycles in South Austin, and the only two that I am aware of in the city. One of them is on South First Street in what I consider an extremely dangerous road for bicycling. I don't know the particulars of that one but I am glad it is there. The bike pictured here is on South Cong...

After loading the bike with my clothes, lunch, wallet and badge, I noticed I had a rear flat tire. The other day I had a mishap going to work and had to have some work done to the bike and put new tires on. The rear tire was damaged, but I replaced both of them. So the flat this morning was a bit of a surprise for me. I wasn't in the mood to change the tire on this particualar morning, so I transfered everything to the Impala and just drove in. I didn't trust that if I repaired the flat, that I would not have other problems coming in, so it didn't take long for me to decided that today was not a riding day. I have already talked to Sidney out in Florida this morning and when I told him about it, he said "oh well, you have somethhing to do when you get home this evening". He is right about that. I will just have to make up the riding time and miles later, besides it's ok to miss a some days this time of year. I've decided that Odyssey has put in such good s...

When did the term "Mother Nature" come into language and thought? Some sources say that the English language started using the phrase around the 1660's. Based on Ancient Greek schools of thought, philosophers thought up the word Nature when they figured out the concept of the world as being a whole thing. But it wasn't that easy back then because it took a long time, well it seems like a long time back then, to decide what should go into this nature being. Some things like stars and moon were left out for a while. Now looking back, it seems like, in Earth's time clock, it wasn't that long ago after all. Some of us think that the Universe, stars, moon Earth, and You were made by GOD. I DO. I think that one day He snapped his fingers and creation set in motion, or maybe it was one night. Was that the Big Bang I heard a while ago? Us humans have thought of a lot of things since we were handed a brain and a conscious mind, too many things to list them all here. ...

Good New Year to you. Good Entire Year to you. May we all live this year like there is no tomorrow year..... When I was, I dunno, around 13 years old, to the coaxing and guidance of my parents, I rustled up some summertime odd jobs around the neighborhood, mostly yard mowing and watering when folks would go off on vacation. I saved up some money to by a Western Flyer sold at Western Auto. If I remember correctly, I spent about 36 dollars and some change to get that bike out from behind the window glass and out on the streets. $36.00 was a lot of money back in the early 60's, so I feel like I got on heck of a great bike. It was beautiful with it's cowling attached to the top tube to make it look like it had some real body to it. The fenders were metal and painted and shiny just as was the chain guard. The handlebar was bent with a sleek look. So what does a 13 year old do who is living in the new suburbs in a new house with a new bike? he takes all those aesthetic parts off t...