Unstructured Thoughts

New backup camera body to the D4S for my photography company. #WeddingPrep #PatriotImages #36MP #FX

So yeah, there's this. I know how to party on a Thursday night. (at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital)

Caught this little fella stealing the birdseed this morning at breakfast.

It only took a month but it finally showed up. Rest easy Doc. #SemperFi

Packed up and ready to go see These United States of 'Merica.

Time to dust this blog off and get ready for another fun filled trip on two wheels to Deadwood, South Dakota.

My new buddy Snuffy that I picked up after riding Tail of the Dragon this morning. He's gonna keep me company.

Mainstreet America is alive and well.

Day 1 climbing the mountains.

That is how I can describe our first two days of riding the Blue Ridge Parkway end to end. The twisties and constant 45 mph speedlimit are a pure joy. There are several switchbacks where you can't even do the posted speed limit. I lost count of how many deer are turkey we have seen. On our first day we did 257 miles and camped via tents at Meadows of Dan. Not a bad place dor $33 for all three tents. The batheooms and showers were clean and we had electricity a at out tent site. We spent the evening building a fire and cooking "great jot dogs" over an open flame washing it down with a 12 pack of Heinekin and a 12 pack of Busch. The beer pickins were a bit slim in backwoods america. So far we have had a blast and still have 8 days and 3,500+ miles to go. So to the title of this post our first day was low mileage but the ride and memories were HIGH QUALITY.

A wee bit foggy today.

While the subject of this post is on my bucket list so is riding the Blue Ridge Parkway end to end. God's country is just amazing!!!!!!!!

Southern fried chicken in Big Island, Virginia..

Our first stop so we can rally with John and head south.

Before heading out to Colorado I am stopping for a 5,000 mile service at Waugh Harley Davidson in Orange, VA. I have 2,600 miles on Black Betty and I really didnt need service until around the 4,000 mile mark but I don't trust my bike to just anyone. I only trust Waugh's service department. Waiting to start leg 1 of this trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway to the tail of the Dragon once my service is complete.

And so the 4,000 mile 9 day trip to Pikes Peak Colorado begins!!

So driving home this afternoon on 95 South and I'm on a call with a co-worker reviewing one of our strategic business plans. I'm rocking 70 MPH with an 18 wheeler about 30 yards ahead of me in the right lane with very light traffic. All is well and I am cruising along when I hear what sounds like a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) go off and I see shrapnel flying towards me and Stella as the left rear tire of the 18 wheeler exploded. The first words out of my mouth were "HOLY SH1T" and I started my ninja evasive maneuvers. The entire time I am bobbing and weaving to avoid the million pieces of rubber spewing everywhere my co-worker is freaking out and asking me what's going on. I promptly tell him to "shut up" so I can focus. I was able to successfully avoid all of the shrapnel and return to the call to apologize to my co-worker and relive my story impressing him with my sharp hand and eye coordination (thank you XBox) and the awesomeness that is Stella. We laughed, finished our business call, amd said our goodbyes. With my heart now beating less than 200 bpm I can safely say that I'm still alive to get home to take my wife out for her birthday this evening! God is good.