Road Captain USA

We already know bikers like tattoos. A great many of my fellow riders seem to love their American trucks…probably more than have biker tattoos. In fact I saw the president of our local ABATE Chapter today peeling out of the Advanced Auto Parts store parking lot in a souped up pick up. Like the leather biker vest it took me a little while to gain an appreciation for this biker accessory. But alas, I had to get one. So now a red 2001 Dodge Dakota marks it’s territory in front of my house like an old Harley, or a baby Ram with a bladder problem. We also have a 2005 Mustang GT that’s as tight as a drum. Do you have a love for trucks and/or muscle cars? Please tell us about yours. Or tell me if you know how to clean steering fluid from hardtop now that the Dodge has stopped leaking, I need to clean up the residue.

Tags: Deep Biker Thoughts by Jay Green
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I would like you all to help me formulate a prayer that is spiritual but not religious. I want to elloquently put to words appreciation to God for his magnificent creations. I want put to words a biker’s desire to live life as an adventure and experience freedom while acknowledging the immediate risk involved with riding. I have a great life and riding my motorcycle contributes to that. I am fortunate to enjoy ownership of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. I am fortunate to have the travels and the friends that owning this motorcycle has lead to. I am also aware that a mechanical malfunction, a tire blowout, some gravel, a surprise storm, a wild animal, an inattentive driver or a minor lapse in judgement can all bring that cherished life to an end. The smallest mistake or mishap can reult in serious injuries thus changing the whole dynamic of this wonderful life I have. In one second for any number of reasons either one of us could go down and suffer broken bones and damaged organs. Months of hospitalization and rehab could replace that freedom and adventure. Medical bills and loss of income could replace the house and luxuries I now enjoy. I don’t want to live in fear but why should I if I can trade this dangerous passion for another that is less dangerous, more relaxing and as enjoyable? I want to ask God this question. Why would he make motorcycles if I was not supposed to enjoy them? Why would I have a passion for riding them if he did not want me to ride? I want to communicate my feelings of humbleness and mortality. I want God to know I cherish the life I have, I do not take any of these gifts lightly. I humbly request he watch over me and my wife. I want to request he protect us from harm. I want to thank him for the times he already has. How can I put that into a finely worded prayer that I can repeat to him before a ride? I’m not sure why I think I deserve his special attention and protection, but I would like to ask for it and most certainly would like to receive it. I also want to concede to God that if he feels it is my time to leave this earth and my dying is not an accident but part of his plan than I accept my fate. But I do not under any circumstances wish to endure pain and suffering for me or my wife. If I work hard to be a good son, a good husband, a good friend, a good employee and a good person then is it Ok for me to ask for these blessings? Have I earned the right to ask for protection from harm? If I appreciate what I have, and go forth enjoying God’s creations with humility will he listen and afford me the special protection I ask for? If you understand where I’m coming from and what I’m feeling, please say so. If you can help me word these feelings and put it into prayer form please share.

Tags: Deep Biker Thoughts by Jay Green
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I learned a lot about maintenance in the past few months. After hanging up my spurs all winter I found that not only was my bike in need of maintenance but my body had become weak. I have become another white collar coach potato. Sitting at a computer all day has wrecked my eyes and my core body strength. I can cope with wearing glasses but I will not succumb to a walker quite yet. Coming home and sitting in front of the flat screen watching NCIS and Special Victims did not help matters… nor does driving, riding or blogging… all sitting activities. Not good for the mid section! Those muscles have gone for a ride deep south and my occasional arm curl and bench press workouts have not helped keep a strong mid section.

After a bout with sciatica I started seeing a chiropractor… after seeing stars a few times. After a few visits, adjustments and PT sessions I started getting better. I have been doing the PT exercises at home and trying to walk around my neighborhood as often as possible (I wish I could do it everyday but weather and work emergencies don’t always allow for it). I’m getting stronger. A strong mid section is important and will aid in riding my motorcycle.

I used to consider walking and simple PT exercises wimpy activities compared running and pumping iron. But now that I am in my mid forties I see great importance in keeping these muscles maintained and ready. I’ll do the simple exercises because I can see what happens if I don’t when I visit my Mom at the rehab center. I’m not looking to get ripped anymore, I just want to age gracefully. I don’t want to suffer from back pain or lose the body strength needed for basic day to day activities; like going to the bathroom! I’m going to keep working my midsection. I’m going to incorporate some fun equipment I would not have deemed real workout equipment a few months ago. Like medicine balls and those big bouncy beach ball things. I’m even looking at the Kettleworx workout as a potential exercise routine.

When I get a little stronger I’ll have to face the fact that I’m going to have to work on my cardio conditioning which has also gone on vacation. Gotta fight off middle age coach potato syndrome and keep my machine well maintained for the long haul.

Tags: Deep Biker Thoughts by Jay Green
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Motorcycling is risky and the proficient motorcyclist knows that most of what matters on the road is what’s going on in the brain. If the saying “only the strong survive” is true, then the strongest biker will be the one with the most intelligence and knowledge! It will not be the motorcyclist with the most years or miles under his belt! It will be the rider with the most skill. In this case skill being the ability to use one’s knowledge effectively. 

A person’s physical strength, speed and size might matter on the football field… but not on a motorcycle! Riding ability can be instinctual but it can also be aquired. How? Most will probably tell you that experience is the best way to aquire skills. They will claim that years of experience results in skillfullness. Is that true? Does a more experienced rider have more skills than a less experienced rider if both are of equal inteligence? If you define experience strictly as time in the saddle then I would say ”no”! However if you define experience as any activity leading to increased knowledge and ability then I would say “yes”.

There is a lot to learn when it comes to riding a motorcycle safely on the roadways. There are weather, traffic and road hazzards waiting to trip you up. Small mistakes on the road can cost an arm and a leg! I would rather not have to ride a million miles and experience each and every road hazard in order to gain knowledge of them! A friend might teach a new motorcyclist the fundamentals of how to operate a motorcycle and then say “the only way to learn more is through experience.” This could be good or bad advice depending on the above mentioned definitions of “experience”. I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to wait until I have racked up a million miles before I consider myself a skilled rider. I choose to speed up the process and gain experience and knowledge through additional opportunities.

Look for opportunities to increase your knowledge of motorcycling. Fill your head with information during the cold winter months (if not all year round). Get yourself some good books to read and possibly some training DVD’s you can watch at home. Sign up for training classes at the beginning of the ride season. Then go out and practice. Take some trips and get that much sought after experience. Learn all you can, practice and become a strong rider! Remember the saying: “Only the strong survive!”. I’m sure you want to survive so get strong damn it! Also remember: “Knowledge is power!”

You can click the above banner advertisement to shop for Ride Like A Pro products at my online store: www.RoadCaptainUSA.com

You can also find out if there is a Ride Like A Pro course being taught in your area by clicking this link: www.ridelikeapro.com/locations

You can find a good selection of motorcycle related books at my Amazon store: Click here to see the books I read and recommend and here for other books.

You can go through our previous blog posts that focus on rider skills: www.roadcaptainusa.com/category/motorcycle-rider-skills/

You can visit other blogs that emphasize skills, safety and knowledge such as: http://intrepidcommuter.blogspot.com/

Tags: Deep Biker Thoughts, Rider Skills by Jay Green
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It’s already the last night of the year and time for my inner reflections here on Road Captain USA! 2011 was busy and went by fast! I was hoping 2011 would be the year I could shake off the disturbing feelings left from the motorcycle accident that happened in 2009. It was not. In fact I witnessed another fatal motorcycle accident while driving to a doctor’s appointment. Not as disturbing as losing a dear friend but still disturbing to see a dead rider in the middle of an intersection and a motorcycle in flames in the middle of the road.

So we did not shake off the blues and ride to our hearts content as we were hoping to do. Instead we worked our butts off and didn’t ride nearly as much as we had wanted to. There were a lot of car road trips as well as a fair amount of weekend motorcycle trips… but nothing epic to write about. It was my last year as Director of First State Chapter and I put a lot of work into making sure it was a quality year for the chapter. We had a record number of overnight trips with Diana organising and leading more than half of them. My career seems to have turned up a notch and I worked harder at work than ever before. Between my responsibilities at work and my making HOG a volunteer job I was working all the time and have lost touch with fun. ”Ride and Have Fun” was my mantra but now it doesn’t seem so easy to live it. I know how to make things fun for other people, but have never been good at having fun. Work, work, work! I made motorcycling into work! I don’t even like to ride anymore! I know, heresy! I have been on break from riding and hoping that backing off from the HOG chapter and starting fresh in the spring will be a good strategy. No cold weather riding this year; I haven’t done any riding since September. The tactic is to miss it so much that come spring I’ll be in love again with the open road.

There is a lot going on in my head regarding group riding and my involvement with HOG but I still can’t organise those thoughts. Don’t get me wrong, I am still involved with HOG! In 2011 I helped John Hardison with a proposal for the 2012 Maryland Delaware rally proposal and the proposal was voted in. Diana and I are both serving on the 2012 rally committee. The rally is in 6 months and that will be our focus from now through mid June. In July and August we will attend two HOG rallies as participants. That should be fun!

We bought a 4×4 truck today! Our hope is this purchase opens up a new chapter in motorcycling for us called: Trailering! I know there are hard core riders who frown on trailering. Many of you proudly wear your “I rode to Daytona” and similar patches and turn your noses up at traler queens. I’m sure you can argue that riding to the destination IS the experience. Everyone is different! I’m not a biker! I’m a recreational rider and a Harley enthusiast. I don’t like to get up early and I don’t like to ride after dusk. I don’t want to travel the highways on my motorcycle with Diana knowing the fatality that can result from the smallest obstacle, misjudgement or cager at highway speeds. I do love traveling on my schedule, hitting the backroads and riding all day in the mountains with my wife (and sometimes friends). So trailering is appealing. The 4×4 pick up truck also opens up other passtimes like camping and boating which could enhance or even replace riding. I know, heresy!

In 2012 I will continue to work hard but I’m hoping to play hard too! I hope you can join us at the 2012 Maryland Delaware State Rally in Deep Creek Lake on June 14, 15, 16 and 17th at The Wisp Resort in McHenry, Maryland. Make your reservations now as the resort is filling up quick and we have special rates. Click here to go to the Wisp Resort website. There are only about 160 rooms available at the resort, so hurry!

Tags: Deep Biker Thoughts by Jay Green
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So you’ve taken the plunge and bought a motorcycle.  You have instantly become a part of arguably the largest fraternity on earth – the brotherhood of bikers…or have you?  You cruise down the road and other motorcyclists drop you a “low two” or give you a nod in acknowledgment.  People talk to you at gas stations about how cool your chrome looks, how many miles you get to the tank full, or how much they’ve always wanted to get a bike.  But somehow you always seem to be riding alone.

Somehow these “brothers” seem more like random passers-by than people with whom you share a deep bond.  But yet you see large groups of them riding together down the street, and there are all kinds of group insignia worn on the backs of the dudes at your local bike night.  That, my friend, is where my story begins…

There are countless motorcycle organizations across the globe.  Most are drawn together by some bond such as firefighters, law enforcement, military/veterans, races, religions, or even the brand of bike they ride.  Some are family-oriented.  Some worship leather, spikes, and tattoos.  The beauty of it all is that there are so many motorcycling organizations out there that you are sure to find one that fits your niche.

Once you find a group that suits you, you are very likely to get much more than you bargained for when you joined.  A riding organization or club can offer some of the deepest friendships you’ll ever find, a support system for whatever tragedies life throws your way, and a wealth of information on places to ride, motorcycle safety, gear & accessories, getting through the inspection lanes at the DMV, and even the best insurance, breakdown cover, and roadside assistance plans!

The best part of all is that when you are a member of a motorcycle riding organization, you will never have to ride alone again.

Tags: Deep Biker Thoughts, Mrs Road Captain by Diana Green
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