Grand Adventure

He’s Back in the Saddle Again… Working out Daddy Issues

2009-07-20T12:04:00.000-07:00

After almost seven months of up again – down again and finally up again medical issues a treatment stemming from my December 28 motorcycle accident or Involuntary Dismount I have finally been medically released and as “normal” as they can get me.

After a week off the blood thinners I was time to get back on the horse so Saturday I did a helmet buying trip and Sunday took my first ride on my brother-in–law’s bike. I must say the first ten minutes were tense but I was then able to take a deep breath and relax for a very enjoyable ride. As it happens the route I chose took me within a few hundred feet of the site of the accident. So along the way I decided that facing my fear was an imperative. When the time came I took a left turn onto the same freeway onramp that nearly took my life seven months earlier.

So I told both Fear and the Devil that it was true that they were more powerful than me but that anything they had to say to me they would first need to take up with my Father and I was sure He was not intimidated by them at all.

This raises a question of faith in The Father…

For much of my life I had real issues with a God who chose to reveal himself as a father. I didn’t meet my biological father until I was 19 and we have only spent three day together. Let’s leave it at he was not available to father me and even if he were he wasn’t really up to the job. Because of that I have looked with a combination of suspicion and desire at the relationships that friends had with their fathers and felt I had been cheated out of something special and required to bring a boy into manhood. So I did the only thing I could… I faked it! I put on my best “real Man” act and worked the “checklist”

A Real Man can:

· Drive a car… Fast Check I even got a racing license
· Get a woman Check That obsession destroyed a marriage and nearly killed me
· Hold your liquor Check but another addiction and could have died

So in the end my best efforts and flawed list turned me into a middle age boy but not a man.

This whole time I was exposed to teaching that my “Father” in heaven loved me. I accepted that but always ran that through a filter created by my father and other men I knew and concluded that you could keep that kind of love.

Over and over again my life would spin out of control causing countless harm to myself and those I most cared about and I was powerless to avoid the “potholes” that tripped me or come close to ever removing or healing the hurt I caused. Slowly along the way I began to learn about this God who insisted on being Father.

I went through at least four phases:

Are you kidding Me Phase? Mostly I was angry that God got to decide to be Father, who did this God think he was. Didn’t he know that this made the whole “God thing” even harder for me. This phase was also mixed with a lot of pretending it didn’t bother me, in fact while I was a paid member of the professional clergy I was in this phase. I’m not telling you to mistrust you Pastor just give them some slack they are people too. This phase had prayers like “Take this away from me I don’t want to be like this anymore.”

The bones you have crushed cry out for mercy Phase I Psalm 32 David says this to God while he was refusing to repent for his sin. For him and later Me God’s love was to great to allow us to rebel without being forced to deal with Him. For me he accelerated the consequence of my Sin while limiting or removing all my options for healing or peace apart from Him.

I surrender Phase Finally I came to an end of myself and surrendered to the God who wanted to be my Father. I gave up my “rights” and allowed for the possibility that God was God and might actually know what was best for me and could be a father to the fatherless.

My Dad can beat up your dad Finally I was home broken and collapsed in the arms of my Father and it turns out that I needed fathering in a way that only He could Father. It had nothing to do with my absentee father, even if I had the best of all human fathers I would need fathering from God to complete the fathering that I or any man needs to truly live a life that can be used by God for His Glory.

With the deepest respect for A W Tozer… I do not believe God must wound a man deeply to use him deeply. I do believe that we are all wounded deeply by our choices, the choices of others and the consequences of those choices and we have to choose to allow God into those deeply wounded places. Where we choose to keep Him out we are limiting a way He could both heal and use us. So in that way I do agree with Tozer, God must touch and handle with seeming unbearable intimacy our deep wounds before he can use us deeply.

So what does this have to with a motorcycle adventure Blog? Just this, that accident was a wound and helped build my faith in God but is was by far NOT my deepest wound or the deepest place that God needed to touch me. Because I was over time able to allow Him to go deep, trusting Him with this was not a challenge to my faith. One day, possible very soon something is going to happen to you or your family that you could not have been prepared for and that time will go better if you have allowed God to go Deep and father you in ways you couldn’t have imagined.

I am glad to be back in the saddle but I am so much gladder I have a real Father in Heaven.

Involuntary Dismount and a long slow recovery

2009-02-12T10:22:00.001-08:00

On December 28, the last day of the regular NFL season I took a leisurely ride before the Denver San Diego game but I didn’t make it home for twenty six days. A few hours into the ride I had an accident, or what I call an Involuntary Dismount and while I would like to give you the details I have complete amnesia from one mile before the accident site until nine days later.
From what I know second hand, the crash took place on a freeway onramp and the bike was destroyed by the guardrail while I was blessed enough to fly over or under it.
After a total of six and a half weeks I have returned to work part time.
As far as riding again, I have not decided yet but have three issues to resolve before I could ride again.
1. The bike and safety equipment were destroyed so I would need to spend lots of $$$ to ride again.
2. I am on blood thinners for about the next six months so riding and knife juggling may not be wise right now.
3. I view riding as a risk management exercise where I need to identify a risk, make a quick mitigation decision and execute it without hesitation. Given my memory lapse of the event, I have no lessons to learn and do not know if I made an error in judgment or execution that caused this injury.
Of the three issues the third is the most troubling for me.

I am still convinced of the need for a man to have adventure and am seeking alternate forms of adventure while riding is not an option.
The one thing I would never want to happen is to hear that my experience led anyone to abandon riding or any adventure because of my story. Men need adventure and more than that any man who lives life with the goal of being careful or to tries to manage life with the goal of avoiding risk is living a shallow life and taking on part of God’s job in providing for them.
Please continue to ride (or whatever) and let God be the one who protects you. He wasn’t done with me and arranged for me to miss the guardrail – He is a Big God and can handle the small stuff.
The picture is what was left of the bike.

If you want to hear more details or see more pictures of my recovery go to my wife's blog at

http://www.robbieiobst.blogspot.com/

Part 4 the rest of the Story

2008-09-24T11:39:00.000-07:00

After two nights in South Dakota we said goodbye to the family and headed west to Montana. We passed an area where all the trees were snapped off about five feet above the ground not sure how or why but it was interesting. As we approached the Wyoming state line we passed about 100 bikes going the other way – very cool. After a few hours of very nice roads we arrived at Devils Tower National Monument (think Close Encounters of the Third Kind) it is a spectacular view standing in the middle of a green valley, just amazing. We stopped for lunch about a mile away and then continued went to Hardin, MT near the Little Bighorn battlefield. Shortly after lunch we encountered a problem, Ray was having problems holding speed and line when we checked with him he realized he didn’t take his insulin with lunch and needed to rest so we stopped at the B & J Convenience store located near the edge of nowhere. As Ray rested Scott, Phil and I visited and wrote in our journals. We also learned from the lady running the store that our next few hundred miles were through an Indian reservation with an added warning to not breakdown, stop or eat anything along the way. Phil then shared an Arizona motorcycle store involving stopping uninvited on reservation land he and a friend had – suffice it to say we were motivated to avoid a repeat of that adventure. After Rays rest we were on the road again and found that our route was on a stretch of road that due to construction was dirt and gravel road for about 12 miles. Not knowing the area and seeing that backtracking would add hundreds of miles we pressed on. About 100 yards in we encountered a blind dip that shot Scott’s T-Bag so high in the air it cleared his head. Since no one was hurt it was easy to laugh about it and thankfully the road was much smoother after that. We ended the day in Hardin, MT and a camp ground that spent more on the website than the property – It was a total dive and overrun with Mosquitoes. To round out the sleepless night was the trains that passed through the town blowing a horn at every cross street all night long. We woke the next day tired and cranky and for the first time on the trip needing to ride two days in a row. This leg of the trip should have been our best day… Bear tooth Pass and Yellowstone, but the lack of sleep and miles took a toll and the first 1/3 of the day was boring riding and a hot day. When we stopped before the beginning of Bear Tooth Pass we had a disagreement as to the plan to ride it together at a pace comfortable for the slowest rider or split-up and meet at the entrance of Yellowstone. Frustrations and disagreements aside, Bear Tooth is a spectacular ride and well worth going out of the way if you are ever near north western Wyoming. When we joined up at the entrance to Yellowstone I thought we all had stopped for Gas because I saw Scott pulling out of a station as I pulled in and I saw Phil and Ray stop, turns out Scott stopped for the restroom and didn’t get gas because he had ½ a tank and didn’t know how far the next town was. So our relaxing ride through Yellowstone turned into Scott drafting 6” off the back of my bike while Phil and Ray were trying to figure out why Scott had abandoned the staggered riding formation. We found gas, no body died and at tribal council no one was voted off the trip. By the time we reached Jackson, WY we were tired and it was good that we didn’t need to ride anywhere for the next four days. I was planning to take a side trip the next day and go to Nevada and back because I had never ridden in that state so I skipped dinner and went to bed. The KOA at Jackson was great, the tent sites are separated from the RV sites and we were 20 feet from the Snake River, the lack of sleep and stress of the ride and the soothing sounds of the river conspired and I slept way past the 6:00am planned departure time. So I joined the boys for breakfast only to discover my clutch lever was not engaging the clutch properly. We stopped and found that the master cylinder was almost empty. After topping it off all was well so we all headed off in different directions, my ride was cut short when after about 15 miles the clutch lever want soft again. I checked it and the reservoir was full but the new fluid was very dirty, clearly it had sucked air into the line so I went back to camp. Later that afternoon when it had cooled down Scott and Phil helped me bleed the system and it has been fine since that time. The next day we went on a rafting trip and it was great. The four of us were joined by a family from Poland. On the trip we saw a Bald Eagle and it was amazing, we also had the chance to get out of the boat on a long calm section of the river. I initially didn’t get out because I was concerned about getting my 6”2” 290lb body back in the boat but Phil who jumped in pulled me in from behind. After the initial shock from the cold water it was the best part of the trip. It reminded me of God’s Grace like the River we don’t know where it will take us but we are none the less held safe and can if we choose not to fight for control float peacefully along enjoying the moment. When the time came to get back in the boat it was as ugly as I thought but thankfully we have no photographic evidence of that event. We ended the river trip and relived it all on the bus ride back to camp; we were hungry and exhilarated so we went to Bubba’s BBQ in Jackson for a great meal and then a good night sleep. I took a side ride to Idaho and had a huckleberry shake and enjoyed and mountain road with a 12 percent grade which is as steep and paved road I have ridden, It had one fast left hand corner that had an optical illusion making the road appear to end and having you fly into a valley thousands of feet below (Can you say pucker factor?) Since I am writing this you can rest assured that I survived that corner.

After four nights we were sad to say goodbye to Jackson and the Snake River but it was time to go. The ride south to Utah started beautifully but became a flat boring challenge match to stay awake for mile after mile of sameness. The only distraction came with a traffic stop for road construction where Phil and I each listening to different music on our I-Pods were dancing in the street while we waited for our turn to ride the one lane road to nowhere. Not sure who gave us stranger looks Scott and Ray or the drivers of the cars around us. Let’s face it sometimes you just have to dance!

Quick stop for Fireworks and lunch and Ray told us that this was going to be his last day, he needed to go back to TX because of family issues and was going to get a hotel in UT to get a better night sleep before the two very long days of riding he had coming.

We went through something called the Valley of Fire (Sounds inviting doesn’t it?) and after miles of stark beauty came to a dam and a lake with boats and stopped to get wet and cool off. As it turns out after a very hot day I got wet only to then drive into a storm and a cold front you never know what is around the next corner. Before long we came out of the small storm and arrived at the KOA in Vernal, UT Too much to eat at a buffet and out to a movie before a great night under the stars, no tent needed that night.

From Utah the plan was for two days of riding in the Colorado Rockies but when we woke up we missed home more than we wanted to tour our home state. Part of the planned fun was showing Ray the Rockies but he was gone and the three of ride these mountains all the time (I know we are spoiled) so we cut a day off and headed for Denver. It was a full day ride avoiding the major highways and enjoying riding and views that are not possible anywhere else with the possible exception of the Alps. Climbing and falling thousands of feet and spending a good part of the day above 10,000’ is something every motorcycle rider should experience at least once.

When I ride I get a strange reverse altitude sickness where it doesn’t seem like a ride unless I can get above 10,000’ for a while.

Wrap-up

The riding was great and the memories will last a lifetime. I was put in a position to face my fears about leading and like all human endeavors that was filled with both success and failure. The best part is the failing is I got to feel the fear of not being enough so God could remind me that I was never intended to be enough and to lean on Him.

Last week I asked the company to create a position leading a team and to be responsible for a federally mandated program and told then I wanted that job. This would have never happened if the conflict of the ride hadn’t happened first, and I thought we were just going for a motorcycle ride.

Wrap-up

Part 3 The Good Stuff

2008-08-19T11:06:00.000-07:00

Somewhere between the planning, expectations and conflicts was a great ride…

Day one Thursday 7/10 3:00am

I could hardly sleep the night before the ride it was so exciting and I didn’t want to oversleep. Up early to pack the bike and head out to the rally point a Shell gas station sough of Parker, CO. Unfortunately Phil and Ray went to a Conoco station a mile away so we didn’t meet until 3:40 but such is life on the road. We also had our first mechanical issue; Phil’s tail light was burnt out so he could not be seen from behind in the dark. With no way to repair it without parts and nothing open at that time we put phil between Ray and I and off we went to meet Scott for breakfast at Brush, CO – about 140 miles from Parker.

We saw a great sunrise (sorry no pictures, it kept getting better and all of the sudden it was too late) We did experience the strangest weather that morning… The temperature dropped at sunrise as compared to 3:00am to the point that we needed to stop and add a layer of clothing. Scott was waiting in Brush and we had breakfast at a large building with a sigh that read “Hay Auction” (See Above) The building was also home to the Cowboy Church. After breakfast we got gas and hit the road.

At one point rider who will remain nameless took turns leaving the pack and testing the strength on the bungee cords to see if the tent will stay attached at 100+ MPH. After a few minutes of that we rejoined as a group and road at or near the speed limit and crossed into Nebraska. At our next Gas stop we found out that Ray and Phil got very little sleep and needed a nap so we found a park with some shade (it was getting HOT) and they went to sleep as Scott and I found an auto part store to fix Phil’s running light problem, and join them for the last part of the nap. A quick lunch and off to Alliance, NE home of Carhenge http://www.carhenge.com/index.htm a full scale replica of Stonehenge made of Cars. My guess is that Carhenge is a great place to visit if the temperature is in the 70s or 80s but when the day is in the high 90s to low 100s it was just a hot field with a bunch of dead cars.

At this point we were all hot, tired and getting more than a little cranky. The ride out of Nebraska into South Dakota is boring and that is putting it nicely. The Black Hills of South Dakota have some great riding but coming from the south you don’t get to the Black Hills until the last 40 miles or so.

Just as we entered the Black Hills area we passed through the town of Hot Springs where the Bank sign said it was 101 and we are all sure it had cooled down by then, in short it was HOT! The last forty miles to Custer were beautiful and dangerous. The beauty is obvious but the danger was more subtle, it was the combination of several things: 550 miles which are more than most of us ride in a week, heat (Did I mention it was HOT?) and four legged obstacles (Buffalo, Deer and Elk Oh My) On mile 547 of 550 miles with the one traffic light in sight a deer bolted in front of me and I was on the brakes hard and almost got run down by the other guys in the group who didn’t see what had happened. Moments later we entered the KOA with our heart rates returning to normal to see our families were already in the pool. After stripping down and standing under a cold shower for several minutes I began feeling normal again.

What a day!!! Two State Lines, 100+ heat, Car Art, Bike Repair, Midday Naps and a Cold Shower It just doesn’t get any better than that.

We spend two nights in Custer visiting Mt Rushmore and the surrounding area before the families went back to Denver and we pushed to the west but that is another day

More to come.

Get the Bunny 2008 Part 2... Processing the emotions of the ride

2008-08-01T11:22:00.000-07:00

This ride had more planning than D-Day; I have been talking, mapping, planning and dreaming about this for more than six months. This is completely contrary to my normal riding approach where I start the ride having no idea where I will end up and only a vague idea of when I will return. This trip not only had maps but reservation for camping every night. As a result the adventure was not to be found in the mystery of the ride but in the mystery of the personalities on the ride.

As the default ride leader it was assumed by everyone that I would make the decisions and on the bike that was fine but when we stopped I was out of my element. My nature is to take things as they come more than direct the outcome and in conflict I am not a “Force of Will” kind of guy. In other words I would make a lousy General.

Our first night camping was only the second time I would setup a tent in my adult life. Given the vast camping experience that Phil had I deferred to him but because that was not clearly communicated it was a surprise to him and how he reacted to that surprise was a surprise to me. Not that Phil is a bad guy; I love him and consider him a friend. Phil is a “Force of Will” kind of leader and after a very long and hot day in the saddle (over 550 miles much in excess of 100 degrees) He was shocked when I didn’t continue to lead when we arrived at the camp. In all the months of planning I never had the division of leadership discussion. So Phil who leads as part of his life, work and ministry was expecting this ride to be a vacation for leadership responsibilities was surprised to be pushed into that role. He took to it but was less than gracious in the transition. He later referred to the event by saying “In the absence of leadership the A-Hole will appear.”

For some time I was thinking that at my age I should move into management at work instead of continuing as a SME (Subject Matter Expert) and Developer. A benefit of this trip was to place that consideration under the microscope of a field trial. I thing I would remain an SME for now and the immediate future.

Scott seems to have a gift for contentment, at least form my prospective he never got caught up in the friction that existed between the three of us. I wish I could learn that contentment but with all the unspoken expectations I had around this trip I set myself up to fail in the area of contentment.

Ray joined the ride at Phil’s invitation so he and I didn’t meet until the morning of day one. He and Phil have had a 30 year history that among other things has seen Ray cycle between being a committed Christian to disappointment and bitterness towards the Church to agnosticism at that point he and Phil will have long and difficult talks to convince him to return to being a committed Christian. At the time of the ride Ray was deep in an agnostic cycle and whiles his stated reason to join the ride was for the ride it seemed to me that his unstated reason was to get time alone with Phil. This caused friction between Ray and Phil in particular and all of us in general. It also seemed to me that Ray is comfortable being a little needy and the point of focus for the group which I would guess contributes to his dissatisfaction with the Church for not meeting his needs. I liked Ray and his sense of humor (The man is a pun machine and is always good for a laugh) but I am not sure I would want to go on another multiple day ride with him.

I started out very angry with Ray and Phil for inviting him but have come to accept the fact that we all brought baggage on the trip (not just the kind you attach to the bike with bungee cords. Ray is a great guy who may never get to know very well.

A large part of my life is spent with men at 12 step meetings who are wounded and want it to be about them but the demands of recovery is you give that attitude up or you don’t recover. I don’t have 30 year relationships with men who don’t change in that time. In recovery if you can’t or won’t change you tend to not stick around the meetings for very long. So I don’t understand Ray and Phil’s relationship. For my part I was also going on vacation from being a 12 step sponsor so encountering a man who reminded me so much of the men who walk into the meetings was not what I was hoping for in a vacation.

So the adventure was not the surprise around the corner it was the surprise around the camp fire. It took me some time to recognize the value in this different type of adventure where the Father called me to walk closer to him in the area of how I see myself and others and to learn how I lack grace for others and myself at times.

Thank You Father for surprises in surprising ways

Get the Bunny 2008 Part 1

2008-07-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

Four for the Road!

We just concluded an eight state 2400+ mile motorcycle ride and I am having a hard time writing about it because it was different that I expected.
I remember the moment when the thought first came to me. It was about a year ago, July 2007 near the end of a family road trip / vacation. We had gone from Denver to Albuquerque for a family wedding then on to San Diego for vacation. On the trip home we stopped and visited friends I have known since High School in Temecula, CA. While visiting and reminiscing I was remembering a cross country motorcycle trip I took in 1978 and though about the next summer being the 30th anniversary of that ride. How to commemorate such an event? I hadn’t ridden in 26 years so I tucked the thought away. 30 years older and a bad back from an auto accident I couldn’t ride a bike again, or could I? A few weeks later on a family drive to Estes Park when I brought the possibility up with my wife Robbie who surprised me with her support.
First step was to take a Motorcycle Safety Course and get my license again then my brother-in-law Phil arranges for us to take a day ride and for me to borrow a friend’s 1200 Gold Wing and the ride was great including some beautiful roads in the Rockies, it is good to live in Denver if you ride. So I had fun and my back was fine, now came the near impossible task of finding a comfortable, reliable bike for less than 2000.00 Craigslist to the rescue. I had focused the search on Gold Wings but one day expanded it to include the Yamaha Venture and found and clean 83 model for 1800.00 so I bought it. After several short rides I took an 800 mile one day ride to see how my back would be on a long trip and all was well.
As the planning began I decided to make this trip different than the original where I took the Interstate system to make the best possible time and I took that trip alone. This time no Interstates if possible and the invitation was open for whoever wanted to come along. The first to join was Phil and then Ray and long time friend of his from Texas and a late addition was Scott. The four of us would do eight states in nine days.
The basic plan was to go to Mt Rushmore then north to Canada, southwest to Yellowstone and back to Denver. When we looked closely at the route we saw day after day of flat hot riding and when you are spoiled by the Rocky Mountains in your back yard that is too much to take. So we eliminated Canada and added a stop at Devil’s Tower in WY and a longer stop at Jackson Hole just south of Yellowstone and a white water raft trip. We extended the return trip to include Utah and added a side trip to Idaho while in Jackson Hole. Any excuse for riding in another state.
I guess I should explain the name of the ride “Get the Bunny” It started with our dog Scooby who is obsessed with chasing and rarely catch bunnies. I had to admire his tenacity and single minded pursuit. I adopted his attitude when it came to riding and adventure when on a ride to no place in particular it hit me; I have never ridden in Kansas so I “Got the Bunny” and added another state to my resume. So part of the route planning was to get as many states as possible for the miles ridden. At the end of the trip I am up to 30 with the goal of 49 before I stop riding. I don’t have any desire to fly to Hawaii to rent a bike so 49 will do for me.
There is a rule that the difference between what you expect and what you get is equal to your disappointment and I guess that is where my challenge is for writing about this trip. First disappointment, I had planned a side trip to add Nevada but circumstances conspired to cancel that part of the trip, more on that later. Second, I had an unexpected heart lesson on leadership and what part of my life should be dedicated to leading other men. Third, I do not do well with conflict between other men, I guess I am more of a loner and under estimated to impact that riding, eating and sleeping with others would have on my peace of mind.
So there it is my first installment and a commitment to finish the store about the trip as time, willingness, inspiration and courage allow.

Back from the trip

2008-07-22T12:44:00.001-07:00

We are back and I hope to write more later, just can’t find the motivation yet. For now I am up to 30 states (see updated picture to the right) and only 19 to go to hit the goal of riding in every state except Hawaii.

This is the four of us in South Dakota

2 days, 14 hours, 16 minutes and 18 seconds

2008-07-07T12:48:00.000-07:00

After months of dreaming and planning the start of the trip is almost here and the big plans are all set now it is checklist time…

Oil Change… Check

Packing list… Check

Watch “Wild Hogs” again… Check

Agree with the guys “No Spooning”…Double Check

You get the idea. When I get back I hope to have lots of pictures and stories for the BLOG and maybe with Robbie’s help a submission or two to some motorcycle magazines.

In the myriad of details it is easy to lose track of “Why are we doing this in the first place?” Well today I got the answer in two places. First is Robbie’s BLOG http://www.robbieiobst.blogspot.com/ where she talked about the change she has seen in me as I have tried to abandon being “nice” and become “good” instead. Check it out to see who the real writer of the family is (Hint it’s not me)

The second came at a 12 step program I attend were the topic was the difference between negative (fear based) sobriety and positive (Love bases) sobriety. Now sobriety is a good thing regardless of the motives and addicts are by definition love cripples so all addicts must have a period of fear based sobriety before love based sobriety is possible. Basically fear based sobriety is motivated by the fear of the consequences (Getting Caught) and all that entails. It is a defensive game where the addict tries to keep the addiction from winning much like a basketball player tries to keep other players from scoring. Love based sobriety is surrender… I surrender my right to manage my life and trust God. I turn my back on the addiction and let that become God’s problem as well. The measure of “sober” thinking and behavior is not in a set of Do’s and Don’ts but a freedom where the only decision is based on taking the action of Love towards God, my family, and the 12 step fellowship.

How does this relate to a motorcycle trip?

When it was my priority to manage my life with the single goal of avoiding consequences I would never take such a trip much less ride a motorcycle. I had stopped riding for 26 years, first because of $$$ but later out of fear of reinjuring my back after an auto accident in 1991

As I have been progressively set free from fear and the need to “manage” my life I have been willing to take more risks and to trust a Loving Father in the process. So after years of growth I am willing to take a vacation with other men without the fear that they will discover the truth about me and reject me because I now know that they are not the report card on my life, only God is my judge. We ride because riding brings my joy and causes my heart to come to life. While this may seem selfish to some it is a gift from my Father so feel free to take it up with Him, I don’t feel the need to justify my choices.

Very soon we will embark on this adventure but I am clear on the fact that motorcycles and trips are not required for adventure. The real adventure is living each day by faith and not by sight. Every day I need to trust God to be the man, husband, father, friend that He would have me be. The real adventure is to trust God and not lean to my own understanding. The real adventure is to walk in liberty supported by His unconditional love rather than run to self-righteousness where I can have all the control and the comfort of feeling better about myself as compared to others who don’t measure up to me.

The adventure of the trip is a gift from the one who has called me to a much larger Adventure of walking with Him every day.

I believe every man needs adventure in his life and a few my get to ride motorcycles too.

Good to be the Dad

2008-06-16T13:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Father’s Day and I hope every dad felt as special as I did. My lovely bride declared the weekend mine so Saturday we took a family day and went to a flea market and then to a motorcycle shop where I was treated to new riding boots and a cool sun shade that fits on my clear visor to I can still see at night but have glare blocked when riding into the sun. I was thinking how blessed I am to have a wife who supports my need for adventure. It reminds me of the line in the movie As good as it gets “You make me want to be a better man.” You can get a glimpse of her amazing talent at her BLOG Joy Dance http://www.robbieiobst.blogspot.com/ today in my lunch she left a note thanking me for taking the ride… “I am proud of the way you take care of yourself and the do the things that restore you.” I am a blessed man – It is good to be the dad.

We then went to church for what I expected to be the annual public beating of men. Not sure why it is that Mother’s day is the time for churches to praise women and Father’s day is the time to beat up men but that is the way it seems to be. We moved to this church last fall so this was our first Father’s day. The message was great. In fact when the post the MP3 the website I will be sending it out. I am a blessed man – It is good to be the dad.

Sunday morning I was surprised with another gift, a cabala’s sleeping pad for the trip. I am not a camper by nature and I was a bit worried about nine nights sleeping on the ground and this will help. After breakfast I loaded up and took off for a ride to who knows where. Along the way took some roads I have never seen and stopped at Echo Lake where I saw that the road up Mt. Evens was open. Mt Evens is one of the Colorado Fourteeners http://www.14ers.com/ which are mountains reaching at least 14,000 feet above sea level. Mt Evens is special in that is boasts the highest paved road in the Unites States 14,270 feet making it possible to drive to the summit. So I paid my 3.00 and off I went. The view was spectacular especially above the tree line. It is like another world. I wish I could say the bike and I had no problem with the lack of Oxygen but that would be only part true. The bike was fine… I was sucking wind like I just ran a marathon but it was well worth it. I couldn’t resist stopping at the store at the bottom of the road, if you can call 10,000 feet the bottom of anything to but a patch and t-shirt. I am a blessed man – It is good to be the dad.

To sum up…
· Blessed Man
· Good to be the Dad

Different strokes for different folks

2008-06-02T12:10:00.000-07:00

When I ride I ride. My average day on the bike is at least 250 miles and the last several rides have been 400 + so it is not easy for me to find people to ride with. Most people when they speak of a ride are talking about 30 to 50 miles and call it a day. For me that raises the question… What’s the point?

I thought I found my peeps in the BMW Owners club, I do not own a BMW but they don’t care. They look like me – mostly 40+, the dress like me – everyone in riding gear (no jeans or leathers) and everyone wears a helmet and they ride like I ride – hundreds and hundreds of miles. I have been on several rides with these guys and other then them riding a little faster then I usually do it has been a good fit.

Last Saturday was I assumed to be no exception. I joined the group after breakfast in Morrison, CO and found the group planning he longest ride (about 400 miles over several passes) and recognized several people and bikes from previous rides along with some people I hadn’t ridden with before. All was well until we got off the main roads and into a mountain pass and the pace picked up to triple digits.

This is where my wife should stop reading.

Cresting a mountain pass at 110 does have its appeal but when my foot peg digs in on a long sweeper at 95+ I decided that I would meet up with the rest of the group at the next gas or meal stop and get back to my normal speed limit + 5 velocity. The truth is that these roads are beautiful and anything above 80 I get so much wind buffeting and vibration that I can’t enjoy the view so what’s the point. I learned some time ago in cars to keep the racing to the race track. For a while last Saturday I forgot that rule also applies to bikes.

I guess the lesson is avoid group think when riding and in life. To your own self be true.

The nice surprise was that a few of the BMW guys on full touring bikes (like my Yamaha) were hanging back and taking a slower pace so I had someone to ride with after all.

Any Excuse for a Ride

2008-05-15T10:35:00.001-07:00

Last weekend My Brother-in-law Phil invited a good friend Scott and I on a ride to surprise another friend Benny at his daughter’s college graduation in Gunnison, CO. We all got off early Friday and met at a gas station in Morrison for the 200 mile ride to Gunnison. This was also a great shakedown trip for the 10 day trip in July, so we went fully loaded including tents, sleeping bags, camp gear and change of clothes. The trip was filled with lessons along with a lot of fun.

Lesson 1… The bungee cords for the tent did not keep on top of the trunk. During the 10 mile ride to the gas station ralley point the tent slipped way back on the trunk, it didn’t fall off the bike but was not where I wanted it. Solution… Use a strap to attach the tent to the “spider-web” bungee holding the sleeping bag to the rear seat.

Lesson 2… The load changed not only the waight of the bike but the center of gravity and added a great deal of surface to catch any cross wind. Solution… Be ready for anything and don’t ride near the edge of the lane.

Lesson 3… Mountain passes get cold even in May. Solution… Pack several layers of clothes and lots of chemical hand warmers.

Lesson 4… Expect the unexpected. This is a two part lesson – first weather we had clear weather for the ride but it rained Friday night, thankfully we were in our tents before it started and when we woke we found that it was more than rain as we found almost an inch of snow on the ground in the morning. Great test for my new sleeping bag, I slept great.

The next unexpected part was the wildlife. We had several close encounters with Deer and since I returned Saturday to be home for Mother’s Day I missed the “Ghost Goat” on Sunday. Scott was following Phil into and valley and as the road turned to the left as a mountain goat jumped the right guard rail and ran alongside of Phil’s bike for a few seconds. Since Phil was looking in the direction of the turn he never saw the goat, hence ghost goat. Solution… Slow down and smell the roses.

Thank you Benny for sending your daughter to college in such a cool part of the state and thank you Phil and Scott for the ride this was a great weekend.
This ride makes me feel better about the July trip which starts eight weeks from today – Wahoo!

More than Half Way!

2008-04-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

When I am on a road trip especially on a motorcycle I love crossing a state line and it’s even better if I have never ridden in that state before. Recently I found a web site where you can create a map of states visited. http://www.epgsoft.com/VisitedStatesMap/ so I made a map and noticed that I had ridden in 25 states and thought about the possibility of riding my motorcycle in 49 states (No roads to Hawaii) before I get too old to ride or am called home by the Father. The planned summer trip will pick up two to four more depending on the route so looking at the map I saw Kansas, only a few hundred miles from Denver and not on the summer route so off I went last Sunday and had a great ride while increasing the state count to 26.

Robbie told me a story about our dog Scooby who is obsessed with getting one of the bunnies that roam free near our home. She was walking him one day and dropped the leash and told him to get the bunny. He was off like a flash and out of sight before she knew it. As she walked around the buildings she found him (no bunny carcass in sight) catching his breath and very willing to go back to the routine of the leash. He was very happy to have had the time off the leash but ready to go home. I think I am like that silly dog; I love my life and can’t wait to get home after work to be with my wife and son. Home is a safe place filled with love and joy for me and I hope the same is true for you as well. But every once in a while I need to be off the leash and for me that almost always means time on the motorcycle. Last Sunday was an off the leash day for me, I took a ride with no place in particular to go and the thought of adding Kansas to my list of states was not planned. I got out the door and just need to “Chase the bunny” when I came back I was tired and need to warm-up leftovers but it was worth it. I was happy to be home and would have been happy if I hadn’t left home at all that day. But because I went I had the joy of getting that bunny.

I am not saying Men are Dogs but as men we need some time off the leash and so do our dogs.

Can you be too careful?

2008-04-07T12:29:00.000-07:00

The battle between good and evil (spring and winter) in Denver continues… Wednesday in the 70s and snow on Thursday Friday, Saturday and Sunday nice and snow again on Monday, last weekend we switched up the days because of Noah’s soccer game and work I didn’t ride on Saturday and went on Sunday instead. I got a late start because one of Noah’s friends from third grade was being baptized so our family went to church with them to celebrate and it was great. After church I rode and Robbie and Noah went to a BBQ with the family. While there the boy’s dad was asking Robbie where I was riding and she said she didn’t know. It is not that she doesn’t care or that I don’t want her to know it is because I don’t plan the day rides I just go until I see a road that looks interesting and take it.

When she said she didn’t know he went on to give a lecture on their family rule where everyone knows where everyone is all the time in case of an emergency. In general I agree with that idea, we always want to know where Noah is since he is nine and I like knowing where Robbie is because I am responsible for being the family covering and I always let the family know where I am and if I am going to be later than expected.

When it comes to adventure, part of whole point is that it is not “managed” with the possibility of untold mystery around the next corner and that is simply not possible if the route is preplanned. I am not saying that the other dad was wrong, he is like most men who want to stick with what they know works, that bad of well used talents, gifts and coping skills. That is a predictable way to live and as long as al your problems are smaller than your skills you have nothing to worry about – reality check… If today’s problems are larger than your skills just wait. Life will sooner or later drop something on you that you can’t handle on your own that is where faith comes in and like anything if you don’t use it you lose it. I am not saying you can lose your faith or salvation, but if you never go to the gym you can’t just walk in and bench press 400lbs.

I think that men should take small adventures to “exercise” faith in small ways and get used to living a less managed life so you can enjoy a more vital relationship with God. Just like the weights if we do not have regular times with God where you are outside of you ability to manage life it will be very hard to trust Him or even recognize Him when things go wrong.

So Robbie and I don’t know where I am going when I leave for a ride and my marriage, life and walk with God are the better for it so yes I believe you can be too careful.

Closer to the summer trip.

2008-04-02T11:13:00.000-07:00

This week several things happened or were completed to be ready for the July trip.
I found my next and hopefully last piece of luggage… A super large tank bag http://www.tourmaster.com/xcart/product.php?productid=145&cat=31 and some pieces of clothing… Riding pants, a Sherpa neck sock and better cold weather gloves which all were tested on Saturday, the weather man promised a great spring day with temps in the 60s and no precipitation. In Denver that was correct but the mountains it was a different story so ½ my day was spent watching snowflakes float over my windshield which was a first for me motorcycling in the snow is truly surreal I wish a had a camera, and the looks we got from people in cars who thought we were a bunch of nuts. The new gear kept me warm and dry, in fact the ride was quite comfortable until I came off the mountain and was almost too warm which is a strange problem to have on a motorcycle.
I just heard from my brother-in-law who is coming on the trip that his motorcycle is repaired. It had been making a loud chirping noise and the local dealer wanted 100.00 to find the problem and 90.00 per hour to repair it once they knew what the issue was. Phil found a local guy who works out of his house or will come to you (If you are in the Denver Area) and he was in and out in 45 min and the noise is repaired for only 20.00. Found him on Craig’s List – you have got to love the Internet.
Once the Tank Bag arrives it will be time to practice packing and do a few test rides fully loaded. It is clear to me that men, OK I am just as obsessive as expectant mothers who will wash and put way the baby’s clothes several times before the baby is even born. So here I am 13 weeks before we leave trying to decide the best place to mount the tent on the motorcycle. I may have motorcycle OCD. When I took my original cross country motorcycle trip I left 2 or 3 days after deciding to take the trip so the only real prep work is new sprockets, chain and sparkplugs. Strapped what I had on the bike and off I went. The first indicator that I hadn’t thought it through can a half a day out when I arrived at the edge of the dessert as the sun rose on a day where the temperature would hit 125. Didn’t think to leave LA in the afternoon so I could cross the dessert at night… That would require planning. Who knows what this trip has in store for us but at least I have learned the lesson about not only having cold weather gloves and getting a sunburn on my hands in the dessert and then needing to put those gloves on swollen painful hands a day latter then the dessert was behind me and the weather turned. You just can’t have this kind of fun in a car.
The most significant milestone this week is the camp sites are booked which caused a slight change in the route. Rather than riding to the north end of Yellowstone on day 4 for a day or two and then moving to the south for a few days, all four night will be south near Jackson Hole, WY so the 4th day ride is longer but we don’t have to pull up the camp and move in the middle. That site puts us on the Snake River near the Teton National Park and about an hour outside Yellowstone. The thought is that Yellowstone is very crowded and the Tetons are less crowded. All the camps sites are private KOA type so they are near roads and have water, laundry and shower facilities. Not as cheap as the federal sites but ten days is a long time in whatever clothes you can carry and without a shower even for a bunch of men.
The New Plan:
July 10 – Denver to Custer, SD and stay 2 nights at Custer/Mt Rushmore KOA http://www.koa.com/where/sd/41107/
July 12 Custer to Hardin, MT and staying at the Grand View Camp Ground http://www.grandviewcamp.com/
July 13 Hardin, MT to Jackson Hole WY and stay four nights at Snake River Park http://www.snakeriverpark.com/index.shtml
July 17 Jackson Hole to Vernal, UT and stay at Dinosaurland KOA http://www.dinokoa.com/index.html
July 18 Vernal to Cotopaxi, CO and stay at the Cotopaxi / Arkansas River KOA http://www.coloradocampingkoa.com/
July 19 Return Home
Along the way we will visit Mt Rushmore, Devils Tower from Close Encounters, Yellowstone, Tetons, Raft the Snake River, Violate the speed limit in at least five states, six if we pop out of the west side of Yellowstone into Idaho, Have a Huckleberry Shake and maybe see a two headed calf or the 8th largest ball if tinfoil… You never know what’s around the next corner.
Well that is the ride and so far three of us are committed to this adventure, it is not too late to join in on all the fun just let me know if you are interested in riding with us. We could also use a car driver so the bikes don’t need to carry as much stuff but the trip will proceed car or no car.
Please share any travel tips, motorcycle packing, or anything we should see in that part of the country

If you love riding winter sucks!

2008-01-28T14:26:00.000-08:00

The opportunity to ride have been few and far between, in fact I bought a new rear tire from a local shop weeks ago and have not even been able to get the bike to them to get it installed. Every week or so I start it and let it warm up to keep the battery and to a lesser extent my soul changed but I miss riding so my attention has turned to planning the big trip this summer.

The date is set Thursday July 10th through Sunday July 20th (really planning to return Saturday the 19th to have a day to rest before work on Monday)

Day 1 Denver to Keystone, SD (Mt Rushmore)
Day 2 visit Mt Rushmore and possibly Sturgis
Day 3 Keystone, SD to Hardin, MT with a visit to Devil’s Tower monument seen in the end of Close Encounters of the third kind
Day 4 Hardin, MT to Yellowstone
Day 5, 6 & 7 Tour Yellowstone and the Grand Teton’s
Day 8 Grand Teton Park to Vernal, UT
Day 9 Vernal to Buena Vista, CO with a tour through the Black Canyon of Gunnison
Day 10 Buena Vista to Home with lots of time in the mountains on the way

This adds up to about 2000 miles not counting the tour days at Mt Rushmore and Yellowstone.

I have gone back and forth on the subject of making the ride a sort of Christian men’s retreat but have decided against it and to focus on enjoying the ride and time with the men who choose to come. I will be listening to a book and music while I ride and if the other riders are interested I’ll share the MP3 files but I don’t want to plan for the great spiritual truth we will discuss on night 5, it is more important for me to just be one of the guys.

Please pray for those of us who will be taking this trip that it will be an adventure that will awaken our hearts and souls and that we will grow closer to The Father as we have time away from the Matrix. If you are considering joining the trip please contact me soon so we can form up plans.

I am considering another trip called 24 in 24. It is a trip where you cross 24 peaks in the Rocky Mountains in 24 hours – like a marathon on a motorcycle. I may do it in 48 hours so I can enjoy the views.

That is all for now I need to return to my search for the perfect tank bag.

Thanksgiving as a solution to life’s problems

2007-11-20T12:53:00.000-08:00

I was in a meeting with some friends and one of them commented that fantasy was the opposite of gratitude. When we have a fantasy about anything – More Money, A Better Car or Motorcycle, That Woman at the office, Etc. we are in effect saying that reality is not enough and that God’s provision is not sufficient. This kind of thinking always leads to comparison of ourselves and others or our stuff and their stuff and then to resentment towards others, God and ourselves.

Thanksgiving on the other hand is based in reality as we focus on the blessing in our life we are saying I have enough. Cultivating an attitude of thanksgiving and gratitude makes it possible to stop looking at other for what we can get from them or for reasons to resent them for what they have. Instead, it allows us to look at others and ask “what can I give?” It is an attitude that says with David in Psalm 23 “I shall not want” or I shall not be left wanting for any good thing because God is my shepherd and he is really good at being a shepherd so much so that he knows more about what I need than I ever will.

God is a giver… He gave His son while we were his mortal enemies. He gives life, sunshine, rain, good soil and crops. Since we are made in His image we too are designed to be givers. Gratitude makes giving possible as compared to ingratitude which turns our hearts to focus on taking.

This week we celebrate Thanksgiving but one day a year is not enough because without thanksgiving my heart and soul wither in the muck of self seeking and self will and in that diminished state I am little more than a mean spirited greedy old man. When I practice gratitude as a daily discipline my heart grows and I live in peace and joy looking for opportunity to give of myself to others knowing God will always care for me.

I hope this Thanksgiving Day is filled with joy for you and is a start to a life filled with gratitude and thanksgiving.

Simple Joys

2007-11-19T09:32:00.000-08:00

This week two things happened that caused me to thing about this BLOG and the way I write. First I got an e-mail from a friend who I worked with about 4 ½ years ago and he commented on the BLOG saying that I think deeply about things. The second was something my wife said at a reading and book signing she had at a local tea room after being published as a contributing author in Chicken Soup for the Tea Lover’s Soul. She was talking about simple pleasures and mentioned that for me riding the motorcycle was one of my simple pleasures.

So with that in mind I will focus on the simple pleasure of having a two days of great weather on the third weekend in November in Denver which is an unexpected gift so for the whole weekend if I have anywhere to go I went on the motorcycle.

Saturday was two rides with my son who has taken to riding like a fish to water. His only negative comment was with the end of the ride we were in the mountains and it got dark and this time of year when the sun goes down it gets cold fast. The cold wind was blowing up his pant leg and was not fun. We decided that on our next ride he would try his snow boots rather than his tennis shoes so he would have an extra layer on his ankle.

Sunday he and I rode for donuts and then to church, after church I met my brother-in-law and one of his friends and we rode to and through the mountains for an hour and a half before stopping for gas and to visit. They both had plans and decided to head home so I rode on alone for another two and a half hours and saw several deer, elk and even a buffalo. The ride topped off with a spectacular sunset. Sure beats watching the Chargers lose.

I have noticed that I am repeating rides on the same roads over and over again. Granted they are beautiful rides and I can only go so far into the mountains before encountering the snow line but it got me thinking about the big trip next summer. The plan is to take a week off and to travel for seven or eight days while avoiding interstates starting and ending in Denver. Beyond that nothing is planned so if you have any favorite spots to see or favorite roads please share them with me as the trip plans are being made. If you have ever wanted to tell me where to go this is you chance laterally.

So no deep insight on how to have a better relationship with God this week, just the joy of simple pleasures, I hope you are experiencing them in your life.

Integrity and Motives

2007-11-05T12:40:00.001-08:00

First weekend in November and the weather was great in the Denver Area. My wife was at a retreat so my son and did everything on the bike. Saturday was the first playoff game for the Hawks, my nephew’s football team and they won so the season continues for at least one more week. Sunday we rode to church and I gave him the option of coming on a ride scheduled later with my brother-in-law but he wanted to get some video game tips from his cousin. So Phil and I were solo on our bikes as we rode on Sunday afternoon. The only problem with the ride was it got dark too soon (Why couldn’t they have held off on the time change until the weather was too bad to ride?)

This ride had a first for me since my return to riding, so far every ride I have been alone or someone I was riding with was leading the ride. But this time I had an idea where we could go and was leading the ride. On the surface leading a group ride is much like riding alone, you decide where to go, when to stop and how fast to ride. The only obvious addition to check you mirrors to be sure the other rider(s) are with you at each intersection and turn.

After the win Saturday the coaches were debriefing the team on what went well and what to work on for next week. The subject of heart and character came up and they defined character as “doing the right thing even when no one is watching” which is great advice. In the Bible Numbers 32:23b says “you may be sure that your sin will find you out” which is a promise I have never heard anyone “Claim” In short if you don’t do the right thing because you believe no one will see you, you are wrong because in the end everything will be seen on earth or before God.

I noticed on the Ride Sunday that I was not riding the same as I would if I were alone. I was riding a little faster and charging deeper into turns before slowing. And I started to think about integrity. If a lack of integrity is changing my behavior when I am alone, what is it that causes me to change behavior when I am being observed? I realized it was motive that can shape what I do. Motive is tricky thing because it is not obvious to others and we can so easily lie to ourselves. I am not 100% sure what motivated me to behave this way but hear are some possibilities.

1. I wanted Phil to enjoy the ride and he has more experience then me

The problem with this motive is that it is based on comparison, as long as I am comparing or measuring myself with anyone it is a loosing proposition.

2. I wanted to prove my riding abilities and get his approval as a rider and a man

3. I would like to do some waawG rides next year and want Phil to see me as a capable leader

The problem with these motives is they are based in getting the approval of men when need to be looking to the Father for approval and identity.
4. Adventure is a good thing and I have seen these roads before and it is safe and reasonable to push a little harder to test myself as a man and a rider

This is a great motive for what I did and I wish I could say that this was the only reason for my behavior but I suspect it was a blend of all four which is the great thing about adventure. In one day I can have a great ride with a good friend and at the same time my Father who always has good will towards me can speak to my heart in a loving a kind way to grow me into a man who is after His own heart.

Take a bike or leave it home but take the risk of adventure your Father has great things to show you if you will listen.

God never changes but Each Sunday is so different

2007-10-29T10:21:00.000-07:00

We know for scripture that God doesn’t change Hebrews 13:8 says “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever!” which raises the question why is each Sunday so different?

Last Sunday I needed to clear the snow off the car and play the slip and slide game to drive to church (Obviously no motorcycle ride that day) and I heard good worship and an amazing message, I even quoted the pastor in the last BLOG post.

This Sunday beautiful weather and my son and I went for ride before church to get donuts and rode to church together. I felt like the pastor took the easy route on a message about the myth that all Christians are Republicans, but the worship was awesome. Not that it was musically better but I was truly swept into the presence of God.

So God doesn’t change but one week I am moved by teaching and the next buy music so it must be me that changes. After church I experienced another example of how I can experience things differently. In my religious upbringing I was taught to view church as a gathering of believers in any location, converted bowling allies, warehouses and store fronts were the norm. I learned to be suspicious of churches that were in “church building” with all that “religious hardware” where the gospel was watered down by “liberals”

Sunday I rode south to the Air Force Academy and visited the Cadet Chapel which is a beautiful structure that houses three separate chapels for Protestant, Catholic and Jewish cadets along with an “all faith” meeting areas for common services. My “training” would naturally reject such an building as having nothing to do with God but yesterday I was overwhelmed with the beauty of the place and the knowledge that Our God who is a warrior (Exodus 15:3 The LORD is a warrior, the LORD is His name.) sings over a gathering of young men and women who training to be warriors. God didn’t change but my heart did.

Each week I post something that is a call to adventure and focuses on the motorcycle ride but this week I am calling you an inner adventure (No Motorcycle Required) just the courage to look at things and places in your life with fresh eyes and an open heart, maybe the God who never changes has a whole new way of seeing things in store for you, and what an adventure it is to hear from the Father.

I know that this BLOG can feel like I’m poking you with a stick but my intent is not to be mean or uncaring but to see you released into the greatness you Father intends for you.

I came across a quote that explains it better than I can.

If I accept you as you are, I will make you worse; however, if I treat you as though you are what you are capable of becoming, I help you become that.
--Goethe

800 miles – 3 States – 4 Dead Presidents – 1 Day

2007-10-22T10:33:00.001-07:00

“Some people run towards Vision and other run from Nightmares.”
- Pastor John Leach, Jubilee Fellowship Church - Lone Tree, CO

It was Sunday October 21st 2007 and it was easier than usual to find a seat at the 11:00am service because today was the first snow of the season in the Denver area as the pastor explained why he had given the massage three titles. It was because as he sees it the world is full of two kinds of people, those who run towards vision and those who run from nightmares. So he had a title for each kind of person and the third was the politically correct title. The point on this post is not his message but if I have peeked your interest feel free to listen to it for free at www.jfc.org it was a great message and well worth the time.

Some time back I included a survey on this BLOG and 50% of the respondents answered that they wouldn’t be caught dead on a motorcycle. Additionally, I have received e-mail warnings about the dangers of motorcycle including examples of people they know who were injured or worse due to motorcycle accidents. I have been confused as to why my invitation into adventure, any adventure not just those involving motorcycles would get that type of response. And this quote has made it clearer to me. I have defined adventure and any activity where you place yourself in a situation out of your control where you are intentionally at the risk of the unknown, where you’re well worn bag of tricks and talent isn’t enough and you need to rely on God. In short where you will need to face the “what will happen?” question. If you are the type of person who runs towards Vision “What will happen?” is very exciting but if you are a person who runs from nightmares “What will happen?” is the worse thing you can imagine. I am convinced that Eldridge is correct when he says in Wild at Heart that men bear the image of God in ways that require us to seek an “Adventure to Live” a place in a story that is larger then ourselves.

In my heart I hear the whisper of two voices, on calling me to adventure and the other warning me away from danger. All last week the weather man has predicted that Saturday would be nice but Sunday would be the first snow of the season in the Denver Metro area. Last weekend they were wrong by about 12 hours and my son and I were caught in the rain that wasn’t due until much later in the day. So one voice says take a nice long ride and enjoy the day and the other says don’t go and if you do stay close to home incase the snow comes early. Rain on a bike is inconvenient and uncomfortable but snow and ice can be downright dangerous.

For no particular reason I woke Saturday morning at 4:00am and something in my heart said go for it. So I got dressed, packed the bike and was underway at Zero-Dark-Thirty with no particular plan in mind. Then I remembered saying some time back that I wanted to see Mt. Rushmore which is only 400 miles away so north bound it is. The whole time I was thinking I would go part way and come home leaving such a long trip for the spring or summer of next year, after all an 800 mile round trip was way more than I have ever done on a bike in one day and I’m no 19 year old kid anymore. But at every gas and meal stop I decided to go farther, even playing a game in my head to determine what time it would be when I would get home if I turned around now. The choice was simple, choose the safe route and turn back or press on into the unknown. At each decision point I chose to press on and trust the outcome to my Father who loves me.

Along the way I experienced a beautiful sunrise in Cheyenne, WY, the magnificent desolation of the plains, the rugged beauty of the Black Hills and majesty of the Mt. Rushmore monument. Not to mention the best buffalo burger I have had in Custer, SD.

I could have easily chosen to run from Nightmares and I would have missed a great day. The next time you have the option to take an adventure (two wheeled or not) listen to the voice that is urging you on it is well worth it.

Agreement

2007-10-15T09:37:00.000-07:00

We have all learned from Sesame Street that “Cooperation makes it Happen” in short we should find a way to agree. Additionally, when disagreements arise we have learned to “Agree to Disagree agreeably” and always hold to the great social commandment… Be Nice!

I am a supporter of nice; I like nice people because they are... Nice. But when Nice is elevated as a virtue above truth, honor, valor than nice is not so nice after all.

I recently was reminded of another way that agreement can be deadly. I was telling my Brother-in-Law about a near accident on a ride when a car pulled out from a parking space and I had to swerve into the median to avoid the collision. He made a comment that something seems to happen to me on every ride. I agreed, recalling in my mind the near encounters with deers, cars, and others. I didn’t give it much thought until my next ride when I realized I was not having any fun at all. It was a nice day and a beautiful ride but my heart was caught up in fear of what might be over the next hill or around the next corner. It is a good idea to ride in a heightened state of alertness which is why those near encounters remained just that “Near” Encounters and not accidents. No one can control everything which is the point of having an adventure in the first place, but no one should put themselves in undue risk by riding a bike while on mental autopilot. The point is when I agreed with my brother-in-law the enemy whispered that I lacked the riding skill to return home without injury or worse. My brother-in-law meant no harm; he has good will in his heart towards me and loves me. His message to my heart was not that I was less than or that I didn’t measure up as a man. The enemy took that innocent comment and attached it to old wounds.

Often in life we encounter wounds to our hearts often at the hands of our fathers. In my case I didn’t meet my father until I was 19 and the message my heart heard was that I wasn’t worth his time and attention. I didn’t measure up and that I wasn’t a man. The real harm came when I agreed with those thoughts and accusations. Throughout me life that has played out in far too many ways from posing as a man to blatant acting out that has injured me and others. In the past few years I have worked to uncover those lies and break those agreements and the result has been liberating. This experience has illustrated that it is still far too easy to slip into agreement with the accusations of the enemy rather than agree with what my Father in Heaven has said about my heart.

The good news is that once I identified what was causing my fear I could surrender it to God and break the agreement with the enemy and enjoy the ride. This week a helmet I bought for my son arrived and we took a ride on Saturday. Just as we reached the mountains a cold front and rain hit so we had to turn for home. We rode on slick roads in pouring rain as the temperature fell from the 58 to the 42 in just a few minutes. While I was aware that I had my son’s safety in my hands I was not afraid because unlike the agreements I had made in the past, my Father has spoken to me heart to tell me I am Man Enough to be that boys father and I choose to agree with Him.

Exposing yourself to adventure is not always comfortable of even fun but it is a great place to hear from the Father.

I hope you agree.

Last ride in September

2007-10-01T09:57:00.001-07:00

Saturday Sept. 29th the weather was threatening in the Denver Area with High winds and heavy clouds in most areas. I had plans for a ride the next day and was concerned that I might have to cancel due to weather. The next morning I woke to cloudless skies from horizon to horizon and no wind. After a good time at church and an early lunch I was on the road. I made the short trip to the mountains and a stop to top of the gas tank before doing the peak to peak highway which is a north south run on a one lane in each direction road from just east of Golden to Estes Park with as the name implies some impressing altitude changes and breathtaking views.

The first thing I noticed since last week was the amazing change in the Aspens as they change to fall colors. We saw spectacular colors last week but the change in one week was amazing. The second thing I noticed was snow on the high peaks which is an amazing sight. We moved to Denver from So. Cal. In December of last year and by then the mountains were mostly white. So to see the green of the pine and the vivid yellow of the aspen offset by a clear blue sky and the pristine white of the snow was almost too beautiful, how could anyone look at such a sight and not be convinced that God had done this.

With each ride I am challenged by my hope for adventure and the surprise and discomfort that can and often do accompany it and this ride was not acceptation. Be careful what you ask for, you might just get it. As I mentioned I saw snow in the high country and was on a road with large elevation changes. While I did not encounter any snow I did experience very large temperature changes and stopped often to add or remove layers of clothes and while it is easy to put on a jacket I don’t have a solution for getting long johns on under my jeans on the side of the road so my legs were very cold. Your suggestions are welcomed on this topic.

The second challenge came in the higher elevations where the winter snow and the chemical and mechanical snow removal solutions have left a degraded road surface so it was common to enter a curve to find a disturbing lack of grip. Suffice it to say that a sliding front tire on a motorcycle is a moment you don’t soon forget but nothing that was too dangerous or reason to abandon the trip. After all I have close to 50,000 miles of saddle time. Then it happened, a reminder that man does not live from his bag of talents and skills. I crested a peak in the middle of a curve and had crossed to the windward side on the mountain. All at once the combination of centrifugal force, poor road surface and a gust of wind worked together to take me off the road into god knows what. Well as you can guess by the fact that I am writing this and you have not received the “John is in the hospital prayer request e-mail chain” all ended well and the deflection of my intended course did not exceed the limits of the road.

This does raise the question of trusting God not only when you get the desired outcome but also when things go badly. In this case only my ego was bruised and my body was left without a mark. None the less the instinct of my flesh was a combination of anger at God and embarrassment that someone might have seen the less than perfect line through the corner. Then I had to remind myself that I am not all powerful and the best solution is always to turn towards God.

I want on this ride to enjoy the views and feed my soul, God alone knew that my ego needed some of His unique attention on the last day of September 2007 and a windy curve on the mountains between Golden and Estes Park was as good a place as any. Nothing is wasted in the hands of God.

I return with a little more humility (I Hope) and a greater appreciation of my Father in Heaven and His boundless love for me.

Please embark on an adventure because you never know what lesson God has just around the next corner. As the famous quote says “I took the road less traveled and that made all the difference.”

Which way are you headed?

2007-09-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

In my years I have witnessed two interesting exceptions to the normal American protocol about personal space. The first is pregnant women; People think nothing about touching a pregnant woman’s “belly” while an uninvited touch of that type is never acceptable for her non-pregnant counterpart. The second has to do (you guessed it) with motorcycles. If you are in a car Gas Stations are like elevators you are aware of other people but you rarely if ever speak to them. It is different on a motorcycle, for some reason people in cars who do not speak to each other are overcome with curiosity and will freely speak to motorcycle riders. Conversation starters include: “I used to ride a…” or “Great weather for a ride” or “Looks like you’re going to get wet” but invariably the short conversation comes around to “Which way are you headed?” Last Sunday the answer to that question was simple, north towards Fairplay but as considered the trip we took something about that question got me thinking about life and my relationship with God.

In my life I am privileged to have fought alongside men to win the battle against addiction and to live free. In the simplest terms any addiction is the result of trying to fill our God hunger with something of this earth that we can control. The Problem with God is that He won’t be controlled and we hate feeling out of control. The irony is that the end result of all addictions is a life out of control. When the consequence of addiction becomes great enough we will seek help and admit our powerlessness. Then comes the heard work of learning a new way to live.

We find ourselves between God, who loves us and is seeking to rescue us and the “dragon” of our addiction, instinctively, (remember these are the same instants that got us in trouble in the first place) we take up a defensive posture never letting the dragon out of our sight. It is a crafty foe and we mustn’t let it get an advantage. Like a basketball player with knees bent and hands out we block the dragon’s path to the goal of ensnaring us again. All the time our back is to God as we face the dragon. If we are truly powerless over the dragon who are we to prevent the dragon from doing anything. Instead we must do the most counterintuitive thing in the world and turn our back on the dragon and look at God instead. Every nerve is on high alert as we are sure that leaving the dragon unattended will be our doom but all the time God seems undisturbed by the situation or our plight. Doesn’t He even care? Why hasn’t He done something?

We in our panic don’t realize we are at the very crossroads of faith. Will we place our faith in ourselves and turn to face the dragon? Or will we keep our eyes on God even if His behavior is not what we expected?

Most of you don’t have anything that would be considered an addiction but the same question applies. When situations come into your life do you naturally find yourself facing God or is your faith placed squarely on your bag of talent and “special” skills?

Which way are you headed?

Planning the trips for next year

2007-09-25T09:02:00.000-07:00

I have been getting some questions that focused on the motorcycle and the trip plans So let me address them now.

First the Bike: I bought a 1983 Yamaha XVZ12TK Venture (This is the bike they put head-to-head with the Honda Goldwing) I found it a better fit for my height and because it is not as well known as the Goldwing it was a much better deal.

As far as the trip goes nothing is planned other than late spring to early fall 2008 window. And unlike the 1978 trip I would like to do ZERO miles on the Interstate Highway System. I am thinking fewer miles and great places like Yellowstone Park, Mount Rushmore and The Grand Canyon please post your comments with suggestions for great locations.

In reality I am planning two types of trip. First is the 30th anniversary of my 1978 trip where the point is to ride to great places and hopefully do it with some friends. That trip will probably go for about a week and have a very loose agenda other than to enjoy the freedom of the open road and share a few stories of the adventures in our lives and how they shaped us as men.

The second type of trip is shorter (two to three days) taking men who enjoy riding on an adventure to get closer the heart of God. This trip was inspired by my brother-in-law Phil Floyd. Phil has a passion and calling in the area of helping men become men. His ministry Caleb’s Heart puts on events for men called WaawG (Weekend Almost Alone with God) where men are stretched beyond comfort and entertainment (Key elements in most men’s retreats) and put alone in the woods to encounter God. I can speak from personal experience being a committed Non-Camper that it was a life changing experience. My hope is to take a few guys on a motorcycle adventure that would cause a similar change where we come back with miles on our bikes and hearts that are more alive because of time with God and other men trying to live lives that honor him.

The details and logistics would depend on the number of riders willing to take the trip. At this point the only criteria are that you must be a man who loves Jesus and riding enough to take in 200 to 400 miles a day. It is possible to rent motorcycles but if you haven’t been riding for a while this trip may not be your cup of tea. The next big decision is to camp or motel at night and if we camp do we go to KOA type places or get farther off the beaten path. Most street bikes are not at home on washed out rutted dirt roads so the KOA approach probably makes more sense but leaves the group in very close proximity to other campers and RVs and if we have a group of ten or more we may encounter the “Hide the women and children” / “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone” mentality. I did find a website for motorcycle friendly camp sites and would call ahead with the number of bikes to make reservations.

Please post a comment if you are interested in one or both of these trips

I found this quote and it described why I must do this and I hope you will come along for the ride and if not find an adventure that excites your heart.
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face...
You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.
--Eleanor Roosevelt

300 miles, Two Bikes, Storm Clouds and no Camera…

2007-09-24T12:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday (Sunday 9/23) my brother-in law and I got on our bikes and had a great day riding in beautiful Colorado. My prior riding experience has mostly been in California and while route 1 along the Pacific coast is spectacular I have to say Colorado in a bike riding paradise. We loosely planned the trip around family with a 1:00pm departure and a general route south from Denver to the Garden of the Gods then west towards the mountains, north to Fairplay and east towards home at or around dark.

The first big decision came the morning for the ride… The weatherman was not on our side as a cold front and thunderstorm had rolled into the area the night before and we were faced with a Go or No Go moment. The combination of not riding for 26 years and the fact that winter will come all too soon mixed with the sense of adventure that requires risk above the assurance of comfort made the decision an easy one… We Ride!

Armed with layers of clothing and a willingness to get wet we topped off our tanks and hit the road starting south on Interstate 25. Our trip had three relatively short stints on the Interstate Highway system, now I am very thankful for the elaborate highway system in the US but I’m a firm believer that it should be left to 18 wheel trucks and cars. It is the perfect method of traveling long distances is the shortest possible time with a gas station and fast food restaurant at almost every exit, what could be more convenient and completely contrary to adventure. I don’t ride to get somewhere (I have a car for that) I ride to feed my soul. Riding is not about the destination it is about the ride, it is about the heart. A few miles later we were into the good stuff, the back roads without guardrails, median dividers or clearly marked exits, where wildlife can run across the road at any time. Remember the point is not to be a danger seeking adrenalin junkie, but it is to get out of you comfort zone and risk living a life that you can’t “manage” that is what it means to live an adventure. Before long we were riding through the Garden of the Gods which is easily one of the most beautiful places I have ever ridden and that is when it hit me… I didn’t bring a camera. I guess I have to do the ride again. Then through Manitou Springs which is a cute little “tourist trap” filled with great shops, no parking and the obligatory pedestrians who walk out in front of on coming motorists expecting them to stop, we stopped often and no one was injured in the process.

We then had a coffee stop in Woodland Park and added a layer of clothes as we encountered more altitude and cloud cover but no rain so far. It was a great “curvy” road that was more fun than the view. We then found a “somewhat” maintained county road to Cripple Creek where I discovered that the Yamaha Venture is much more a “sport” bike it touring clothing than the Goldwing that I almost bought, I think the Official term is Wahoo. It was on this road that we had our first of three close encounters of the Deer kind. Too close means the abrupt and painful end to an otherwise great day, thankfully our buffer zone was measured in feet so no harm no foul. Another county road to Guffey which is a ghost town in the making from what I could see before joining the road north to Fairplay. This is where our good luck with the weather ended and the “getting wet” part of the ride began, fortunately I was distracted by a nearly empty gas tanks and the unsettling absence of any towns or gas stations, I did say I wanted an adventure rather than comfort so trusting God we pushed on through South Park, what a spectacular view that served as a great distraction from the flashing red light on my dash reminding me that I was running on fumes. It was on this road that Phil came up along side and pointed to his gas tank, so much for the idea of siphoning some from him if I ran dry, at least we were both distracted from the rain drops. After what seemed an eternity of the flashing red light, in reality just twenty miles or so the tiny town of Hartsel appeared as we crested a hill, it is a one gas station town but that is all we needed. Topping off and having a good laugh about wanting an adventure the skies stopped sprinkling and started to rain. Being the only gas for miles we encountered lots of motorists who expressed concern for us a wished us well, undaunted we pressed on and after a few miles of rain the skies cleared and we were in dry weather again. When we reached Fairplay and the turn east to get home we encountered a lot of end of weekend heading back to town traffic so the pace was slowed but the views were spectacular including a drop into a valley with and unobstructed view of a rainbow end to end. Again I wish I had a camera with me so I could share the ride. Before long as the light of day waned we dropped into the city and our last stint on the Interstate to get to the warmth of home and the comfort of our own beds. I am blessed to have a loving wife and a comfortable home to return to at the end of a ride and I am so thankful to have the opportunity to leave them on occasion so my heart can be fed by adventure for without it the comfort and safety of my predictable life can and will kill that part of me that must have the risk of adventure to be fully alive.

Riding my not be your thing and that is OK, A friend responded to my riding with an e-mail that said he didn’t ride because it was too dangerous and that he knew too many people who were hurt riding. I understand a respect anyone who makes that decision, but please for the sake of your heart find some type of adventure. The discomfort and occasional surprise will feed your soul, I know it did mine.

Grand Adventure and you are invited

2007-09-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

Greetings all,

As some of you may know in the summer of 1978 I embarked on a four month motorcycle trip from California to Pennsylvania to Florida and back to California. During that trip I placed the front wheel on my bike on the beach of the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. It was a great adventure including beautiful scenery, great times and the only three day in my life that I spent with me father. As with many things we can become separated from simple pleasures like motorcycles by the demands of life or in my case an extended trip to the Indian Ocean with the Navy. When I returned being a husband, dad and bill payer made riding something that had to be sacrificed along with another piece of my heart that needs adventure. Over the past few years I have come to value my heart and the adventure that it needs to survive, so I few weeks ago after 26 years of being a non rider I participated in a training class and got my motor cycle license. Next year is the 30th anniversary of that trip and I intend to repeat it. I will most likely not cover the same route given that my starting point is now Denver, CO not Hermosa Beach, CA. But an extended trip is going to happen and that is where you come in…

First and most importantly I urge you to consider your heart, not your “risk factors” or “Cholesterol Count” but the part of you that needs adventure. If you have no idea what I am talking about read Wild at Heart by John Eldridge. As men we are created in God’s image – to reflect specific aspects of his character and nature just a women reflect different and equally important aspects of God. Men and Woman are different and in those differences we as men have hearts that need an Adventure to Live, a Battle to Fight and a Beauty to Rescue.

I would love it you were all able to join me on this trip but I know that is not possible. What I do want to invite you into is an adventure, any adventure just become an active participant is a story larger than what in comfortable. Adventure by its very nature is unpredictable and dangerous and that is the point, not that we seek injury but accept that the life we were intended to live is too large for us to manage. It is OK to get messy; it is good for the soul to live so large that if God doesn’t come through you can’t simply fall back on your well worn skills a talents. I know it is frightening, for years I convinced myself that to ride was “too dangerous” while it is true that riding involves higher risk than driving a car it was that fear and the corresponding need to manage everything and never need to take a leap of faith that was truly killing my heart.

I would like a few things from each of you:
Prayer. Not for a safe trip but that I would be courageous and do the right thing.
Ideas for the trip. Last time I spent most of my miles on the interstate, this time I would like to hit the back roads. Experiencing a thunder storm in the Blue Ridge Mountains in more important than covering 600 miles a day.
Join me on the trip. If riding is your thing (or this has inspired you) please consider coming on the trip. The dates and itinerary are not set see item 2 and I would welcome the company.
Send Money. No I am not kidding, just as with missionaries some go and other send. For some of you the thought of this type of trip is outrageous for others it sounds great but more than you can afford. Any gifts will be used to offset the expenses of the trip for those who can not afford it but would like to come. At the end of the trip the remaining money will be donated to a ministry that is dedicated to rising up men and is in the process of getting a 503.C religious non profit status. Because it is not possible to know what percentage of the money will go to the ministry or if they will have the non profit status established in time any donations should not be considered tax deductible.
Find you own adventure. Like the old Milk advertising campaign “It Does a Body Good” Adventure Does a Heart Good. So just do it and when you do please write me to let me know how it was.

Thanks for reading my rants I look forward to hearing from you all. Feel free to forward this to anyone you thing might be interested.

Blessing to you and your Families,