The Long Lonesome Highway sung by Michael Parks star of "Then Came Bronson" 1969 Gary is willing to be the new Bronson

Winter Blues

October 26^th, 2004

One of the things I like about being in the company of my fellow writers at Biker eNews is that I enjoy reading their articles. It seems like I'll be kicking around an idea in my head and somehow an article with the same theme, but with a different (better) slant or perspective shows up on the web site. Phil's and Joe's recent articles ("Wish Lists" and "Traveling on Instinct") are the latest articles to strike a cord with me. For the last several weeks, I have been banging around the house in a state of general discontent with my lack of motorcycle riding.

Around the Houglan household, this time of year is always a busy one. Between school getting back into full swing (my wife's a teacher and we have an 11 year old and a 14 year old), birthdays (every month from August to December), holidays (including Halloween), and the routine everyday stuff that just seems to happen (I think they call it life), there doesn't seem to be enough time to just relax and enjoy a quiet afternoon. Taking all of this into account and the wet weather we've been having, the chances of finding a weekend when down time and good weather co-exist has about as much chance of happening as my being cast in a remake of "Then Came Bronson".

A recent experience at my local McDonald's helped to reinforce that I'm not getting any younger sitting around the house in a general funk. After ordering my usual sausage biscuit and small soda, I noticed the clerk had undercharged me. Priding myself on being the honest and trustworthy "Bronson" (just in case someone wants to talk movie deal), I brought the mistake to the attention of the clerk. Looking puzzled, the clerk replied that he had correctly charged me for the biscuit and "SENIOR" soda. Not wanting to embarrass the clerk (after all I'm only 52), I quietly thanked him, held my gray hair high and walked away. The point here is that time was "a wasting". I could get myself invited to the morning senior social at McDonald's or get on my bike and experience the biker facelift (you know - that's when you are going fast enough that the wind forces the skin on your face backwards and makes you look years younger).

Damn the weather, the heck with commitment, I was determined to put on my watch cap (another Bronson trait) and hit the open road. Having Friday off and with the family in school, I decided to head south. There is always a part of my brain that equates south with sunny. Of course, there's a part of my brain that thinks my old high school will realize that I can still play linebacker and call me back for a "big" game. I was late getting started (around 9:00). I headed down US 168 to 158. The rain caught up with me south of Currituck and lasted for about 20 minutes. Crossing the bridge to Kitty Hawk, I felt like I was caught sideways in a wind tunnel. I stopped at two different restaurants to have lunch - both closed. I decided to head north again. The rain caught up with me again at the same rest stop south of Currituck and lasted another 20 minutes (there must be a rip in the time continuum in Currituck). I finally had lunch at Heavenly Ham on Virginia Beach Blvd. I traveled about 200 miles and it lasted a little over four hours. I was damp and tired. But, more importantly it was EXACTLY what I needed.

The Winter Blues can have a hard driving rhythm. But when you know that your fellow riders are struggling with the same funk, it makes it a little easier to handle the harmony. To misquote the legendary B.B. King, "The thrill - ain't - gone," it's still out there waiting for us to open the garage door, put the bike in first gear, and as Steppenwolf said, "Get your motor running, Head out on the highway, Looking for adventure in whatever comes our way, Yeah I've gotta go make it happen."

Back to "Muse from the Rest Area"

Back to More from Gary