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An Open Letter to Santa

December 19^th, 2007

muse@bikerenews.com

One of the great things about being a staff writer for Biker eNews is that we have a direct communication link to the Jolly Guy dressed in red (some think he works on our staff). Like most men, I find it a little difficult to write a letter to Santa and hand it to my wife to mail for me. Also, when I occasionally think out loud about what I would like for Christmas, I am accused of being a materialistic present seeker. So I am very fortunate to be able to send my Christmas List out over the electronic drum waves.

Now don't get me wrong, I realize that Christmas is about more than presents and shopping. And, I don't add up the price tags to see if I get the same amount of stuff as everyone else in the house. But, I have never lost that wide eyed wonder at seeing presents under the Christmas tree, especially ones with my name on them. Also, I believe it is in the spirit of Christmas for others to see how glad and grateful I am when they take the time to remember me with a little Christmas token.

So, with all of the things that I could want for Christmas (besides World Peace), what tops the list? Since these articles are suppose to be about motorcycles, I will keep the list short and related.

Over the last year, I have become a little more safety conscious about being hit from the rear. This has more than a little to do with the fact that I was rear ended at a stop light about a month ago while driving my other Honda (the Civic). I was OK, but it really got me thinking about the low, thin profile of my bike's rear end.

Talking with my favorite parts manager at Honda of Norfolk (Merry Christmas Linda), I decided that what I needed most was something to light up my bike's backside. The product of choice is "Priority Plus." This product will turn my turn signals into brake lights that pulsate for a couple of seconds when the brakes are applied. This addition may not protect me in an accident, but it will make me feel better about those loud foot steps I'm hearing at stop lights.

Like most of the Biker eNews readers, I'm starting to make plans for the opening of the new riding season by attending Biker eNew's New Year's Day Ride. If we don't happen to have one of those 70 degree Hampton Roads days on January 1, I am going to need a set of warm motorcycle pants. First Gear has a nice set of winter pants that fit nicely over regular pants, and they come in just my size (short and chubby). While I believe in riding year round, I've never been big on having my lower half numb from the cold.

After my long haul this year, I decided that I need a headset for my IPod that would fit under my helmet and fit in my ears. For some reason, my ears don't seem to be made for the standard IPod headphones. I found some that are more like earplugs by fitting into the ear canal. I'm hoping that this headset won't fall out of my ears while I'm motoring down the road. Yeah, Yeah, I'm aware of the discussion about being able to hear traffic while riding, but I could hear traffic with the other type and I think I'll be OK with this pair. Besides, I'll have the extra lights in the back to keep me safe.

The last selection for this Christmas season is something with which to fill those headphones. The last couple of years, my primary music choice has been pre-1940 Blues artists like Bill Broonz, Son House, Mississippi John Hurt, Skip James, Robert Johnson and a few others. In addition to adding to this collection with some later Blues artists, I thought it would be nice to mix a little variety into the playlist.

In my attempt to learn how to do more in Spanish than order cerveza, I added Gloria Estfan to the list to improve my Spanish listening skills. And as cold weather has me thinking about a trip I made to Hawaii a few years ago, I thought a Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar CD would add a little mellow to the winter blues. If you like acoustic guitar instrumentals, you would enjoy Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar.

Like I said, I know Christmas is about family, friends, and good wishes for us all. I just can't get over the fact that there will be a surprise for me under that sparkling tree. Of course, Santa learned a long time ago that I don't mind getting a six-pack for Christmas; I just want them to be individually wrapped. In fact, I may start getting ready for Christmas Eve by going to bed early for the rest of the week.

Feliz Navidad and Happy New Year

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