[henkvdb]

May as well post this on the 'whatever' thread.

I survived a murder attempt on me two weeks ago just south of Seattle.
Paying attention, which is needed to stay alive, I saw a pickup truck in the grass between the three lanes going east and the three lanes going west.
It just didn't look right when he started moving so I slammed my brakes and moved away.

Instead of slowly merging onto the left shoulder and pick up speed before going to the HOV lane where I was, and then the next two lanes over one at the time, he headed straight towards the right most lane. Yes, in an almost ninety degrees angle from the direction of the highway.

IDIOT!

If I would not have been paying attention my vacation would have been cut very short.
Instead I had a wonderful 4000 mile ride through Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, and back to Colorado.
This country is sooooo darned beautiful.


Keep it safe out there.

Any of you guys ever do California Route 36 between Fortuna and Red Bluff?
That was AWESOME!

:choppersm

 

[henkvdb]

Take your time installing it. It may take a minute or two to tweek it but then you're gonna love it on a long and lonesome highway
East of Omaha
You can listen to the engine
Moanin' out his one note song
You can think about the woman
Or the girl you knew the night before
But your thoughts will soon be wandering
The way they always do
When you're ridin' sixteen hours
And there's nothin' much to do
And you don't feel much like ridin',
You just wish the trip was through...click that baby on and go 16 more!

​

They have been announcing Nobel prizes this week. Has the Literature prize already been given?
If not, I want to send this to in to Oslo.

:16:

 

[henkvdb]

Take your time installing it. It may take a minute or two to tweek it but then you're gonna love it on a long and lonesome highway
East of Omaha
You can listen to the engine
Moanin' out his one note song
You can think about the woman
Or the girl you knew the night before
But your thoughts will soon be wandering
The way they always do
When you're ridin' sixteen hours
And there's nothin' much to do
And you don't feel much like ridin',
You just wish the trip was through...click that baby on and go 16 more!

​

They have been announcing Nobel prizes this week. Has the Literature prize already been given?
If not, I want to send this in to Oslo.

:16:

 

[henkvdb]

January of last year I was hit after I was leaving the VA hospital. A woman in a minivan with 4 kids and on the phone. Turned left right in front of me. I saw it coming so I was able to get my speed down, from 35 mph, and all I could was lean hard left. She hit my right leg and tore up my saddlebag and rear turn signal and scuffed up the engine and transmission cases and front sprocket cover. I didn't even go down, a complete miracle, but she spun the back end around to the left which really put me back upright. It happened so fast it wasn't funny. After I realized I wasn't dead, I looked around for her and there the minivan was in the middle lane, the one for turning both right/left. I called 911 and they were there in like 90 seconds. It was waaaaay fast. I still didn't see the woman so I walked up to the window and there she was still on the phone. I asked her why she didn't get out to she if I was ok, and I kid you not, she said: "I'm not done with my phone conversation". I was stunned. If this happened back in my drunk days I would have beat her senseless for that totally uncaring remark. I'm not like that now but man was I mad. I just walked back to my bike to see the damage and try to get it running again. I told the cops what she said and DID NOT do, like you are SUPPOSED to do, and they said they would handle it. It turns out that 2 weeks prior a biker died in a collision not far from where I was and they came running really fast to try to save me, thinking the worst. I didn't have a scratch not even a bruise from where the van hit my leg. God saved me from injury. No doubt in my mind about that. That incident has cemented in my mind that people just don't care about people. If you are in their way they will run you over. It is sickening, but here we are. When I see people doing junk like texting I blast my horn at them and wave a finger. If they give me the look like "screw you" I get their tag number and give it to the cops. I have also found that when I'm carrying a gun in the open people tend to not give me that look. Anyway...yes it's pathetic what these folks are doing.

'Blast my horn'.
Yes, I think a lot about doing that both when in the car or on the bike but then I realize that if the moron all of a sudden is 'startled', which is legalese for 'woken up', and crashes, guess who gets sued.
So I'll just move on and keep paying attention.

Henk.

 

[henkvdb]

Uhh...I'll pass on the goat house, thanks. Stupid restraining order.:swear::icon_susp

:tapfoot::harder::swear::gah::spank::icon_cens

 

[henkvdb]

Absolutely special.
Thank you!

 

[henkvdb]

Today's newspaper

Happy (almost Halloween)

 

[henkvdb]

While it's so fun to talk about *putty* cats, loveable furry little things they are, anyone else hoping to see the Cubs win tonight at Wrigley? Wouldn't that be friggin' awesome!?!

I'd love for them to go all the way.
Alas, I had to choose: go out for maybe the last three-day trip this year or stay home to watch the Cubs this weekend.
My VTX easily won that battle; I'll have an other chance to watch the Cubs win the world series in the year 2124.

:choppersm

 

[henkvdb]

'Whatever' thread, right? Why do so few drivers use their turn signals and so many blow through stop signs, these days? Do they not teach these in driving skool, anymore? :doh:

...just sayin' :cheers:

Priority #1 in traffic these days: that all important phone call.
All the rest is really irrelevant.

:swear:

 

[henkvdb]

Ain't nobody got time fo dat!....

Who dat?

They are playing right now.

:16:

 

[henkvdb]

Along with "fargin' ice holes".....that's a favorite of mine

Thank you all for expanding my vocabulary.

:16:

 

[henkvdb]

The same thing happens to me all the time on the side of the road with cars.

That's funny.

Two weeks ago when riding in the middle of nowhere in Colorado I saw a biker ahead of me at the side of the road, all lonely by himself.
I of course slowed down to find out what was going on until, just at the last moment, I saw he was using the universal sign of 'I am taking a ....'.
So I continued with my ride without stopping.

:16:

 

[henkvdb]

Play Misty For Me was hid directorial debut. That reminded me of a girl I once dated. Scary. Any Which Way You Can and Any Which Way But Loose were the movies that made him the most money. I'm not sure if that still holds true today, but who cares. He's good at everything he does. I was realllllly hoping for a 6th Dirty Harry movie, but he is too old for that part now. And no one else better try to take his place or they might hear "Go ahead. Make my day".

To me he is still the perfect and only guy to play Roland from the Dark Tower, but alas, that isn't going to happen.
:madatdocument:

 

[henkvdb]

I just read through this and I can name about 8 people who have way too much time on their hands.

Did those 8 include you? If not then it makes 9, and OK, add me in too, 10.

:16:

 

[henkvdb]

Thanks, Chuck... if I may give the story on it... It was a warm, summer, late-morning at a rural, outdoor flea market under tall pines. This 60-something-year-old woman had it draped over the roof of her Ford Taurus which was parked behind her table and display. I walked up and said exactly what you said above, "Very cool map!". She smiled and perked up, then told me only a little background on it. I was so intrigued by it's age and uniqueness, that I engaged her in a longer discussion about it - and turned on my Richahd Geah (only fattah) charm... but, my interest and excitement about it was truly genuine and sincere... and I really wanted that map. We talked for about 20-25 minutes about it and in the end, when I asked how much, she floored me by saying that she had independently been offered both $175 and $200 by two others, earlier that morning. My smile didn't diminish because I was happy for her to have gotten such good offers on it - but I asked, "Well, why didn't you sell it?", fully expecting her to answer, "Because my price is $300." But instead, she replied, "Because I was waiting for you... I wanted someone who cares as much about it as you do, to own it and care for it... and nobody has shown me that, yet... until you... it's yours for $20." Deal done. Needless to say, I gave her a big bear-hug that made her pee a little, as IronMike would say (LOL!). Some cynics might say that she was just the best flea-market salesperson in the world, ever... but I think not... this was a genuine co-appreciation of something very old, very cool, and very historical. I'm proud that she chose me to be its new caretaker... I've had it for 10 years, now... atriot:

Mark

Taking care of history is something that is incredibly important, and this woman realized that you would love it and take care of it.
Wonderful story.

 

[henkvdb]

Use your head for something other than a damn hat rack!~ My dad

Your dad was a wise man!

 

[henkvdb]

Sez you!

I just LOVE the aerodynamics on this bike.

:16:

 

[henkvdb]

 

[henkvdb]

And I always thought that Canada was used to snow.
:16:

[video]http://newsandbusiness.rogersdigitalmedia.com.edgesuite.n et/videos/13639244001/201612/2850/13639244001_5238239279001_5238231028001.mp4[/video]

 

[henkvdb]

Uh, Mark! What did you do with the other quarter of the dog?????:doh:

He must have a quarter horse. You add it all up and you get a whole number.

:16: