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This message is personal and not narrowly related to my '51 Pan-Shovel, so if that makes you grumpy or uncomfortable, please move on.
I'm a writer, so spend a lot of time reflecting on other people's motivations and values. But my own life has been marked this year by personal tragedy that I'm struggling to manage, and the country I grew up loving and volunteered to serve is deeply divided with no end in sight. At times, it's all a bit much and I find myself groping for something familiar and reassuring, something solid and simple, a source of joy and satisfaction free of controversy and complication.
Late yesterday afternoon the dog nudged me, and I realized it was way past his meal time and he needed a walk. I fed him and trudged up the easement toward the dirt-and-gravel spur that leads to the blacktop while he loped along, snuffling coyote tracks among the crusty patches of snow. I was strangely insulated from the frozen landscape, and couldn't hear, smell, or feel anything save for an oppressive weight on my shoulders, an aching in my chest, and nearly unbearable pressure squeezing my temples. I suddenly found myself wondering who would take care of the dog if I, too, were no longer here--and then a squadron of tiny bushtits alighted from an ancient Juniper tree by the side of the easement, whirled around me like a feathery cloud, and disappeared down into the gorge. I drew my first deep breath since dragging myself out of bed that morning, looked up, and saw what you see below.
I haven't met any of you in person, have never shaken your hands or poured you a cup of coffee. But I wanted to thank you for the kind words and helpful advice, which have not only made the work on my old 'paint shaker' more productive but have given me something to look forward to, as well. I hope that all of you have a warm and restful holiday season.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
Happy Holidays, fellow wrench turners
