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Well my street gear is finally complete for my bike. Just got the CE rated back armor for my jacket. Has been backordered for about a month. Now I just need those parts for my fuel petcock and I will be up and running again.

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Well, I went through the process of removing the gas tank on my bike this afternoon. My parts to replace the petcock shipped on Friday so with any luck they will arrive on Monday or Tuesday, I can get this thing back together early in the week and I can still get a ride in with the good weather. 

Tank removal was surprisingly easy. Took only about twenty minutes. Pulled a few hoses (gently) removed the fuel indicator and viola. Getting the remaining fuel out of the tank proved to be a little more tricky. In short i got it everywhere, but most went in the fuel can. 

Quote....

Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

Steve Jobs

My Thoughts on the Passing of Steve Jobs

Throughout history there are a few select moments that define humanity and its progress moving forward. Some of those moments come in the form of events, people, places, etc. Some people will pass through this evening not thinking much of the passing of Steve Jobs. Others, like myself will take to the news and reflect back upon the real impact that Jobs and his company Apple have had upon our culture. 

We may initially look at what Jobs has done and scoff at the impact. We should definitely look beyond just the iPod as a device that plays music. What Jobs and Apple have done over the past two decades is define the future that we all wanted in the early part of the twentieth century. Computers went from being devices that took up entire rooms, down to a desktop sized machine with an interface the average person could use, opening doors to a wealth of information. The dream of information at our finger tips is now a reality with the advent of the iPhone and the subsequent industry that has grown to try and catch up to it. 

While we certainly cannot credit all of these devices and innovation to Jobs himself, neither can we credit all of the innovations of General Electric to Thomas Edison. Much like Edison though Steve Jobs had the brilliance of mind and the work ethic to identify and cultivate the ideas and devices that would literally change us as a people. We will never be the same as we were five, ten or fifteen years ago because of these devices. Information, communication, content and media are all seconds away. News and the dissemination of information has never been more free (and more challenged) than right now in humanity’s history. Steve Jobs was a visionary, perhaps even a dreamer. Unfortunately we do not have much of a world that still has those. Apple has always been there to cultivate the arts and it has been my belief that the arts are the sciences that truly breed the next geniuses of our era. Perhaps there is six year old kid sitting at home writing an app for the iPhone who is the next Steve Jobs. Perhaps he/she is the next Carl Sagan. Perhaps he/she is the next Martin Luther King. Whoever or whatever that kid is though he/she has never had more opportunities to build, learn and create for themselves than ever before. 

We will miss you  Steve and it is unfortunate there aren’t more like you in the world. Just think where humanity could be if we all had the drive, vision, heart and creativity you did for our own work. 

Ride Log: 10-02-11

After my disasterous ride on Saturday trying to drive the Lincoln Highway, I was invited down by some of the fire fighters I work with to a pancake breakfast in Kankakee. I had to get up early to meet everyone and the tempurature was a cold 42 degrees. Three layers on and I still was numb. 

I had blast riding down on 57 in a group of seven though. Three guys from public works; including myself, three fire fighters and a police officer. Most of the guys riding were in decked out Harley Crusiers, but we had a Honda Shadow, a Buell of some sort and of course my Kawasaki in the mix as well. 

The countryside down in this area was quite pretty. Once you get outside most of Chicagoland the roads open up to some real scenic areas. After breakfast, in what can only be described as a “quaint” little down, we make a quick stop at one of the fire fighter’s house to check out his garage that he converted to a Harley shrine. I would have gotten some pictures, but being the new rider in the group I was of course plagued by some embarassing mishaps. I had a couple of instances where my bike wouldn’t start (It was in neutral) and then while stopped for breakfast my seat wouldn’t pop off to allow me access to my camera. 

A fellow I work with told me a few weeks ago that one of his favorite things about riding a bike are the smells. I can totally agree to that. On the way back we caught some hints of burning leaves. Saw some apples laying in the road from some side apple trees. Just felt like fall and it was a really great ride. My bike still hurts my rear end though, but I suppose I can’t ask for too much from a first bike.


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Ride Log: 10-01-11 (Failed Lincoln Highway Attempt)

Attempted to make a run today on the Historic Lincoln Highway in Illinois. The initial plan was to head out towards the DeKalb area. Unfortunately I ran into problems unable to find the historic placemarkers to get me in the right direction. You can see from the trail below that I had several instances where I had to backtrack. Overall not a bad ride, but not productive either.


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