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Reflecting on another year gone by... too fast!!

Tourmeister

Keeper of the Asylum
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Joined
Feb 28, 2003
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Location
Huntsville
First Name
Scott
Last Name
Friday
Howdy,

:tab The last few days here in the Huntsville area the leaves have really started to turn fall colors on the Oak, Elm, Sycamore and other trees. Many have already lost most of their leaves, but there are still some really beautiful trees out there. It is really making me want to get out and ride into East Texas. :twisted:

:tab This morning I was snoozing away and I heard a heavy thunderstorm move through around 9:00am. It sure made for some great sleeping. But alas, I had to get up and go to work around 11:30am. It poured all the way there. The trees were really whipping all over the place as the front pushed along. I think the leaves flying through the air were almost as thick as the raindrops on the windsheield :eek: As I pulled into the driveway I could see the trailing edge of the front not far off on the horizon. Clear blue skies lay behind it.

:tab I've been sitting here working all day and looking out the window. I am fortunate because I have three huge windows right in front of my desk looking out into the woods. So on days like today I can take it all in. Of course the down side is that on days when I'd much rather be riding, I can sit here and take it all in :-|

:tab Once the front pushed through, the wind really picked up. The tall thin pine trees have been swaying hypnotically for hours now. The ground is carpeted with leaves of all shapes, sizes and colors. When the wind comes whipping along between the trees it picks up the leaves, tossing them into the air in swirling miniature tornadoes of wild colors. The cats out in the yard are not sure what to make of all the commotion. They can't decide if they should be chasing the leaves or if the leaves are actually chasing them. :lol:

:tab The sky has become a deep clear blue and the temperature has dropped into the mid 50's and is still dropping. With no cloud cover to retain the heat, it looks to be a cool night. The sun is already getting low on the Western horizon, making the shadows long through the woods. The fading sunlight is coming in over the tree tops and lighting up the leaves and making them glow like the tops of the trees are on fire.

:tab As I watch the cycle of the seasons draw to a close yet again, I find myself reflecting on another year that has come to a close. There are times when I look back and all the years are a blur. I have trouble remembering what happened and in which year. This year will go down as a memorable one for Beth and Myself. We have had a good share of trying circumstances that have left us wondering what else can happen. Much like the leafless trees and brown pastures, things have been looking a little bleak.

:tab I think back to the excitement I feel every year when the brown turns back to green and the flowers come up from the ground. There is a sense of newness and possibility in the air. It was that way last Spring and if all goes well, it will be that way again. In much the same way, we started the year with a real sense of excitement and possibilities. Along the way we have met some great people. We met many of these people because I chased them down and introduced myself, much to Beth's embarrassment, and also through the marvel of the internet.

:tab Starting the TWT site is something I should have thought of a long time ago because we have met so many great people as a result. Quite a few of them have been right there with us when the bad times hit. It has also allowed us to stand beside others when things were going rough for them. This year has really had the effect of bringing a lot of priorities into focus for us. It has shown us that despite things happening to our stuff or us, the things that really matter are the people in our lives. So despite the immediate bleakness, we take comfort in the knowledge that the cycle continues. We will see more good times, the flowers will bloom again, and we will continue sharing our lives with a great group of people.

Adios,
 
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Well-said.

Lemme add my appreciation for your putting up the website. I find myself turning to it even more than another site to which I'm addicted.

I hope by bleak you just mean the weather. The nice thing about motorcycles is (barring ice/snow) no matter how nasty things get, a ride seems to take the edge off.

I look forward to more rides with you in the future. Hopefully, I can get enough time off to chase y'all's taillights on some of your longer trips... :-D
 
A ride out along the Lampasas River south of Killeen last Sunday revealed that the foliage was in full color in the limestone hills and bluffs around there too. The late afternoon sun really brought out the deep reds and golden hues that contrasted nicely with a good number of trees that were still showing bright green. Don't ask me what types of trees they were, because I don't have a clue. All I know is that I've GOT to get a digital camera to capture scenes like these! :|

I'm very grateful that you created Two Wheeled Texans, too Scott. It's likely that I wouldn't have ridden some of the wonderful, challenging roads that your rides have taken us on in the past year, and my skill and confidence on two wheels have improved quite a lot because of it. But you're right, the best thing has been the opportunity to meet a lot of good people who share this passion/obsession of riding. On that count alone, this has been a very good year, and I thank you for helping to make that possible!
:chug:
 
Scott, you have done a fantastic job with the website!!!!
With that said, when are you coming out with t-shirts?? :chug:
 
With that said, when are you coming out with t-shirts??

I need to find someone with artistic skills. I have several ideas but lack any ability to make purty pictures. I cannot afford to hire a professional graphic artist to come up with something. I've been wanting to do the shirt thing for some time. It would be cool to have them for some of the big rides as well. Know anybody that can help??

Adios,
 
Scott, I have resources regaurding T-shirts. If you'll share some of your ideas, I will put those resources to work. Being new to this group, I haven't read enough to know the true direction of things to start submitting original art.

I would like to give it a shot with some input from everyone.
 
I second that emotion.

It's been an interesting year for me.

Really enjoyed meeting everyone from TWT and bike night.

Looking forward to some rides.

Thank you Scott for the site, bringing people together.


Keith
 
Love your avatar, Keith! :mrgreen:
 
:tab I'll get back to you David. I've got to do some rough sketches and I'll email them to you. However, I would like some ideas for themes, etc,... from our members.

Adios,
 
Well, if nothing else, you can become a writer. Very nice post. I haven't been in here much, but I'll try to do better. It is a well laid out forum.

Like you, I look back sometimes and it's all a blur. I remember 79 as my first and only CRRC championship season. I remember some of the races I've been in, not the years. '82 I was married, 83 my daughter was born. I remember 1988 cause I bought my now decrepit Toyota 4x4, bought my land and hunted it and got two nice bucks off it the first week I had it! I also shot a nice mallard I had mounted. '88 was a good year for hunting. I remember 99 for Daytona, took the kid, probably was the last father/daughter trip. Now, she's into other guys... :roll: '99 was my return to CRRC, or rather CMRA. I'll remember '01 for the RPM championship, though I'm not likely to remember RPM in a few years... :roll: 2003 will be the year of two sprint championships in TMGP and could have been three if I could have made it to Denton. DAMNED SHIFT WORK!!! :evil: That is tempered by the fact that it was the year my mother died of cancer. She'd be 78 yesterday, Dec 14. But, on the up side, it was also the year good friends got together and rode minis, endurance and sprints. Mark Novak, Frank Springett, and Kelly Tompkins have gone a little nutso on the mini thing and I guess I caused it, but having friends to play with is always more fun than going to the track by yourself and not knowing anyone, like the '99 season. And, finding mini racing myself was fantastic. It's so affordable, so fun and competitive. I wish I'd found it when it started around 88. I saw 'em in '88 running in CRRC, but didn't give it much thought. My stupidity, I assure you. I never thought those little bikes could be so much fun.

So, as I ease into old age and retirement in the coming decade, it seems the best years of my life are to come. I'll go out with a bang, I guess. I've had some mighty fine times, but I always look forward to more. I'm going to make it all last as long as I can. I ain't giving up just cause AARP keeps sending me those damned applications! :wink:
 
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