Independence Day Motorcycle Rally

Soon we’ll be throwing our legs over the saddles, cranking up the bikes, and departing for the Hollister motorcycle rally.  As in years past, we were looking for a summer road trip.

After some discussion, we decided on the Hollister Rally, our third visit to this event.  Many are probably of the history of this a small town out in the boondocks of central California.  

Inland from Monterey and south of San Jose and the Bay area, in 1947 Hollister was the location of the now (in)famous “riot” that served as the basis for the Marlon Brando film “The Wild Bunch.”  By popular myth, it is also viewed as the birthplace of the American biker culture.  

In ’47, the bikers were World War II vets, joining together in various clubs, or “gangs” as the press called them.  However, like today’s veterans, they were not gangs, but like-minded and similarly experienced veterans associating with their brothers.

For that weekend in 1947, the American Motorcycle Association sanctioned a Gypsy Tour motorcycle rally in Hollister.  Reports differ widely and dramatically, but it is understood many more bikers showed up than expected, with riders coming from all over.   

Some reliable reports indicate a few guys got out of hand, though the press (the fore fathers of the mainstream media?) wildly exaggerated the situation.  Though some bikers roared up and down the town’s roads, and drank in all of the welcoming bars, various sources indicated afterwards that it wasn’t as bad as made out to be by a largely absent press after the fact.   

For good or bad, truth or fiction, the legend of the Hollister riot began.  Indisputably, however, the American biker image began to take shape and the foundation for the biker life style was laid. 

The Hollister Rally had been taking place off and on over July 4^th for a number of years.  After attending two previous rallies, we’d read about issues plaguing the events.  Apparently, the rally didn’t occur for a few years, then suffered some problems during half-baked attempts to resurrect it.  Lately, however, it seems to be back in is previous well-organized and successful form. 

  

Hollister is about 45 miles southeast of San Jose (do you know the way to San Jose?) and about halfway between I-5 and the Pacific Ocean, off Route 101 and southeast of Gilroy.  So this year we will drop anchor in Gilroy.  What do you mean you’ve never heard of Gilroy?   It is only the garlic capital of the world!   

Hollister is a really, really small town in one of the warmer parts of central California.  Thankfully the weather forecasts are for decent temperatures during the rally.

One important aspect of the biker life style is recognizing the dramatic differences in operating a bike with one or more other riders.  When driving a car, following someone to a destination, it is relatively straightforward and easy.  Just get behind the other guy, maintain a reasonable distance, point the car, and go.  Step on the slanted peddle to go and rectangular pedal to stop.  Most often other drivers see you and you see them.  Nothing to it, right?  On bikes it is a totally different proposition. 

For example, while physically possible to ride side-by-side on most freeways, it isn’t necessarily safe to do so.  Consequently, experienced riders often ride in staggered formations, leaving fore and aft and side-to-side space between the bikes.   

Safety is paramount when on a bike, because from a frontal or rear perspective, a motorcycle is about one-third of the width of a car.  From the side, a bike is less than 50% of the length of an average car.  So a good rider pays attention to riding safely. 

Another factor is the impact of heat on the motorcyclist.  Riding in the heat is miserable.  Though probably wearing a light t-shirt, the sun and heat from the bike and the pavement beat on you.  And your head is encased in a helmet, which retains the heat.  The air moving across your body at freeway speeds provides some relief, but there comes a point where it is just absolutely miserable.  There is no other way to describe it.  Therefore, planning travel times and routes to avoid excessive heat is important. 

Packing for a road trip also deserves some specific comment.  Again, it isn’t at all like grabbing a couple of suitcases, throwing in everything you think you might need, and stuffing them into the back of a car.  On a bike you are limited to a small bag strapped to the sissy bar and a couple of saddlebags.  Not a lot of cubic inches, so good judgment is paramount.  Since it is likely you’ll encounter various weather types, clothing for cold-to-cool-to-warm-to-hot is needed.  

 This includes short and long gloves, helmet, goggles, and chaps (leather leggings to cover the legs).  And the leather jacket.  Add to these bulky items the shaving kits, parts/tools/oil for the bike, and ball caps, there really isn’t much space remaining for much more than basic attire, comprised of the ever-present blue jeans, skivvies, socks, shirts, swimsuit, and some half-way decent attire to wear when going out for a bite to eat.  With practice and experience, you can judiciously pack for a motorcycle road trip. 

As of this writing, our routing north through L.A. is undecided.  Hitting the I-210 to intersect SR-134 and ultimately Route 1/101 (Pacific Coast Highway) is preferred, even though a longer distance, because it avoids the perpetual mess of I-405.  However, temperatures through the inland empire are forecast to be in the 90s and possible low 100s, definitely something to avoid.  The alternative is timing our departure to miss the worst of the 405.  This can mean, nevertheless, hitting slow – if not stop and go – traffic, another pain on a bike.

OK, most of you have done stop and go traffic and know it’s a bitch.  But unless or until you do it on a motorcycle, you have no idea just how much of a total bitch it can be.  Clutch in, clutch out.  Feet up, feet down.  Oh yeah, motorcycles don’t stand by themselves when stopped.  You either have to put down the kickstand (unrealistic in traffic) or put one or both feet down.  It becomes a pain really, really fast.  Add to that the fumes from the cars and trucks around you, the heat, and discomfort and it is not what “Easy Rider” looked like.  When possible, plan to avoid heavy traffic and stop and go conditions. 

When on the road like this, you can’t carry on a conversation with your buddy.  Wind noise and distance make it impossible.  So you are left with your thoughts, together with paying close attention to the road conditions and other vehicles.  In a way it is a type of solitude in the midst of everything going around you.  It is easy to get mentally lost in the beauty around you, when conditions permit, which are heightened because of riding the bike.  As previously described, you aren’t encased in a car, with climate control and a stereo.  You are pretty much one with the environment.  But in traffic, it is imperative to remain focused on the task at hand. 

Once we get to the coastal area of Santa Monica, etc., the route and ride will be much, much more enjoyable.

Not too long before we are enjoying that part of the ride.

Dismal and challenging times (that we will survive)

Dang, it is hard to keep smiling these days.  If the stock market reaction to the Brexit vote isn't enough to get the stomach acids churning at full force, then the continual, nay perpetual, bad news about the two presumptive presidential candidates should.

Ridiculous statements from each, unsupported by facts.  Inflammatory as well.

A previously undisclosed State Department email reveals once again Clinton's arrogant, if not manic pursuit of personal secrecy.  The email was most definitely official state department business, but did not make it into the 55,000 pages of printed emails Clinton ultimately provided (only after information about her personal server came to light). 

Trump's outlandish comments from Scotland reveal once again an inability to take matters seriously or understand the impact of his statements.  Can't the man think before he speaks?
 
Egad!

From where I sit, a cold beer and relaxing with my bride are in order this evening.

The stock market will rebound.

The country will survive whoever is elected president.  (It's not absolutely certain either Clinton or Trump will be the one.)

Our country will survive

Five months to go until the 2016 elections.  It hardly seems possible the political choices could be any more dismal.

For differing and similar reasons, the presumptive major party candidates for the office of the presidency are simply unworthy of the position they seek.

This leaves our nation facing a quandary for which no clear palatable, reasonable, or (dare it be said) sane alternative presents itself.

Legions of woefully uninformed, ignorant, greedy, and/or inept voters will certainly cast their ballots for one of these two.  Unless some cataclysmic event arises, one of them will be elected to serve as the next President of the United States of America.

At this point, one could start forecasting all the doom and gloom that will befall our nation.  It matters not which individual is elected, because the strident supporters from the other side can provide long lists of reasonable and unreasonable predictions.  Perhaps some of the gloom and doom, regardless of who is elected, will come to pass.  But it isn't reason to flee the country.   

A singular strength of our nation is its ability to survive.  It has survived the Civil War, multiple world wars, political scandals, slavery, economic recessions, the Great Depression, housing booms and busts, civil unrest, riots, 9/11, reconstruction, impeachments, Vietnam, high unemployment, the Dust Bowl, assassinations, Watergate, and countless other challenges.  It has survived its previous exceptionally poor choices for president.  

It has survived.

We cannot accurately predict what form survival will take in response to this new challenge, but survive the country will.  

There may be pain involved, but at the other end, our country will be better for its survival. 

We will endure the next months of hyperbole, insults, shrill voices, unfounded claims, stilted polls, expenditure of outrageous sums of money, ridiculous pronouncements, outright lies, clever misrepresentations, and perhaps even legal upheaval.  Then the election will be done.

Take a deep breath, exhale slowly, and remember that our country has survived worse and will survive this.  

An unwarranted victory lap

Following is a news report about comments POTUS made in Elkhart, Indiana, during his so-called victory lap, as he tells America how much better our nation, our citizens, and the world are since he took office.  In this case, he was discussing the economy.

Obama, speaking in Elkhart, Ind., had lamented the “primary story” he claimed Republicans are telling about the economy – one that focuses on how “moochers at the bottom of the income ladder” are squeezing middle-class families.

“We have been hearing this story for decades,” Obama said. “Tales about welfare queens, talking about takers, talking about the ‘47percent.’ It's the story that is broadcast every day on some cable news stations, on right-wing radio, it's pumped into cars, and bars, and VFW halls all across America, and right here in Elkhart.”

Obama continued: “And if you're hearing that story all the time, you start believing it. It's no wonder people think big government is the problem.”

His rhetoric is wholly unconvincing, in addition to taking an insulting and uncalled-for-shot at veterans.

If the nation is indeed so much better because of his time in office, then why are vastly more people out of the workforce than in it?  Why was the jobs report for May 2016 so dismal?  Why is the economy cited by voters as their number one concern?  Why is the national debt approaching 20 trillion dollars?  Why is the stock market performing tepidly and is currently below its high mark?  Why aren't savings accounts paying reasonable interest?  Why are health care insurance carriers departing Obamacare?  Why are health care premiums and co-pays dramatically increasing?  And the list goes on and on.

The most telling indicator though, is that voters from both the left and right are damned angry at his big government and its overreach, as indicated by the backlash prevalent in this year's election cycle.