After Words

It was a helluva ride and I can honestly say I know of no one who has ever done it before, certainly not alone, mostly, on a motorcycle.

I'm adjusting to the new/old life, my scale no longer hundreds of miles eating asphalt with broad expanses of land in front, great adventure ahead and behind.

I'm back to the mundane, the mean streets of San Jose, home, the adjustment to the frankly scary drivers. I've returned to my belligerent confidence and necessary defensive driving skills, every vehicle a missile, every driver a potential assassin. Life is fast in San Jose, indeed the whole Bay Area, and the timid die a nasty, horrible death - or worse.

An Asian woman tried to parallel park her oversized SUV into a space clearly too small for the black behemoth, no one on the sidewalk to help guide her, and I was behind her, on the motorcycle, a car behind me, close. I treated it as anyone would a natural disaster: I tried to plan an escape route, preferably to a different state, but the route was blocked with on-coming traffic; nothing left to do but hold on, pray to whatever gods might hold favor, hope I wouldn't be part of the collateral damage, wait for FEMA, collect government aide.

I was lucky, no damage.

When Dame Fortune smiles on you, you don't spit in her face. You wave politely, thank her, and move along. Your time will come. It always does. We can only hope we have a choice in the matter. That's the best we can do.

I'd like to thank everyone who followed the blog, the comments, the well-wishes. There were times I considered not continuing the entries; you helped me finish and it is much appreciated.

I'd also like to thank Rally Software, the company I work for, the company with the amazing benefit granting six weeks paid sabbatical after seven years of service. Rally is a much different company from when I joined as employee 40. It's greater than ten times the size, has IPO'd, expanded to different countries. The changes may not have been for the better but it is still an amazing company.

Thanks to all my friends, old and new, with your support and kindness, the couch, the bed, the food, the drink, the shelter and most especially the company and great memories.

I'd be remiss not to thank Victory Motorcycles for engineering such a great bike. I never had a problem, never a worry the bike wouldn't start, wouldn't get me to the next destination, in comfort and safety. It's an amazing motorcycle from an American company and if you're thinking of buying a motorcycle, you really need to look at them.

And to my family, especially my girls, I wanted to let you know that even though I'm at heart a selfish-bastard and the ride was primarily my conceit, in a very real way, you were my inspiration. I wanted to show you that you can do amazing things with your life; I did, even at my old age, that being anything older than 40.

Women, in particular, have pressures placed on them to always do the right things. My girls, I love you; please don't be afraid to make mistakes. Take risks. Enjoy the failures. Think big. Do big if you are able.

Finally, thanks to my Hurricane, for your patience, understanding, editing and love. You and I are we and I am not without you.