Well, the calendar has now turned to 2008 and I will admit to already making the mistake of putting 07 at the top of this letter. Something I'm sure we will all be doing for the next couple of weeks. We are embarking on a brand new year that puts us closer to closing out the first decade of the new millennium. These first 7 years sure have gone by so fast. It doesn't seem like that long ago we were taking our ride up the California coast, but it is now over 5 years ago.
 
Isn't it amazing how one day or the change of a calendar page can have such a significance? Every year I have these great ideas of how things are going to be different or how I am going to do things different simply because the calendar has turned to another year. It can sometimes be a good demarcation to set a timetable to do things differently or reset goals, but it really comes down to the fact that it is just 24 hours removed from the day before in 2007. Nothing has really materially changed. You still have the same job you might not care for, the same boss you would rather not see again, the same extra 20 pounds that won't seem to go away and maybe even the same spouse that could use a tune up.
 
What I have found over the last 50 years is that it is not the rolling over of the calendar that is going to make a difference. It is the changing of our own mindset and attitude that will ultimately make things better. I read someplace that we have 2 choices when we wake up in the morning. We can decide that it is going to be a good day, have a positive attitude and make the best of it that we can. Or we can decide that it is going to be a bad day, begin with a negative attitude and set that course of action for the day. If you start the day with the glass half full, instead of half empty, your boss might even seem nicer, or that 20 pounds might only seem like 10, or your spouse might even start responding kinder. Give it at try.
 
Being an avid rider and one that enjoys seeing our country from the seat of a motorcycle, a good mental health moment for me is just to stop and take a few minutes for daydreaming. One of my favorite things is to browse a map to see places that we haven't been, to look at old ride photos on the site, or when I'm sitting in traffic, start planning that next big journey in my mind and imagine how it might be. I love this quote by Albert Einstein, "Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions." I would encourage everyone who has been thinking about getting on that motorcycle for a good long trip on the open road to start imagining that today, and don't miss the opportunity to finally make it happen. Click Here for plenty of ideas to get you going.
 
January 1 can also act as a line in the sand that can wipe the slate of the last year clean in our minds, it gives us the opportunity to finally let go of our mistakes by labeling them as learning experiences and motivate us to regroup, refresh, and use those lessons to get the new year off to a good start. One of the ways to do this is by writing down a few things that you would like to remember throughout the year. Here are a few that I came up with last year that still apply. Some of them might even work for you.

1. Stop taking off with kickstand down. Rookie mistake #1. It is embarrassing to have someone point at your kickstand when you are riding to find that it is down. It also makes left turns much more challenging. Page 12 in the riders manual advises against this activity. Never can figure out how I forget this.

2. Make sure fork is unlocked or disk lock is removed before trying to take off. Makes for a very awkward moment, especially in a crowd, when you are trying to act cool while trying to keep your bike upright. You usually only have to experience this once to learn your lesson. Remember my Vrod fork lock story from 2002. Rookie mistake #2.
 
3. Be sure to have saddle bag lids secured before riding. Once again, embarrassing to have someone pull up next to you on freeway and point at your bag lid flopping in the wind while your personal belongings are being littered along the freeway.
 
4. Learn that "E" on the gas gauge actually does mean empty. It does not stand for "E-ternity of Gas". I sometimes tend to get those confused. Figuring out how far past the "E" you can ride is useful in the game to see how far you can go on a tank of gas. To win the game you are able to ride into the gas station and actually put more gas in the tank than it holds. Losing the game involves a call to AAA from the side of the road. My record is now 5.3 gallons in a 5 gallon tank.
 
5. Don't put valuables on top of the gas pump when fueling. I've done this more than once and it makes for a white knuckle time when you realize what you have done half way down the exit ramp, pull a u-turn and are now going up the exit ramp and down the sidewalk trying to get back to the station to retrieve your wallet or camera before the next guy leaves the pump.
 
6. Stop under dressing. Realize that standing still in the sun with a short sleeve t-shirt on in 70 degree weather does not feel the same as riding 70 mph in the same temperature and attire. Over dressing will never be  a problem for me.
 
7. Accurate timing. Realizing that a motorcycle is not a helicopter and I still have to deal with traffic in this town. I need to start adding 15 minutes to every estimate of when I might arrive somewhere.
 
8. Map Reading and Estimations. Getting it through my head that 300 miles of riding through the mountains and twisties is going to take considerably longer than 300 miles on a Montana freeway. One of my more famous quotes on a trip; "It is only 300 miles, we should be there by 1pm." I am reminded of this quote at 5pm by Mrs. C. when we arrived.
 
9. Be sure bike is in neutral when starting. Nothing much worse than going to your bike at a bike night, thinking it is in neutral and pushing the start button to find out that you were wrong. However, it is quite entertaining for the 40 people on the outside patio. Double check neutral light before making Rookie Mistake # 3.
 
10. Confirm that the kickstand is actually down when dismounting. The wrong time to realize that it isn't down is when that 600 pounds of steel has built up momentum as it is heading for the ground. But once again, this one can be a conversation item for those that watch this happen. Rookie mistake #4.
 
These are a few that have happened to me. I'm sure you have a list of your own.
 
Mrs. C. and I wish you a Happy New Year full of great riding experiences and good fortune. 

New! Starting January 3rd
Fuzzy's Southwest Sports Grill Bike Night. Riders on the far west side
in the Surprise area finally have a Bike Night.

Every Sunday 

Barry Caraway
"The Road Is Yours -  Take The Ride"

www.cyclerides.com
info@cyclerides.com