Getting out of the driveway

Posted on May 1, 2016 by slip60

April 30  Saturday

Temperatures at 43 deg which makes it 33 on our bikes. Cold air when moving makes it feel about 10 deg colder. Not a good start to our trip but we get off as planned at 6am and with no rain, so why complain! Getting out of the driveway is going to happen.

The plan for today is simple. Get to Lorton Va by 2p for the auto train. By car its a 4 hr trip, by bike it turned out to be about 6 hrs. Being it was so cold we stopped 3 times to eat, thaw out and get gas. All things considered, we got here safe and that’s all that matters.

This isn’t a room, it’s a closet

The auto-train is interesting and being I never rode a train like this it is also pretty cool. They put our bikes on a pallet, tie them down then load them on an empty train car. Leave at 4p arrive in Fl at 9a next day. I booked a sleeper “roomette” which turns out to be a closet with two fold down beds. Quite a laughter since both of us sitting in the room face to face means our knees touch. Good news is the bottom part of the train where we are is empty so we have the whole car for ourselves which means we can stretch out in another room.

Annette, who is in charge of our car, is very helpful and informative and offers to set up our sleeping arrangements for at a time of our choice. The ride so far has been smooth with a few towns to look at as we pass thru. Dinner was nothing to talk about, kinda like plane food but slightly better.

People always seem intrigued by motorcyclists. First they tell you how dangerous they think it is and then they want to know all about the trips. Always curious why we take them. I have to say that one reason I do it is for the laughs. The strangest and funniest things always seem to happen on these rides. This trip will be the longest and furthest I have ever been on and should provide quite a few crazy events to say the least. Already the cold itself inspired some choice words and laughter to follow. But its the sense of freedom and simplicity that makes motorcycling so great. Traveling by car you never see and feel the world like you do on a bike. It sounds cliche but its true and you won’t get it until you ride your own bike. There’s such a feeling of accomplishment when you make it thru another day that is so taken for granted from behind the wheel. Your senses are constantly being challenged by so many things that go unnoticed on four wheels.

Waiting for the bikes!

Anyway, day one in the books! I still can’t believe I made it out of that damned driveway…..

Just one man’s opinion
The Regular Guy

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Go West Old Man

Posted on April 26, 2016 by slip60

Harley Road king

Some bikers dream about being like the guys in the movie Easy Rider, where they head out on their bikes with basically nothing but the clothes on their backs. The ultimate freedom, as it seems, what every biker might be in search of.

I have always wanted to ride a motorcycle cross country because it seemed like the perfect way to see America up close and personal. Challenging because of the danger, uncertainty, unknown weather conditions and overall personal safety.

There used to be a saying “Go West Young Man” from which I am not sure but when I was young I can tell you this trip could never have happened. Usually because of the cost. Its difficult to pick up and go when your young enough and have time on your side because usually you don’t have a bike or the money for one.  Now as I am older, time has become available to me and money is no longer an issue. So whats stopping most of us who ride to just pick up and go?

It takes some “guts” but usually its just getting that bike out of the driveway that is the hardest part. The vast majority of us are wired with fear of the unknown. We take comfort in dreaming of the big ride but most times come up with reasons why it can’t be done instead of just doing it. It starts with getting that bike down the driveway and taking it one day at a time. I have met a lot of guys who ride great distances by themselves and when they tell their tales we all listen with a bit of envy because we know he’s got the “guts” to do what we only dream of. Funny thing, is that I have never spoke with one guy who said he wished he didn’t do it. Never heard one guy talk about how scary it is or how lonely he is out there by himself.

So this week, I hope to find the “guts” to get on my bike and finally get down that damn driveway. All my excuses have been used up and time is beginning to run out.

Plans have been made and the time is now.

Keep an eye out for future posts as I make my way out west to Tennessee, NOLA, Texas, Oklahoma and the likes. A lot to see and hopefully a lot to write about.

 

Just one man’s opinion

The Regular Guy

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Daddies little girl

Posted on March 8, 2016 by slip60

Kim is at it again. Another naked selfie. Anything to get attention from social media I guess but what I feel when I look at that is disgust

I don’t consider myself a staunch conservative but maybe the older I get I might have to reconsider my thinking. I just can’t help but wonder  why we have, as a country, come to this acceptance of such immoral behavior from our ” children”. Yes, Kim is someones daughter and as a father, I can’t imagine how a parent could accept such behavior from a child of theirs. I know shes an adult but when is enough enough? Has it come to how much attention someone can garner is more important than self respect. I have seen pictures of women tastefully posing naked and maybe I could even see the potential art in her last pic but it wasn’t done for such reasons.

We as a society used to hold our children to higher standards and expect that they wouldn’t shame the family name. How any father could be proud of his ” little girl” for posing naked for social media is beyond me. Is there nothing she won’t do for attention? I know her dad has passed on and maybe if he were still alive she might have grown up differently. God only knows shes not getting any good advice from MRS JENNER!!!

Just one man’s opinion

The Regular Guy

 

 

 

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Waiting for your soul mate?

Posted on July 7, 2015 by slip60

“You have half our gifts. I the other. Together we make a whole. Together we are much more powerful.” – Joss Stirl

Do I believe in “soul mates”?  I believe in the possibility that they can exist. Not by chance but by cause and effect.

Do I think that by some random chance there is someone out there that is the bLife-Love-Quotes-Youre-My-Soul-Mateest possible person for me? Not really. Do I believe that there is someone out there who COULD be the best possible person for me? Yes I do.

I don’t think a soul mate has to be left to chance. I believe that if you become open to who the person you are with is, you can become their soul mate. I know that if I spend enough time paying attention to the person I am with, I could become her soul mate. If I knew all her crazy quirks and played along to them. If I listened to her stories instead of texting while she was telling them. If I bring home the milk for her tea when shes out, without her asking. If I know she is angry and doesn’t need advice but just an ear to bounce it off. In time, I would be her soul mate.

I believe that if I were to do all the little things we often overlook, and even if she didn’t notice, someday she would look back and say she met her soul mate. Knowing what she wants before she asks isn’t esp its just called paying attention. There are so many little examples every day that occur that we can take a note of and bank for later. Favorite foods. Clean shaven face. Holding doors. Walking next to not in front of her. As some one once said ” its the little things that add up”

We don’t have someone out there who is waiting in the wings, that knows all these things. They take time to learn and then nurture into something that matters. Its all the small stuff that amounts to why someone stays in a relationship. It’s the things that make you feel loved. That make you feel like you matter. That make you feel like life wouldn’t be as good without her. The things that only two people share that they feel just from being in the same room together. The stuff you can’t pay for or fake. It’s the real things that only come from a connection, a bond , shared by two people open enough to accept into their life. There is something about being human , in our DNA, that allows us the chance to bond eternally, if we are open to it

What makes it so hard to have a soul mate is “it takes two to tango”. You can’t be someones soul mate without them being yours. Won’t work. Nope. So if you go about your life trying to do all the little things and get nothing in return, it won’t happen. Nada. Ziltch. Zippo.That is where the connection comes from. Both people need to open their hearts and minds to each other. And for that to happen, you would need to make your relationship the most important thing in your lives.

The real challenge is wanting and working for a soul mate, not searching or waiting for one.

Just one man’s opinion

The Regular Guy

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Buddha or whats on your mind?

Posted on April 14, 2015 by slip60

“To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one’s family,to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s mind…..If a man can do this he can find the way to enlightenment and all the wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him…”- Buddha

My young friend Samantha had an assignment in school, to find a quote of Buddha’s and discuss what it meant to her. She then asked me to comment on it.

Our minds are funny things. We can convince ourselves of basically anything. Some people believe we can cure illness by thoughts alone. I’m not quite sure about that one but I do believe we can control, in our mind, our happiness. A great deal of what makes us unhappy is comparing ourselves to others. At the earliest part of our lives we are judged by how we look. Later by the jobs we have. Sometimes by the friends we share. But most of our unhappiness lies in how we perceive ourselves in our OWN mind.

Free the mind of all the clutter in our lives and its easier to see the reasons to be happy. Health. Safety. Freedom. Liberty. Family. The key is to focus on the good things in life, the hard part is doing so. We all have a problem with living in the moment, so much so that most people can not even carry a true conversation anymore. Most people are so in a hurry that what you have to say isn’t important. If people would listen more than speak, they would find a lot of interesting things are said which in turn might bring some form of happiness to their lives.

Controlling your mind, as in the thoughts we have, is a lot harder. I find myself stuck in a rut at times and actually have to force myself to think happy thoughts to get out of it. Its easy to fall prey to feeling sorry for yourself about something and then not being able to shake those feelings. I think the key to it all is to wake up everyday and make a conscious effort to think of something good about yourself or your life. Try to look past the little things that get stuck in your head that drive you nuts. That’s what I think Buddha meant by controlling your mind. If you can blank out the things that get in the way and replace it with a good thought it just might become contagious to your happiness. “Don’t sweat the small stuff”. How many of us fill our day doing just that.

Clearing your mind from all the things you can’t control will make room for all the things that will bring happiness. How many times do we drive to work and not know how we got there? It happens so often that we’re so predisposed that we blank out life around us. This in turn doesn’t allow all the good things to come in. The colors of the sky. The pattern of the raindrops on your windshield. The first bloom of spring. All the things that we should be happy and grateful for in life that we no longer are aware of.

Find a way to live for today, in the moment as they say. Concentrate on the positive in your life. Laugh. Laugh more. Your alive so be happy!

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All too true eh?

Posted on February 19, 2015 by slip60
Blindfolded Obama

Obama blind or just ignorant

These three short sentences tell you a lot about the direction of our current government and cultural environment:

1. We are advised NOT to judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works.

2. Seems we constantly hear about how Social Security is going to run out of money. But we never hear about welfare or food stamps running out of money! What’s interesting is the first group “worked for” their money, but the second didn’t.

3. Why are we cutting benefits for our veterans, no pay raises for our military and cutting our military force levels — e.g., the Army — to a level lower than before WWII, but we are not stopping the payments or benefits to illegal aliens.

Are we missing something??? Do you think this man and his cronies really care about this country and the  direction in which we are headed?

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Sunstroke

Posted on February 16, 2015 by slip60

IMG_20150211_142643-1

 

 

 

 

 

 

What happens to a person when they spend the winter months in Florida!

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The Portuguese Grill, Forked River, NJ

Posted on January 10, 2015 by slip60

portuguese grill logo

Anna says “anything you want” and she means it. The kitchen at the grill is there to make your dinner the way you want it.

To say that Anna is accommodating is an understatement. The owner of the Portuguese Grill knows what it takes to get customers and keep them coming back. She made our “guys nite’ dinner an experience, not just a meal. Usually we head out to pubs or places where its kind of loud because 5 or 6 guys normally get a little loud and we need background to drown us out. Tonight we found ourselves pretty much alone as we dined on a Thursday nite right after the holidays have passed. Not much goes on in restaurants right after holidays as everyone is tired, broke or too full to eat another bite but we meet every month and this month would be no different .

After much joking with and ribbing,  our waitress brought us glasses for our wine and passed us to Anna who then made it clear that there would be no hurry in ordering. Our apps and a basket of warm bread was served promptly with a reminder that we could order our dinner whenever we would like. Four men sharing  two Portuguese favorite dishes,  Shrimp in Garlic and the grilled Chorizo sausage, didn’t take long to finish. Both dishes reminded all of us of the same dishes served in Newark NJ’s Ironbound neighborhood. That, if you don’t know is a good thing!

The Portuguese grill serves Filet on a stone which was to tempting to pass a try at when it came time to order. Other dishes ordered were Pork and Clams in a garlic and white wine sauce and a dish of Clams and Shrimp ( which normally has Scallops not Shrimp).  I have to say that those dishes both looked good and the Pork ( I tasted) was tender and flavorful, but the Filet stole the show this evening. So much so that the person sitting next to me kept looking over my shoulder while I cut and cooked my steak as I ate it. It was pretty cool how the hot stone cooks the beef as much or as little as you like.  Definitely a must try as it is delicious and somewhat fun to eat and as I notice on their website, it is priced $7 lower if you dine on Monday nites. Good to note for my return visit with the wife. Our dishes were accompanied with fried potato chips, sauteed mixed FRESH vegetables and beans and rice. I can’t remember the last time I saw hand cut carrots and vegetables served and the rice and beans were terrific. All in all the meal was a tremendous surprise as to how flavorful and delirious it was.

After the meal we were served complimentary dessert ( probably for all the amusement we provided the staff) and we ordered espresso and cappuccino’s to close the evening. Bring your own spirits as alcohol is not served here.

Our meal and service was exceptional and a pleasant surprise to find in Forked River NJ. Go visit the Portuguese Grill soon and mention this to Anna so she knows I kept my word about writing a good review about her restaurant.

The Regular Guy rating

* * * *

The Portuguese Grill

44 Manchester Ave.
Forked River, NJ 08731  Phone: 609-971-7100

 

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The Best Of Bat Dad

Posted on December 12, 2014 by slip60

Anyone that knows me can tell you I am a Batman fan. This guy named Blake Wilson created some crazy funny videos as Batman. Watch the attached Youtube video and you will see why he’s gone viral with these clips…

Blake Wilson is fighting bad manners dressed as the Dark Knight and the Vine videos he made to capture his superhero lessons have gone viral.

[embedyt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xShg52s1ZJk[/embedyt]

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Keurig Prime Error fix

Posted on December 7, 2014 by slip60
keurig coffee maker

Keurig prime error fix

If you own a Keurig you have probably experienced this problem and searched online as did I for a cure. I couldn’t find anything that worked so I took it upon myself to try repairing it on my own.

Easy fix and so far after more than 24 cups I haven’t had the problem anymore. Prior to fix my Keurig would need to be unplugged and warmed up again in between EVERY cup brewed. This started after about a year of use.

1. At bottom inside of  reservoir water tank  you will need to remove 3 screws that hold the filter screen in place. Take screen and scrub/ rinse any particles that have accumulated. Replace back into tank.

2. Turn Keurig brewer over and remove 5 screws that hold the bottom cover plate. After removing you will see a small plastic hose that attaches the pump to the intake where the water enters from the reservoir tank. There are two zip ties and a hose clamp that keep the hose attached to the fittings. You will need to clean the plastic inlet at the top of the hose, Remove the 2  screws holding it to the base of the brewer. Then cut loose the two zip tie ends from the hose. This will allow removal of the inlet tube.

3. Push out the black plastic screen from the white plastic/ rubber inlet. Replacing it is easy as it only goes back in the inlet one way. Scrub and rinse the screen to remove debris. Replace back into the inlet. Attach the hose to the inlet and secure with two new zip ties. Screw inlet back in place and replace the bottom cover.

4. At this point I primed the intake where the reservoir tank fits into the base ( you can find this where the blue low water light comes on with tank removed). Pour a little water into this hole prior to placing the tank back in place. This will help insure that water draws thru without air on the first brew.

5. I ran a couple of water cycles thru the brewer prior to using coffee to make sure all was working well.

6. Good luck and happy trouble free brewing! Check out my posts while your here. I appreciate your input.

The Regular Guy

 

 

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