Sites, sounds and smells of a grease junkie

  Hello there. It has been nearly a decade since I have posted here.  A lot has changed. Some things have not. For example, my beard is now all white and I still wear glasses. Also, my need to express myself had not changed.  Mostly the last 10 years I spent that with photography.  I look forward to sharing some of my work here, like the one above. Expect I will continue to take photos. However, I have a need to write again.  So here I am.  Writing.  Whatever that means.  Until next time take care.  -JMo

This is my final post on this site. I'm changing the focus and moving to a new address. You can find me now at www.thejmoshow.wordpress.com It's still very new so bear with me as I get settled in. Thanks and enjoy! Jamie

This is long overdue, I realize but, you know, life. A couple quick thoughts post trip. 1 - This was considerably less wilderness-y than I had expected. Not that it was a bad thing but I had not expected latrines and nice campsites. I had expected people especially on the weekends. Though we only saw one other pair of long distance hikers during the entire trip. Everyone else was day hikers. 2 - I would do this again. I would like to try this same section again. Other parts of the SHT. I would like to try winter hiking up there. AND I want to try hiking other areas. This has awoken a new love for me. I love my bike and this won't replace it, but this was a lot of fun. The whole thing. It was hard work sometimes. But I learned alot. And I would like to push myself to do more and to do some harder stuff. I could see a trip out West to cover some of the Rockies for sure. The crew for the trip consisted of Jeff, Scott and myself. That’s it. A hearty trio! Anyway, enough of t...

First, Happy New Year! I'm not much for resolutions. I'm more of a "steady and constant" change kind of person. That is the kind of change that sticks with me. Tweaking life, bit by bit. Writing this is difficult. Not because it is a hard subject but my thoughts and words have been elsewhere for a while. Regardless, here's a little something. Call them resolutions if you want. Call them my hopes. Plans. Dreams. Here's what I'm aiming for with 2015. Nine, Ten, Eleven and Twelve.  I am going to expand my volunteerism. More often. More places. Take V to Madison and Milwaukee. Ride at least one trail that I have never ridden before. Ride in a state I haven't ridden before. Hug more Love more That's enough. Time for some Nine. Hope you have an amazing 2015!

Things as of late have been an exercise in patience, persistence, priorities and perspective. And by as of late I should say...this year. :-) Nothing horrible which is why I say exercise not a study in the four Ps. Funny thing about it all, is I'm OK with that. I am so damned grateful that can say that. That I can feel those things. Most of you all have no idea have no idea how long I didn't feel. I did a decent job for a good stretch of time making sure I didn't feel. Even though there has been a bit of tumult this year, I am grateful for it and grateful for my ability to just sit with those feelings. Hope today finds you (yes YOU!) well. J

Dear fellow humans whom I share the roads with when I am on my bicycle, Leave me alone. Please. Please do not see how close to me you can get. Please keep your vehicle on your side of the white line. Your vehicle is massive and would squish me like a bug. I like being alive. There is no need to verbally assault or harass me. Calling me "f%cking f@g" or "queer" only makes you look stupid. If you yell "get a job" to me that only makes me wonder how much you've had to drink. Think of it like this. When you go out to play volleyball or baseball or go fishing or hunting or whatever it is you like to do, you wouldn't want random people threatening you right? Well I'd rather not be hassled either. I'm just out for a ride because it is what I enjoy. So, again please just leave me alone. I will do my best to simply stay out of your way. Sometimes though our paths will intersect. You may have to slow down. I know this is some sort of ma...

There are not many places I feel normal. Most of the time I feel odd. Left out. Not part of the crowd, even if I am IN a crowd. But on the bike I feel normal. Usually I'm not in a crowd, it is usually alone. I (try to) clear my mind of thoughts. Easier to do when I'm riding off road. Just focus on the breathing. Just focus on the spinning. Where should I position my body? Find the flow. The rhythm. Move those legs old man. Push a little harder Grandpa. Come on. Show me what you got! That all you got? Push. Harder. Faster. More. When my muscles ache and lungs burn, that is when I feel most normal. Some days it is frustrating because even if I push I can't find that feeling. It is still good to ride make no mistake. But my brain gets frustrated. I want to feel OK. Even if it is only for a little while.