johnnykillmore

[johnnykillmore]

Eastward: navigating change

There is still no plan for a big summer trip this year. I’m in the process of moving from southern Arizona to Kentucky, via Lake Tahoe, California, but with it being mostly interstate, there is little to get excited about as far as photography is concerned. I spent some time in Las Vegas helping a friend with a used truck he purchased, then shot up out of the desert heat into the quiet reaches of…

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Not quite Mad Max, but motorcycles help supplement the Russian war machine in Ukraine. #jkroams

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Chatbots getting chatty, and getting pretty deep, too... #jkroams

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More dual sport rides around Tombstone and a stop in at the Bisbee Prowl, a biker rally that doesn't suck. #jkroams #bisbeeprowl #tblogger

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Empty Reflections

This photo about the empty streets during the pandemic had me thinking more about how much I like quiet places. #jkroams

I just saw this article on the BBC’s website about a photograph. It was eventually used by an article called “The Big Empty,” which shared photos of how empty things were during the pandemic and lockdowns. This particular picture was taken in February or 2020, very early on, but in Beijing, where people were staying home even before the lockdowns became literal. The photographer, Gilles Sabrié,…

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Dirt Roads and Discoveries: Reflecting on Purpose in Life

A day trip into the mountains and some thoughts on mindfulness while riding

Already March. So much the same, so much different. The good news for me is that Bisbee offers far more to do than San Felipe, so there is far less of that Groundhog Day repeating — the blurring of days and constant malaise. Also, the Mexican border is close so delicious tacos abound. The monotony of being in one place is starting to build, which is usually when I start pulling out maps and…

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Lost vs Lost In The Moment

Halfway through February?!! It seems like each year just continues to pick up speed. I remember my twenties and thirties being fast-paced because of how much was going on, but it seems my forties are moving by even faster for the exact opposite reason: every day blurs into the next because so little is happening. I recently saw an article about the concept of feeling lost: those periods when you…

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A Different Idea

Bought a new (to me) car, got some tacos, started making a list for February. #jkroams

Well, I’ve joked about midlife crisis’ and buying a Corvette, but I finally did it. No, not a Corvette. My plan was to buy a winter car — some beater from the mid-90’s with a functioning heater and room for groceries. But while scanning for cheap cars I came across a Volkswagen Beetle. Not just any Beetle: a Baja Bug. As a Southern California native, these modified V-dubs are part of my culture.…

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Biker B-Movies: The Wild Angels

The 1960’s spawned a lot of low-budget films. With drive-in theaters there was a big market for them. There was a huge slice of Americans that lived in smaller towns, and the drive-in theater was one of few places you could go and be alone with your sweetheart. For many patrons, what was on the screen wasn’t really important. But hey, you could get some popcorn or a slice of pizza and a Coke,…

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Another lap around the sun for planet Earth. Deciding where the beginning and end of a circle are is a bit more than I’d like to fathom at the moment, but the beginning of a new year is always a good time for reflections. I don’t see reinvention though, but an apt time to simply look at progress, goals, check the definition of “here” and “there” and to see if all the effort is worth it. “New…

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Keep Them Doggies Rollin'

Sense of accomplishment is a funny thing. We can get it from summiting a mountain or fitting into our pre-Christmas skinny clothes. Really, who cares where it comes from? The main thing is, things must be getting checked off whatever list is in our head, or we wouldn’t likely feel it. The last two weeks though I’ve had one main task that was actually several tasks smooshed together: do all the…

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Biker B Movies: Masters of Menace

I want to start my own little column. Part movie review, part film history, and part stroll down memory lane. The “Chopper Opera” — a slang term for the straight-to-the-drive-in-movies that define the exploitation film genre — is probably my favorite sub-genre. While it is defined by hits like “The Wild One” and “Easy Rider,” there are literally hundreds of cheezy biker movies out there. Some are…

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Life Happens: Maintenance Struggles and Small Miracles

Here we go again on another round of motorcycle maintenance, but progress is being made. There's some new stuff coming my way too, and there's reason to stay positive.

Lemmie tell ya, this last week has seriously worn me out. It shouldn’t have though. I’ve gotten into some battles with inanimate objects and such, and that can wear a person out, but I can’t explain why I’m so chronically low on energy. Most of my attention has been focused on the heaps of maintenance my Indian Chieftain has needed. The bike is very easy to do regular services on, but it had…

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First and Final Flights

"First In Flight"

  One quick note on December 17th. Back in 1903, this was the day Wilbur and Orville Wright made their first powered flights. They barely held the Wright Flyer of the ground and only managed about 120ft, using a sort of catapult that launched them into the wind. The Boeing 747 — itself over 50yrs old — is actually more than twice as long as the first powered flight. That’s how far and fast we’ve…

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A Week of Frustrations

I’ll tell you before you start reading, this is almost entirely a rant about how hard it is to work on motorcycles, so skip to the second section if you aren’t interested in that. Well, I officially don’t find it fun working on motorcycles anymore. I think being a mechanic was a joy from another lifetime. While I’m happy to own a motorcycle that is nearly maintenance free, everything needs…

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The Holiday Time Zone

Thanksgiving has come and passed,  but the feeling of the holiday season remains. In the desert you don’t get much of  a fall season. The temperatures start dropping at night, you might see a bit more cloud cover now and again, then “poof:” it’s winter and it’s cold. Because of this, you need to pay attention to the calendar and to the energy of people to really notice the transition into…

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Finding The Winter Grove Ain't Easy

How did another week pass by? I must admit, being off the road has allowed me to really shut down, and I have done nothing to get myself going like I’d planned to. Sure, it’s fine to slum it for a week or even two after a long trip but — like everything I do — I’ve taken “doing nothing” to an extreme. In fairness to myself I’ve earned some down time, and I’ve also managed to do a few things; it…