I have been online since late 1997, and in that time I have met hundreds, if not thousands, of people on the internet. Some I still talk with once in awhile, but most have come and gone. There are a couple that I have known since the beginning and still converse with them on occasion, but they have mostly moved on. Most are women as I have little to say to guys. If I want to engage in a pissing contest, I prefer to do it face to face, and preferably, with friends. I do, however, have a few male friends from the internet who share common interests, and until a few weeks ago, had never met any of them.

Enter L. Michael James. A fellow motocross racer, writer and general motofreak. I had read some of his stuff in a Moto mag back when I was still racing(1999) and began talking to him through a motocross message and chat board(I have long since forgotten its name). We started out just discussing motocross stuff, but eventually, as a friendship formed, began talking about everything. Families, friends, politics and just whatever we happened to be involved in at the time. We traded pix, bench raced and bragged.

In 2002, after Ricky Carmichael's first perfect season, I wrote a blog about it. Mike read it and donated half his column space in a motocross magazine he was writing for to my piece. I was floored and very flattered that he would do that, but as I realized as I thought about it, it was just like him. Unselfish and appreciative of friendship.

Mike lives in The Bronx, NYC, N.Y. and we had been talking about trying to get to the same race at some point and actually meet. An e-mail in late August informed me of his impending trip to the Glen Helen National as a journalist in September. There was no hesitation. Bev and I made plans and reservations to be there. A few calls and a few hours of driving put us together at Chapparal Motorsports in San Bernardino, Ca. We hugged, laughed and talked a bit also meeting Mikes brother, Doug, another fine fellow. We hooked up for dinner and spent a couple of hours getting to know each other in the ways that are impossible online or by phone. Some things just have to take place face to face. We didn't see a lot of them at the race, as they were busy covering the event and we were just watching, but we did hook up for awhile.

Next September the Motocross des Nations will be in America for the first time and Bev and I are already making plans to be there. It will take place at Budds Creek, Maryland, Mikes home turf, and we will get to spend some more time together. I am looking forward to the whole experience. It's not often that people from opposite coasts that meet online, ever get to meet face to face and have such great times. I consider myself fortunate to know a man like Mike and will make time to see him whenever I find myself back east. Such is the nature of friendship. I hope that one day, Mike can come out here again with some time and I can come up with a couple of dirtbikes so he can fulfill one of his dreams of riding the world famous tracks of So. Cal. I would take whatever time off work I needed to to make that happen. He would do the same for me back there. It's fun to flirt, converse, argue and debate online, but rarely do any of us ever meet. I am happy I live in the internet age because it has given me the opportunity to meet people like Mike and a few others who's company I have had the pleasure of sharing, and I am a better person for it. Here's to what's worth it!

Hugo Chavez...A perfect model of a socialist dictator. Ideal socialism may sound enticing, but this thug's madness is what it has always boiled down to. A man and a leader of a nation without respect of or to anything. The ability and right of the people to dissent crushed. Nazi Germany, the U.S.S.R, Mussolini's Italy, North Korea, Cuba, most Arab nations, and now, Venezuela. The Bush haters will say he is doing the same thing, but they know in their hearts it is not true. Even the normal Bush bashing politicos derided Chavez' ravings at the U.N., which is itself, nothing more than an anti-American, anti-Semitic organization. There is nothing wrong with true liberalism(even though I disagree with it), but Socialism is very dangerous, and the far left is well on it's way to pushing just such an ideology on the public. Oh, they wrap it in the language of progressive change(much like Hitler did), and giving power to the people, but it has never quite worked out that way. In the end, it was always the people who suffered. Even the quasi-socialist countries like Canada and Sweden are being crushed economically by taxe rates as high as 50%, proving there is no such thing as a free lunch(or free healthcare). Most socialist governemnts have come to power through violent coups and stay in power through threats and rigged elections, and most have violent civil unrest and the voices of the people are crushed. Again, the Bush haters will say that is happening here, now, and again, they know it is not true. They just wish it to be so so they can pound their chests and say "See"? I have debated with many liberals and not one could cite any freedoms they have lost since 2000 except for the freedom to hurry through check in at an airport, forgetting that such travel is not a right, but a priveledge(like driving). Priveledge. So many Americans confuse the difference between that and a right and it is one of the reasons that things are so out of whack these days. Most socialist governments allow neither right OR priveledge. People who see themselves as oppressed(and generally wouldn't feel that way were they not to told to feel that way by the Jesse Jacksons of the country)in this day and age have no idea what oppression really is. We are a nation of spoiled brats, and in some ways, that is good, but in most, it is bad. Hugo Chavez should be a stark reminder of what is good about America and what is wrong with truly oppressive leadership in other nations, but sadly, many will fail to grasp that distinction. I say take a trip to Venezuela and see what poverty and oppression really look like. George W. Bush is not a perfect man nor is he a perfect leader, but who is? It is easy, as the ones without responsibility, to be Monday morning presidents, but most of us would collapse under such withering duties as trying to run the most powerful nation on earth. In 2008 Bush will be gone and the people will select a new leader. The people in most socialist countries do not have that option. Their leadership will not change until it is overthrown. I don't know about you, but I prefer our way, no matter it's flaws. Utopia exists only in fairy tales, not in Nations and governments.

On September 10th, 2006, I had the pleasure of seeing the man with the best record in the history of motorcycle racing in his final race as a full time racer. I am speaking, of course, about Ricky Carmichael, 14 time AMA Supercross and Outdoor Motocross National Champion, age 26. He turned pro in 1996 at 16 and has not lost an outdoor titles since(he didn't race a full schedule in 96 because he wasn't old enough till the end of the season, so 97 was his first actual title). He has ten outdoor titles, three in the 125(now called "motocross lites") class and seven in the 250(now called "motocross") class, and six Supercross titles, one in the 125 class and five in the premier class. He has ridden for Kawasaki, Honda and is currently with Suzuki. When he won both motos at Delmont, Pa a few weeks ago, it marked his 70th overall outdoor vitory. In 2002 "RC", as he is affectionately known, did what no other motorsports racer had ever done. He won EVERY race that year. 12 races, 12 overall wins,24 motos, 24 wins(each race consists of two motos, best score from combined motos wins overall). The return of Kevin Winham in 2003 kept RC from winning three motos that year. In 2004 RC injured his knee in pre-season practice and sat the entire Supercross season out, healing and training for the outdoor season. When it came around, RC had another perfect year outdoors. He is, by far, the most popular rider in America, and possibly the world. Last year at the Motocross des Nations(kind of a World Cup of Motocross)in France, where Motocross racers are national heroes, RC was mobbed(as were Kevin Windham and Ivan Tedesco, the other team members)everytime he was seen. He handily won the motose he raced in, spanking Belgiums ten time World Champion, Stefan Everts.

The race I attented a few weeks ago was at Glen Helen in San Bernardino, and unfortunately, RC went down while leading teh first moto and injured his left shoulder keeping him from racing the second moto. It will also keep him from representing America along with James Stewart(RC's heir apparent and the first black champion in motorsports history)and the rookie phenom, Ryan Villipoto. It was a bummer not to be able to see RC whack the competition, but that's racing(James Stewart smoked the pack after RC's crash). RC will race a "limited" schedule in 2007 and I hope Glen Helen is one of them. I would like to see him again.

They say that records are meant to be broken, but like Richard Petty's record of 200 NASCAR wins, it is unlikely that anyone will eclipse the marks that RC set. It isn't just his speed, but it's his heart that makes him the champion he is. He admits that he is not the most naturally talented or fastest rider out there, but his training program, his willingness to hang it out on the edge and his dedication over the years have put him a step above the rest of the pack. It is hard to imagine another rider doing that long enough to catch him.

I have been involved in motocross since 1974 as a racer and a fan and have never seen anyone do what needs to be done to win like RC has. I have seen him racing both Supercross(in stadiums) and outdoors on a few occasions and I have always been impressed. It is only since his comeback from knee surgery that I have really become a big fan of his, mostly because everyone wrote him off that year, and I will miss seeing him dancing his RMZ450 around the tracks on OLN and Speedchannel.

Good luck and Godspeed RC. Motocross is a better sport because of you!

Another Fruitvale(NOT ROSEDALE)landmark is going under. I am speaking of the gas station at the corner of Rosedale Hwy. and Mohawk Dr. This is the original strip of Mohawk that ran south from the hiway to the Mohawk refinery, now the Flying J refinery. Before the Truxtun Extension was built there was no Mohawk south of the river. Anyway, back to the gas station. It's last incarnation was as a Shell, before that a Texaco, all the way back to it's original oil company name, Mohawk. There were a few Mohawk stations scattered around town, but this is the only one I associated with my childhood. I am sure that, even had the company survived mergers, buyouts and takeovers, it would not have survived political correctness. You see, the Mohawk logo was an Indian brave in profile with the word "Mohawk" to the right of the circular part of the sign that pictured the Indian, the letters somehow looked Indian and I always thought it was the very coolest of all the oil company logos. At one point, the station was owned(a franchise I am certain)by a family friend named Grover Cannon. When I was about six, a tanker truck took the corner at the station too fast, flipped over and burned the whole thing to the ground. Mom and I still have pictures of that mess. When I started driving in 1975 it was still a Mohawk and I bought gas there occasionally. I remember when it changed names(I don't remember to what), but I didn't really think much about it then. The last time I got gas there was last winter on the way to work late at night. I yakked with the gal working there a bit, and a few days later, saw her working at Home Depot. The next time I drove by the Shell, it was closed, When I drove by last Thursday it was a pile of rubble. I don't know what will replace it, but it will almost certainly not be another gas station. There is so very little left of the little stretch of Rosdeale Hwy. I knew as a child. If I was a drinking man, I'd toast the old station, but I'm not, so I'll just mope.

I really try to stay away from politics in my blogs anymore because I am sick of arguing online. I know what my opinions are and that seems to be good enough for me. I like a good argument face to face because the people in debate are unable to insult me or start shouting(it's much harder to be a loudmouth in person)and I can look them in the eye. However, this deal with Valerie Plame, the CIA agent who turned out not to be THAT kind of agent, who's husband, Joe Wilson, never WAS an agent and wasn't an ambassador till AFTER his supposed ambassadorship in 1990(he became the ambassador to Gabon in the mid 90s) and was proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to be a liar, has me riled up. I doubted the whole mess from the beginning because it seemed the media and the left were just trying to hard to MAKE something happen. It's not so much the original accusations against Karl Rove and the President, all of which have now been proven false, as it is the media's apparent lack of interest in the whole matter. When Rove was being dragged through briars and brambles, the media stalked him. They hung out in his office lobby. They hid behind his garage(in vans with comm discs!)and dug through his trash cans. They molested him if he ventured into public. He was unable to do his job or live any semblance of an orderly life because these muck rakers were intent on ruining him in the name of ratings and sales all before a shred of evidence was offered against him. The media thrives on heresay. Annonymous third person accounts are treated as gospel and the uninformed public jumps on it like a pit bull on a poodle. Nothing needs to be corroborated or researched, and as long as it is selling, nobody seems to care.

Enter Richard Armitage. The REAL source of the leak. The media is completely uninterested in him, and so are, apparently, the public. Nobody is following this guy anywhere or asking him anything and they never will. They proved during the media trial of President Bush over his Guard service, that they are unintersted in the truth. Had it not been for family members of the disgraced leaker in THAT case(I don't remember the loser's name), the media would never have admitted their information was flawed and Dan Rather would still be spreading his unabashed hatred and slanted views instead of the news(which nobody else is doing anyway!). Networks and publishers are treating this Armitage thing like a non event, which it most certainly is not. Armitage is a coward for not stepping up before the lives of many othere were threatened by his inability to keep his mouth shut. Another flip flopper on the war who, like John Kerry, was for the war right before he was against it. His view on the war is his "Get out of the headlines free" card, and the media are protecting him, not for his sake, but for theirs.

Karl Rove has come out of this looking like a true man, unlike Armitage and the idiots in the media. He stuck to his guns, didn't buckle to pressure, and in the end, came out tossing chunks of crow to the inept media who tried him in the news and found him guilty. The truth will give you that kind of conviction. Now that he hes been exonerated by the truth, do you think the media will make an issue of it? Absolutely not! They have nothing to gain and ratings to lose by doing so.

Harley-Davidson..You can go almost anywhere in the world and most everyone will know what that means, and almost everyone thinks they are cool. Oh, there those who just don't like motorcycles and the few who just don't like Harleys, but they are certainly the exception to the rule and I don't understand either mindset. I own 2002 Heritage Softail Classic and my wife has a 2004 Sportster 883 Custom. I am always amazed at the attention and adoration the general public has for Harleys. When riding in large groups people in cars and trucks wave, flash the thumbs up and their lights and honk their horns. Kids in back seats grin and point. People in yards and on the sidewalks stop and wave. People at stoplights check you out and smile. When you are parked somewhere people stop and look at your bike. They want to have their picture taken sitting on your bike(which is not a problem as long as they ask!), women ask if you'll take them for a ride, and all the hoopla always makes my day. Don't get me wrong..I love bikes. ALL bikes. I rode dirt most of my life and have owned Honda fours and a multiude of dual-sport bikes over the years, but you have to admit that a group of Gold Wings just doesn't attract the attention a group of Harleys does. The thunder of a group of Harleys is almost irresistable! If you'd told me ten years ago that I would someday own a HOG, I'd have laughed at you. Not that I ever had anything against them, it just wasn't my thing. I always thought Harleys were cool and had friends who rode them, but I was a racer, not a cruiser.

Some folks still associate Harleys with Hollywoods early portrayals of dirty, drunken, brawling trouble makers tearing towns apart and ravaging young impressionable girls as they rampage across the country instilling fear in all they encounter, or rival gangs shooting it out in casinos over crank turf. As a member of the general public, you are more likely to be struck twice by lightning than to ever encounter such people. Sure, they are around, but you are much more likely to encounter a group of Harley riders on a charity ride collecting big bucks for the MDA, a cancer charity or Toys for Tots, riding perfectly prepared HOGs in which they have invested tens of thousands of dollars. The riders will be from every walk of life from Aldermen to zoologists. They will have their wives or, in many cases, their kids riding on the back with the wife on her own along with the many thousands of single women who ride their own bikes. The days of beat up old Harleys ridden by people without visible means of support is a thing of the past, even in Hollywood. Harleys range in price from around $10,000 for a Sportster to $35,000 for a factory Screamin' Eagle. Custom bikes can be worth over $100,000.

No other group in America raises more money for charities than Harley riders. Almost every weekend of the year there is a charity event being held by one Harley group or the other. Just locally there are over a dozen a year and I don't bat an eye at donations from $25 dollars up, and that is just the entry fee. Many ask for food or toys. There are raffles of all sorts involving businesses who want to be associated with Harley riders because it is good for business. Harley riders, in general, love to spend money and if someone can get you in their place by donating a dinner or a shirt, they know it will pay off down the road when a group rides to their restaurant for dinner to redeem a cupon ONE of them won in a raffle. There are 50/50 drawings with half the money going to the winner and the other half to the charity. In some case the winner will donate a chunk of their winnings on top of that!

So the next time you hear the thunder of an approaching group of Harleys or see one on the road somewhere, don't jump to the conclusion that they are headed for the nearest town to take it over or are on their way to beat up some hapless college kids or meaning to steal your wife and daughter. Just give them a wave or a thumbs up. I promise you, it will make someones day!