Friday, April 6, 2018

Life, Death, and the In-between.

How did I get here. Where have I been. Where am I going?
Onward and upward. Progressing Never stagnant.
Growing. Learning. Living.

Tomorrow I will go to a memorial service for a person who was very much responsible for my way of life. I Met Chris Johns when I was maybe 3 years old. My first memories of the then US Ski team mega athlete were of what he gave me. First generation black and white Oakley goggles and some day glow ski racing stickers. The gifts since have been many. From my treasured copy of  Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance to teaching me how to stick my foot into the front wheel of my BMX resulting in a "Polish wheelie". He built many bicycles for me, some I still own. He would trials ride his bicycle over a car, Wheelie for miles and miles with a huge charismatic smile infecting everyone around him with feel good go get it done attitude. He was the first to teach me how to go fast on a DIRTBIKE and ride a proper trail ride. A master mentor of shredding the gnar. My first job off of the family ranch was assembling new bicycles at his shop (WHEEELS) and with this came my attention to detail and proper set up when working on anything mechanical. After I graduated motorcycle mechanics school I got a job back at my local Honda dealership. Years passed and the dealership was bought out by a Texas multi car dealership owner who instilled my first distaste for corporate giant mega shops. Though I was the top producing tech I was unfairly laid off due to my out spoken opinions. That very day Chris Johns made room in his crowded bicycle shop for my tools and told me I could just fix motorcycles for people there; Easy as that! I could not imagine being able to make a living for myself but he kept telling me I could make it happen and by the end of that summer I realized he was right. He taught me the value in customer relations and the simple quality of a small shop with simple ways. I ended up going to work for a few more dealerships in order to focus on racing and 8 years later I made the jump to open up Newbold's Motorbike Shop. Despite everybody telling me I couldn't with what little I had, I knew I could. Thanks to Chris.
A few days before he succumbed to a sudden epileptic seizure at home alone, Johnsie made a surprise visit to my shop. The 51 year old mega athlete still in top physical form. I called him "Fast Guy" and he said he was grey and old and that he passed that torch to me a long time ago. He said that he had just enjoyed his first winter vacation in many years and his now super successful bicycle shop was finally on the winning end of all he had invested for so many years. He was just now finally able to not work 7 days a week and he could start to ride his XR650R on some long adventure rides. Time to enjoy life. That was our last conversation.

Since his passing this last month I have done a lot of deep searching. I realize that I am one of the most fortunate  assholes on this planet. I realize that I have near full control over piloting this ship. So many red blooded Americans in my shoes would capitalize on my overly busy shop. I could easily hire several mechanics and keep them busy with the amount of work I am turning away every day. I could stock the store front with expensive leather and overpriced outfits, coffee, trinkets, do-hickies, thing-mobobbers and such. I could probably make a bunch of money and then maybe someday pay off and live fat. I can't stay stagnant so I feel I must. The billboards at the bank tell me so. The city of Denver is exploding with economy. The traffic is jammed up like yesterday's cheddar cheese colon log. Huge billboards as far as the eye can see telling me to relish the life of such slavery. Buy, spend, inflate, consume, overpopulate, eat more, sleep less, work harder,  after all being a hard worker is something to aspire to right! Right? Is it really? Since when? Says who? Really....
There is the past to learn form.
The futur is uncertain, prepare if possible, or better yet just live it as it becomes the Now. 
The Now is the only thing that really matters or even truly exists.
Right Now.

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