Happy 10th Birthday, Eleanor!

This is how Eleanor, my 2007 Yamaha FJR1300AWC and my long-time companion on many a journey, started her 10th year of operation...by not operating very well at all! (Cameo by my cousin who took me home after my tow.)

Eleanor officially turned ten years old on April 26, 2017. This is a testament to both the stubbornness and longevity of this bike and its owner. However, the last couple years have slowed her down a bit as the combination of the road salt of the Midwest, mileage, and having endured every rideable weather condition imaginable in all that time caught up with her. Her electrical connections have required some rehab and cleaning, and every now and then, those issues reappear and deem her unsafe to operate on the street.

Case in point, her headlights stopped functioning on April 25 as I was leaving from my class that night at CSULB. I made it down one exit on the 405 North before I pulled off and hung out at a gas station and a donut shop for about three hours while I waited for a tow truck to transport Eleanor back to Pacific Motorsports in Harbor City. Allow me to explain my difficulties.

I swear, I still love Eleanor. But dammit why is she such a diva?! 😂😢😭 The lady at the gas station is nice, though. #technicaldifficulties #motorcycleproblems #waitingforatowtruck #itsonlyTuesday #post1500

A post shared by Christine (@twowheeledtourist) on Apr 25, 2017 at 9:06pm PDT

Now, I will say that this long span of time being stranded did allow me to broadcast a couple Facebook Live posts and reconnect with a few friends online that I hadn't spoken to in years. When the first tow truck arrived an hour later, I had to decline it because the person showed up without a flatbed vehicle. The second driver, Matt from SoCal Moto Transport, brought the appropriate equipment and vehicle and performed a flawless transport of both her and me back to Harbor City.

Here's Eleanor being lifted onto her throne like the #diva she is. #HappyBirthday you crazy #motorcycle. Towing provided by @socalmototransport. #Yamaha #FJR1300 #roadsideassistance

A post shared by Christine (@twowheeledtourist) on Apr 25, 2017 at 11:35pm PDT

I referenced some posts from this time last year, and not surprisingly, Eleanor encountered the exact same issue with her headlights and spent her 9th birthday at the dealership as well. It's pretty obvious that I need a more permanent solution to this repair. However, that engine still runs as strong as the day I bought her from Long Beach Yamaha (now Del Amo Motorsports Long Beach) ten years ago.

4/26/07...Happy 9th birthday, Eleanor! You get to spend it with Uncle Robert at Pacific Yamaha in #HarborCity because your headlights decided to stop working on Sunday. I'll eat a cupcake on your behalf. #happybirthday #sadface #partyfoul #Yamaha #FJR1300 #motorcycle #companion #blowoutthecandles #itsjustafleshwound

A post shared by Christine (@twowheeledtourist) on Apr 26, 2016 at 10:44am PDT

I wonder if Eleanor has just become a diva in her old age or likes facials, but regardless of the reason, it's been a bit inconvenient to have her unavailable to use for my random video shoots or for those moments when I want to go far but reduce the amount of dead dinosaur juice that I want to burn. My solution, a new addition to my vehicle fleet, will be introduced in another post. I'm still unwilling to give up on my old friend, but my very busy life meant that some issues had to be rectified. I'm very confident that she'll be back to somewhat normal; I just have to wait a little longer.

Enjoy your facial, you silly bike.

It's been a long ten years, Eleanor, but we made it this far! She hit the 190k mile mark on our way home from Pacific Palisades. Her engine is still strong and kicking! Hoping to make it to 200k by the end of 2018. #Yamaha #FJR1300 #mileagequeen #Torrance

A post shared by Christine (@twowheeledtourist) on Apr 24, 2017 at 11:11pm PDT

Quick Bites: Bossa Nova Brazilian Cuisine (Hollywood, CA)

This year, I'm fortunate to have a significant other who definitely put some thought into how we were going to celebrate my birthday. How much thought? He had been thinking about this for more than six months. To my surprise, he brought me to Bossa Nova Brazilian Cuisine in Los Angeles/Hollywood (7181 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90046) right before we enjoyed a Melissa Polinar concert just down the street.

After a very delectable appetizer of Fresh Mozzarella Bruschetta (no pics available because it disappeared quite fast), I ordered their fresh from the grill pub steak (made from 21 day aged prime Omaha steak). My steak was served with salsa, yucca flour, brown rice, mashed potatoes, and fried plantains.

The pub steak was very tender and juicy, cooked perfectly at my preference, medium rare. The mashed potatoes were creamy and didn't need any gravy. The fried plantains were sweet and smooth. However, I think the biggest thing that had me sold on this place was the side of yucca flour included with my dish. Somehow, the mix of that on the meat and the brown rice just brought out a pleasant meshing of flavors that was unforgettably unique. This wasn't just a steak plate. It had personality with Brazilian undertones. This place has been added to my list of favorite, "special" restaurants.

Huge tip: come hungry, because the portions are huge and filling. I've heard from friends who have been to this restaurant that their pizzas are very tasty, too. That may be an option if I end up back in this area on a super late night run.

Bossa Nova Brazilian Cuisine has three locations in Los Angeles. For more information, please visit http://www.bossanovafood.com/.

The long-standing scars of narcissistic behavior: a retrospect.

Every now and then, I'll come across a couple rough weeks, from a mental aspect. And these moments usually come when I'm gifted with lots of positive energy from good things that have happened in my life.

Sounds weird, doesn't it? You'd think that when positive moments happen around you, then everything around you feels good, inspiring, and empowering. But for someone who has been mentally abused and raised by narcissistic individuals who made sure you regretted all the good that you did, it's hard to accept that, you too can enjoy happy things. A lot of that comes from years of "gaslighting," lack of emotional support, and negative reinforcement among other toxic behaviors associated with narcissism.

[Note: If you need the definition of a narcissistic individual, click here. Please note that narcissism is not an actual condition, but many traits of this behavior lend itself to even more problematic issues.]

On why I can't talk to my mother (and tips on how to prevent your adult kids from shutting you out).

For more of a background story to this piece, click to read my blog post, "How to suck at parenting. Effing badly."

I didn't need to hear from my mother on the day before my 31st birthday.

Now hear me out, it's not often that I do hear from her (or from anyone else in my immediate family at that). Usually they'll call in the event of a tragedy or if a computer needs to be fixed, which I then ignore due to my work schedule. Most, if not all conversations aren't very positive after I see the dreaded number on my caller ID, and any sort of dialogue dissolves very quickly within a matter of minutes.

To my 20s...a word or two before you go.

To my 20s...you were a tough customer, but I'll have to thank you for that.

The second decade of life is a privilege that, in the world that I live in, is both hated and cherished at the some time. Many can't wait until they get to this point, and then loathe many of the days that they now have to live through just to escape it.

I am grateful for even making it this far in this body, considering that it was enough of a challenge to even establish my existence on this planet (there is a story behind that). Regardless, my circumstances have been kind and my path has been gentle in the scope of the current state of the universe.

In the last ten years, I've found myself in several diverse careers that have bounced me all over the place, sculpted my unique skillset, and have given me the tools to survive and thrive in an inhospitable economy.

I've been able to continue playing hockey, the sport I love, despite multiple injuries that have threatened my tenure in front of the net.

I have traversed the United States and Canada in a style reserved to the fortunate with "bucket lists" and a lot of time. And I did the majority of those journeys alone with nothing but my dear Eleanor, my wits, and at times, an unreal level of emotional and intestinal fortitude.

With that being said, the same motorcycle responsible in the previous statement has surpassed the distance halfway from the Earth to the Moon and is still determined to make it all the way there.

I've moved at least five times in my life and I still don't have a reason to settle down.

I now know what it's like to hit mental rock bottom, and know that, for as long as there is a breath in me there is still hope and a reason to keep fighting for what's important.

I've learned to love another person as much as myself, lose that love, and embark on a path toward finding that love again.

I've lived many lifetimes in my journeys and I'm far from finished.

I still refuse to just stand still and let opportunities to learn pass me by.

And lastly, I've learned to accept the things that I cannot control, accept the people who do not understand me, and let time run its course. Because really, everything does fall into place. But the path there can be a hell of a ride. Just hold on.

It would be way too cliché to try to wrap up the 3,652 days that have passed between the time I put a "2" in the tens place of my age and now in a blog post, but that's not what this is for. This is simply a reminder that I'm more than all right...I'm more than prepared for the next round.

I would state this in closing:

I survived my 20s, but I did more than just "survive." I defeated it and came back with trophies and lessons to last the rest of my natural life.

The ups and downs in my journey cemented my resolve to continue moving forward and focusing my eyes toward the horizon.

My family and friends rallied behind me when I was at my worst and celebrated me when I was at my best. And I am forever grateful for that. 

Even in my darkest moments, there was something or someone out there to find me and bring things back into perspective again, even if just for a fleeting moment.  

And dammit, be easy on yourself! In the end, it'll all be okay.

Ad astra per aspera. To the stars through my difficulties. Bring on tomorrow. Take it home, Barry.

Preparing to wrap up a 3rd decade of breathing.

So I'm 29 today. Holy moly...I'm just a year away from changing the number in the tens column. Time flies when you're living.

I can easily say that, by far, this year has been one of the more difficult ones to date. From the long commutes between Cleveland and Columbus to the consolidation to one apartment up here in the north to the job layoff from one motorcycle store to recall to new job (and I'll probably talk more about my new motorcycle store digs in a future post). I can't do much about an employer going out of business, but I am grateful that another place thought I had potential working for them.

And I get to add a wonderful friend dying, a wonderful rat dying, and other life messes that I really hope I won't have extrapolate on soon pending hopeful negotiations or some willingness to even head in that direction.

On why I chose to ride a motorcycle.

A few nights ago, I had a strange conversation with my brother (who doesn't ride a motorcycle) about transportation and getting around in Ohio. When I had mentioned that I only had one car and two motorcycles between me and Matt and that we were in the process of acquiring a second car for winter driving purposes, he responded with this:

"I don't even know why you have a motorcycle out in the Midwest anyway. You don't have to deal with the kind of traffic [like we have in California]."

I was slightly taken aback by the comment, and I had to step back a little and consider that his point of view is valid to some degree. Yes, I don't have to deal with the same level of vehicular congestion in Ohio that I faced in the Los Angeles/Orange County region of California. However, horrible traffic is not, and has never been, the primary reason of why I ride a motorcycle. In fact it had everything with to do with not being allowed to drive a car...