Well Shit

Well shit. What a crazy year (plus a little) it's been. Here's the short list.

Weight of the world, and bottom of the barrel.
Kickstart my heart, and revive my soul.
Ride a thousand miles, and only stop once.
Top of the world, ignorance really is bliss.
Hit and run, heartbreak over a beautiful bike.
Ignorance fades fast, and heartache follows right after.
A friendship destroyed, for the last time. Regrets.
Jezebelle.
Ride two thousand miles.
The ride that would change everything, Spring Street Vibes 2016.
Some other crap, some good, some bad, some just plain stupid.

This is not my favorite time of the year. It's dark too early. It's cold. Worst of all, the greed of humanity shows itself in the phenomenon known as "Black Friday". How many people will be trampled this year in pursuit of a cheap TV? Christmas songs are annoying, and even more so when some pop artist tries to remake them. One of my co-workers won't shut up about what he wants for Christmas, like a five year old. This is not my favorite time of the year, and yet, this year is a little different.

See, that second to last thing on the short list, that's the day that I met some of the coolest people on the planet. They day set some wheels in motion, and suddenly, I'm part of something that I'm proud to be a part of. People that understand why I ride. People who understand me better than most of the people who have come and gone from my life all combined (with a couple exceptions). I don't think I've ever felt so much a part of something as I do now. My whole way of thinking has changed because of it. Hell, my whole life has.

So that's why this year is different, this year (on this day) I have something to be genuinely thankful for. This year, I can say with honesty, that I understand the spirit of the season, at least to a certain degree, which is miles from where I was a year ago.

So to all of those who have made this year something worth remembering, I am thankful for you.