Rider and Bike

I like meeting people, I like seeing cool motorcycles, so naturally when I saw this cool "76" Harley Shovelhead ride in at an event a while ago, I knew that I had talk to it's owner and make a few photographs of it.

I usually like to get an over all portrait of a bike, but I think in this case the other two photographs that I made

I always like making a portrait of the rider and his or her bike, and I really think that this one turned out well. I'll say something like, "Give me your best, Yeah, I ride a Harley pose", which always tends to lighten the mood and enables me to get a good portrait.

I like to get a detail photograph of a bike a lot too, and this left side of this Shovelhead, with it's "suicide shift" and skull picture on the tank did not disappoint.

It's coming up on the end of 2019, so this will probably be my last group of photographs that I will post for a while. I am not sure what 2020 will bring, but I will always bring my Holgas with me, and even if I don't make any photographs with my Holgas, I am sure that I will at least make some pictures that you will probably see on my Instagram account, Harleys_and_Holgas_Forever. So check me out there if you already don't.

Here's to many more miles and smiles in the coming year and decade!
Let's Ride!
Brian

Veteran suicide

November 10, 2018 the day before Veteran's Day, an organization in Tooele, Utah, the Life's Worth Living Foundation, unveiled what is being heralded as a first of its kind monument to dedicated to the issue of Veteran suicide.
Being a Veteran, I am horribly concerned about this issue, so naturally I went and took a few friends, both Veteran and non-Veteran alike
 

The numbers vary over the past few years, but it is estimated that 20-22 of my fellow Veterans take their own lives each, which averages to be about one suicide every 65 minutes.  I personally believe that this epidemic is preventable, by doing a very simple thing, something that we are trained to do and is a part of the culture of the military, and that is look out for one another. I realize that this isn't a be all solution, and I am not even sure that there is such a thing for this epidemic, but I know that it is something that can prevent someone from taking their life.

Even if you are not a Veteran, you can help with this epidemic, you can reach out to a Veteran that you may know,  especially if you know that he or she is in crisis.

As I have often said, I am grateful for our nation and the Veteran community, in particular Viet Nam Veterans, because there are many organizations that have been created by Viet Nam Veterans to help Veterans, in particular  my generation to deal with all of the crazy stuff that Veterans deal with.  I could easily name countless organizations like that help teach Veterans an activity or skill, but I will list the following:
Project Healing Waters
Guitars for Vets
Veterans Charity Ride

There are also other organizations like The National Center for Veterans Studies, that are studying this epidemic and making a huge difference.

If you are a Veteran and are in crisis, please call the VA Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1 to talk to someone, or if you prefer, send  a text message to 838255 to connect with a VA responder, and they also offer a confidential online chat session at  VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.

You can also go to a VA facility near you, or even a medical facility of your choosing in your area.

In closing, I want to you to recite in someway and  remember the words of the Spartan Pledge,
"I will not take my own life by my own hand until I talk to my battle buddy first. 

My mission is to find a mission to help my warfighter family."

Life is worth living, so please choose to live.   

Brian

Somewhere on a desert highway...

Somewhere on  a desert highway, she rides a motorcycle...

I know that Neil's lyrics mention Harley-Davidson, but motorcycle at least fits the meter!

From a recent moto road trip that my wife and I took where we rode about 1200 miles in the Southern Utah area.   This particular photograph was on the La Sal Mountain Road, a little side trip we took that day.  The further along we got, the more technical it got, especially for a couple of cruisers, I am sure the couple of adventure bikers we saw that day were wondering what we were doing there.  Ththe road was paved and in good shape the entire way, although there were several cut offs that diverted off into the Moab desert. The road peaks at a summit that is somewhere around 8000', if you follow me on Instagram @ harleys_and_holgas_forever,  you can see a picture I posted of my  Harley in the view area parking lot with the Castle Valley in the background.  

Summer is basically here, which means that I will be riding more, so watch for more moto photos!

Ride safe!

Brian