Moving Forward

Caitlin is taking a nap on

Papa after a good meal.

Moving Forward can seem so slow at times.

But sometimes it's just better to take it easy than to crash.

It's little moments like the ones above that help me appreciate all the junk I deal with. She's a blessing - not a curse. She's a light, not darkness. She brings me hope, not despair. New life makes life easier to understand.

I love my family. I'd give up motorcycles for them. Thankfully, that doesn't seem to be the case. So, let's keep the rubber side down!

Quick thoughts on riding

It's been a while since I've posted. Considering that I'm selling my bike and my riding career has an uncertain future, you may understand why I've been a bit quiet lately.

That said, I've had a few quick thoughts I wanted to share:

I just had lunch for less than one gallon of gas. The dollar menu at Wendy's is awesome, but I don't ever remember having to pay less than $1 for a whole meal back in the day!

I'm precariously close that that $20 fillup. I used to get mad when I had to pay more than $10 at the pump to fill up - on premium. A $20 weekend went a long, long way just a few years ago. Now, motor sports has become much more expensive and I'm less likely to "blow away" so much money to go for a ride.

Road rage lives on. I rarely get so upset at another driver for driving recklessly that I feel something needs to be done. When I saw a Jeep Wrangler consistently endanger another rider, I knew I had to take action. I got a good look at the driver and memorized the license plate. I reported the @#$% to the local police department and filed a complaint. One of the people (read: the driver) in the vehicle was using a cell phone and didn't seem to notice that he was driving 20+ mph over the speed limit and tailgating everyone.

Having to sell the FJR got me riding this week. I've enjoyed every moment of it (even though I got very upset at the aforementioned incident). Riding for the sake of commuting really is fun, even if the temperature isn't regulated. It's nice to just be "out there." And getting more miles for the money is a good feeling, too.

Not that'd I'd be opposed to a smaller bike with even better mileage!

A Monday Ride

One of the nice things about working at a motorcycle shop is having Mondays off. You get a weekend day and a week day to do... well, those things that need to be done.

For me, Sundays are still Sundays. But Monday is my Saturday. This Monday, I took my first real ride in over a month. So much for the chronic rider, eh?

I started off taking Loop 1604 to Bandera Road. (After seeing the terrible traffic there, I'm a bit surprised that I took that same path to school for 3 1/2 years...) Bandera West dead ends into Scenic Loop Road. A left onto Toutant Beauregard drops you off at Tx 46 and I-10, next to Starbucks.

Taking 46 west to 16 north, I took a quick break Bandera. A little farther north, I caught 470 west, which I don't take very often. It's a pretty ride with a semi-technical turn or two, but it has a few straightaways that are good for... stretching my legs.

View Larger Map

I passed Tarpley and turned south on 187 and dropped into Lost Maples Cafe for lunch. The place was full of locals. They all stopped talking to turn and stare. Though it was somewhat awkward, I went and found a table and relaxed a bit for lunch.

Once I was ready for the ride home, I headed back up 187 to catch 337 east. My brother and I caught this road once and spent some time taking pictures. Even with the greyness of winter upon the hill country, this road was scenic as ever.

I caught 16 south, passing through Medina and the apple orchard. Pretty soon an apple festival will be under way. It seems in Texas, all kinds of festivals are held for all kinds of food. (We just had the rodeo in San Antonio. The strawberry festival is coming up, too.)

I detoured and took 2828 east and 173 back into Bandera. 173 really is highway, even though it goes to two lanes near Bandera. Taking 16 back to loop 1604, it alternated between two and three lanes until it finally settled upon four. Naturally, I caught 1604 to return home.



I had the odd feeling that there was a certain lack of "special" in the ride itself. It was nice to get out and get some sunshine (which is a rarity in and of itself). But, the roads we so very familiar. It struck me how I used to be filled with awe every time I rode highway 16 into the Hill Country and see the hills unfold before me. I used to marvel at the sweepers and tight turns of those back roads. I appreciated how lightly traveled those roads are during the week.

I did appreciate the light traffic this time. But the ride itself fell a little flat. I didn't really enjoy the scenery so much this time. There was a spot or two that felt really good to concentrate on the technical parts. But for the whole, it was lacking something.

Perhaps the wonder of the ride is gone. The mystery of unexplored places left. My favorite stops no longer had familiar faces. The $15 in gas seemed a little less worth it. The best part of the ride was feeling my lower back straighten itself out; it felt better after the ride than before it.

I've determined to sell the FJR. It will cover expenses when my beautiful wife is unable to work when she has our baby girl. I will miss the sportiness of this ride, but not the expense.

I'll probably pick up another bike - a small dual-sport - when time and money permits. The economy and fun factor of those bikes still amazes me. I am NOT giving up riding... just putting a little time aside for more important things.


The past month or two has shown me that I can live without riding all the time. In some ways it's even better. (Air conditioning is a good start!) The motorcycle has been a way of life for me for... at least seven years. I will still support organizations like the AMA, even when I'm not riding. I think perhaps it's time for me to grow up a little and reorganize my priorities.

Has the bike become an idol for me? Perhaps. Has it allowed an emotional escape for me? Surely. Are there other, healthier pastimes I can take up? Yes.

I'm thinking I should get into better shape so I can do more hiking. And on a side note, it's a lot easier to transport backpacks, hiking boots and walking sticks in a car than a motorcycle!

A Balanced Approach

Should I keep riding or sell the bike? This choice bothered me for months. I found my answer where I least expected it.

I could use these excuses to quit:

• Deer. They want to get me.
  
• Money. I spend a lot just to ride.
  
• Time. Riding keeps me from other responsibilities.
  
• Pain. I don't want to die or get injured.
  
• Family. My family should come before riding.
  

Since I'll soon become a father, I have doubts about whether my family can afford my motorcycle addiction. I don't want to take time, money or presence away from my wife and baby because of a personal commitment to wants rather than needs.

People tend to tell me one of two things:

• I should sell the bike and quit riding. I hear this all the time. This knee-jerk reaction really gets old. These people don't care what I do - they just hate motorcycles!
  
• I should keep the bike. They say I deserve to indulge myself occasionally. This approach ignores the fact that I must meet my family's needs before my personal entertainment.
  

I mentioned some of my thoughts to a recently acquired friend.

I said, "I struggle with the thought that riding may have become an idol in my life."

He replied, "It is good that you struggle."

Finally, someone demonstrated genuine insight without passing judgment! He reaffirmed my passion for motorcycles and my commitment to family. For the first time, someone provided a response - not a reaction - to my riding.

When the time comes, I will make the decision - one way or the other - to keep or sell the bike.

In the meantime, I will ride conservatively, enjoy my commute and take smaller rides. After all, a balanced approach will avoid the trappings of judgmental reactions.

Two Weeks: Happy New Year

I find it hard to believe that two weeks have gone by. So much has happened, yet so much has stayed the same.


Riding in the cool.

My neighbor Doug and I took off about a week ago to do this ride north of San Antonio, stopping at Kendalia to chat and chill. Doug discovered that a good pair of winter gloves goes a long way. I carried a spare pair of Olympias which he used after his hands began to numb (after about 15 minutes). They are now on permanent loan. :)


The kindness of strangers.

I witnessed a single-vehicle accident on Evans Road where a truck nearly flipped after losing control. The lady driving it was okay but shaken up. Selma's first response team is probably three or four times faster than San Antonio's. Never underestimate the kindness of strangers or family. I remember the time my car spun out (thanks to an aggressive driver approaching me on an on-ramp). I ran up on the barrier, destroying both wheels on the right side. The driver did not stop to check on me. Nor did anyone else for that matter. It would have been nice since the temperature was dropping rapidly and I couldn't get the car started!

Misery can be the lack of company.

Christmas and New Year's was spent alone with my wife. It was good to be around her, but we really missed our family. Probably our least favorite holiday season together.

Holiday traffic.

The lows have consistently been in the low 30's, making for some "interesting" rides to work in the morning. It's nice that school is out for another week in our neighborhood; the lack of traffic makes the commute a lot less stressful.

Now I'm back to getting ready for yet another day. It's 30° and I'm ready to ride!

Coldout?

This screen shot - taken this morning - illustrates about how cold it ever gets in SA. I've ridden more than a few times in weather like this. Sometimes it's fun. Often it's not.

I was talking to a friend that rode a motorcycle as his only means of transportation for about ten years. It wasn't until he started dating (his now-wife) that he discovered the wonders of automotive transportation. She made him ride in her car when the weather turned really ugly. He discovered that he was burned out from riding after all that time.

I can see why. After cracking my tibia from a motorcycle accident almost two years ago (and finally able to run again!), I was forced to drive to work. I discovered that it really wasn't so bad. Yeah, I had blind spots again. I couldn't stretch out like I wanted. But I could listen to the radio when I wanted to. I could turn the air or heat on. I felt less threatened on the highway. People saw me at intersections. I didn't have to buy expensive gear just to commute. I didn't have to replace my tires once or twice a year. I could bring long and large items with me. I could just "jump in" and go.

Yeah it's easier on gas. It's (often) cheaper on insurance; Insurance companies view motorcycles as "recreational vehicles." It makes sense. They're not ideal in many weather conditions. And the FJR is only nominally better on gas than my wife's 30+ mpg car. Like the way her car is marginally better than my 18-22 mpg truck. Is commuting by motorcycle really cheaper? Perhaps not.

So my friend had a piece of advice: "Put the bike away and ride when you feel like it. That way you don't get burned out." Maybe it comes from getting older or not wanting to ride when it's cold out. Perhaps I'm discovering that I'm married to my wife, not the motorcycle. Either way, I'm going to ride less and enjoy it more. Let's see if that works!

A Reckoning?

Image courtesy of babyblues.com

As I sent a text message to my wife after fueling up the FJR after work last night, it dawned to me that I had assumed she would be alright if I took a quick after-work ride before coming home. In the following months, she will depend on me more and more to look after her needs as she advances in pregnancy. After that, we will have to carefully plan and coordinate time away - both together and alone time - so that our child will be cared for in the meantime.

So, yeah this ride was a little last taste of freedom. However, it also reminded me that with the joy of a family comes not with a burden of responsibility, but rather a joyful commitment that must take precedence over my spontaneous adventures. My future rides will be planned breaks from the daily life, incorporated into a deeper sense of commitment and accountability to my family. I must return safe to care for and enjoy them.

So, yeah. Maybe I'll ride a little more conservatively. I'll plan more rides. But I can't see myself stopping - at least anytime soon!

Loud Pipes Annoy Sleeping Neighbors

The other day I asked my wife, "does my bike seem loud?" She replied, "Your bike is loud. I think all bikes are loud."

This really dampened my spirits. The FJR has a sewing machine sounding exhaust, which I happen to enjoy because it's not nearly as noisy as most of the obnoxious aftermarket exhausts out there. I even put the stock muffler back on the XT not only because the Supertrap that preceded it was not only too lean, but obnoxiously noisy. To have the FJR thought of as loud seemed a like a stab in my "quiet bike as a courtesy to my neighbors" heart.

I thought about this as I went walking this morning. A Harley Davidson with loud, farting pipes ran up the street with his stereo blasting (no doubt due in no small part to that rumbling noise machine between his legs). He was a full block away and I could hear in detail the talk radio he played, despite the bike's noise. I kept walking and heard a baby crying from a house. I bet this bike startled the baby and woke it up. I wondered how many other people he woke that morning. To top it off, he apparently forgot something and had to return to his house, grab the forgotten item(s) and head out again.

But cruisers aren't the only guilty party. I hear sportbikes a mile away on Loop 1604 banging through the gears to merge with traffic. I hear them cruising on that highway, too. Then they whiz by my house in second gear leaving the traffic light with the kind of noise only a sportbike makes.

But with all that said, bikes aren't the worst offenders regarding noise pollution. Instead, far more commonly cars and trucks use loud, offroad exhausts, blare their stereos with far-travelling bass and "peel out" getting onto the main road.

I cannot believe that "loud pipes save lives." But I know they destroy the positive image of the friendly neighborhood biker.

9-11-2007 Ride

I can't believe it's been six years. Doing the receiving, I wrote 9/11/07 all day long, reminding me of all that's happened over the past six years. Intersecting paths of good intentions, colliding in a whirlwind of disaster and the many miles that I've put beneath me.

I'm still trying to remember if I rode to work that day; I think I did. I would have been staring out the window at my Nighthawk as I heard the news report of one - then two - planes crash in New York. It was already a slow day. It had been getting slow. It was as if our whole country made one big depressing sigh - and then this.

A year later, I found myself attending a memorial service here in San Antonio. Afterwards, I wanted to be by myself for a while, so I took the Nighthawk out south of town, into the evening.

Two years ago, I observed a moment of silence with nearly 2,000 students at a high school named after a local graduate who died at the Pentagon during the 9/11 attacks. A year after that, the respect was gone.

The best I can recall, I've ridden every anniversary of 9/11. It seems everybody knows someone - or knows of someone - who was killed that day. It brought out the best and the worst of our nation. It polarized us when most of us cared very little about that part of the world. And tragically, the people who attacked us cost the lives of many of their own people many times over what they took from us that day. So many innocent people lost over a violent ideology that only fuels its own self-destruction. Some would say that is the definition of evil. All I can think of right now is that it makes me sad. It's tragic all the way around. These antagonists have always been their worst enemy. Their actions brought down death and destruction to everything they ever cared about.

Naturally, I could never understand why they keep fighting. People naturally want peace, though they long for freedom. But something in our own nature - some call it the human condition - disturbs that balance and causes some people to lust after power. Then those that seek peace are killed. Those that preach love are persecuted. Those that extend understanding are beaten.

I will never forget 9/11. I will continue to ride on that day in memory of those that died free, so their sacrifice will not be considered vain. While the wound on our country is no longer a bleeding gash, it's still tender; we cope with it by ignoring the pain it caused. But the pain is a reminder that though we long for peace and prosperity, there are those that would take it from us. It is also a reminder of the terrible power we wield when we come together, united as a nation. It is a wondrous thing to watch our nation heal, and truly breathtaking the power we wield.

As I rode tonight, I could see the stars out in force, no clouds in the sky. I turned the bike off and sat there a bit. The milky way stretched across the sky. All of our struggles pale in comparison to the vastness of what is out there. Humans are tiny specs of dust that reside on the crust of a small planet that orbits a mediocre sun that fades into the background of a galaxy filled with thousands upon thousands of other stars, in a universe filled with thousands upon thousands of galaxies. Are struggles are truly insignificant, cosmically speaking. Yet we are "star stuff." We have a lot more in common than not. If only we could embrace that.

Just before I make my final exit, a large black "something" appears next to the bike in the middle of the road. I ride past it, but my foot kicks it. As I type this I'm icing it down to reduce any potentials swelling. I'm hoping this won't keep me from taking a long ride this fall.

But even if it does, it's a small thing in a big picture.

May a loving peace finally come to this world.

The Wedding

Madison Wisconsin

Okay, so I'm not into protests. I'm not anti-war or a disaffected college student (well, maybe). I'm not a hippy, nor am I extremely environmentally "conscious." However, I am a fan of all things two-wheeled. Madison, Wisconsin enchanted me with its many, many bicycle paths, laid back atmosphere and places for people to relax and enjoy a weekend.

So Madison has high taxes and a heavy "liberal" presence. That's outside my norm, but it was pleasant nonetheless. If I could afford to live there, it'd be worth considering.

I got the okay at the last minute to leave for my uncle's wedding last Thursday, caught a flight early Friday morning and Friday afternoon I enjoyed seeing my uncle marry his beautiful bride.

So Saturday I hiked downtown Madison, camera in hand. I spent the night at a local campsite with other relatives, and hiked the nearby ski trails the next morning (so I have to assume that people still camp up there in heavy snow?) Again, trails, bike paths and places to see were spread out all over the place. Most enjoyable!

Sunday, I got to have lunch with my uncle and new aunt back in downtown Madison, and left for Northern Illinois to visit friends there. We watched the Spurs defeat the Cavaliers in game two. (Okay, I only stayed awake during the first half, but I heard it was a great game!)

Monday involved yard cleanup, which always seems to happen each time I visit. (Here comes the Chronic Rider - put him to work!). I drove back into Chicago for a late flight that evening and was back at work on time Tuesday.

I noticed all kinds of bikers on the roads between Chicago and Madison. Of the 50 or so maybe 5 wore helmets. Most wore little if any protective gear. I even saw one guy on a Goldwing (pic) wearing what appeared to be boxer shorts, sunglasses and flip flops. The traffic was simply terrible; driving less than 30 mph - when you were actually moving - seemed to be the norm on the freeways. And then there's the not-so-free ways: toll roads. Chicago has convinced me that toll roads are pure and simply a bad idea - ever.

The proximity to Milwaukee suggests an explanation for all the Harley motorcycles I saw. I cannot explain the other rider's behavior. I guess I'm used to people in Texas toughing it out wearing their helmets and riding gear in 100°F+ heat (and a helmet law of sorts is in effect). Those riders up North can't handle something? Hm...

What a weekend!

War of Attrition

I was thinking about depression yesterday. It occurred to me that depression is like a war of attrition. The victor (the person or the depression) is the one who wins the most days.

It seems corny, but I'm beginning to see the wisdom in "making each day count" and "choosing to be positive." That's hard where I work since there's a lot of sarcasm and we're in the midst of a lot of change.

But it's a worthwhile goal. In the end, I hope I have won more days over depression than depression has won over me.

Women Riders to Admire

I love riding. I wish I could share the joy and freedom of riding with my wife, whom I love dearly. However, she will have nothing to do with it. I patiently offer her the opportunity to ride with me, but never demand it. I hope that one day she will come around.

But in the meantime, I have come across women I have never met that I consider noteworthy if not downright admirable.

---

The first person I'd like to share is Tami. She started riding a restored 30 year old Yamaha last December and shared her story of learning to ride on ADVrider. She never gave up, had a great attitude and 'got it,' meaning, she understands why riding is so enjoyable. She also has great people to ride with and learn from (including a significant other). She doesn't know me as I'm merely a lost-in-the haystack lurker at ADVrider, but I applaud her anyway.

The "feel good" thread. // A ride report.

Tami's picture from ADVrider.

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The second person I want to mention is Lois, a Brit who's taken a liking to world travel. She has a book coming out soon about her travels from Alaska to South America on a Yamaha XT225. From the type of trip she made to the bike of choice, Lois has guts, grit and determination - and flair (if we are to believe her story about getting past the Mexican protesters to reach the Guatemalan border). She had such a great time traveling the Americas, she decided to do Africa on a Yamaha TTR250 next! (She is already compiling stories from that adventure.)

Her website, Lois on the Loose, is engrossing and enjoyable; I spent quite a long time browsing through her ride reports, preparations, and picture galleries. She's definitely a rider to keep watch for!

Lois working on a bike. (Picture from her website).

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The final person I wanted to acknowledge today is Helen, of HelenTwoWheels. Helen is a lifestyle rider who turned her passion into a business. She rides everywhere, even after an unnerving accident in 2003. She smartly observed the luggage troubles of today's riders, smartly diagnosed what needed to be done, packaged it and sold it. She makes soft luggage the way it should have been all along - smart! I admire her love of riding, her dedication to improving the sport with superior products, and finding a way to make her passion (riding) support her.

From Helen's website.

It seemed like a good idea...

Regret.

Someone recently told me that they don't regret anything they've ever done, and the choices they make are a reflection of that. I also know this person is a salesman. So if he wasn't lying to me, he was lying to himself.

We've all said it at some point: "It seemed like a good idea at the time." The tattoo of the Chinese word for General's Chicken. The purchase of a pet rock. The restaurant you recommended to friends that got them all sick. Prohibition. War. Whatever. Everyone screws up. Everyone has regrets.

Thinking before acting helps. Training yourself to act "correctly" reflexively helps, too. But ultimately, our judgement will fall short.

Character - the measure we apply to ourselves - does not weigh exclusively on our correct actions, but also how we respond when we make mistakes. Despite our shortcomings as humans, regret fuels our drive to make ourselves better, even if it's an emotion we prefer uninvoked.

Why Riding is Better Than Flying

I'm on a roll here...


Security scanner can see through clothes

By TERRY TANG, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 26 minutes ago

PHOENIX - Sky Harbor International Airport became the country's first to begin testing a controversial new federal screening system that takes X-rays of passenger's bodies in an effort to find concealed explosives and other weapons.
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The Phoenix airport started testing the new technology on Friday. It can see through people's clothes and show the body's contours with blush-inducing clarity.

Critics have said the high-resolution images created by the "backscatter" technology are too invasive. But the Transportation Security Administration adjusted the equipment to make the image look something like a line drawing, while still detecting concealed weapons.

During testing, the machine will be used only as a backup screening measure. Passengers who fail the standard screening with a metal detector will be able to choose between the new device or a pat-down search.

"It's 100 percent voluntary, so if the passenger doesn't feel comfortable with it, the passenger doesn't have to go through it,"
TSA spokesman Nico Melendez said.

Passengers selected for screening by the device are asked to stand in front of the closet-size X-ray unit with the palms of their hands facing out. Then they must turn around for a second screening from behind. The procedure takes about a minute.

"It seems faster. I'm not uncomfortable with it," said Kelsi Dunbar, 25, of Seattle, who chose the machine. "I trust TSA, and I trust that they are definitely trying to make things go quickly and smoothly in the airport.

But one expert said the machine's altered image is ineffective, while the clear picture is an invasion of privacy.

"The more obscure they make the image, the more obscure the contraband, weapons and explosives," said Barry Steinhardt, director of the Technology and Liberty Project at the ACLU in Washington, D.C. "The graphic image is a strip-search. You shouldn't have to be strip-searched to get on an airplane. Millions of Americans would regard them as pornographic."

The machine will be tested for up to 90 days at a single checkpoint at Sky Harbor International Airport's largest terminal, which hosts US Airways and Southwest Airlines, the two busiest airlines in Phoenix.

The technology could be left in place after the trial period, and the TSA hopes to roll out similar machines at the Los Angeles airport and New York's Kennedy Airport by the end of the year.

The security officer who works with the passenger going through the screening will never see the images the machine produces. The pictures will be viewed by another officer about 50 feet away who will not see the passenger, the TSA said.

The machine cannot store the images or transmit them and "once we're done screening the passenger, the image is gone forever," Melendez said.

He said the device at Sky Harbor costs about $100,000 but is on loan from the manufacturer, American Science and Engineering Inc. of Boston.

Mind you, this technology is not new, but it is invasive...

Calif. woman fights for passenger rights

By MARCUS WOHLSEN, Associated Press Writer Thu Feb 22, 8:38 PM ET

NAPA, Calif. - For more than eight miserable hours, Kate Hanni sat aboard a grounded plane at a Texas airport, yards from apparently empty gates. A few weeks after that December ordeal, the brassy real estate agent from California's wine country took her fight for a passengers' bill of rights to Capitol Hill.
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And politicians are listening.

On Saturday, as JetBlue was in the middle of a meltdown that left some passengers trapped aboard planes for almost half a day, Sen. Barbara Boxer (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., introduced a bill that would prohibit airlines from keeping travelers stuck on the tarmac for longer than three hours.

And Hanni's congressman, Democratic Rep. Mike Thompson (news, bio, voting record), plans to file a similar bill in the House. He credits her with calling the issue to his attention.

"We need the legislation right now because the airlines won't police themselves," Hanni, 46, said recently in an interview in her bright Napa living room, where windows frame vineyard-covered hillsides.

A mother of two who moonlights as the lead singer of a funk band, Hanni has become the unlikely leader of a gathering movement. She has apparently tapped into a deep well of anger among many travelers.

Hanni's American Airlines flight was diverted from Dallas to Austin on Dec. 29 because of storms. The agonizing wait on the tarmac, she said, was only the beginning of her frustrations.

Hanni, her husband and two sons waited another 2 1/2 hours at the baggage claim before being told the bags would remain on the plane because the flight would continue on in the morning, she said.

American offered the put-out passengers only $10 discount vouchers for hotel rooms, Hanni said. (A spokesman for American could not confirm the amount but said the customer contract makes clear the company does not fully cover lodgings for weather-related cancellations.)

When she finally arrived in Dallas the next day to make her connecting flight to Mobile, Ala., Hanni said, a gate agent informed her that her bags were on the next flight to Mobile, but she was not.

"We're not going to quibble with the fact that we put our customers in a situation that they never should have been in," American spokesman Tim Wagner said. Passengers were kept on the plane in hopes of still getting them to Dallas that same day, he said.

In the end, Hanni said, it took her, her husband and two sons 57 hours to travel from San Francisco to Mobile, finally arriving at their ultimate destination, a lavish Gulf Coast spa, late on New Year's Eve.

Hanni said her December trip was supposed to be a restorative vacation, after she was jumped and beaten in June by a man in a ski mask at a house she was trying to sell. She ended up spending a big part of her trip in cramped airline seats and hotel rooms, wearing the same clothes day after day.

After returning home in January, Hanni began gathering the stories of fellow passengers' frustrations by e-mail. She posted many of them on a blog that quickly became the focal point of the passengers' bill of rights campaign.

By the end of the month, Hanni was in Washington, lobbying for pro-passenger legislation.

The movement gained momentum last week when a snowstorm left passengers trapped inside JetBlue planes at New York's Kennedy Airport for up to 10 1/2 hours. JetBlue introduced its own customer bill of rights earlier this week.

Along with imposing the three-hour limit, Boxer's bill would require airlines to provide food, water and sanitary bathrooms to passengers stuck on the tarmac.

Thompson's bill would also require airlines to keep passengers updated on the reasons for the delays, reveal which flights are chronically delayed and strive to return lost bags in 24 hours.

Airlines oppose such legislation, arguing they know better than politicians how to fix the problems.

"We think that inflexible standards that would be imposed through some sort of mandatory legislation could easily have the unintended effect of inconveniencing customers more in some situations," said David Castelveter, a spokesman for the Air Transport Association, the airlines' main industry trade group.

Since Dec. 29, when 67 American flights were stuck on the tarmac for more than three hours, the airline has revised its policy to ensure passengers do not spend more than four hours in grounded planes, Wagner said. The company has sent out apologies and ticket vouchers to about 5,000 passengers affected that day, he said.

Nevertheless, Hanni said she does not plan to give up her fight to make air travel less unpleasant.

"I'm going to take it all the way," she said, "no matter what it takes."

___

On the Net:

Coalition for an Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights: http://strandedpassengers.blogspot.com

My solution is simple. Ride a motorcycle!

Okay, sure I'm making light of these situations. But really! That kind of garbage to deal with just to get somewhere... annoys me. I've flown once since 9/11 and it was very, very different. I didn't like it and I'm dubious I'd do it again anytime soon. I'd rather ride.

Except I may have a personal trip in a couple months that requires a flight. Drats! Darn this inflexible job!

Cool Weather Ahead

I have to admit that even though it's predicted to dip below freezing for a few days this week, I'm looking forward to the cool weather. I can finally use my seldom-used cold-weather riding gear to get to work and feel like I got my money's worth.

The dreaded first post

This is the defining moment, my first comments to the world. I will capture the attention of my now-captive audience and inspire them to do great things with their collective lives. I will shake the pillars of our civilization and challenge the very precepts we assume for perpetuating our little, human lives.

And I will fail miserably.

Why am I starting this blog? If my wife can do it, I can too. But I have no problem letting her be better at it. In fact, I fully expect her blog to be slick, full of attentive responses and captivating posts. Mine will be a mere shadow.

It's not that I'm living out the movie Stepford Wives, or any such nonsense. Rather, I'll spend my time riding my motorcycle instead of perfecting the next sentence. Heck, I'd rather be riding right now. Which brings me to a curious observation: I'm nearly a thousand miles away from home and I brought my truck and my laptop - and I'm writing about riding. To say that I'm disturbed by this curious sequence of events is to say too little. I'd rather have ridden here, screw the computer and the change of clothes!

So am I just getting older? Is it because I freaked my boss out when I told him I needed a week off to go see some family (and he highly encouraged me to not ride - more on this later)? Am I finally bowing to years of pressure from the rest of my family? Was it simply more practical to take four wheels instead of four? It's above 50 degrees right now (okay, so it is February)... One of the first places I visited when I arrived here was a bike shop! Why am I not riding again?

I don't know the answer quite for sure, but it certainly bothers me. And if I'm not posting, let's all hope that it's because I'm out riding. And if you're out there riding, too - I'll wave! I don't need to brag about all my exploits to feel good about myself - or even have the best blog. I just need to have the rubber side down and the wind blowing over my helmet!

See you out there!