The Bro’s Arrival

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Last night, twin brother and his wife arrived. Or shall I say, this morning, just a little while ago… 2:30am to be exact. This post is actually going up “live” as I write it, then to bed…to bed… I’m exhausted.

J’s plane was scheduled to arrive early yesterday evening (at an airport on the other side of the Potomac River from where I live), but it was delayed leaving France. I was told it would arrive at 9pm, but we waited, and waited… with little information. Finally, we were told that the original plane had to return to France due to a mechanical problem that happened soon after it took off. They had to offload all of the passengers and luggage, find another plane, and put everyone and everything back on the new flight.

But wait… there’s more. My brother told me that they made all of the passengers go back through security, even though they never left the secure side of the airport. Oh brother… no wonder flying internationally is such a challenge these days.

I brought a book to read, which I had finished fairly early. I went to look for a bookstore, but by the time I thought to get another trashy novel, the stores had closed. I tried to sleep a little bit, but there was a Mom with a bratty little kid waiting for this same flight to arrive. The kid was cranky and tired, and instead of sleeping as his mother was encouraging him to do, he seemed to scream louder.

I had to wait outside the customs area, and there weren’t many places to sit down available. When I did find a place to sit, that’s where the kid was. There wasn’t any other place to go, as the restaurants and shops were closed.

I’m a zombie. I am only on the computer to find out the hours of the place that has the Harley that my brother will rent. I don’t think we’re going there the moment it opens, but it’s not open tomorrow so we’ll pick it up today, sometime.

Wish us a good visit, despite how badly it started.

Life is short: patience is a virtue. Sleep is better.

Not Another Poker Run

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It seems that when a weekend day may free up on my schedule and I look for a motorcycle ride to join, it always seems as if there’s a ride to a poker run.

What’s that? You ride to a designated meeting place. You pay an entry fee, which is collected as a charitable donation to the event organizer’s designated charity. You get a map of a route to follow. You ride the route, and as you go, you pick up playing cards. At the end of the route, you put together your best poker hand. Prizes are given to people with the highest-scoring hand.

Can you spell b-o-r-i-n-g? Sorry, I know there are a lot of people who like events like this. I don’t. I never have. I don’t play cards, anyway. But that’s beside the point. The point is to ride along a route with your friends and help a neighboring club raise funds for its charity. I get it. But…

I really prefer shorter rides without some gimmick along the way. I need to offer to lead more such rides, which is why I offered to serve as a road captain anyway — to offer these kinds of rides as a choice to our club’s members. So rather that bitch about what other people are doing, I need to step up and assert some leadership.

News at 11…

[An American expression for “check back later for more information”]

Life is short: lead when you don’t want to follow.

I’m Taken

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Having a website and a blog inevitably results in receiving the occasional email from guys who are interested in more than my boots or leather. Receiving such email on these rare occasions is flattering. However, they miss the note in my profile that clearly says that I am in a monogamous relationship.

I do not intend to mislead you — I really do not receive much email at all, and very few email messages making “certain suggestions.”

A few years ago if I received a suggestive email message, my first response was to say to myself, “what, this guy can’t read?” Then I thought about it for a while, and realized that most read a few pages, and do not see the pages that describe my relationship. Nowadays I reply to say, “thanks, I am flattered, but I’m ‘taken’.”

I enjoy camaraderie with lots of people. I enjoy exchanging email with people from all over the world. I learn a lot. I appreciate the comments and different ways of thinking. But that’s my limit: no clandestine meet-ups, no traveling to meet other men, no playing around behind my partner’s back… none of that.

Yep, I’m taken. I remain in love with one man. Bound by our hearts, we continue to make bootprints of our journey.

Life is short: love is sweet.

Oh Doo-Doo!

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I was served a subpoena to appear in court yesterday as a witness in a civil matter between two neighbors who are in dispute about, of all things, doggy doo-doo. Oh cripes! Thus the challenge of being a community leader. I feel great regret that I wasn’t able to encourage these neighbors to resolve their issues civilly between themselves without having to have a judge do it for them.

On came my dressy Nocona blue full-quill ostrich boots with a pair of dress pants, dress shirt, and a “spot” of leather — my maroon leather tie. Damn it was hot! Choking in that noose made me sweat a lot — but because I had to do a quick 10-block trip to a drug store to get medicine for “Dog A” which was present in court as “evidence” (seriously, I kid you not!) “Dog A’s” owner is disabled, and the doggy was suffering an asthma attack because the air quality was poor. I couldn’t let “Dog A” suffer so badly, and if getting a children’s antihistamine would help relieve it’s symptoms, off I marched in the heat to get the drug. It actually worked!

One of my friends is a local police officer. I griped a bit about this court date with him a few days ago. He told me stories about appearing in court on both civil and criminal matters that made my head spin. I don’t know how cops have the patience to deal with all the dumb stuff that some people do. My short court visit is nothing compared with what he has to do on a regular basis for his job. So I’ll quit my bitchin’.

Civility in today’s society is lost. People are quick to yell, scream, and behave like total and complete idiots — then file a civil complaint for a judge to decide. Such a waste of time for the judicial branch of government. I am so sad. We have to be better than this.

However, that is one reason why I refrain from posting much about politics on this blog or on my Facebook page or other non-political forums. Some people have opinions that oppose my own views. They’re entitled, but the vehemence with which they voice their opinions is awful. I choose not to incite those riots on on-line social forums.

I do have political opinions, and I do post comments about them where it’s appropriate. There is a statewide political blog on which I have written comments and guest blog pieces. But always in a civil, respectful, manner. I choose to post in what I call “appropriate” places — and not discuss politics on social media. To me, “social media” is for fun and friendship, not for challenging others to a war of words.

Life is short: be calm, civil, and choose where to say what in cyberspace.

Persistent Website Downtime

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I truly regret that my website experienced a significant period of downtime yet again last night.

After incurring five prolonged periods of downtime within the last six weeks, I said to myself, “okay, that’s it!” I called my web host, Hurricane Electric (which was recommended to me by Larry of hotboots.com), and they confirmed the server on which my website is hosted was having problems again. So I sent them an email and requested that my site be migrated off their dysfunctional server to another one. Hopefully, the new-to-me server on which my website is hosted won’t have such problems.

Unfortunately, my website and my email was also down during the transition period to the new server. If you sent me a message any time from Monday afternoon until night, I haven’t seen it yet, but no worries, I’ll get it eventually and reply to you.

I have been very pleased with Hurricane Electric’s service for many years. I have a number of websites hosted by them now. Bootedman.com is the largest, but regardless of a website’s size and functionality, their reliability and affordability is what “sold” me. I think this one server downtime problem is an anomaly.

To anyone who tried to visit my website and received an error message or a message that the site wasn’t there any more, I apologize. Hopefully with this migration to another server, the problem will be resolved.

Life is short: don’t have unplanned downtime!

Guest Blog From The Bro’

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Hey, big brother… in just a few days, a big jet will be headed your way with The Wife and me on it. Headed back to see you for our birthday. I’ve made arrangements to rent a Harley. Lets Go Play! One week ’til our birthday! (But who’s counting?)

M and The Wife will do the girly stuff (shopping, yakking) while you and I will go explore. Revisit our youth, see our family, strengthen our souls — as only you can do for me.

It has been a year since we’ve done this, yet it feels like longer. I rejoice in knowing that you and I will be spending significant time together, hangin’ out, havin’ fun.

Love you, bro’ … always have, always will. Can’t wait!

See you soon,

J

Formal Summer Leather

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These words do not always go together: “summer” and “leather”. “Formal” and “leather” go better together… sometimes. Here’s my take on both matters….

While I am definitely a cuirophile (a-ha, new word! But leathermen can figure that one out fast)… I recognize that leather is durable, looks good, and by design, it is warm. I mean, after all, it was the thick skin of a cow. (I know, leather is made from other animal hides, too, but let’s not split hidehairs.)

When the weather outside is frightful… but not the snowy sort (pardon the lift from an old holiday tune)… temperatures in the 90s (over 32C), wearing any form of leatherwear on my legs and body can make me very uncomfortable. While the aroma of sweaty leather has some intoxicating prospects, passing out from heat stroke is not good. Not at all… so wearing full leather in the summer outdoors is not something I choose to do.

… except … in the early morning before it becomes warm, when I may choose some of my nicest, “formal” leather, and completely leather up for some photos for my website. I think the background of fully-leafed trees is far better than the stark, leafless, cold background of a winter’s day.

What makes “formal” leather? Usually, at least from my own observation, one can say that he is wearing “formal” leather when he has on leather pants that are clean and the leather is in its full lustre. A leather shirt, usually with long sleeves but perhaps with short sleeves, on the torso. A Muir Cap on the head, a Dress Leather Tie with a pair of well-shined black boots completes the outfit.

Must all “formal” leather be black? I dunno… this fashion-conscious “black-tie” stuff always throws me, since I am not the type of guy to wear a tuxedo. (Never have, never will.) I think good quality lustrous leather combined together, as shown here, can easily fit the bill of “dress leather.”

Only downfall, this prince’s date doesn’t like going to the ball (don’t go there… this is a G-rated blog!)… ahem… back to topic … my partner detests going out. Thus, I can (and often do) dress in formal leather, but “going out” means to the back yard for some photos, then enjoying wearing leather indoors in cool comfort. … until I have to go out. In which case, off come the leathers for a return to hanging them nicely in the gear closet… and on come the blue jeans and t-shirts with comfy boots, which are my customary summertime choices.

Life is short: enjoy leather!

What Do Cowboys Wear Under Their Jeans?

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Yes, another question entered into Google and that landed on my website.

Question: “what do cowboys wear under their jeans?”

Answer: underwear.

What kind — boxers or briefs?

Answer: yes.

Question: do cowboys ever wear jeans without underwear?

Answer: I don’t know. I haven’t checked. But when I have ridden horses, I have required all the padding I could get between the saddle and my butt. I figure the same is true with cowboys. Underwear is a good choice. But you’ll have to check for yourself, guys.

Also, remember, most cowboys wear jeans over boots, so you can say, in a way, that they wear boots “under” their jeans, too.

Life is short: ubi sub sub ubi (always wear underwear — a Latin proverb LOL!)

Can Civilians Wear Cop Boots?

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There goes that Google again, driving someone with the question, “can civilians wear cop boots?” onto this blog and my website.

Answer: yes.

Is a person who is not a sworn peace officer wearing tall motorcycle patrol boots, like the 20 pairs of patrol boots that I have impersonating an officer?

Well, if he puts on a uniform with insignia and goes out in public wearing it, then he’s close to that label. However, what he does while wearing a uniform is the decision-maker. If he attempts to pull someone over, speak to someone like a cop, threaten giving a citation, or something stupid like direct traffic or point a gun at someone, then yes: that’s impersonation and penalties for doing that are severe.

But if you just pull on a pair of tall patrol boots with breeches but have no insignia, and if you don’t speak like a cop or pretend to do things that cops do, then no, you’re not impersonating an officer.

So bottom-line: yes, “civilians” can wear tall patrol boots. I do it all the time. So do thousands of other men who like the appearance, feel, design, and style of the boots.

If you’re afraid someone might say something, then crawl back under a rock and put on your sneakers. Otherwise, boot-up and enjoy!

Life is short: wear boots you like to wear!

Are Frye Boots Good for Motorcycling?

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This question was posed, where else, but in a Google search and it ended up on my website.

The answer to the question, “are Frye Boots good for motorcycling” is “mostly no” with a few exceptions.

The reason why the answer is “mostly no” is that most vintage Frye boots were made with a smooth leather sole, as shown here on a pair of vintage Frye Boots of the ’70s. Boots with a smooth sole are a poor choice to wear while operating a motorcycle simply because the soles do not provide traction which is required to hold the bike at a stoplight or whilst maneuvering into a parking spot. In fact, smooth-soled boots like most Fryes and cowboy boots are very likely to slip on pavement. Why? Pavement, particularly asphalt parking lots, is a repository for oil. Most people think, “my car doesn’t leak oil, so why worry about it?” Cars drop a drop of oil here and there, particularly while hot, and just parked.

Slipping while parking a bike is, according to NHTSA, the third-most leading cause of injuries to a motorcyclist, after a crash or driver error (dropping the bike or running off the road.) You see, if your boots slip under you, you put enormous pressure on your ankle while trying to prevent the bike from falling over. There are a number of ankle sprains, strains, and breaks reported. Believe me, I know how fragile the fibula is (the smaller of the two leg bones that go into the ankle.) It can snap and break when such sideways pressure is applied to it.

Back in the day when Frye Boots were made at the original plant in Massachusetts, the company did make a line of boots with lug soles suitable for use while operating a motorcycle. (Image from a 1975 Frye Boot Catalog.) Today, there are some Frye boots made in China that have a rubber sole. (The Frye Boots made in the USA plant in Arkansas nowadays are the campus style, which have smooth leather soles.)

Unless your choice of boots has at least a rubber sole — preferably a lug sole — then do not use them while operating a motorcycle. Sure, you’ll be fine while the bike is in motion. You may have serious trouble when you have to stop.

In summary, it’s not the boot, it’s the sole. And in post-summary, repeat after me: “boots are for motorcycling, sneakers are for the gym.”

Life is short: have sole.