I originally joined CF in 2011 and, don't know why but, never did anything with it after setting up my profile -- I guess that life in general just got in the way. So anyway here it is, 2014 and I decided that I'm not going to let life get in the way any more. I'm married, own a home, have a full time job and several vehicles to take care of and I wouldn't change any of it but, there needs to be more time for just saying "**** it" to mowing the grass or raking leaves or fixing something on the cages and blow the dust off the bike and just go.
Back in the day of my younger years, I used to hang out with a bunch and we partied and rode like hell ( there wasn't much else though ) then there was a stretch of aboout 4 years when I was ... Umm, on "vacation" courtesy of the Commonwealth of Va. and on my return from said "vacation" alot had changed. First of all, I didn't have a motorcycle anymore and all the "friends" that I thought I had were nowhere to be found and I decided that  I no longer wanted to be the "hell raising, partying, living for the moment with nothing to show for it" person that I was before so after settling down and putting a life together, I bought my present 2003 Softail new ( my very first new bike ) in '03. The mentality of people in general has changed drastically though -- I didn't buy my motorcycle to impress anyone. I bought it to ride and, I thought that it would be a common interest with other riders that would foster more comraderie and social get togethers. What I quickley ( or maybe not so quickley ) found out was that there are A LOT of people around here who bought motorcycles because "that's what everybody else was doing" with absolutely no interest in riding or being a part of the lifestyle.
Most times, I ride alone or two-up with my wife just to burn some gas and get in the wind but on a few occaisions, I have ridden with others who want to bar hop or ride across town to XXXX's house to "watch the race ( or game ) and get drunk" -- Sorry, not interested. Hey I'm not against having A BEER or two during a ride -- with lunch or dinner -- but, I don't want the ride and lunch and dinner to be DRINKING BEER.
Then there are those people who act like they are friends that I never hear from or that talk about how much they're going to ride "this year" and, "we're going to get together and ride to the rallies" and nest thing I know, Spring has come and gone, then Summer and Fall and it's Winter again and I hear the same B.S. all over again. 
I've seen motorcycles on the side of the road ( and have been one of those on the side of the road ) and have watched dozens of motorcycles ride past without so much as a second look. Nobody stopped, nobody checked -- nothing. What The **** !? This isn't the same Code that I grew up with. Granted, back then there was no cell phones or roadside assistance like there is today but who cares ? That person on the side of the road is STILL a rider  who may just need a little bit of gas to get to the next exit or someone to hold a wrench for them ( that's all I needed ) but these ignorant fucks were in too much of a hurry to get to the next bar to be troubled by someone else outside of their clique.

Sorry about the rant, I guess the reason for this post is this -- I'm not looking to be a part of some outlaw MC ( no disrespect intended to those who are ) and I'm not looking to bar hop or be a part of any "clique" either. What I was hoping for was to find those people that share similar interests and ideals and know what being a friend means. I don't care what you ride but I can be most helpful to you if you ride a Harley because that's what I know about. That doesn't mean that I won't ride with you or help you work on your bike because you ride a Goldwing or a sportbike.
2014 is a brand new year and I plan to make it the year that I stop surrounding myself with "fake friends" and self-proclaimed "brothers" who wouldn't know the first thing about being one. It's one thing to talk the talk but another to walk the walk.

Well Joe, welcome (back).  Nice little rant btw.  We all see things differently as we get older and, hopefully, wiser.  And yes, friends and brothers disappear no matter how close/tight you may have been.  "I'm a retired patch holder"; and the reality in that statement is I may as well be dead to the club.  As a founder and charter member I took that reality pretty hard at first but I get it now and it's o.k.  It was a time I enjoyed.  Maybe I needed them and they needed me.  I don't really know.  What I do know (as you do), once you free yourself from any kind of constraint your eyes open and you can see who you really are.

Me? I'm just a guy who worked all his life, raised a family, and missed out on some of the dreams he had.  But you don't achieve dreams.  You achieve goals.  I personally think most of us do that one day at a time, one lesson at a time, one opportunity at a time.  There's a lot of BS out there Joe.  There's a lot of posturing out there as well.  And the way "things use to be" ain't ever gonna be that way again.  Yeah, I'm gonna stop and you're gonna stop for some dude on the side of the road just because that's who we've always been.  Chances are though he's not gonna need our help.  He'll have a cell phone and someone is on their way.  We stopped though and that's all that matters; not who didn't stop.

I hear you Joe.  A good many of us here at CF hear you.  Hell, there are a number of us grey beards here ya know?! I'm thinking that between us we just may have seen it all.  I'm thinking some of us just may have lived out some other dude's dream.

I'm enjoying the hell out of retirement.  I always rode a lot but things are awesome now. Finishing my working life out so I could ride more was my ultimate goal.  I made it.  It's ironic though.  I lived to ride.  Now I ride to live and the day I'll not be able to do that draws closer and closer.  I don't know what I'll do when I can't ride.  The journey I've been on has nothing to fall back on.  So Joe, to hell with the dumb shit eh?  Enjoy yourself brother.  And if you ever do feel like taking off some where drop me a kite.  I'll ride with you a ways.

Peace

Thanks for sharing this post, you have a way with words, it is a very enjoyable read.

I agree wholeheartedly on so many points touched on that I wont, no I cant for lack of patience from the reader LOL go into all of them,cept to say those of us who ride are with you in spirit. Its a fine line drawn yet one thats quite apparent to someone who truly loves the ride & realizes intrinsically its value,and liberating qualities.

stay safe & enjoy the ride !!!!

Welcome from Texas. I do agree with your rant.Hubby & I are empty nesters who don't just ride to bar hop but ride to enjoy the mind clearing of lifes cobwebs. So many times we have pulled to the shoulder to check on a rider only to be looked at with a "Why the hell are you bothering me attitude? "I too don't give two hoots what anybody rides or what patch that may or may not fly....Sad to say many I've know from the road are only found at the local shop once a week to drop several more c notes into a new gadget that they might;-) need on that big trip this year that never seems to happen.My bike is not new nor spotless, but is rode not some museum piece that one day one of our sons who don't ride will let rust in the corner.In the mean time say f--- it for me and you and the misses enjoy some wind therapy!

Jim, Ron, CJ and Rex -- I appreciate you all tolerating my rant and replies -- I guess I'm just pissed because of the indifference of people today who call themselves "brothers" or "bikers" but have no interest of or fidelity to anything outside of their own four walls. If they want to be "fake" -- that's no skin off my butt but it still pisses me off because ( as I know you also know ) if WE talked the talk, we were expected to walk the walk or we were then an outcast -- a poser -- and ( it seemed ) EVERYBODY knew it. This is the way we were raised -- we learned from what we were subjected to by the generation before who learned from the generation before them and so on ....
Regardless, the posers out there today all dressed up in their new shiny leathers, riding their brand new motorcycles ( or not brand new motorcycles that they ride 100 miles a year ) won't stop me from being the Brother that I have always been -- For those who will eventually be my family ( when I meet them ), I will always be no further away than a phone call, any time of any day for any reason and NO rider will be passed by without checking at least -- whether they understand why I stopped or not or, need it or not. Fact is, if we have to explain "Why", they wouldn't understand anyway.
CF members who read this and feel the same are encouraged to add me to your Friends list ( I've added the four of you to mine, pending your acceptance ). We may never meet but then again, you never know and there's no reason to not have "family" in another state. Ride Safe

Hope you had a great birthday friend !!!

As for me been living by the same code since 71. "Ride yer own ride."

Thanks Gypsy ! It was uneventful and relaxing -- which means it was perfect. Finally got around to replacing the exhaust gaskets on my Softail and got to start it up for a few minutes in the shop. Now that it's ready to ride again, the weather will undoubetly get freezing-ass cold again. Oh well, Spring is comin' and I'll be waiting for it !

Hey there Y'all!!! New here and to the world of riding...took my first ride last MAY and fell in love with the BIKE not so much the BIKER guy...LOL ...PLZ dont get me wrong BIKER MEN are great we just did not hit it off so I am hoping to make some friends and get offered a ride or 2 !!! Spring has sprung and I love to ride...love to go, have fun, make friends, enjoy the beautiful VA scenery...take care thanks !!!

Hey CindyCindy....welcome to the site!

thank you mac117~~

Welcome back from Coastal Ga... That was way to long for me to read..... ADD