Deals Gap - the Movie

Deviation

Tribeca Film Festival

Click on view shorts.

Click on Deviation.

Which character am I?

The Secret Project

Stick it!

I am not a particular fan of Boston Legal, but this past week I accidentally caught James Spader's closing arguments. His speech was moving and I think a clearly spoken wake up call for us all.



http://www.boston-legal.org/19-stickit/BL-2x19-StickIt-ClosingArguments.asx

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/03/15.html#a7532

The Video

11 days

3500 miles








While down at Bike Week, Serafin and I did some interviews and shot some video. We had an editor put together a short clip to see if Good Morning America would pick it up.

Here is the clip if you would like to check it out.

http://www.bluesky-web.com/daytona002.mov

The Dragon

"People from all walks of life are drawn to the seducing curves of the Dragon at Deal’s Gap, also known as US Hwy 129. They make their pilgrimage to test their skills, or in some cases, to be bitten by the Dragon." -Dealsgap.com

The Hillestads

On the way back up from Bike Week I was able to stop by the Hillestads. James has been a mentor to me since undergrad. It was wonderful to spend some time with him and Sonja.

Three of James' closest friends died within 10 months.

"You better not be getting any ideas." I said.

He laughed, "I have had the idea for years now."

Oddly enough, James whose health has been "failing" for over 40 years and smokes quite a bit, out lived everyone else. Go figure.

Bike Week - 4

John

John is a 61 year old Puerto Rican from East Harlem Vietnam Vet. He owns a smoke shop on Main St. in Daytona and a Harley Dealership in Thailand. He offers tours and bike rentals in Thailand. We asked him how does he stay looking so young for 61. He said "It's the *#$$&"

Bike Week - 3 Bikes

Waterloo's Place

Over 500,000 bikes come through Daytona during bike week so as you might imagine, finding a place to park your bike can be difficult, not to mention dangerous.

You will have nothing to fear if you leave your bike in the "Waterloo's Place" lot. Why?

Steve and is "boys" is why.







Steve has been in Daytona since 1967, and boy have things changed.

In that stereotypical raspy southern drawl steve said, "people fly down here, get picked up in a limo, go down to the Harley Davidson dealer, rent a bike o' dere choice, and the clothes too and in half an hour you get billy bad ass."

"All kindsa types come down here. You might be talking to a pretty young filly in a bar and thinking she's taken a liking to you. Come to find out that when she went to the ladies room she really left with the boys that were stealin your bike while she was distractin you."





Dont worry, your bike is safe here at Waterloo's place. Me and the boys are packin. (note the tourquoise handle sticking out of his pants)
And fer 5 bucks not only can you park here but you can use our tiolet too.

Bike Week - 2

Bike Week - 1

The Wreck

The Wreck was a cool Restaurant and Bar just across the bridge to Main Street. We were not seated 5 min when we met Mark. Mark took a liking to us and shared lots. Lots and lots. And then lots more.
















"It all started with my granma, see, she was found in a barn with three guys and in a small town that is not good."

He was adopted by a fern florist so knows lots about ferns.

Loves to write coutry music. He made a CD but didnt bring any.





















He and his dentally challenged girlfriend had their own special way of showing each other affection.

At one point in the night she was apparently fed up that he was talking to us so much and left.

"Mark, I think your girlfriend left you."

"Nah, it is more like she set me free."

We also met Reesie, our waitress for the night. She rides a Harley and has two beautiful kids that she lives for. She was lots of fun and got her schedule so we could come back and eat there again.

111

"There it is again."

"What?" I asked.

"111."

"What do you mean?"

"The number comes up a lot and it means something. A friend told me there are web sites about it too."

I didn't think much of it and we continued our trek. Later during the ride my eye was drawn to my trip meter which read "111" and it kind of jumped out at me.

I figured perhaps it was a sign and it was drawing near time to stop for the evening anyway so I looked for the next appropriate lodging exit.

We checked in to the Super 8 motel.

"Here are your keys."

"Holy cow." They gave us room 111.




















I had to teach online that evening. I was going to hook up to the Internet through my phone. Unfortunately Verizon was not very good in this part of the south. My signal was fairly weak. I went out to the front of the room to try and get a better signal. I just barely had one bar.

While I was teaching a red pickup truck pulled in practically on top of me. It was a bit annoying since there were so many other parking spots.

"What a dick."

A man and his wife and child exited the vehicle and went to the room next to us.

I gave my class a break and then went into the room.

The man came out and began to speak to Serafin.

"You know people dont appreciate what they have."

He shared with Serafin that his friend had just lost his legs to diabetes, and that through it all he was still a happy guy with a positive spin on life.

"I just lost everything in a fire that is why my family and I are here."

"You have to accept things as they are and then work with it from there."

I guess he wasn't a dick after all.


For further coinkydinks:

http://www.angelscribe.com/1111.html

http://www.greatdreams.com/11coin.htm

Use and Value

"Shit!"

"What happened?" Serafin asked.

"The bike tipped over when I was packing at the gas station. The valve head case just got scratched and I just replaced it.

While I was upset at the moment, I thought about it and came to the following realization:

The purpose of the bike is not to go unscratched, but to be the magic carpet that I ride from destination to destination. The scratches that the bike gets are little badges of honor marking the adventures and excursions.

Is the purpose of the bike to keep it as perfect and new as possible. To keep it unscathed and in tact as long as we can? Or is the purpose of the bike to use and use thoroughly. To get every ounce of adventure out of it so that at the end of its life we can look back and say "I did everything I wanted to do and could do with this thing."

That is how it is with life. Is the purpose in life to live as long as possible with the fewest scratches? Or to be in a state when you check out that you look at yourself and say, "Wow, I got a lot of miles out of this baby, and ohh the places we went!"

All things have a value derived from their use. If you have it and dont use it, it is the equivalent of not having it.

Use it or lose it.

Crazy or something else?

"You guys are crazy."
Donna Cassaveccia - Motorcycle Safety Instructor

"You're gonna what?"


"Is there anyway I can convince you to take a plane instead?"
James Hillestad

When we told people that we were going to go to Daytona Beach Bike Week, most reacted with surprise. They thought we were crazy for going down in 25 degree weather and going 1200 miles.

I don't think it is about being crazy. I think it is about inexperience.

We just don't know what we are getting ourselves into.

Dottie

It was close to 3 AM when we stopped for the 3rd time. We holed up in a Waffle House to have some eggs and coffee. The only other people in the restaurant was a young couple, who Dottie later told us met online and were seeing each other in person for the first time. They were now planning to move in with each other.

Dottie shared with us that here hourly wage was $2.00.

"Isn't it illegal to pay that little?"
"No, they count our tips."

Judging from the crowd the graveyard shift sees here, it is a wonder how anyone could survive on that kind of wage.

We tipped her well.