Coast to Coast (and back?) with an Italian Supermodel

[hery22]

Originally Posted by AntiHero

The History of the Amargosa Opera House (from Wiki):
Marta Becket rented the recreation hall in 1967, then known as Corkhill Hall, began repairs, created the sets, painted murals on the adobe walls and renamed it the Amargosa Opera House.[4] In 1970, journalists from National Geographic discovered Becket doing a performance at the Amargosa Opera House without an audience. Their profile and another in Life led to an international interest in Becket and her theater. She began performing to visitors from around the world, including such notables as Ray Bradbury and Red Skelton.[5] In 1983, the Opera House bought 120 theater seats from the Boulder City Theater in Boulder City, Nevada to replace the worn garden chairs needing retirement.











Think about it--'crazy' lady in the 60s hoofs it to Death Valley and not only builds an Opera House in the middle of nowhere, she performs in front of a bunch of empty seats. Sounds like a recipe for failure and misery on the surface. But the opposite happens. Woman follows and achieves her dreams despite that just the opposite should have happened. I have seen no better example on this trip of how to plan and realize an ultimate achievement. Imagine the thousands of women just like her who dreamed of performing in their own theaters, of hearing the applause at the end of the night, of the lines of spectators waiting to meet the legend....and imagine all of those people who, not having the means, died never having succeeded. I can hear them saying on their deathbed, 'hey, not everyone can be Angelina Jolie'. The tragedy is that's true. And in the small bit of truth there we get stuck. The other truth that is only slightly less obvious? We can all be our own version.

The genius of Marta and the Amargosa Opera House is she built the blueprint of her dream based on the tools and raw materials and skills she had available to her instead of living a regrettable life dreaming of what it could have been with perfect tools and materials. (An outstanding example of the proverbial frog without wings. Instead of pining away, dreaming of being a bird flying effortlessly, she flew as far as her legs would propel her--and jumped as often as she could.)

Side note--I've always hated the expression "follow your dreams," for two reasons: 1) the phrase is overused enough to have lost all meaning and 2) I can't think of a more passive way of expressing an otherwise outstanding idea. Don't fucking follow your dreams as if it was some balloon floating gently in the breeze. When did following lead to any kind of achievement? Slow meandering does not turn internal desire or vision into an external reality.

More goals would be realized if we thought of dreams as something requiring effort and risk and sacrifice, if instead of "follow your dreams" we declared: "Dreams are prey and should be hunted, stalked, decapitated and devoured. And when you've sucked the last bit of marrow from the bones, mount the head on a wall, enjoy it for a moment and begin planning your next hunt."

And if you're reading this now, thinking of some seemingly unattainable objective--let's just use, "I wanted to be Bon Jovi" as an example. First of all, no one except Bon Jovi wants to be Bon Jovi (and even that is questionable). What was really wanted? Break it down. If it was the megalomaniacal feeling of being on a stage in front of screaming fans, start a band and play at the local pizza parlor. You might not make millions, but you'll have an audience. Plus free pizza, beer, and a MILF blowjob from time to time doesn't sound bad, right?

I recently watched a film on Vimeo about an Isle of Man TT competitor who, after a pretty bad accident, can't race. Instead of pining away 'would-of-could-of-should-of' style, he's taken on a role of mentoring all the first time TT riders. Helping teach the future riders is not an insignificant way of participating in victory, right? And helping to save lives in the process can't feel bad, either. The point I'm belaboring (on purpose) is examine what SPECIFICALLY attracted you/attracts you to a particular goal. Identify that, then build a blueprint on how to achieve it using your current set of tools, materials and abilities.

Is there any greater torment than to grow old without having fulfilled (or forgotten) the dreams of our youth? Attack your dreams now or be attacked by them later.

I have shared your "follow your lusts at all costs" attitude. I am a Panigale owner. I was an "A" East Coast Enduro rider in the 80's. Your continued inspiration through out this thread has motivated me to purchase a new XC300W KTM to ride at the OHV areas of mountainous Oregon after a 25 year dirt bike lay off. Thanks for helping to make me realize that dirt riding was the one segment of my life that was important enough for me to re- kindle.

[rico2072]

Hey AH, you are a pretty inspirational guy.
You know I've been keeping up with the RR, and by the way, best one I've ever read.
It is really cool to read about all these readers being inspired by this tread, it's pictures and philosophies.
Don't know if I mentioned it before, but that trip I'm taking of the South West next year has been in my mind for about 15 years out of 21 riding. I say THANK YOU for being the straw that broke the camels back! I just hope my writing will be half as interesting as yours.

[Lolodesiles]

Hi AH from switzerland

i' m impressed by this thread on many levels, probably the nicest ever read..

by the way, some guys here barely dare using their pani on open roads but you turned it into a dirt bike or like

take care and ride free

[petzi-baer]

Originally Posted by AntiHero

Those domes are charcoal kilns. And they make very good igloos when you show up and it's 2 degrees and snowing. :)

Temps at ~sea level were in the 60s, maybe even 70s, during the day. At higher elevations (by the charcoal kilns) it was probably in the 50s give or take 5 degrees (ok, take). Every 1000 feet you lose a significant amount of heat and the kilns were at 6800 feet.

During the night it's probably 40-50 on the floor.

Where did you stay in DV?

I was there from 31st to 2nd - camping.

Was great

petzi-baer

[AntiHero]

M0t0Rider
I can't get it to work (even though I can view it). This is why I didn't mess with video for most of the trip!!!! I'll upload it somewhere else 4x and try to get it to work, considering what I risked just to take the video!\

hery22
Great to hear! One day I'll have a KTM, too....


Thanks, Rico. Much thanks. PM me the link to your R/R when you've got it up (and of course plan at least a few days in DV!).

Lolodesiles
Much appreciated. Great to hear my R/R has made it to Switzerland. :) Pani makes a terrible dirt bike, but as long as the wheels will turn I'll feed her gas.

petzi-baer--stayed in the Amargosa Hotel and then in Furnace Creek. Looking forward to the day I can camp AND have a bike to ride. Camping's the only way to go in DV imho.

[1960FL]

One day I'll have a KTM, too....

A-H;

Ahhhhhh, the 990 ADV the latest to my collection :-) she is just awesome, made me go out and buy a pair of XL350 R's to get me re acclimated to the off road life of years past and feel comfortable letting the bike go. She handles the pavement like a sport bike the dirt and gravel roads as if they were paved and if I ever learn to ride her right my ass may let go of the seat and i will truly enjoy her. A 110 ++++++++HP Dirt bike will surely exercise the Sphincter.

Just love this RR, you have a talent, F--- the Software and Write!
Read your own words, then follow them.

Rick

[AntiHero]

"Read your own words, then follow them."

Excellent point, Rick, and exactly what I, too, need to be reminded of. When this R/R comes to its conclusion I think everyone (myself included) will be pleased to discover what the future has in store.

[AntiHero]

Originally Posted by M0t0Rider

AntiH...your PhotoBucket link is dead, can you fix?

Video link is fixed. (Photobucket clearly has some issues for videos, so I uploaded to catube.)

[AntiHero]

Will my love affair ever end?

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen violets damasked, blue and white,
But no such violets see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she moves, treads on ground.

And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.

[zingo]

Happy New Year !

[naveenroy]

Originally Posted by AntiHero

(BTW, anyone who is anti-ABS has never experienced the exhilaration of grabbing a massive handful of brake, dropping 100mph off terminal velocity in seconds at the threshold of adhesion without having to worry about smashing your face into the ground as the front locks up. The ABS on the Panigale (set to 1) is simply outrageous and maniacal.)

I love this with the ABS. No worries about slamming on the brakes. I'm no speed king but here in India, it is so easy to see dogs, bicycles even tractors drive on the opposite direction in your lane - on highways!

[Sgt93]

Originally Posted by AntiHero

These pics are compressed (by me to make uploading and viewing easy--and then again by photobucket, which really destroys a lot of the details.) With that said, the best photos from the Canon S100 are nearly as good as the Sony RX100. The difference? The Sony takes MORE photos that are better than the Canon ever did. The Canon colors were always off and required lots of correcting. I don't think I ever uploaded a picture here without making some changes.

They both might be point-and-shoots, but the Canon is a point-and-shoot-and then go home and spend hours correcting them. I still make corrections here and there with the Sony, but overall it's spot-on and doesn't make those frustrating technical mistakes that the Canon did (mistakes that you only realize when you get home after it's too late).

If I had my choice of a free S100 or a full-retail-price RX, I'd take the RX.

I went and played with one at the store and you are correct, quite and amazing little camera. This thread should sell a few I imagine :) -Steve

[3B43]

"Is there any greater torment then to grow old without having fulfilled the dreams of our youth? Attack your dreams or be attack by them later!"

In my prior life, I attempted to convey this to various people in my family, with the response being 'no response' to 'stop being a child'. My standard line was this: I don't want to be 80, looking back at my life and say, 'damn, I should've done.......' Now, I said this while working 50+ hrs/week AND building a house.....and then a second house & barn! It wasn't like I was not employed or working. In my experience, alot of people never look beyond 'this afternoon' and when you try to explain to them where your headed/what you want to experience and 'feel', they look at you like your speaking Russian! They just don't 'get it', nor do they want to understand it!

Very interested on where your headed!

[KMC1]

Originally Posted by 3B43

"Is there any greater torment then to grow old without having fulfilled the dreams of our youth? Attack your dreams or be attack by them later!"

In my prior life, I attempted to convey this to various people in my family, with the response being 'no response' to 'stop being a child'. My standard line was this: I don't want to be 80, looking back at my life and say, 'damn, I should've done.......' Now, I said this while working 50+ hrs/week AND building a house.....and then a second house & barn! It wasn't like I was not employed or working. In my experience, alot of people never look beyond 'this afternoon' and when you try to explain to them where your headed/what you want to experience and 'feel', they look at you like your speaking Russian! They just don't 'get it', nor do they want to understand it!

Very interested on where your headed!

Can't agree with you more. I've been working hard, being "good", being responsible, etc. for a long while now, and at every turn there's the government with its hand out demanding more money. It seems the system has essentially become a grist mill, hungry for more willing fools to throw their youth into, with a "comfortable" sustenance life as the promised reward.

But where's the fun?? And where's this "free" country I keep hearing so much about?!?! It seems like there's a goldang rule for every little thing, and violating any of them results in either losing your job, jail or a fine of some sort. "Don't park there!" "Don't ride your bike there!" "That's sexual harassment!", "I can't believe you just said that!", "Don't walk outside with that beer!" "You were going 50 in a 45!" Etc. etc. etc. I probably spend 100 hours a year just keeping my government paperwork up to date for vehicles, homes, licenses, etc. it's just mind numbing.

"Liberalism" is destroying our society and turning us into a bunch of automatons, under the guise of "safety" and "respect" or "tolerance". It's a sad, ironic joke that we say its about "tolerance" and yet we have less and less actual tolerance for any kind of misstep, or freedom.

I feel the sands of time filtering through the hour glass, the grip of fear of dying of boredom.....of being in the same place, doing the same thing 30 years from now. I feel as though I'm on the precipice of a great chasm, ready to risk life and limb for a chance to just let go and plunge headlong into the abyss, for a chance to see what's at the bottom, and with no way of knowing if I can ever climb back out. Just for the sheer excitement and uncontrolled chaos it will bring.

And reading your report (and those of a few other folks) is leading me slowly closer to the jumping off point. Closer to the day when I will throw off the shackles of this incredibly constrained existence, and just LIVE.

Thank you for sharing your experience, I'm not entirely sure you can begin to know how influential reading this can be for certain individuals - like me.

[ducnut]

Originally Posted by KMC1

Thank you for sharing your experience, I'm not entirely sure you can begin to know how influential reading this can be for certain individuals - like me.

Same here.