Let’s Just Say…

This weekend at the Donnie Smith Show was a once in a lifetime experience for Clearview Works.

Now a once in a lifetime experience can mean different things to different people such as:

1. First time at a motorcycle show, wow!

2. First time at a motorcycle show, not impressed, don’t need to do that again.

3. First time being a vendor, awesome!

4. First time being a vendor, not an experience I care to repeat any time soon!

5. Been a vendor, been to many motorcycle shows, Man, this isn’t what it used to be. I don’t like it. Will reconsider repeating that experience.

Can you guess which type of once in a lifetime experience Chick, Alice and our esteemed VP had?

It seemed to me that general attendance was down considerably from previous years.  Saturdays were usually pretty packed in the space.  This year the No Kings protest was in downtown St. Paul also on Saturday.  Many people I knew just didn’t even want to deal with what was to be sure to be heavy traffic and road closures, so how the hell do you get there from here?

Anyway, there was less foot traffic and we were tucked away in the far corner with the other non-profits.  The hours dragged a bit.  We coped by taking turns for a smoke, food or a bit of shopping.

It was a very tiring weekend, physically and mentally, especially for us introverts.  Having to be “on” for 8-10 hours drains your being. Doing it for two days in a row with no time to recharge outside of getting as much sleep as you can is really exhausting. We all know how that feels.  For me, it was reminiscent of my years in week long committee meetings and networking dinners.  But let me tell you this, I was a hell of a lot younger then.

Back to what else was different this year than previous years.  I only paid cursory attention to it last year, but this year it became very clear to me that the show was primarily put on and attended by the local chapters of national motorcycle clubs and revolved around supporting their clubs, even drawing in members from other states.  I have absolutely no axe to grind with the way anyone exercises their biker soul.  I have my way of exercising that part of my soul, they have theirs.  Personally I have and will continue to attend their events on occasion.

One more thing I always got from attending this particular show that I still got this time is that I am so energized for the upcoming riding season.  This year more than ever because I have the time and freedom to ride as much as I want.  Not that I regret at all those years that my time was constrained by the love I chose and my career.  Now I can only carry his love in my heart.  On the motorcycle seems to me to be the perfect place to take him.

So, all energized in spite of how my body felt, I cleared out the sitting area of the garage where I’ve been sitting and smoking for too long, then used a blower and the garage vacuum to get all the winter junk off the floor so Alice could bring both her bikes over today.  We’ve enjoyed some nice weather, but falling temperatures and snow is in the forecast for several days later this week.

Then Alice rewarded me with a trip to the shoe store.  Actually, she insisted…I need shoes better suited for supporting my feet for walking which will also gently persuade my feet to walk correctly.  Between my broken foot and hip issues, I was walking on the outside of my feet for the last year in order to keep my balance.  Now that everything is fixed, it hurts to walk that way anymore and I can’t seem to convince those muscles to do that in my comfy boots.  Now I can learn how to walk again.

Love and peace,

Chick