We had a field trip.  Yep.  Upon awakening last Thursday I had that boyish feeling of excitement and the nervousness of …. “The Field Trip”.    I use to have that feeling in the 4th grade or so.  “We were going away”.   A Trip.   An Adventure.  A Chautauqua.   Not far, but not to the usual familiar and comfortable place either.   I didn’t have to pack a lunch this day, the Rotary would take care of that.  Today’s Trip was about MOTORCYLES.  I don’t know anything about Motorcycles and looked forward to the day.  I was excited and not disappointed.  

To digress for a second -- In my younger years I read a book called “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” by Robert Persig.  It too is about a Chautauqua.  It has stayed with me ever since.  It’s not about Motorcycles, but uses them as a metaphor for a way of life.  It is really good if you are in a particular frame of mind.  I was and still am.

I am not going to say too much about this 1 hour Journey into a special place.  It is indeed special and so was Michael, the owner.  If you are familiar with the internet service “Yelp,” you will find nothing but positive comments about Michael and his shop.  Yelp is used by the common man to rate his common experiences with local establishments.   Below is a “cut and paste” of one of the commenters who had been to Michael’s shop.  I couldn’t say it better and there are others.  All are terrific ratings of this simple yet complex store and man.

“SBC is just one of those too-good-to-be-true places.  For one, it's a top-notch place for motorcycle repair, service, and parts.  Two, it's an open, friendly art gallery, lounge, and gathering place for rides or events.  Three, like one of the reviewers said below, Michael is friendly and honest.  He's personable and takes really good, meticulous care of his customer’s bikes, his equipment & tooling.  Four, he's expanding all the time.  I knew him before he had a lathe and mill, and more tools & capabilities are on the way.  Five?  Hank”

Hank Is right about the shop and Michael.  He looks like a figure out of the past, but he is not old.  Maybe 40, but he is right out of the 60’s.  About 6’4 and maybe 140 pounds. Long Elvis sideburns.  Lot’s of tattoos.  His “shop” is perfect.  The pictures say it all and I am including most of them in this writing.  There is a huge amount of “stuff” here and perhaps 15 motorcycles as well, but there is a perfect order to it.  The walls are all decorated with his girlfriend’s art, so this is an art gallery as well.  Every piece of Art is placed deliberately on the wall in a measured way.   Michael gave us a simple 10 minute speech, unrehearsed but not nervous; and then answered lots of questions from the Rotarians who clearly were infatuated with the place and the man and his simple but seemingly perfect life.  Someone asked him what were his next plans or had he arrived where he wanted to be.  He thought, (just for a moment), and said he couldn’t think of anything else he would want.  He had arrived.  His journey and destination had become one.  This was special, you had to be there but I hope I captured a little of Michael’s magic.

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