11/2 and 1367
I used to think everything in life was black or white, right or wrong, good or evil. Several years ago, though, I realized that nothing in life is ever “black or white”, everything is just some shade of grey.
So that is how I have come to interpret the thinking of people that I would normally trust…….the experts in their field. People are always saying “follow the science”! Well, I very firmly believe in science! I believe in empirical knowledge. It’s the scientists that I don’t trust. During my life, the scientists have too often been in the darker shade of grey.
I am an old man now. I have lived through several episodes of expert scientific thinking. When I was very young, the experts were predicting the return of the ice ages. I never saw that happen! Kind of funny to me now that they are all so very concerned about global warming.
Then, the “experts” got all upset over nuclear bombs and nuclear fallout and they had everyone building bomb shelters. I believe they missed the part about nuclear half life! Somehow several generations would have had to have survived inside those shelters before they could have returned to living on the surface. It made no sense to me from the very beginning.
Then “experts” began to scare everyone with “the widening hole in the ozone layer”. We have had to stop using things that might diminish the ozone layer……….but don’t dare to produce any ozone close to the earth’s surface! Close to the earth’s surface ozone leads to smog! We can’t have that!
Then all of the world’s infrastructure and society was going to collapse at 12:01 am January 1, 2000! Hmmmmm, I didn’t see that happen either.
Those are just a few of the highlights of “expert” thinking that I have witnessed in my lifetime.
In my own personal life, doctors (experts in their field) have both prolonged my life and shortened my life. They have made my life better and they have very nearly destroyed it! They say they are following the science. But I believe that they are just treating everyone with cookie cutter medicine. Am I the only person that sees the shortsightedness of this approach? No attention is given to differences in genetics or environmental variables. There are so very many shades of grey here!
My life this year has been full of medical upheaval. First was Covid, then was conflicting medications that were kicking my butt and I had to sort those out myself. Then there were surgeries in hospitals overrun with Covid and short staffed so some surgeries went smoothly and well while others not so much! I am not complaining!
There is no doubt that I am better off now than I would have been had these medical people not done their very best. I am amazed that they have the will and stamina to keep giving their all under such adverse conditions. They deserve respect and love!
Well the “experts” declared that I had to be on blood thinners. It was suggested that I have an operation to reduce the need for such medications and we did that. Then/now the “experts” are saying I still need blood thinners although at a reduced level. I am thinking, “what shade of grey am I willing to deal with here”.
Just before Thanksgiving I had to stop the blood thinners for a surgical procedure. I weaned myself off the Eloquis that I had been taking and I just haven’t restarted it. There have been a few jobs done that were just better done without the thin blood. Now I have to make a decision. What shade of grey am I going to live in?
So I was petting my gurl and decided to go ahead and do an oil and filter change. Only 2K on that oil and filter but she has been sitting a lot this year. Holy Cow!!! According to my records, she has rolled up only 1367 miles in the last 11 months and 2 weeks! No wonder I have been feeling down and depressed! I think my “decision” just got made!
11/2 and only 1367! Time for a redirection here!
The morning after changing the oil and filter, I was fooling around trying to decide which way to head out when I got the idea to call a friend of mine who is moving into this area from some much colder northern place. Maybe he would have some thought on a ride.
We agreed to meet at Waffle House in Crossville around noon. I got my riding gear on and rolled out trying to knock some of the rust off of my riding skills before Mitch had to witness my mistakes.
Mitch had no suggestions for a ride path, he was happy to just follow me wherever. It reminded me of a bumper sticker, “Don’t follow me, I’m lost”! I headed north on 127 with no idea where I wanted to go. Should I head east or west, sooner or farther north? I tried to copy a DDT attitude and just let it roll according to whim and the weather. There is a lot of peace to be had by just letting it roll with no real or solid plan.
At Jamestown, I had begun to think about the Big South Fork and Leatherwood Ford. Maybe from there we would drop back south through Oneida. That would have us getting home a bit after dark and well into some pretty chilly temps. It is December 13 you know! ….. but we both had heated gear with us so I thought acceptable.
We stopped for a few minutes at Leatherwood Ford.
We rode rt52 back into Jamestown and then 127 south. At Clarkrange, we stopped and I put on my heated vest before we parted ways. Mitch headed home on 127 while I headed home on 62. I twisted the knob for some heat in the vest and it felt quite good. It felt quite good to be out and about on my gurl. It had been quite good to spend some time with a good friend and riding buddy.
I rolled back into my garage about 6pm. There were now 176 miles added to that miserable 1367.
My gurl had started the day rather rough from the lack of use but was doing better as the day wore on. I believe a can of Berrymans in the next fill up is in order.
Life is good! Even though it is in the grey! I am a very lucky man! I believe the grey in my life is a lot lighter than for most folks! A very lucky man indeed!
Bigwolf
