Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Remember When

Remember when every motorcycle shop, garage, hardware store, and barber shop had a pin-up calendar hanging up in the back? They were usually advertising some piece of equipment, machine or tools that had very little to do with pretty girls in bathing suits. That was back in the day before political correctness. Of course it was also back in the day when leaving a little something to the imagination was the norm. Unlike today's shock-o-rama style of selling products.


I used to go to the bike shop with my Dad when he needed to get parts for some bike project he was working on.  Bike shops back then were where men hug out to shoot the shit and bench race.  It was part of the male right of passage. Unlike today's males who's manhood seems to be judged by which cell phone he carries to check with his "life partner" if it is ok to he buy a new pair of designer sunglasses. Back in those days men where men. They worked hard, played harder. Nobody cried if the got hurt riding their bikes. They wore their scars like badges of honor.


Steve McQueen's Husky 400
What brings me to all this is a news piece i read about one of Steve McQueen's bikes going up for auction. Steve McQueen has always been described as "The King of Cool". I loved Steve McQueen in all of his movies. I have a friend that raced dirt bikes out in California back in the late 60's and he met Steve McQueen personally. He has told me that he was a great guy to hang around and he had no ego and he had a great natural riding ability. What i find so interesting is that back in those days there were so many cool guys. Not just movie stars and celebrities, but normal guys that i knew. Again it was an era when men were tough and their riding did their talking for them.  Now all it takes is a stupid You Tube video and some dumb behavior and your an instant "cool guy".  Its very sad because forty years from now not one of those You Tube or Face Book jockies will be remembered the way Steve McQueen is remembered. The problem with instant  and easy fame, is it is very fleeting.

3 comments:

MeanDonnaJean said...

"Hi Honey, I'm hoooooome!" ;-)

Listen Crus, I with ya on this one. I GET it. I HEAR ya. And I DO agree. 100%.

So besides havin' a throng (or maybe I outta say "thong"?) of T & A shoved down yer throat everywhere ya look (wishful thinkin' for some, perhaps?) 'n not findin' a REAL man in the land o' plenty these days (present company excluded, of course), what's next? What does that say about society as a whole?

Well, it basically tells us that we're all DOOMED, that's what! :-)

Crusty said...

Good to hear from you Hun....you have been missed *wink* - Crusty

Webster World said...

And the best was a Rigid. They were hard to get. I did have an insider get me them til all got busted. Rigid bought a safe to keep them. And you are right cell phone my ass. Was in a bar a few years back and some dickhead I went to school with was ah talkin to some young lady and telling he how he was not like a RUB or Yuppy. This guy is the apittamie(sp) of the both. He was a wouldbe in school and still is. Now it's ok to be one of those, but tell it like it is. You ride a motorcycle. This guy never lived the life. He is NOT a manly man and never will be.

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