TG Newsletter: DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN'S RIDE

The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride

(29 September 2019)

RIDING DAPPER FOR A CAUSE

The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride unites classic and vintage style motorcycle riders all over the world to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer research and men’s mental health.

(Photo by Sven & Taryn Photography)

Time…

(Photo by Lloyd Dunn)

The Scientific Definition Of Time:

Physicists define time as the progression of events from the past to the present into the future. It is not something we can see, touch, or taste, but we can measure its passage.

(Photo by Karen Edley)

(Photo by Lloyd Dunn)

The modern international unit of time, the second, is defined by the electronic transition of the caesium atom. But what, exactly, is time? We do not look at caesium to see another day, to smell another season, or to feel our bodies grow frail and weak.

(Photos by Sven & Taryn Photography)

History, by contrast, is people’s interpretation of things that has happened in the past.

(Photo by Jolandi Mentz)

(Photo by Sven & Taryn Photography)

When we go back in history, is when we learn from it. It’s where we made our mistakes, it’s where we’ve achieved our greatest accomplishments, it’s where our memories live.

(Photo by Jolandi Mentz)

(Photo by/of Alexis Basson)

On the day of the DGR, we travelled back in time to a period when cravats were in fashion, when gentleman opened doors for ladies, and when a motorcycle was more a statement than a transport.

(Photo by Jolandi Mentz)

(Photo by Sven & Taryn Photography)

Gentleman is an English term describing a man of good standing, derived from the Latin word gentilis and translated in English-Latin documents as generosus.

(Photo by Jolandi Mentz)

We can be forgiven for thinking that the elusive gentleman is a thing of the past. Perhaps we don’t see him because so much of our attention today is drawn to the negative. Each day, we are bombarded with negative headlines. Our politicians’ inability and greediness grabs media attention. Our gentleman goes unnoticed, drowned out by negative noise.

(Photo by Jolandi Mentz)

Top 15 Things Money Can’t Buy: Happiness. Inner Peace. Love. Health. Trust. Patience. Common sense. Integrity. Dignity. Character. Respect. Morals. Manners. Class. Time.

(Photo by Nigel Cosway)

Gentleman-ship is therefore not for sale!

(Photo by Richard Harper)

The reason why one man is great and another man is living in mediocrity is simply because one understood the value of time while the other did not. *Sunday Adelaja*

(Photo by Alexis Basson)

Maybe then the definition of a gentleman is that he understood the value of time?

(Photo by Alexis Basson)

The future came and went in the mildly discouraging way that futures do. *Neil Gaiman*

(Photo by Sven & Taryn Photography)

Time is motion. In order to have time you need two things, literally… at least two objects. One to compare to the other. But if both objects are perfectly still when compared to each other, you have no time. Once an object moves, compared to the other object, you have created time.

(Photo by Jolandi Mentz)

Nothing suggest time is anything else… it’s just how things move compared to one another. It is an encompassing word for ‘all collective motion’. Thus, if you ride your motorcycle – you unwittingly create time.

(Photo by Sven & Taryn Photography)

Time cannot move backward.

(Photo by Okkert Brits)

But it does seem to slow down during emergencies or danger. The brain doesn't actually speed up, but the amygdala becomes more active. The amygdala is the region of the brain that makes memories. As more memories form, time seems drawn out.

(Photo by Alexis Basson)

The same phenomenon explains why older people seem to perceive time as moving faster than when they were younger. Psychologists believe the brain forms more memories of new experiences than of familiar ones. Since fewer new memories are built later in life, time seems to pass more quickly.

(Photo by Sven & Taryn Photography)

(Photo by Alexis Basson)

In between the hours that stand still, you can hear the seconds ticking by. Yet, we do not appreciate the time we get even though it is the most expensive commodity – it costs us our lives…

(Photo by Michiel de Kock)

Time also possesses emotional potency. For persons whom suffer from bereavement, time possesses a healing capacity. Passage of time allows us to forget and the ability to forget is medicinal.

*Kilroy J. Oldster*

(Photo by Jolandi Mentz)

How did it get so late so soon? *Dr. Seuss*

(Photo by Jolandi Mentz)

For the future we only have hope. Hope to find solutions. Solutions to cure prostate cancer.

(Photo by Sven & Taryn Photography)

But on the 29th of September 2019, we had 130 000 riders in 700 cities that donated R87 MILLION RAND! Blimey!!!

(Photo by Sven & Taryn Photography)

I sit beside the fire and think Of how the world will be When winter comes without a spring That I shall ever see For still there are so many things That I have never seen In every wood in every spring There is a different green I sit beside the fire and think Of people long ago And people that will see a world That I shall never know *J.R.R. Tolkien*

(Photo by Given Selepe)

CHIKITA PRODUCTIONS:

Being dapper is an act, but if we clean-up nicely we can be absolutely gallant. The Tank Girls (Skinny, Chikita and Booga) joined the gentleman of Johannesburg, to ride in aid of prostate cancer awareness. Booga on Dapple - the Suzuki BX120 SuperStar. Chikita on Bubblegum - the Kawasaki 110 GTO. Skinny on a 1972 Vespa. Paddling, kicking and pushing - we survived the run and raised $5.9mil! Heavens to Betsy, I’m so proud of you all!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_RlrAHHrH4&feature=youtu.be

(Photo by Jolandi Mentz)

HONESTY NEWSLETTER!

Chivalry! A gentleman will reward a lady her dues.

If you're familiar with the rural concept of the honesty bar, this honesty newsletter ain't much different... I'm a completely un-paid journalist, relying instead on readers using the honour system. You read the newsletter and then leave an amount you see fit for the entertainment you've received.

If you don't find it particularly amusing, then you fork out NO dosh. I won't stop sending you the letter – it is still mahala to those that count their coins and... I love sharing my stories.

As requested by my overseas readers, you can donate to this newsletter on my PayPal account: skinny@tankgirls.co.za

OR...

You can do an EFT transfer to the account below.