Tomorrow is the Very First Day of the Rest of Your Life

Stumbled across the opening scene from Then Came Bronson again and struck how it still resonates 44 years after seeing the pilot.  Can't help but think the writer mapped out a series of archetypal characteristics the would capture the imagination regardless of whether a person rides a motorcycle or not.

I want to say it has a universal appeal but it definitely was created with men in mind — a Mad Men styled world where the guy always gets the girl during or at the end of almost every adventure.  Can't remember ever having a conversation with a woman who pointed to Then Came Bronson as an important cultural event in their lives.

Listening to Bronson's brief exchange with the man in the hat at the intersection and riding off on a motorcycle to see the world was a powerful idea for me at 15.  It remains that way today.  And even though I ride a Vespa I can easily imagine myself on a Sportster.

Wonder what a 2013 version of this would be?  Ewan McGregor and Charley Booman's Long Way adventures have some things in common save for the absolute aloneness that Bronson can conjure.

Maybe it's time for another pilot.  I have some ideas...

Nourishing the Riding Fantasy

NOTE: The Bronson videos keep vanishing from youTube so this one is not the original that motivated this post. Since so many are removed I can only imagine someone who still owns the rights is prowling the Web looking for infringing uses.

In the dead, icy, cold of winter it's hard to stay in touch with riding, even for someone who does ride through much of the cold weather. I found a dead link to a youTube video on one of my old posts and while searching for a replacement I found this exquisite piece made up of footage from Then Came Bronson. After watching it I remembered some things...