Author Archives: Curt Schacker

Most of us have likely heard the tale of the Good Samaritan, even if we aren’t familiar with its origins.  It comes from a story in the New Testament, in which a man offers to help a fellow traveler who has been beaten and left for dead on the side of the road.  As aContinue reading “A Tale of Two Samaritans”

Anyone following my little journal might be surprised by now at the omission of any mention of a bucket list, that obligatory catalogue of desirous achievements so common among those my age.  This practice has always struck me as somewhat ‘pro forma’, like a to-do list that entails methodically checking off items and often postingContinue reading “Lessons Learned in the Swiss Alps”

Have you ever visited a new place and been struck by an immediate, distinct feeling that you know it even though you’ve never been there? That happens to me a lot, and the phenomenon is one of the reasons I love to travel. I often wonder how much of it is the place speaking toContinue reading “A peek into a small town’s present – and past”

Last week, one of my riding buddies and I headed out to Death Valley for a two day ride with a group we belong to: Sierra Nevada Adventures. On the way down from the Bay Area, he got a flat tire, and we gamely pulled over and attempted to repair it. In doing so, weContinue reading “Lessons in Character from Death Valley”

One of the very first things every motorcycle rider learns is to keep their eyes directed down the road as this gives them time to react to the environment around them. Interestingly, when we humans are nervous or afraid, we tend to direct our gaze to our immediate surroundings. On a bike it’s just aContinue reading “Chin up, eyes down the road”

With several posts under my belt now, I feel this journal taking on a rhythm of its own. The posts apparently like being written about once a week. With my last entry coming only three days ago, I’m a bit out of sorts here, but since today is my actual 60th birthday and I’ve madeContinue reading “Happy birthday to me… :)”

In any challenge you face, any risk you encounter, there comes that moment of truth when you just have to go for it. Point the skis down the hill and hope for the best. But I’ve noticed that many people who are also embarking on their 3rd third are less and less inclined to goContinue reading “Sometimes you just gotta go for it”

In my last post, I defined adventure as any activity where the outcome is uncertain. I really do mean that quite literally. Learning a new language, joining a social club, reconnecting with an estranged relative, these are all adventures, even though they don’t involve a lot of physical risk. Of course, some adventures do entailContinue reading “A December to Remember”

The theme I aspire to for my 3rd third is Adventure. That’s the word I think of when I consider what makes for a joyful, vs a mundane life. I define adventure as any endeavor where the outcome is uncertain. Adventures come in many shapes and sizes; the degree of risk is the determining factor.Continue reading ““I wonder what’s down that road…””

Hi, my name is Curt Schacker, and I’m turning 60 in January 2021. All birthdays that end in zeros are notable, but this one in particular feels extra significant because it marks the start of the last third of my life (based on a notional 90 year lifespan according to my friend, Dave). If theContinue reading “Welcome to the 3rd Third!”