Eric Bostrom's retiring to Brazil...

[dylanfan53]

...because the economy is sooo much more stable there.....   

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=34793

[Jeff]

"other opportunities" yeah, like HIV!

[Helmsman]

Brazil has an interesting farming situation right now actually.  Brazil has some of the best farm land in the word, literally millions and millions of acres of it...which you can basically claim from the government.  Couple years ago that was the big buzz in the ag industry.  Lack of roads and increased transportation cost have hurt a lot of the guys that have tried it though.  He didn't say "owning" a farm, he said running, so i wonder what his role is.  Does he have a farming backround?

[Super Dave]

Does he have a farming backround?

Not that I know of.  His dad, Dave, owned a motorcycle dealership in NorCal.  I believe there are a lot of subsidies in the ethanol industry in Brazil though.  With the sugar beet crop?  Probably well off enough where he could buy an existing farm, I would imagine.

[tzracer]

Ethanol subsidies in Brazil ended in the 1990s.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_fuel_in_Brazil
http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0417-23.htm

[chaplain220]

I had to think about this one for a while, but Eric brings up a good point, that every day is precious, a chance to make a difference in someones life.  Most of the time we just work, eat and sleep till the next crisis hits, then we just work harder to make more money, eat and sleep less.  I think it takes guts to stop and ask very simply, "why am I here?"  Now, granted, Eric probably has a little more dough lying around, but money is merely a tool, not a temple to worship, so regardless of how much we got, ( I live paycheck to paycheck), but that doesnt mean we cant ask that question, and really start to live.  I believe all of us have purpose, I threw away a career and steadily increasing pension, to race crotch-rockets, and use racing to change the hearts of men and youth from tough backgrounds, I'm glad I did.  Is God real?  I cant prove it, but I know I am a completely different man than I was before I became a believer, the same story I hear over and over from some of the men I respect the most, who were some of the worst former selfish bat-rastards that ever walked the earth, just like I used to be.  Ohh, darnit, I'm preachin again, sorry, It's what I do...in addition to being incredibly fast.  I hope you find your place Eric, make a difference, the days are precious.

[GIGOLO]

Not to stir the pot, but you have to ask yourself would he be making this move if he was on a competitive team?  I think he feels that rule and class changes next year are going to make the time it takes to get on the box consistently, too long for him.  I have a little brother who also took the movie Into The Wild a little too seriously also.

[StumpysWife]

"Moving to Brazil to farm mangos and tilapia" is now my go-to answer for everything.  Unbelievable as it seems, it might just be true! 

Good for Eric.  Obviously he's not afraid of a little risk and thinking outside of the box--or off the box as it may be. 

Heather

[Burt Munro]

Option #1:  Move to Brazil to farm mangos and tilapia

Option #2:  Move to da UP and start a snow plowing business.


If I go with option #2 I might at least get July and August off.   

[weggieman]

I'd say that five point leafy stuff that some folks use for entertainment would be his crop of choice......................

[dylanfan53]

Okay, I started this so I'll thrown in.  I've always liked Eric.  Seems to have a good attitude and really down to earth.  Seems also to enjoy life and adventure which I respect.  I just thought it was kinda funny that he thought of Brazil as stable.

Of course, it is an excellent place to learn guitar.

Really, I like the guy and wish him well.

BTW the way, it reminds me of the joke about the guys who won the lottery.  The fisher said he'd buy a bass boat and retire fishing, the racer said he'd buy an RV and trailer and race every track in the world, the farmer said he'd farm and farm and farm until it was all gone...

[GIGOLO]

He'll be back.....

I too thought ( when I was 18) that I could avoid being part of the herd so to speak.  I moved to rural Arkansas, got bored.  I'm not saying that he is addicted to the glitz and the glamour of being an A.M.A. pro, but I think pooping in a can will get old.

[Cowboy 6]

He'll be back.....

I too thought ( when I was 18) that I could avoid being part of the herd so to speak.  I moved to rural Arkansas, got bored.  I'm not saying that he is addicted to the glitz and the glamour of being an A.M.A. pro, but I think pooping in a can will get old.

I for one, hope he will not. It is rare these days to have someone realize that fame in the eyes of man is truely worthless. Glitz and glamour are superficial, temporary and at the whim of a generally ignorant populace.
Besides, with the money Eric is toting in, I am sure he can afford some plumbing. Even I have a septic tank, and I'm broke!

[Super Dave]

He'll be back.....

I too thought ( when I was 18) that I could avoid being part of the herd so to speak.  I moved to rural Arkansas, got bored.  I'm not saying that he is addicted to the glitz and the glamour of being an A.M.A. pro, but I think pooping in a can will get old.

Well, racing at that level is often about over-hyper intensity, an amount of obsessive compulsive disorder, and a little insanity.  It's not an easy life at all.  Then throw in PR apperances, struggles with your own confidence, etc.  I think the glitz and glamour goes away when you can't get a rental car after a long air ride or your motor coach requires major work on the side of the road.   

[GIGOLO]

I think that the desire to beat your opponents and compete at that level is by far the most any racer could ask for.  Me, you would have to get the police to get me off that bike.  If I was Ben I would keep Erics office an office.  Then again thats outside looking in.  Dave, you and Scotty have said,"always change things on the bike", well maybe thats what Eric wants.  To see if a little change makes his life better,  I say God bless.  At the same time I say he'll be back

[Helmsman]

BTW the way, it reminds me of the joke about the guys who won the lottery.  The fisher said he'd buy a bass boat and retire fishing, the racer said he'd buy an RV and trailer and race every track in the world, the farmer said he'd farm and farm and farm until it was all gone...

I would say the racer would run out of cash first!  I know many more millionaire farmers then i do racers.

[erock768]

lets not get to philosophicle here boys. chaplain220 and others make some excellent points regarding eric's character and constitution. but lets not read too much into it. now, there is the possibility that i am reading too much into it, but in my opinion, eric was not happy about the new AMA class structure under DMG, was out with sponsors or whoever, got plastered and said something stupid. it happens.

[dylanfan53]

Why not? This forum is all about philisophiclee. 

[Jeff]

I would say the racer would run out of cash first!  I know many more millionaire farmers then i do racers.

Yeah, but it's all in the land.  Generally they're no better cash-wise than any other middle-class family (if even doing that good).  They're just sitting on acres of property that's waiting to be sub-divided and constructed upon...  Most of them wouldn't give that up for urban sprawl for any amount of money.  (I'm not one, hence I'm not a farmer. LOL)

[Helmsman]

Yeah, but it's all in the land.  Generally they're no better cash-wise than any other middle-class family (if even doing that good).  They're just sitting on acres of property that's waiting to be sub-divided and constructed upon...  Most of them wouldn't give that up for urban sprawl for any amount of money.  (I'm not one, hence I'm not a farmer. LOL)

I grew up on a good size farm, and know several others.  There are more farmers then you think that are doing pretty well.  Even more true the last couple years.  Not to be a dick, but a lot of farmers are stuck in the past using outdated equipment and practices, so they aren't doing that well.

[weggieman]

new farm equipment is real expensive.............bikes are "dirt" cheap in comparison.

[Jeff]

I grew up on a good size farm, and know several others.  There are more farmers then you think that are doing pretty well.  Even more true the last couple years.  Not to be a dick, but a lot of farmers are stuck in the past using outdated equipment and practices, so they aren't doing that well.

I was a bit of a friend (well, we met at the bar daily) to a farmer just north of Cedar Rapids, IA. a few years back.  He was a messy dude.  Old, heavy, smelled REAL bad.  Drove a new truck which was hail damaged so he got it for next to nothing.  We went out to his farm one day because he wanted to show me something.  We went into a HUGE pole barn and it was FILLED with pristine classic cars, newer more rare sports cars & antique farm equipment.

I was in absolute awe.  I mean, here's a guy that smells like shit and doesn't look like he could rub two nickles together, and there had to have been over $1M worth of vehicles in there without so much as a speck of dust on them.  It looked exactly like you see in some of these forum posts where people find the weird garage full of rare cars. 

Said it was his hobby since his wife died (no kids) and nobody knew about it... 

Odd fellow..  Heart of gold, smelled like shit, but a heart of gold...

[Burt Munro]

[dylanfan53]

'bout time you showed up, Rick.  I had to stir this one on my own.