Two birthdays in one week you're asking? Yup. . . and today's feature is Dave picking up his new (to us) 1998 Royal Star Tour Classic touring bike on Saturday when there was a break in the weather before the next last snowstorm of the year--an exciting day for him because it has been over two years since he's ridden. Before then he owned a Yamaha Virago that he literally rode into the ground and reluctantly put out to pasture when we moved to Minnesota. He was smitten by motorcycle riding at age 7 when he put his hand on the shiny exhaust pipe of a motorcycle he'd seen in Red Lodge, Montana. He left a little skin behind and kept dreaming of the day when he would ride one himself. He's made several cross country trips, riding and writing, on the Virago, as well as Illinois events--yearly Ride for Kids and Toys for Tots and countless charity and poker runs. He rode with fellow veterans as part of Veterans for Kerry' Tour of Honor in '04 on a speaking trip through Wisconsin. For several years he attended the Rolling Thunder® PoW/MIA Demonstration Ride in Washington, D.C. on Memorial Day--Erica rode once with him when she was in undergrad there. I rode with him on the Trail of Tears Remembrance Ride from Tennessee to Alabama one year. He's active in CMA's yearly Run for the Son and the ministries of that Association, was president his chapter in Illinois for 3 years, and is presently VP of this local chapter, RevElations.
Now th
at we have a bike to ride we are both planning to join BACA (Bikers Against Child Abuse) which requires one year riding with them before starting the membership process. I'm impressed with these bikers who are willing to step out to offer protection and advocacy for abused children. Being a fair-weather rider, I enjoy cruising the winding back roads scouting out antique stores and roadside stands. This bike has an exceptionally comfortable back seat and foot boards instead of pegs, roomy side bags and there's plenty of room for both of us. For now, as long as we can, this will be the next chapter in our empty-nest, apartment, no pets-- life. . .actually how we started out 37 years ago.So, here we go:
4 comments:
How wonderfully free and youthful that sounds! I've only ridden on a motorcycle a few times (and loved it) but it has never been part of my life. Otto, though, remembers fondly riding on the handlebars! of his father's Harley-Davidson when he was about five years old. We certainly have developed stronger safety rules since then!
Extend a happy birthday wish to Dave. I know he's a smart man because he obviously chose the right wife!
Dude! Happy Birthday!
Yowza! Sounds like all kinds of good times and ... making good time :^D
I have a little visual of you sitting in the back seat, knitting on a sock as you're cruising... in the style of EZ!
Dave sounds like quite the exceptional human being, and he is.
I love this post. I loved hearing that great song. Now speaking of fears... I have always feared motorcyles perhaps because my parents would never let me ride on one. Of course those were the unsafe, reckless cycles of the 70's.
Happy Birthday, Mr. Dave!
I think we must be from about the same era. We will be married 34 years in June but met - and were forever together - in/since November 1970.
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