So in my last Monday morning editorial I wrote how I desperately needed one last ride for the year to be complete. Not a ride to anywhere or for anything special, just a ride like we always did in the part of the country where I’m from. It’s a tradition here that we close out the year in the company of good brothers but I never gave it as much thought until it became a rare commodity like it has over the past few busy years.
So in an attempt to satisfy that part of my soul that often longs for days gone by I made a few phone calls and set a time to leave. Along with my brother Keith we must have invited a dozen or so to take a short trip through the countryside to look at the splendor of fall in Western Pennsylvania. In the end there would just be four of us: Keith, Scott Conway and his boy Zach who we featured on a cover this summer. The number of people didn’t matter since I was ready to ride alone if it came to that but the fact that these few ere willing to end the year with me made it that much more special of a day. Scott and Zach showed up at my house around five and with a little coaxing the old Pan fired up and was ready to go. The smoke puffin from the front cylinder has gotten to the point that I know she’s ready for the end of the year also but like a trooper she lit up for this last glorious day.
We made our way over to Keith’s who I was amazed to find standing in the driveway in full gear, motorcycle running, waiting to leave. After a quick picture were ready for our ride and let our like a pack of wild dogs, at least that’s how I’m writing it….. The ride, as I was hoping, was no big deal and at the same time was everything I wanted it to be. We snaked through the local valleys and slid along the river roads, climbed mountains and crossed bridges. All in all it would only be an hour or so that we were on the road but we got to see everything this part of the country has to offer. As we rounded one of the last corners I found myself beside Zach, my brothers now young man of a son. He was on his bitchin hand made shovel and a sense of pride and admiration came over me that made me laugh out loud. I hit the gas and caught up to Keith who just a few decades ago must have had that same feeling as I rode next to him, he was my mentor then as well, still is. I got next to him and went to say thank you for such a beautiful day when he sped up. Of course I went faster and caught back up and he took off again. This kept up until we got to a stop sign and as I tried to explain that he was an honoree old bastard and I was trying to share a moment with him he took off again. Keith was sharing a moment with me in his own way I guess, no less special just his way of diggin the day.
We ended up at Scott and Zach’s place where behind the family home they are part way through building the new shop where Zach does his magic to motorcycles. Completely under roof now they are so close to being in the place and working that there were already three or four bikes parked inside in various stages of fabrication. In two seconds flat it was pitch black, Zach had a fire started and we were sitting around it telling stories of days gone by and people we all used to ride with, fan-fucking-tastic. The boys all slugged buds as I had a nice hot cup of joe and Scott’s wife Kim made us all big juicy hamburgers. It was a day better than what we had back then, now with a deeper appreciation of where and who we are. Watching Zach, knowing that he has the future of our thing well in hand, knowing that the honor and brotherhood we share is firmly in his grips now and going nowhere, made my heart full.
We stayed way too late and it was cold as balls when we left, just as it should have been. The pan ran like a scolded dog on the way out through the country as I made my way home to grab a blanket and shrug off the old. A sat in the silence of my quiet country house, ears still ringing from the pipes and the thick fall air and though to myself that I am a very lucky man…….. And drifted off to a well earned sleep.
