This, my friends, is why we ride

Down shift and dump the throttle. You feel the bike jump to speed. Pass the mini-van on the left and you get a good look at the man driving. His eyes look empty, like the life is gone from them. You pass by fast and thank God that’s not your path in life.

It’s late at night and starting to get cold. You don’t mind because you know the big V-twin beneath you loves this temperature. You can feel the engine; it’s a part of you now. You just think of where you want to be and she takes you there with no thought.

There is something magical about riding late at night, just you, the bike, and your memories. You feel, more than think, about lost loves, soaring victories and crippling defeats of the past. Funny how little remembered people and places come to mind while riding.

You’re winding down the road now with the stars over you. You can smell the pine forest out there in the dark. You’re getting closer to your destination.

Home at last, you take one last look at your bike before you head in. You thank her for not just carrying you across the miles but through the past and the memories..