Another "Blast From the Past"

  Looking back in my mind's eye, I am 16. It is a cool autumn evening, and I was restless. My Uncle asks "what's eating you?". I really can't tell just what is wrong at the time, so I just tell him I am going for a ride. I am hoping to shake out some cob-webs, I guess. He gives me a look...I've seen it before...he knows something that I don't. But I fear that I soon will know what he knows.

        I throw on my leathers, and walk out to the custom little black Sportster sitting in the drive. The sun is just going down, and it's rays are dancing off the chrome parts of the bike. I pull on my helmet, straddle the bike, and I pause to just look around. I don't know why, I just do. I flip the shut-off valve on the gas tank, turn on the key, and fold out the kick-starter pedal. After a couple of "priming" kicks, she coughs, and roars to life.

             "She" has what we used to call "shorty pipes". No baffles, so all of the throaty sound of her engine can be heard for miles around. At the sound of the bike coming to life, my mood seems to change. I can't wait to get out on the road, to feel the wind in my face. I want to hit the four-lane, and just twist the throttle untill I bust the return spring in it! I walk her backwards, out of the drive, and into the street. First gear, and with just a few too many revs, she leaves a beautiful black stripe in the street. I love her, and I think that she loves me.

          Once I am on the four-lane, I head west....chasing the setting sun. I know, even with the mighty engine throbbing  between my legs, that I can never catch it. Who gives a shit!! Chase it anyway. All of us are chasing something we will never catch. And, yet, we never seem to give up on the chase; go figure.

           I head west for most of the night. I finally pull over in some podunk town for gas, and to turn around and head east. I watched the sun set on my "girl", and dammit, I want to see it come up, also. Just a little later, the sun comes up, and everything in my world stops....it's beautiful. I let out a war-cry, and twist the throttle untill it just won't go anymore. If I had ANY WAY to describe these feelings to you, dear reader, believe me, I would. It is simply something that must be experienced. I feel I have been extremely fortunate to have had that opportunity.

          I get back to my Uncle's house sometime after first light. He is up, making coffee, and smiling at me. He knows what I have just done. I know at some point, he has already did it. We sit down to our coffee, and he asks, "did you find what you went looking for?". I nod.

         I look him right in the eye, and say, "I find what I am looking for every time I straddle that machine, Steve, every time". He just keeps smiling that all-knowing smile of his.

 

Holla' If You Hear Me!!!