Dear Holly - RTTF Honoree

Photo courtesy of Carrington House, a charitable foundation

On Saturday September 8, 2018 I will take a ride with around 500 friends. We’ll be on every kind of bike imaginable and we will have ideals from all over the spectrum. On Saturday we will ride with one purpose – to honor and support US Navy Chief Petty Officer Holly Katke, HMC. We will ride for two heroes, Holly and her daughter Leia

We’ll gather at the Naval Base/Ventura County, register and have a little breakfast while we await a stirring 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony. We will meet our hero and a few White Heart Foundation alumni and dignitaries before we mount up and Ride to the Flags (RTTF) at Pepperdine University where there will be one 3’X5’ flag for each casualty of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, 2,977 flags in total. We’ll see flags from a variety of nations sprinkled in among our American flags, a flag for each person’s nationality - 90 International flags. I won’t be able to say much as I walk from one end of the display to the other, I’ll only be able to offer a quiet prayer for the people and their families, for the casualties of war, for those still in harm’s way, and for the wounded like Holly and their support groups like Leia.

Then we will listen to music, visit sponsors of the event, knock back a few beverages, and plunk down some cash on raffle items we may or may not be able to strap to our bikes for the trip home.

Holly’s story:

Chief Petty Officer Holly Katke was an Independent Duty Hospital Corpsman and earned the title of the highest enlisted medical care provider in the Navy. She is also fluent in Arabic and as a female was frequently the only person local women would talk to in Iraq. Holly was serving with a Navy Seal team when the outfit came under fire. They were at fleet station when she took a sniper round to the head, one eighth of an inch from being killed in action.

The bullet stayed lodged in Holly’s brain for three months causing multiple strokes resulting in the loss of the use of her right arm, half of her vision, and much of the functionality of her right leg. Her memory is sketchy – she describes it as like ‘fifty first dates’. Holly has continued her education and achieved her Bachelorette degree and works to study environmental issues.

Through all of this, Holly is a single parent to Leia, her highest priority and Holly’s primary helper.

The funds raised by our ride will provide Holly with specialized rehab equipment and help with transportation for her and her daughter.

Five minute video on Holly: https://youtu.be/myyopWnRbXE?t=353

If you feel inclined to donate you can do so through the links below, my fundraising page or to White Heart directly. If you don’t feel so inclined, stop for a moment and pray for Holly, her daughter, and all of our wounded veterans. Thank you.

My fundraising page: https://donate.whiteheart.org/event/ride-to-the-flags-xi/e191755

Or White Heart Foundation at: http://www.whiteheart.org/

Dear Holly,

Thank you for your service and the sacrifice you’ve made for us as a country, for your fellow Seals and Sailors, and for freedom. I appreciate how you’ve battle back and continued to fight through your injuries in order to be there for your daughter and to be there for our world as a researcher.

I am honored to ride for you and make a bit of a difference to you as you live and love. I am humbled that I’ll ride with hundreds of others who feel the same way for you and other wounded veterans.

I appreciate the sacrifices that your daughter has made and continues to make for you and I love how she loves you. And if I may be so bold, I love how she taps out the beat.

And, I pray for continued healing and miracles for you and through you. I pray for your daughter so that she’ll have endurance, focus, and be a source of pride and fulfillment to you. In my heart, I know your daughter is a great source of strength to you, I pray she finds her way and achieves her dreams.

Keep the iron side up,

Jerry ‘Shakespeare’ White

Shakespeare on Maui

Lahaina Art - if I could have rented it I would have ridden it

It was ten days ago from this writing (June 29, 2018) that I took a ride that I had every intention of reporting on within days of its completion. I’m still working on the rationale behind the delay as I usually post my write up within a couple of days of the ride, sometimes even the day of. I was on Maui, why rationalize a delay? Why delay reporting or bragging about a ride in such a cool place?

I think one factor is that it was a solo ride that I took while on a family vacation with my wife and my daughter’s family, none of whom ride. My wife was content to spend her birthday reading and crocheting while lounging on a beach overlooking the Pacific with a legion of blue tones woven into a tapestry that makes our hearts ache. The kids took the road to Hana and I grabbed the opportunity to ride. Still it was a guilt-edged ride and I didn’t feel like taking time out from the flow of the rest of our vacation to write it up.

Another factor is that it was a lot of work to ride and difficult to separate the ride from the toil of it. Truth be told, I was just too busy enjoying sunsets and shave ice.

The night before the ride I went online and reserved a Victory Vision at the Kihei EagleRider, aka Aloha Motorsports. I saw in the small print that the bike might not be there and it wasn’t. Had I made my reservation the week before when I was seriously contemplating the ride, or even 24 hours before, they would have moved the Vision from the main store in ‘Lahaina’.

Keoki, aka Ke, was the man in charge of the Kihei location and he was busy checking in returns when I arrived a few minutes before opening time, three Harleys and a street bike from one group, and two Slingshots from other motorsport adventurers. They have a range of vehicles from scooters to sport bikes, Harleys, and the apex of the bunch, the Victory Vision I had reserved. For the folks without motorcycle licenses they have the Slingshots, a wild looking street-legal dune buggy, and a Cobra. While waiting my turn I imagined doing a spin in or on several of the different rides.

Harley Electra Glide - ridden enough to be happy with my
personal choice

Keoki found the Vision at their Lahaina location and made arrangements for me to ride a blue Harley Street Glide up and swap it for the Vision to finish up my ride. I had a route in mind to go around the west node of the island with a side trip up to I’ao State Park. The swap would only add another 25 miles or so. Or so I thought. I was given the key and instructions on the Street Glide and took off having put my long-sleeved shirt in the saddlebag. I went on up to Lahaina. Only problem was, EagleRider is not in Lahaina proper as I had thought, only a Harley dealer on Front Street which I had just cruised. Aloha MotorSports is further up island in Kaanapli but with a Lahaina. Note to self and anyone else who wants to listen – have the route and destination firmly in mind unless the purpose of the ride is to wander around a strange place without a destination in mind or required.

They took care of me at the store; a key swap and go was all I needed. Except that I’d lost the key and faced a $250 charge to change out the lockset on the Harley. Thankfully Keoki had already saved the day when he found the key in the lot where I’d dropped it while getting on the strange bike.

Let me digress for just a moment before taking off on the Vision for my quest for a tropic ride. This is the first time since getting back into riding ten years ago that I wasn’t wearing riding boots and jacket. It was an odd feeling and a little uneasy at times.

The Vision is a full-dress touring bike and outweighs my Cross Country by about 90lbs, dry. Not much difference really and hardly anything at all once the bike was moving and I got used to the configuration. The issue for me was that the kickstand was set up too widely splayed and the bike leaned past the ideal standing angle making it a bit of a stretch to get her standing up. On one photo-op stop I made the mistake of parking with the kickstand downslope and had to get off the bike and push it up to balance it while I swung my leg over. It was dicey and I’d wished I had packed my riding boots after all.

 

Beautiful overlook, bad parking decision

There are several differences between the Electra Glide and the Vision. Riding from Kihei through Lahaina to Kaanapali on the Harley I got the standard biker’s salute/greeting from other riders and glances from drivers and pedestrians alike. When I pulled into the lot at the second store scooter renters glanced over their shoulders to see me as I parked it. When I threw my leg over the Vision and started it up they all turned and watched as I eased out of the lot. I still got the rider’s salutes but the driver/riders in cages gave long looks as we passed each other. When I pulled into a store parking lot in Napili to get water I had two conversations about the bike and its looks and performance, both of which are superior. Nice bike!

I decided to continue on my clockwise direction which put the ocean to my left and over the oncoming lane, not my ideal choice but time was a concern by the time I’d found the store for the swap. Once you get beyond Honokowai the road narrows and gets more twisty and even more so along the way until it gets to be less than two lanes and truly twisty, ‘da bess’ for a rider. But it was work and required vigilance to the road and oncoming traffic which was thankfully pretty light on the 19^th.

The road was like a tropic version of Ireland country lanes with its rock walls right up to the tarmac. At times the tall grasses on Maui grow taller than I stand and lean over the roadway on one side with overhanging volcanic rock on the other. It was awesome and I wish I had a helmet cam video of the whole ride. The vistas as I came around corners to overlook the channel between Maui and Molokai are inspiring. Turquoise waters over white sands and coral beds blend into waters the color of denim with whitecaps whipped up by the trade winds that look like diamonds sparkling off to the distance. Nani (beautiful).

I road through little hamlets that don’t appear on the map and haven’t bothered to stake a town name to the roadside; it’s island living and where you are is where you are. I passed over one-lane bridges with streams running down from the mountainsides carving out channels in the lava. Locals gathered at the bridges and scrambled down for freshwater swimming. The vast Pacific stretched off to the Northeast as Molokai faded off behind me while the rainforest ran up the mountainside.

The more I write this the more I want to write the ride but it has to end just as did the ride, back at Kihei where I found Keoki mapping out a ride that makes me want to turn around and do it again. He has a route that gives you three distinct vistas of the island in a day and puts you in a place for lunch the locals all seek out. Next time Ki’oki…

Aloha Motorsports is ka ‘oi (the best)

Malu ko’u na ho’alohaloha (peace my friend)

Y’all keep the iron side up and ride baby ride.

Jerry ‘Shakespeare’ White

It's impossible to find a vista with a bad overlook...

Sad Postscript Note: Last night I learned that my Ride Brother Kekai was found dead in the mountains of his beloved Maui after going missing on May, 20. When I saw the CNN report I was struck in the heart. My prayers go out to Kekai's family and the Maui community for peace. Maha maika'i kakua'ana, malu.

Every Dog has a Calling – 2018 Ride for the Guides

Lorri Berson with Carter (her guide dog) calling out the raffle winners

Every dog has a calling. However, every dog does not have the opportunity to live their calling out. All you need to do is watch daytime or late night TV once in a while and you’ll see poor abused beasts being paraded across your screen as the SPCA guilts us into donations or adoptions. The dogs that puppy farms churn out have a calling beyond the profit these factories reap. While we can point to the obvious dog careers such as K-9 Police Units, bomb, drug-sniffing dogs, and guard dogs there are callings so mundane as to escape notice but as important to their hooman friends as the search and rescue dogs. I’ve seen the working-dogs at their trade and they are amazing to watch.

I’ve seen family pets work their magic on little kids, lonely shut-ins, and folks with broken hearts. While I can’t tell you what each dog is called to, I can tell you dogs are never called to the pits or viciousness. Sub-humans train them that way. I’ll tell you this – our little labradoodle fills a part of his promise with each costume placed on him and during every mile he walks with us. He’s our friend and a noble one at that.

We are like dogs in this, every one of us has a calling. Maybe more than one and often times we are called from purpose to purpose. I pray that each of us finds our calling and have the great blessing to pursue it, or them.

This past Sunday our group of Victory riders, listed below, and over 400 of our closest riding buddies got together for a Poker Run to raise cash for some of the most noble of dogs – Guide Dogs for the blind. The poker run started out at an amazing facility in Sylmar, California, Guide Dogs of America (GDA). We were greeted by dogs ready for partners, or dogs in training, and a volunteer staff eager for us to experience a touch of these dogs’ calling.

After picking up our first card we set out for stop #1 at a service station on Angeles Crest Highway just off of the 210 Freeway. Yes, there were more dogs there and at each stop on the run. And yes, we overran the station and the folks just trying to gas up for a Sunday. On a normal Sunday afternoon the station is the meet point for hundreds of bikes and groups heading up into the Angeles National Forest for a Sunday putt or in the case of the vast number of sport bikers, to challenge the hell out of the twisties (every weekend one or two are carted down in ambulances or medevacked out to area hospitals). We added an extra 440 registered riders over about a two hour period of time to flow of the station and it was a bit chaotic.

Singles and groups of between two and twenty wove their way over the Angeles Crest Highway to head down the Angeles Forest Highway to the next stop in the run at the 49er Saloon in Acton where were we picked up our third card and overran the restrooms of the very cool bar. I’ll head back for lunch sometime. Oh, with my third card I was effectively out of the running for best hand (5 Jacks with 3^rd best) even though I later chipped in for two draw cards for an unsalvageable hand. Hey! It’s for the dogs.

We were then off to the VFW Post in Canyon Country for my favorite adventure of the day, parking on a dirt lot. It makes me shiver just to think of the notion of me on my Cross Country dirt riding. It was there we took our group photo. We were able to get most of the core group in but missed Greg Brown as he was busing doing what Greg does when around canines; speaking their language and giving them love and respect. Notable occurrences of the day included Jeanie’s first group ride on her new Can-am and Larry Novak joining the usual suspects for the day. Cheers!

One of our favorites of the day - photo by Greg Brown, a lover of dogs and other humans

The poker run ended where it began at the GDA facility where we had burgers and hotdogs and plunked down some cash for raffle prizes. Tim and Bev had tickets pulled twice, it was their day. Lorri Berson, the event planner, told us a bit of her own story and how her canine guide changed her life. Her mom accented the talk with effusive praise and thanks to GDA. These two rocked the house of hardened bikers and riders of every description. Lorri is an amazing woman with a self-effacing sense of humor guaranteed to put any sighted person at ease.

I’ll end on this note, thank you to Tim and Bev for organizing our day of fun and of riding for a meaningful cause. Thanks Jed for taking the lead. Thank you to Lorrie for her great planning and welcoming demeanor as hostess while sharing with us how she sees things. And, special thanks for the dozens of volunteers for the event and their continued support for this vital service to the blind.

Y’all keep the iron side up and ride with cause.

Jerry ‘Shakespeare’ White

The parking lot at GDA a beautiful facility

Cast of Characters for the ride:

Tim Robertson on the Enterprise with a new seat, resplendent

Bev Hope on her Vegas

Kevin Shaw – Vision

Jeanie Fimbres on her new Can-am

Karen Drake on her Can-am

Keith Drake on his Harley

Gregg Brown on his Cross Country

Aaron Falls and Lupe Delgado Falls and their Vision

Jed Bourquin on his Vision

Sue Bourquin on her Cross Country

Larry Novak on his Vision – thanks for joining us Larry, your riding fit right in

Todd Skaggs on his Vision

Me on my Cross Country

Our group sans Greg, photo by a strange on Bev's phone
From left: Karen and Keith, Bev and Tim, Larry, Jed and Sue, Jerry, Jeanie and Kevin

Death Valley to Las Vegas - 2018

Group photo in Lone Pine - Snow Capped Eastern Sierras in the background

Riders gathered from all over the Southland; from the valleys in Simi and San Gabriel, from the foothills in Santa Clarita, from as far north as Bakersfield, as far south as Murrieta, as far west as Huntington Beach, from outlying areas like Desert Hot Springs and Redlands, and at some point, from Vegas. Riders on Harleys, Visions, Cross Countries, a Victory Vegas, Indians, and Can-Ams met up in smaller groups to home in on a proper breakfast at Chelly’s Café in Palmdale.

The pit stop at Indian Wells Brewing Co., Inyokern, was a spacy experience where the riders were greeted by an escapee from Area 51 with gifts of out-of-this world brews. Death Valley Pale Ale is brewed on the spot…an aptly named beverage for the following day’s ride.

The main group rumbled up Highway 395 to Lone Pine for a night at the Dow Villa Motel, a little place full of history and kitsch. The question on everybody’s mind is, “Who will end up with the John Wayne room and what hijinks and good camaraderie will we find there?” (none did) followed up by “Will there be man-stew served this year?” The answer to the last was a no but was topped by Victory Stew with many in the group taking a nice swim after a day in the saddle.

A few puffs of wind tugged at memories of gusty rides to Laughlin and Tombstone and basically anything taking riders through the Mojave Desert. Nothing major, nothing serious enough to turn back any in this bunch. Speaking of memories, the pack of riders cruised downslope into the Panamint Valley on Highway 190 toward the Panamint Mountain Range to successfully log a recreation of our iconic photo from three years ago. The Panamint Mountains form the western edge of the Death Valley, a wild place of strange beauty and amazing formations, not too different from the group of riders themselves.

                                         

Down Hwy 190 into the Panamint Valley and back up the 190 to the Sierras

Riders are a mostly gregarious bunch and this group is no different. That being the case, meal times turned into celebrations during the Death Valley <> Vegas adventure; celebrating the ride, each other, and life. Proper breakfasts were had each morning, followed by stops for proper lunches, only to be topped off with dinners of varying propriety. Glasses were clinked and ‘dilly dillies’ rang out and were surrounded by laughter and good times. The stay at the Silverton Casino and Lodge was the ideal spot for a good layover...personally, I like the huge aquarium.

As with many an extended motorcycle ride the ending came far too early and earlier for some than for others. A few left for home Sunday, the others Monday after a now standard proper breakfast (this one at the Cracker Barrel in Vegas). Individuals, pairs, and pairs of pairs split off from the group after breakfast all to make it home safe and sound.

And…they went without me.

But weep not for me because I was in Ely, Nevada spending time with my new grandson making notes and dreaming of reading to the little guy. As it turned out we weren’t all that far behind the Monday group as my wife and I passed through Vegas in the early afternoon for a late lunch/early dinner at The Mad Greek in Baker.

I pictured every twist and turn in my mind, each rumble of the engine, and every toast of dilly dilly.

Happy Trails and until we ride again…keep the iron side up.

Jerry ‘Shakespeare’ White

Laughlin, for the Love of the…Ride

Laughlin, for the Love of the…Ride (2018)

The gang at Cool Springs
(photo on Karen's phone with Crazy Ray as photographer)

For the love of…

…good wine. Some of us enjoy the fruit of the vine and we go places with friends to share it in new ways and perhaps to raise the level of appreciation for the really good stuff in one or two others.

…good friends and what each of them adds to the other. We like to celebrate – celebrate life and loss, laughter and grief, while we tell old stories and are busy making new ones.

…new love, because some have found it in unlikely places, or so we think, and others of us like seeing it happen. Dilly dilly.

…old friends, rekindled love, and feeding of the flames for both.

…a spacey friend even if you had to get there in a cage.

…local color and spice in the form of friends at the destination.

Even familiar roads are a joy for us because we remember a good time we had here, a curve we had a fright on there – and aced this run through. Topock, AZ provided our lunch stop while we talked and watched coots and grackles on the water and in the air as they angled for food all while we were perched on seats that gave me the best looking butt I’ve had in some time. (see the photo below) A common feeling was that breakfast last year was better than lunch this year.

We left Topock only roll past another Victory group rolling in. They took a longer ride and basically only in reverse of our direction. We had tinges of regret that we could not hang out with our friends for the meal break. Such are the vagaries of the road.

We passed through Oatman without stopping, parking being a pain there on Saturdays. The donkeys were out in fine form. Very fine form indeed, much to the delight of all who passed by the young one just hanging out in the opposite lane from us while bringing traffic in both directions to a stop. Amazing.

Cool Springs was our official rest and exploration stop. The place is under new management and netted us a new friend in Crazy Ray. They have big plans for Cool Springs as a destination and place for great fun and experiences. Best of luck to them. Our group photo was taken there by Ray and you should note the similarity to ‘Radio Springs’ from Cars. Disney used this location as the model for their movie and theme park section at California Adventure.

We had a sober reminder of the serious nature of riding while at Cool Springs. Within minutes of our arrival first responders arrived from both directions to give emergency aid and transport a sport biker who’d gone down and over his bike. Good Samaritans had brought him to Cool Springs in their car. We reminded ourselves and each other to stay sharp on the road as we left a few minutes after the emergency crews. Amazingly, as we road along in our tight grouping the downed rider’s two buddies zipped past us doing 90+ and over the double yellow lines. It erased any surprise we might have had that one of their party would have gone down.

Now, more of the love of… I asked for a couple of direct quotes from some of the group that I’m in regular contact with and here’s what I got:

For the love of…

…the road and camaraderie. (Shawn Frausto, my roomie)

…the laughs and smiles of good friends. (Kevin Shaw)

…spontaneous actions and revelry. (JSPriders)

…dilly. (Tim Robertson)

…the time we have on this earth with good friends. (Bev Hope)

If I might expound, and I will since it’s my blog, let’s explore ‘dilly, dilly’ if only because I love the exploration or words. If I were any smarter and disciplined I would do amazing things with words and their meanings. Dilly-dilly, as the Urban Dictionary describes it, is: “A word that shows approval of an action.” “The best kind of person or thing.” “an interjection used to declare some a 'true friend of the crown'.” They have others but they’re unsuitable for my post.

Budweiser would have us believe that this phrase originated in the time of and by the original Shakespeare, the more eloquent and handsome Shakespeare, I might add. I am now off to verify the origins of Dilly-dilly and may not return for some time.

And finally, for the love of…the ride. For us, there’s nothing quite like it. We can’t exactly explain it, certainly not in a simple blog post. Even the movie Why We Ride and the Facebook page of the same name leave us wanting further definition. If we could tell others why and adequately define it, we’d probably stop riding. Every time we say “this is why we ride” we find something else that makes us put the kickstand up and roll.

Remember to ride well, so well that others are inspired to a rousing “dilly-dilly!” Keep the iron side up my friends.

Jerry ‘Shakespeare’ White

The butt seats at Topock, AZ. Oh, and the very cool view.

Pandemonium at the Majestic

Majestic view from Shawn and Jerry's room

According to my friend Webster, pandemonium is the following: “not capitalized (and this is important): a wild uproar”. Capitalized, it is the capital of Hell from Milton's Paradise Lost. For the purposes of this post let’s not capitalize it, shall we?

Webster also has something to say about ‘majestic’. He says majestic is having or exhibiting majesty or ‘stately’. I suppose we need to look at majesty: “sovereign power, authority, or dignity, royal bearing or aspect: grandeur, or b: greatness or splendor of quality or character.” Okay, now we’re getting somewhere, though our Majestic Suite might be loftily named. Especially after dinner with fifteen bikers.

Pandemonium is spot on the event and started at Casa Serano for dinner. Really, they shouldn’t have put us at separate tables across the room from each other. We wanted to communicate, and so we did with toasts and boasts devolving into cheers of “Dilly dilly!” Other tables joined in and the place was not a quiet night out for any couple or group of various description. There is photographic evidence available on the Southern California Victory Riders Facebook page. It’s all there.

As we completed dinner our fifteen were made when Pam and Loren (not a lesbian couple – not that there’s anything wrong with that) joined us. They live just across the river from the Aquarius and the rest of Laughlin, NV. We trekked back to our suite for after dinner drinks of wine and spirits, nuts, Lemoncello Almonds (aka big nuts dipped in lemon cream), and peanut brittle from Eddie World. The decibel level in the room increased as the bottles were emptied, not an uncommon occurrence. By observation, I’d say the groups congregating at the bar contributed the most.

This was not unexpected after a day of disciplined riding with friends who seem to spend too long apart. My day started early and tentative. I’m nursing a painful back and once I woke I needed to keep moving. Shower, shave, dress, keep moving; pack the bike, check the pack, move on and leave ten minutes early for the meet spot in Santa Clarita, a hop that took twenty minutes less than anticipated. Six of us left the station an hour or so after I’d gotten there, Jed in the lead, Sue, Tim, Bev, Shawn, and I following - all of us on Victories.

We made our breakfast stop at Molly Brown’s Country Café in Barstow for a hearty, aka huge, breakfast and catching up with the  mixed-bag group that had come up from the south; Kevin, Mike, Karen and Keith, Andy and Jane, and Jeannie in from Bakersfield. We mounted up on a variety of Victory bikes, a new Harley (Keith), a new Can-Am Touring (Karen), a new BMW 1600 touring model (Mike), and a Lexus (our poor Jeannie busted her hand but not while riding). The ride was notable for the ease with which we all fell into formation and held it while in traffic without doing stoopid things.

We did some sections of the old Mother Road, route 66 and made our gas stop a new watering hole, Eddie World. The selection of candies, jerkies, and goodies is majestic. It goes along nicely with the huge fountain drink with the Eddie World logo. It could house two or three families.

I heard comments from our group that their favorite parts of the ride are the long sweeping curves on Nevada State Highway 93 known as Laughlin Highway leading into, you guessed it, Laughlin. We can maintain speed as we bend around the turns and wind our way to a view of Laughlin along side the Colorado River. I came in last as Keven, Keith, and Karen gave themselves over to the joy of the road. I remember Karen came by on her Can-Am on a curve that tightened as it went. She scooched over in her seat while maintaining her center steering position and it was a classic three-wheeled turn exquisitely executed.

I can think of three things you can do when faced with pandemonium – there are others, but I don’t recommend trying to throw a bucket of ice water on it. You can gleefully join in, sit back and observe and enjoy the scene, or you can run like the wind.

Now, as we get ready for our Saturday ride, I have a word for the day: Instauration – restoration after decay or lapse.

Remember to ride well, do what your mother told you and play well with other, and to keep the iron side up.

Jerry ‘Shakespeare’ White

The Third Wheel to El Rio

The Third Wheel to El Rio

Man, it's a scene at El Rio

No, I didn’t ride a trike, a Can-Am, a Slingshot, nor even a bike with a sidecar to the 2017 El Rio Toy Run. Yes, I know it’s 2018. More on that later. I do confess to thinking about slapping a sidecar on my Victory in the event I need to take Oliver with me in order to get rides in.

One of the many colorful definitions for ‘Third Wheel’ found in the Urban Dictionary is: “One who deters the socialization of a couple, perhaps when being invited out of pitty [sic] or through a feeling of duty.”

Tim Robertson and Bev Hope, the couple, and I met up at our frequently used meet-spot for rides in Northern L.A. County and on northwards. Now, Tim and Bev are not usually given to pity for Shakespeare and none was required for this event. The three of us were moved by compassion for an all but forgotten segment of the American landscape, the children of migrant farm workers. Yes, we get to feel good about ourselves for having brought a bit of hope and happiness to children with the simple gift of a toy. We can allow ourselves to let go and feel, shed a tear or choke them back all while we look over 500 or so kids as we wonder how we can make more of a difference for them.

Our brief run from Thousand Oaks to the El Rio Plaza Elementary School, home of the Chargers, gave me an ideal opportunity to observe the riding style of Tim and Bev. There were no other riders for me to consider while they rode in a harmonious stagger formation in front of me. Their movements were perfectly syncopated while they anticipated each other’s actions in traffic. A Dancing with the Stars tandem couldn’t have looked better. I can imagine other couples I know that each ride doing so with equal grace. While we don’t all have spouses or significant others that ride by our side, I’m willing to bet that nearly every rider-reader has at least one person they ride with that they feel that sense of ease and comfort, a unity of movement on two machines where you feel like they might be one. Mine is my friend Jim. Today I slipped in and out of the feeling riding behind Tim and Bev.

Who is your riding compadre?

The 2017 El Rio Toy ride was originally scheduled for December 9, 2017 and would have included close to 200 bikes had it not been postponed due to the Thomas Fire and the horrific effects it had on the area. Bikers for Christ (BFC) host the event and did not let the fires burn out their desire to bless the children of migrant farm workers in the Oxnard/Ventura area and we had Christmas in February. Nearly 80 bikes met at the school campus, did a little circle and came around to the playground to pass by 500 or so elementary school kids and their teachers.

We delivered our toys, at least two per rider, to the cafeteria/auditorium where BFC reps and Girl Scout troop 60408 received the toys and made some order of the chaos. Maggie Taylor led the charge; cheerleader, organizer, and roustabout, gloriously resplendent in her purple Santa Hat. As the bikes cooled in the playground the kids cheered the riders while the riders waved and greeted the kids. It was difficult to tell who was happier to see the other. Once the bikes cooled the kids were ushered through the rows and returned to classrooms. Mostly.

The children were then brought over to the gift collection a classroom at a time in descending order of grade level. The three of us joined other riders in the seats arranged for us to view the distribution of toys. Small groups of each class where let in and guided through the toy selection. I think it was two per child but as I watched I heard various kids ask, “Can I get one for my little sister”, “my cousin”, or “my friend at Catechism”? There didn’t appear to be greed here, only wonder at getting their first doll, toy truck, or a new soccer ball. Santa awaited them at the end of the toy selection for sweet treats and a photo op.

It was a miracle of the Loaves and Fishes all over again. The piles atop the tables never seemed to diminish. I asked Maggie what would happen with the left over toys and she told me the games will stay with the school for teachers and programs, teachers will have their pick of items for classrooms or children they know who weren’t there, and then the rest will be given to other toy collections for the needy. Nothing will be wasted; no toy, no heartfelt offering.

I moved over to follow the kids with their toys and met two of the outstanding Girl Scouts from Troop 60408, Strummer and Ellen. They were handing out a toothbrush for each child. A local dental group had donated boxes of them, enough for all the kids. Strummer, Ellen, and the troop were indefatigable and never let their smiles drop. These are the faces of a caring generation that doggedly pursue compassion over isolationism.

I found Robert Guynn, Principal of El Rio Plaza, directing the classes via hand-held radio. Robert rode in with us on his hog, a beautiful Harley. As the kids existed the room he greeted them and shared in their joy at the toys and great day they were having. At times there’d be four or five kids all opening their bags of goodies, eager to share with this rock star of a Principal. The deep care he has for the students was evident in his face as he oversaw the whole operation looking here and there to make sure everything was running smoothly with the various classes. The heart of a good shepherd guided his every action.

Robert told us a little of the plight of these children and their families and how many were housed two or three families in a two-car garage with primitive toilet and water availability at best, a hot plate for cooking for so many. I was reminded of the shoe story where two brothers were never at school on the same day because they shared a pair of shoes until the issue was discovered and shoes were made available.

I looked out beyond the bikes and playground equipment to the grass field beyond and saw some small groups sitting and sharing their newfound bounty. A soccer scrimmage had broken out with a new ball.

This is why we rode on February 3, 2018.

Ride well, keep the iron side up, and ride with compassion.

Jerry ‘Shakespeare’ White

Could be an artist, a Nobelist, a pro soccer player in the mix. Without a doubt, big hearts.

New Year's Day 2018 - Bobbing and Weaving

Bobbing and weaving, we wound through the canyons and along the spine of the Santa Monica Mountains on the Mulholland Highway through the Snake and past the Rock Store so we could hook up with the PCH for lunch at Duke’s in Malibu. Because that’s how we like to ring in the New Year.

Were our fifteen bikes a boxer, no palooka would they be. We did not attack the twisties with vicious body shots and head butts. No, we are more like The Greatest – floating and flitting through route like a butterfly. It was poetry in motion from the Starbucks in Porter Ranch to Duke’s.

Our four first-timers with the group fit like well broken-in gloves, as though they were born to the group of usual suspects. (List of riders and their rides below) We had clean lines through twisties, nice tight groupings in traffic, and exquisite spacing throughout. It was a joy to open the New Year with a ride like this on a clear day with mild temperatures; in the mid-sixties on the coast and low seventies in the hills.

We had Johnathan on his orange/white High Ball, soon to be customized to take out the white tank highlights. I think it will be an awesome look. Aaron joined us on a Touring Cruiser, a model I hadn’t heard of ‘til this ride. Larene and Roger came in from Bakersfield on a XC Touring and Vision, respectively, and won the prize for longest commute to the meet point. Vickie won for overcoming obstacles having repaired a flat and coming in from the Inland Empire on her Honda F6B and getting to the Starbuck’s in time for a Martinelli’s New Year’s toast before we put up our kickstands for the ride.

Kevin joined us after his forced sabbatical to care for his beloved Dory who passed away this past October after battling Alzheimer’s. We honored her with winged ribbons Bev put together. We all miss her and it was not lost on us how poignant this was for Kevin being his first holiday season and New Year’s Day without her. We continue to hold him and the family in our hearts for his grief.

New Years are for renewal. Rides punctuate our love for the road with friends, new and old. Our rider’s hopes are for roads to new places and rides to refresh our connections to familiar favorite roads and destinations. May it be so for you.

Ride well, keep the iron side up, and be blessed in 2018.

jerry

New Year’s Day 2018 Group:

Tim Robertson – Vision (The Enterprise)

Bev Hope – Vegas (Cloud 9)

Jed – Vision

Sue – Cross Country

Larene Meng – Cross Country Tour

Roger Meng – Vision

Steve McLean Sr. – Vision

Kevin Shaw – Vision (Nit Vision)

Todd Skaggs - Vision

Shawn Frausto – Cross Country (Sancha)

Vicki Peterson – Honda F6b

Aaron Staubach – Touring Cruiser

Stephen Thrasher – Cross Country

Johnathan Urazoff – High Ball

Jerry White – Cross Country (Stick II)

Note: We had more Vision riders than any other model. And, they let us know it.

Approaching Pt. Mugu