October Ponderings for the ABATE LLC newsletter [a bit early]

            Last month, my girlfriend and my son took part in the Ride To Remember that took place on Sunday, September 11^th here in Springfield. Zach was home on leave from MacDill AFB and had traveled on his Night Train from Tampa, Fla. so we could do some riding together, including this run. Roughly 1,000 other motorcyclists from across the state converged on Lincoln Land for the tenth anniversary ride to remember the law officers, firefighters and citizens who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks. The Illinois Blue Knights Chapters XI & XV and the Red Knights of Illinois, along with Hall’s Harley Davidson, organized the memorial service and the event which helps raise money to maintain the 9/11 monument at the state capitol.

            For such a somber ride purpose, a funny thing happened during the ride. As much as the cagers seem to have it in for us and the public, in general seem to have one complaint or another about motorcycles, that Sunday felt like we got to be the good guys for a change. Traffic that normally blows by us, cuts us off, or just plain doesn’t see us at all, on that Sunday, they pulled over… and waited… and watched. People got out of their cars and came out of their homes to watch and wave, salute the flags we carried, take photos and video, and even cheer as we rode by. It felt great, but at the same time, it felt a bit surreal.

            It was pretty slick to be seen as the face of good for a change. Oh well, we’ll take a victory wherever we can get one, right? Never forget!

[pix to follow in the next couple of days...]

“God didn't create metal so that man could make paper clips!”

-- a Harley Davidson print ad