A Rest, A Visit, and a Good Cleaning

Cedar Falls, IA - July 17th

It’s good to be clean. I needed that service appointment. After exactly 5,250 (s)miles since we left home, it was time. What I appreciate most is the thorough cleaning. I am temporarily a bug-free mo-cy. At the moment, I am also a bag-fee mo-cy. Old Danny Boy stripped me down before taking me in for service. With no windshield, back rest, sissy bar, trunk bag, saddle bags, or bar bag, I am down to nothing but motorcycle. Furthermore, I am now parked just outside my namesake’s window. That’s a good feeling, I’ll tell you.

ODB had a lot to tell me on the ride back from Silver Eagle Harley in Waterloo. He’s had an exceptionally fine visit with his mother. At 92, she’s slowed down some, but when it comes to stubborn, dogged determination, she hasn’t let up. In fact, it’s worse (or is that “better”) than ever.

Today, those two went out to buy some “provisions”. The Mighty Mary Ellen Dreier gets around using your basic economy-model walker, the aluminum kind that folds up and has just the two wheels in front. The back legs drag along on skids.

They entered the store and passed by a neat row of courtesy “mobility devices.” (He’s a bus driver. They talk that way.)

 “Mom, let me push you around the store in one of these.”

 “I hate those things. I’ll be fine.”

 “Right – bad idea.”

They then slowly proceed, off into the bowels of Wal-Mart. By mid-store it is clear that whatever it was she was looking for is now an “unchained memory,” if you will. Back they go to near the starting point to get the items that ARE on the list. This was no short walk, mind you, as it began in the parking lot.

After three more stops, including lunch at Applebee’s (her choice), they were home. Instead of resting, she got everything put away, and then proceeds to her computer to type her daily (as in 365 issues per year) e-mail – known to her family and friends as “The Afternoon Update.”

ODB told me of the special time they had last night. In the semi-darkness of an empty dining room, he sat down at the grand piano. She sat nearby while he played a medley of old-time gospel songs. This was the music he first heard as a child. Fanny Crosby, Floyd Cramer, and Jerry Lee Lewis laid down the notes of his musical foundation. Tonight’s concert came from the basement.

Moving on . . . It was July 17, 2007 when Dave Barton took ODB to look at motorcycles. I was parked by the window and saw them come in. They walked around a while, and then ODB looked my way. After a while, he came by for a closer look. He looked at all the other bikes, and then came back. He was smitten. Frankly, I wasn’t all that thrilled. The guy was a novice. In fact, he didn’t even know how to RIDE a motorcycle.

 When he and Dave walked out, I was somewhat relieved. The next day he walked back in and put $1000 down. (Little did he know that there would be many, MANY, MANY $1000s put down in the years to come. And as they say, it ain’t over yet.)

 A few days passed. Dave and ODB came back and negotiated a deal. And that was that. Dave rode me to what would become the man cave. My new owner took the Team Oregon motorcycle course at Lane Community College, got his endorsement, and here we are, exactly five years and 72,882 miles later. By the time we get home, I’ll have close to 80,000 on the dial, all with a man whom I have come to . . . um, tolerate. Just kidding. I’ve become quite fond of him. I mean the guy paid dearly to making me something special. I appreciate that.

 In the morning we’re off on Leg 2 of this Major Motorcycle Pilgrimage Across America – a short, three-day hop to Norway, Maine followed a few days later by a one-day ride to Ashland, Massachusetts. I’ll do my part. He’ll do his. And with the prayers and best wishes of his family and friends, we’ll be just fine, thank you.