Ridin’ with Old Friends

Do you remember the guys you used to ride with years ago? I know I do and as I look back I quite often laugh remembering some of the great times we had.

Since I am freshly out of a cast from my thumb injury I am trying to ease back into riding shape by trail riding instead of heading straight to the tracks or the races. So I recently hooked up with two old friends that have not ridden in quite some time. Ed and Jess are their names. Ed sold his bike long ago and just owns a chopper now, I think it is a Harley. You have to know that since I am an off road guy, anything that is ridden on the street is a chopper to me! I know this irritates the street guys.

So I go to visit my buddy, Ed, and what do you know, I just happen to have two bikes! I get Ed on the KX 450 while I ride the Honda 450-X. Then part way through the day we switch bikes so he can compare them and he has the time of his life. We went out exploring the back country around his house and found our way into some great areas with some fantastic views he had never seen. We made it up to a Fire Look Out that he had always wanted to ride up to but never made the trip. I am having a great time because I am riding an area I have never set wheels on before.  There is not much I like better than riding an area I have never seen, just riding new trails is the most fun no matter what speed you ride.

So after a couple of days of exploring the area, Ed decides he just may need another dirt bike! The suspension and power has impressed him since he sold his last bike many years back. Another thing that he was amazed at is how easily the new bikes started. Ed is now in his early 60’s and was a bit fearful of wearing himself out kick starting the bikes. I guess these were a bit better than the Maico’s and early Hondas he remembered! He especially liked the electric start on my Honda 450-X. So Ed makes the mistake of telling me he would like to get a bike.

I immediately go to work scouring craigslist and find an inexpensive but solid bike. I gather the contact information and hand him a slip of paper the next day with all the info about the bike, price, and owner. Ed calls and finds out it is somebody I know in the motorcycle world, so he agrees to buy the bike. When I leave to continue my journey of rehab (thumb) and motorcycle infection of friends (Jess next) Ed is working out the details to pick up the bike. I just got a phone call from Ed telling me he was driving down to pick up the bike next week.

My job is done here! Time to move on and spread the word, Ride!!!

Part 2 will be about how it went visiting Jess, stay tuned.

#33

“It’s not about how long we live, but how we live.”