Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/811773
We were on a ride to Canada, taking the long way to get there. Today's long part of the long way was riding through the Napa Valley, in par cular stopping in St. Helena to drop money on calories at a bakery we had frequented before. But coming into town, my rear started to wiggle, not from excitement, but from a nail in the rear re. Now it is said, and righ ully so, do not repair a tubeless motorcycle re, but this nail was right in the middle of the tread, could be removed and a plug inserted. Which is exactly what the man who owned the Harley-Davidson rental store did. Not a mechanic, not even a rider, he got into it because of the money poten al, and learned to fix things that the renters damaged along the way. He told tales of how the rental bikes were returned, some in horrible shape, and how their expensive deposit, $4000, was claimed by him no ma er the cost of repair, and that no renter had ever balked. He was amazed of the easy money, and how the renters never ques oned the price of the ride nor the deposit. All while fixing my flat... we hadn't talked price, yet. And when he was done, he told us "No charge," he was glad to have the company, as most customers just came in and rode right off. He was an interes ng man, cordial but not friendly, but happy to help. Our thanks was a pastry from the bakery des na on, no deposit necessary. State Road 128 looked like a great alterna ve to the 101, which isn't a bad road either. But close enough to a four- laner to be considered one. So off we went, again a er a bakery stop, no flat re this me, and headed north. A er Conestoga the road gets very interes ng, and something was coming up fast in my mirrors. All I could see was the rider crouched down behind the fairing, and let him pass, giving him the lane. He waved thanks and was gone, for a while, more machine and talent than I chose to compete with, but soon found he was just ahead, as if he was wai ng for us. And so we followed his lines through the curves, and when he did get ahead, he would slow down and wait for us. Like a guided tour of the road, he adapted to our speed, then challenged us just a bit to see if we follow. It made for a great ride, thrills but no chills, and when we pulled over to get a Coke, he waved and rode on. I was hoping he would return, I would buy the first round, but his wave was all I heard as he wound out the gears. A man we never met, but who took the me to make our ride a li le be er; a li le more exci ng. Two men who probably would never meet, one who rents and doesn't ride, one who rides but doesn't rent. That's motorcycling. Jesus asked his disciples one day, a er seeing the miracles and hearing him teach, "do you s ll not see? Don't you understand?" Do your eyes and ears fail you, have you forgo en what you know? How much do you depend on the physical to reveal the spiritual? Do you rely on Jesus at all? So many get excited a er a message but how many mes have FOR THE LOVE OF THE RIDE "when the roads throw you a curve" FOR THE LOVE OF THE RIDE "when the roads throw you a curve" "when the roads throw you a curve" 36 WheelsOfGrace.com Issue 35 We were on a ride to Canada, taking the long way to get there. Today's long part of the long way was riding through the Napa Valley, in par cular stopping in St. Helena to drop money on calories at a bakery we had frequented before. But coming into town, my rear started to wiggle, not from excitement, but from a nail in the rear re. Now it is said, and righ ully so, do not repair a tubeless motorcycle re, but this nail was right in the middle of the tread, could be removed and a plug inserted. Which is exactly what the man who owned the Harley-Davidson rental store did. Not a mechanic, not even a rider, he got into it because of the money poten al, and learned to fix things that the renters damaged along the way. He told tales of how the rental bikes were returned, some in horrible shape, and how their expensive deposit, $4000, was claimed by him no ma er the cost of repair, and that no renter had ever balked. He was amazed of the easy money, and how the renters never ques oned the price of the ride nor the deposit. All while fixing my flat... we hadn't talked price, yet. And when he was done, he told us "No charge," he was glad to have the company, as most customers just came in and rode right off. He was an interes ng man, cordial but not friendly, but happy to help. Our thanks was a pastry from the bakery des na on, no deposit necessary. State Road 128 looked like a great alterna ve to the 101, which isn't a bad road either. But close enough to a four- laner to be considered one. So off we went, again a er a bakery stop, no flat re this me, and headed north. A er Conestoga the road gets very interes ng, and something was coming up fast in my mirrors. All I could see was the rider crouched down behind the fairing, and let him pass, giving him the lane. He waved thanks and was gone, for a while, more machine and talent than I chose to compete with, but soon found he was just ahead, as if he was wai ng for us. And so we followed his lines through the curves, and when he did get ahead, he would slow down and wait for us. Like a guided tour of the road, he adapted to our speed, then challenged us just a bit to see if we follow. It made for a great ride, thrills but no chills, and when we pulled over to get a Coke, he waved and rode on. I was hoping he would return, I would buy the first round, but his wave was all I heard as he wound out the gears. A man we never met, but who took the me to make our ride a li le be er; a li le more exci ng. Two men who probably would never meet, one who rents and doesn't ride, one who rides but doesn't rent. That's motorcycling. Jesus asked his disciples one day, a er seeing the miracles and hearing him teach, "do you s ll not see? Don't you understand?" Do your eyes and ears fail you, have you forgo en what you know? How much do you depend on the physical to reveal the spiritual? Do you rely on Jesus at all? So many get excited a er a message but how many mes have FOR THE LOVE OF THE RIDE "when the roads throw you a curve" FOR THE LOVE OF THE RIDE "when the roads throw you a curve" "when the roads throw you a curve" 46 WheelsOfGrace.com Issue 35