As some of you have been reading, I have had a lot going on for the last 2-3 months. Truth is, this story actually begins about 18 months ago.
The Mule
To train people to ride you need machines for them to ride on or known as "trainers", thus "The Herd".
Motorcycles are easy to find, a dime a dozen, but on the other side of the coin you have sidecars & trikes. Well let's just say that unless you have a fair amount of disposable profit/income they can be hard to find.
In the process of the hunt I had a feeling there was a mule out there just waiting for me at the end of one of those dried up, washed out arroyos you always see in the movies. The ones with the cowboy heading into the unknown, constantly lookin' over his shoulder just knowing that the enemy is not far behind. Sure enough the wash stops at a cliff wall with no way out, but there stands your golden chalice, or should I say your rusty bucket...
How I found the Mule
The Mule is hesitant, looking at you like, "Yeah you think you're man enough to tame me, climb on ya dumb ass"... She allows you on, you ride around the arroyo walls knowing there is only one way out. She realizes this also, kind of like that first bonding moment. Yeah I'm all warm and fuzzy now...
You know you will have to back track, fighting all the way, dodging bullets, and praying your newly captured steed will survive the journey back home. You have no concept of your own life, just the thought, "If I can just get'r home". Yeah, then all will be well in your universe... NOT!
The Kentucky Derby
I found out about the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride a couple years ago and started to follow what they were doing. For me it was amazing to realize that on a single day a group of riders would take part in a charity ride worldwide!
This year over 36,000 riders participated in different cities around the globe on the same day. The proceeds of this event will go to prostate cancer research. There is no "enrollment cost", just donations from family, friends, and co-workers who sponsor your ride. Easy enough. Again, I want to thank all of you that sponsored us for your support!
The event is not intended to be a "race",
but if you think about it, the event still has a start and a finish. It is inevitable that the human ego will always get in the way to produce a race...The Derby! In the starting block there was a large mix of breeds and I might also add "inbreeding" of the participants. Right next to a full bred Vincent Black Shadow, there would be a cool rat bike.
"Rat Bike"
As I looked along the starting gate I could see many a thoroughbred prancing their true genetics, waiting patiently next to the cafe racer or that special cafe that has morphed into a rat bike.
The Cafe/Rat bike in the middle has a naval search light retro fitted to the bike. Morphed cafe/rat...Cool!
The beauty of the rat bike is that the owners express themselves through their trusty steed. They do not give a shit what anyone else thinks, the steed becomes the rider. The rat bike is the "minds eye" of the rider/builder coming out as an artist. A true DaVinci in the motorcycle world.
Further down the line there sits a Morgan 3 Wheeler, new but coming from an extreme race lineage.
Few in the field can touch the lineage of the Vincent, Morgan, Triumph (originals), Japanese (2 Stroke RD400), naked Goldwings, Urals, and the ever present Harley. The mix of Harley's and Triumphs was amazing. Running from vintage to new customs, then onto brand new rat customs.
Talking with one rider about his Kawasaki 175, I experienced a story unlike anyone else's present. When he was growing up (late 1970's) his father taught him how to ride and always told him his dream bike was the Kawasaki 175 (same bike that this Gentlemen was riding in the event). He was almost finished restoring it so he could give it to his father on his next birthday. A remarkable labor of love... This poignant story almost brought a tear to my eye because his bike was shunned as was the Honda Trail 90 by most of the other riders. For these two riders to participate in a ride like this, with this degree of difficulty, took an incredible amount of courage. Both bikes finished with their riders smiling ear to ear, bravo!
Intermixed in the group was the brand that holds its head high, the BMW, which justifiably stands for "bring my wallet". BMW has produced an amazing history of motorcycles. Their breeding has continually produced some of the best machines out there.
In a way I consider my Mule a rat bike. It is a projection of myself. I had envisioned a steed that I could use in multiple ways, and she exceeded my expectations.
As we head out of the gate you can see some jockeying for position in line, usually it is a Gentlemen's move ahead with a friendly nod to the other rider.
There are a grand total of 5 sidecars in the Denver event.
As Bryce & I head out my nervousness starts to flee as I get in my zone.
Focus weedlopper! My trusty steed is as ready as she will ever be, ready to tackle anything I throw at her, at least I pray so...
The coming path up the side of Lookout Mountain is still the ever present reflection in my mind. I mean like, I have driven sooooooo mannnnnny vehicles but I have never, no never, taken on an adventure like this.
I give my pillion a thumbs up, he responds in like kind with a huge smile. Good to go!
The Wasp...
As I approached the climb out of Golden, my heart starts to race as I feel a strange confidence growing. My Mule has performed as expected though I am getting concerned over its tendency to push the 300 degree mark on my oil temp gauge...
Bryce, "my pillion", in his training was told to keep an eye on the gauge and inform me of what he sees. At one point he says, "Poppy it is at 300, will the engine blow up?". I am focused and no more time to sugar coat the facts, "Yeah it could blow, and there is only one way to find out". Onward we go. His smile kind of goes away at this point. At the next few stop lights I could see a little apprehension in his wonderful face. Heck, he is my partner, I ain't gonna lie to him. He is a man and can handle the facts of life. We are in this together, prepared, practiced, and having a blast!
We have arrived at the last stop light before we head the Mule up my nemesis... Lookout Mountain. Temp is gettin' high and there is heavy pinging once I am in second. And here we are about to go vertical.
At first the twisty's are not bad as I get comfortable with the Mule beneath me under extreme conditions. Some of the corners are so severe I am using both hands on the right hand grip to accelerate and turn; interesting technique, although I do not remember this from my two classes...
I find that I am having to shift my body weight dramatically to be able to control the mule even with the excellent work of my pillion. Together we get in a grove, spankin' the Mule up the side of the mountain. Can you say, "Giddy Up!"?
Bryce is doing awesome leaning into the corners, helping me immensely to maintain our speed as we take on a couple dozen switchbacks and multiple severe corners. Man this road would be a blast on two wheels! All I can say is, "Thank God I was going on training rides everyday for 2 weeks prior to this event"... this is by far the most technical ride I have ever done, period.
As we approach the last corner I can see the sign to Buffalo Bill's Grave, "UREKA".
We have conquered the mountain!
We find a spot in front of Nanna's car (our follow/sweep vehicle for our adventure) and shut the Mule down for a much needed rest.
Remember in the westerns how a horse looks after a real long hard ride, all covered with white foamy sweat, this is how I envisioned my Mule.
If I had an apple with me, I would have knelt in front of her and offered up my humble gift... At no point did the Mule complain. We earned her trust and she gratefully accepted the care given her ahead of the ride with appreciation. She now knows someone cares for her again...
Bryce & I are jubilant, excited and kind of spent (couple of high 5's were in order).
The mental concentration is what takes it out of you. Well okay, so does throwing around a 900 lb Mule. A song materializes in my worn out brain "He ain't heavy he's my brother"...
So you are probably starting to ask, "Where's the wasp?". Hang on we're gettin' there!
As the Mule cools down we head into the shade to hydrate, and chow down on some snacks. Bryce and I hit the Gatorade and water. As I snack on a granola bar, Bryce & Nanna head to the gift shop for a couple of candy bars. This is actually a nice rest stop, great view plenty of shade and a good area to see the stragglers coming in.
There is the Kawa 175 coming in now, and a little later the Honda Trail 90 shows up. WOW, great for them, I even search out the Kawa rider to shake his hand. I can see the same sense of accomplishment on his face as he smiles, "cool"! Brothers in our own shared conquest of our private fears...
It's all down hill from here!
After about 1/2 hour the group starts to reassemble and gear up.
It was refreshing to see that in a state that has a no helmet law at least 80% of the riders were wearing a helmet. Bravo! Statistically this is about twice the norm for Colorado.
Bryce & I try and find the other sidecars but to no avail as we join the pack and wait our turn to get "on the road again". I can feel a new excitement as I realize we are going to be riding another technical though faster section with lots of high speed curves (35-50 mph). Another area to test the Mule out on. Again I find that with a dramatic weight shift I can get the Mule to track very well through the corners at speed. I look over and see that once again that wonderful smile is showing on my pillion's face. We are kickin' ass and takin' names!
"The Money Shot"
After one of the stops another rider comes up to us and says, " I was following you two and wished I had my Go Pro on to film you both leaning through the corners. Awesome!" We had practiced, talked about it, and then went out and used the proper techniques to achieve nirvana! Nothing is better than the feel of nailing a corner. Of course nothing will scare you more than doing it wrong and surviving.
The next leg of our journey will take us to the City of Denver Civic Center building directly west of the Capitol. All the riders are to meet here for the group picture.
Bryce & I are riding in traffic about 10 blocks from our destination when Bryce taps my arm and says, "Is something stinging me?" as he pulls his right collar down. Well all I can do at speed is a couple of quick glances and yes there is something small and brown sticking out of his neck, though no signs of the perp. I have to yell to him, "Are you allergic to bee stings?". He says no, thank God. Another squishy pants moment passes. He tells me it really hurts and stings. I can see our stop point coming up and ask him to hang in there about 5 more minutes max. What a trooper! No screaming or tears, only the usual signs of severe discomfort associated with a insect sting.
We've finally arrived at our destination. In we go to the parking area, backing the Mule in quickly and shut her down. Bryce jumps out of the sidecar with the stinger stuck in his neck and the little bastard on his right shoulder still alive! I flip the wasp on the pavement and stomp on it. Then onto the stinger in his neck. After I get it out I again ask him if he is allergic to stings. Again he says no, but that it really hurts. What a stud!
I carefully watch the wound to see how bad the swelling is. In the process we crack the first aid kit and get out the antiseptic and
burn spray (only other thing I can think of). We gently clean the wound and I notice the swelling is about the size of a dime, flat, and not growing. We discuss his breathing and how his throat feels. All is okay. Looks like my resilient grandson will be fine, though a little sore...I get the burn spray (has Novocain) out and nothing, bupkiss it will not spray... shit. I thought I could numb the sting with the spray. I apologize to Bryce and tell him that he will have to suffer through the pain for a little while longer. As we are talking I notice the little bastard is still alive on the pavement. I point and Bryce administers the coup de grace, see ya sucker! I am so proud of how my pillion took a wasp sting under his shirt collar at 45 mph, toughed out the discomfort and pain so we could land safely before
administering first aid.
My partner, my hero, my sidecar pillion...
Our final destination was a MC dealer about 10 minutes away from our photo op.
It was kind of cool to see 160 bikes and about 200 riders standing on the steps of the City building facing the Capitol. What are those two mounted cops doing here... Dang bikers, nothin' but trouble...
Bryce & I are far right side (white tails)
Trying to stay current with gadgets they had a guy riding in the event that was also the official drone videographer. It was a highlight of the group when he crashed his "toy" into the side of the City building, many a cheers arose as the pieces started to tumble down... If any videos surface in the future I will be sure to share them.
This has been the telling of vision, perseverance, practice, pain, joy and a vast sense of accomplishment. Helping to
share with an 11-year old that so much is possible if you put your mind & body to work... to reach for the stars!
One of the Distinguished Gentlemen was nice enough to share with Bryce his story. He had the only electric bike in the group. The great thing about the bike was that it was his personal creation. He had envisioned the concept, designed the power plant, bought a donor GSXR frame, and built his vision. When I asked if he was an engineer he humbly said, "No". I could feel the honest, hard-earned pride that he had for his machine. His genuine smile could not be faked. This man was living his dream. A kind of bonding again, oh yeah I heard that somewhere before... "This is kind of like what we do", I told Bryce. "Remember the red grocery cart? If you can envision it, you can create it". The gentlemen came over and rested his hand on Bryce's shoulder and said, "You can do anything, even if someone tells you that it's not possible. What do you want to do in your life? Always believe in yourself and follow your heart."
Yes, this was a long story...
If you are still reading I thank you for taking the time from your busy/boring day to read my dribble...
Would I do it again? Yeah.
Would Bryce do it again? Yeah (with mom & dads permission of course).
Would I take my trusty steed?
On the same route, no. I am not 25 years old any more...
After the official ride my right arm & wrist hurt so bad I had trouble getting through the last 30 miles home after Bryce had left.
Maybe once I have the new bars on the Mule I will give her a' go again...
Only time will tell.
W
