Sunday, March 25, 2012

Monday, March 12, 2012

Jerimiah's Birthday


Jerimiah is rad to the bone.  At least thats what his tank top says.  Not counting a couple of weeks ago in Chicago for a few hours, I haven't seen him since we crossed the country together in 2010.  That time we met at a crossroads near Alison, Arkansas.  This time we met at the Dojo in Birmingham, Alabama.  
    Other than a kiss and a hug I didn't have any material goods to present to him on this fateful of birthdays.  So when he said, "Brandon, lets go ride."  I replied, "Go tickle the Triumph."  We would take him up the mountain.  
  When I say we, I mean that Moon would join in because when hears the pah-tump of primer kicks that boy has got his lid on, his jammer running and is wearing a grin.  The rest of our friends would do the responsible thing and prepare the shop for a party in Jerimiah's youthful honor.    
     So I think to myself, the least I can to is let this guy put some break in miles on the Trumpet which has only recently been put back on the road.  After all it is't riding season yet in Chicago and its been months since the boy has been able to put some miles under him.  
    Grants Mill road delivered us from our urban setting, up the side of a silver stream running with this weeks storm waters.  Then over the new concrete bridge at lake Purdy and through some Shelby County horse farms to Leeds.  After that, AL HWY 25 led us through a succession of forests, switchbacks and trailer homes all the way to the top where it was cooling down.  Jerimiah did upside down opossum tricks in the tree while Moon laid down to meditate.
    On our way back down the mountain Moon collected a roofing nail in his rear tread and survived, but the flat tire had us watching cars bail around a blind curve at suicidal speeds while we waited on the hidden inside of the curve for a truck that we hope would see us in the pitch dark.  Jerimiah recounted the some parts or our cross country adventure from a couple of years back while the orange sun faded in the branches at the top of the valley and a Norfolk Southern engine blew on the ridge not 60 feet above us.  Bowles and Chauncey arrive to bail Moon out and Jerimiah and I enjoyed the rest of the mountain in the dark.  The ride home was as perfect as the ride out.  
Not two hours later later I contracted the bacteria that causes pneumonia.  But thats another story(to be continued).  Hope you made some memories for yourself Jerimiah.  Happy birthday!

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Monday, March 5, 2012

Double Trouble at the Dojo

These are the two things that have distracted me from writing the most lately.  I am ecstatic to pronounce the 69er ('69/'70 Triumph t120 retired from the flat track) and the Cheesy Rider ('71 CB500) road-going, both after long periods of mid-life retirement.  

Sunday, March 4, 2012