As a tradional motorcyclist, I believe all of my life’s experiences have led me upto this point. But somewhere along the way the storys and the biking traditions that I learned and were taught to believe in have been cast to the side, misplaced, or overlooked as unimportant. There is no one carrying on this tradion for this next generation of riders. I am persueing to do that now
I am a long distance TOURING "BIKER" who has been blessed as one of the lucky few that has also had a long history of riding motorcycles, having done so nearly my whole life. The open road has been very good for me and has taken me to places I would have never have thought of going to and I am much richer because of it with memorys of travels from all over this continent.
I set a goal for myself years ago that I just completed before I retired which was, to have ridden in all of the lower forty-eight states. Besides that I have also traveled through five of Canada’s Provinces, and now have set another goal to complete the remaining eight Provinces within the next few years.
I have been participating in HOGs ABC's Of Touring for the past few years now and was one of the Top 12 for United States and Canada in 2006.
Having also received my 250,000 Mile Merit Award from HOG (Harley Owners Group)
So to say I ride a little, might be considered somewhat of an understatement.
Back when I was growing up the goal was to ride and live to become a “Wise Old Biker. I have just been blessd to have made choices that have allowed me to continue to experience riding throughout my entire life. Because of this I felt I needed to return a little of my fortune to others.
I have been a Certified Safety Instructor and done nearly a weeks worth of training before I worked as a Range Aid at Doc's Harley Davidson in Kirkwood. I then completed a 10 day MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) training with the MMSP ( Missouri Motorcycle Safety Program) in Warrensburg, Missouri in May of 2008.
I took an additional four more days of training with "Harley Davidsons Riders Edge Program" At Prince George, Virginia in June of 2008. Since that time I have stopped teaching.
Even though I prefer and ride alone, the majority of the time, I am saddened to think that many of today’s younger riders will only participate in weekend or group rides. Although there is safety in numbers and everyone can enjoy riding in formation. I only do that with a very few of my riding buddies and it is usually on our longer road trips.
You don’t have to have a group or an organization to be able to enjoy the sunshine and the wind in your face. Hell it wasn’t that many years ago that Harley Davidson used the slogan that still rings true for me today: “The Eagle Soars Alone”.
I am always the one with the dirtiest bike, slopped up by the rain as well as other elements, because I took my chances. You’ll often see my windshield stained with bug juice left on it from the evenings ride the night before.
I believe it is wrong for anyone to apologize or make excuses for when their bike is dirty, just because it’s been ridden. What good is a clean motorcycle if you never go anywhere? You also have to remember that time spent cleaning also means less time spent riding.
I was never a week end warrior, I often rode my bike to work and those 250,000 were before I retired.
I ride because I have always enjoyed it. Not because I had to, or that I need to “prove” anything. It is just important to me, because I found riding an excellent stress reliever when my workday ended I would always look forward to the end of the day and the different variations and routes on the way as I would ride home.
When I first started out riding Harleys I was told: “If you really want to ride a lot you need to have a back up bike.” "In those days "You rIde one bike while you worked on the other."
But since that time and even with all the technical advances, I believe there is still no one bike that can do every kind of riding equally well.
Over the years, I have enjoyed owning a host of different motorcycles and I know it's not the number of bikes that you have that is important but rather the experiences and reasons for having them.
I currently own 4 Harley Davdsons if you count my 1976 XL Sportser that has remained a basket case since Oct of 1997. I had my 1976 FLH Bi Centennial restored and just purchased a 2006 Night Rod (Yes,a water cooled Harley ) And last but not least I have a 2001 Electra Glide Classic that I bought new in May of 2002 which currently has over 157,000 miles on it.
Unlike many riders today, I don’t see any advantages by wearing a Beanie for a helmet. it doesn’t makes you look cool, and why look foolish when you don’t have to? Rather than wear a beanie I wore a white DOT approved helmet loaded with freedom of choice stickers, but to each his own. I agree with those who think it should be those that ride that should decide; not some law made by a congressman who doesn’t. My role now is to lead by example, Safety first.
Having been able to continue to ride motorcycles for decades rather just recently buying into it, requires more than just luck at staying alive. To do so is by a number of pre-determined factors. One of the biggest reasons I am still around and able to ride is I don’t drink and ride. Period. And I don’t condone those that do.
It’s still my goal to become that ”Wise Old Biker” and not by dying as a result of stupidity brought on by drinking alcohol.
Sure I know I have offended all of you that choose to drink, but I had made my choice not to. The way I look at it is...He whom lives longest, rides the furthest and therefore wins. To me it can’t be any simpler than that. I can always find more important things to do then leave my bike parked out in front of a bar.
We should all believe in the simple philosophy that motorcycles are intended as well as are made for the purpose to be ridden.
I run loud pipes and yet I try to be considerate. I have them because I am heard and noticed where it counts, on the highway. Not at some stoplight trying to draw attention to myself or to be obnoxious in causing an unnecessary distraction.
Because of the volume my loud pipes have saved me on countless numbers of times from “cages” (automobiles) that would have run me over while merging into traffic who would otherwise not have even noticed me.
Another major difference between myself and other “Motorcycle enthusiasts” is that I’m more into the long haul rather then the quarter mile.
I find it aboslutely basphone and totally and utterably absurd to have a “Touring motorcycle” in the back of a truck or a trailer,
unless it is being taken in for repairs. This seems to be an acceptable practice that many others seem to think is alright. I am NOT ALONE even the guys I ride with find it offensive. Many bikers in other parts of the country don’t give this a second thought when considering going to motorcycle events. To those I got to ask, Why pretend to ride if you don’t?” Why have a Touring bike if you’re not going to use it for its purpose?
As you can see I am serious and passionate about riding motorcycles. I dare to travel on two wheels and by choosing to do this it has allowed me to go places and see some things at countless places that very few would ever have the opportunity to see, and I am richer for it.
Others can only dream of the beauty or the experences that await them. It is a choice that each of us make. I challenge each of you to make that choice.
I still collect my pins and patches at motorcycle events, especially those that I had to travel long distances to get to. However, My treasures aren’t those pins or patches, but rather the memories of those experiences.
As it was explained to me by one of my “true brothers in the wind”, it’s not the destination that’s important, but rather, it’s the journey.
We all need to come to the realization that it’s not so important where you have been, compared to the thoughts of where you are going.
Over time, we all become older and I would like to think more well seasoned with our riding experiences. But more importantly, I hope we all become a little wiser because we ride.
Be Safe
Who am I? I’m STIX Douglas and I ride.
