Upon reading this thread it brought to my memory something I experienced. I was with a group of about eight Harleys that went to the 100th Anniversary wing ding in Millwaukee (2003). On motoring back to Central Indiana we stopped around Rockford, IL for some gas. It has been sprinkling on and off, but had let up when we stopped.
On the other side of my gas pump was a pretty new Ultra Classic. I noticed it had a Texas license plate on it. The owner/rider had gone into the Gas Station. As I was putting back the gas pump nozzle I noticed a gent walking towards me. The man was a small man of slight build. He was walking very slow, without a limp, but had a pretty upright posture. We walked straight to the Ultra Classic with the Texas license plate.
My first thought was...MY GOODNESS THIS OLDTIMER RODE ALL THE WAY FROM TEXAS TO MILLWAUKEE...YIKES....
I couldn't help but to approach and this sojourning enthusiast biker from Texas. In a nutshell he advised me that most of the folks he had ridden with had gone on to that great "poker ride in the sky". However he was not going to miss the 100th, so he just came on his own. This he said with a wet twinkle in his eye.
After I noticed how slow he was about making it back to his machine from the gas station, I could not help but to be concerned for him. Hence I ask him..."Sir are you going to be OK on your trip back?" He smiled and replyed with much confidence and a Texas drawl..."Oh sure I'll do just fine...I've been riding Harleys for 70 years...."
I dare say this this man of much determination had to be in his latter 80's early 90's and was all of 5'6' and 130lbs. I bid him farewell as he rode off the lot with such precision. Then I prayed that the Good Lord would keep his hand of safety on the old timer, as he motored home to Texas.
Golly, I wonder if the old-timer from Texas rode up to Millwaukee for the 105th!
