A Warm Summer Evening

There is nothing better than turning off the main highway on a warm summers evening. As you turn off the main road unto a small two lane back road, you stop and take off your helmet. The breath you take reminds you of when you were young. The smell of the fields and trees, and even the water in the slow running creek that runs along the twisting road.

As you stand there next to you"re Harley, and Lady standing next to you, you look off down the road and across the fields, and you watch the leaves falling to the seldom-used roadway. They fall with the grace of the gentle breeze that has finely convinced them to leave the trees they have clung to for so long. In a way it reminds you of your own mortality.

In one field there is an old barn. It to is ready to fall. As you stand there looking at it, you can"t help but wonder who built it and why is it now useless and trying so hard to return to the earth. Soon you turn and smile to Lady and she smiles back. With out so much and a whisper the both of you know it is time to take your place on your pride and begin the ride.

Your Harley starts and the rumble cause a few more leaves to fall. Soon you are pulling through the gears, slow, and even. Then you are up to song. Looking in the mirror, the leaves that were lying so still on the roadway are now dancing in your wake.

As you round the corner a few leaves that had been so easily convinced to leave their branches in the great trees of the forest flutter down in front of you. They fall with the gentleness of the cures of Lady"s hand on you brow. Looking in the mirror the leaves are dancing in your wake, almost as to say, You were here and you did touch us as you passed.

As you cruse down the road, you glide down into a gully, and pull back up to the crest of a small hill, then down and around a corner. The air has a sudden chill to it, and you think to yourself, Ah the cool air of a departed soul. The soul has no name, you don"t even know if it were a he or a she. You reach back with your arm and place you hand on Lady"s knee. Feeling the warmth of her living soul. Somehow you become aware of her hands on you waste, and of her love for you, and you know you are not alone.

As you ride the forest becomes more dense and the road becomes a little more narrow. The only sound you hear is the sound of your Harley motor and the wind as it passes gently over your face. The wind is warm and the smells of the forest fill your head with memories of past rides together through other forests, and twisty turning roads.

It is as if you are on your way home. You become relaxed and your senses even more aware. You can smell the wild flowers as you pass them in an open field and the fresh smell of the creek as you pass over a small country bridge. You look to the creek as you top the small bridge and you see the water dark and running so slowly. The leaves that have fallen from the great trees that line the banks are sailing like ships to some far off port.

Soon you are pulling a long gentle hill and you can feel the power that you control. With a slight twist of the throttle you feel as if you are young and strong again. You begin to escape the years, and you take a deep breath. You back off the throttle and take another hand full. You give it one more twist and the road opens up before you. The feel of the power you still command brings a smile to your face and a reassurance you are still alive.