Visiting the old man.
#1
10-15-2013, 11:41 AM
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Visiting the old man.
Hey whats going on guys, want to tell you a quick short story and show you an awesome picture I took yesterday.
This past monday I put 140 miles on the 48 just riding around Loudoun County and putting miles on some back roads. I decided I would stop by and visit my dads grave site for the 1st time on the bike. See my dad died back in October 30th 2003 when he was 40 and I was only 16. He had been riding at midnight with two of his buddies on a bike he was working on for a friend and a Deer had jumped on top of him knocking him off his bike. My dad unfortunately had been wearing a skid lid and died a few days later from brain trauma.
I grew up on his bikes, on his lap when I could barley walk he would drive me around our neighborhood and then when I got older I would ride on the back. He bought me a dirtbike when I was 13 and we would go riding through trails he taught me how to jump it, ride it, and have fun on two wheels like any great dad would do. We had plans to ride when I got older, always talking about how I couldnt wait to be old enough to ride with him and chase him around down some back roads stopping in having a beer or two and talking about life. We never got that chance to physically ride together. I went and got my motorcycle license a few months later and rode the last bike he built around a few times but unfortunately it had to be sold to pay for bills and for college. Since everything that had happen it wasnt in good taste I get a bike just yet.
Fast forward 9 years (Early 2012) the time finally came and everyone had realized like my dad and his dad before him and all of our relatives that riding motorcycles is in our blood I started looking around for the perfect bike. I started the process of looking for a home for myself and the love of my life who I had met early in 2012. During this time lenders do not like to see non essential purchases so the bike had to old off until the home was closed on. Fast forward to present to August 2013 finally it happened, we had become home owners and I could finally go get a bike that I had been waiting for. I had been debating between the Nightster and the 48 the past few years on which one I would get. One morning I was browsing craigslist and came across the perfect bike... a 2011 Sportster 48 with only 2700 miles drag bars, vance and hines short shots, retro air cleaner, lifted gas tank, removed front fender, and covers blacked out. I knew that was the bike. I picked it up September 29 just a few days after what would have been my dads 50th birthday and rode it home from Herndon VA. Yesterday afternoon after riding the bike to the gym and riding around back roads I came home and the girlfriend looked at me and said "what are you doing? It is gorgeous outside go ride for another hour or so then we can go have dinner somewhere you see on your ride!" I hopped back on the bike determined to drive into middleburg taking back roads from Round Hill.
My initial path was to go down Airmont until the road closed signs were still blocking the road. This required me to take back roads that would put me right next to where my dad was buried. I had yet to stop by his grave site since purchasing the bike, I do not know if it was because I was scarred or just not ready or what it was, but this day with the roads being closed I said this is it lets go visit dad and poppy and show dad my bike. I took off down route 7 towards winchester looking for the Bluemont sign, hopped of the highway and had a good blast down some back country roads getting closer and closer to the site. Within about 5 minutes I had pulled up to Ebenzer Church and the gravel road the cemetery is off of, slowly went down the gravel road pulled of to the grave site. Before shutting her down I decided to crack the thorttle a couples times in case dad was busy riding up in heaven. Right after about the 4th one I felt the wind pick up from right behind me and blow for a second. Dad had been with me the whole time and he approved. I sat there talked to him for a few minutes and told him about the ride I organized for him on the 26th of this month for the 10th anniversary of his life. Told him about the girlfriend and my big plan I have for her and I. I talked to them both for a few more minutes then asked for blessing and protection and got ready to leave, but before I did I took a quick photo on my cell phone and had no idea it would turn out like this.
This past monday I put 140 miles on the 48 just riding around Loudoun County and putting miles on some back roads. I decided I would stop by and visit my dads grave site for the 1st time on the bike. See my dad died back in October 30th 2003 when he was 40 and I was only 16. He had been riding at midnight with two of his buddies on a bike he was working on for a friend and a Deer had jumped on top of him knocking him off his bike. My dad unfortunately had been wearing a skid lid and died a few days later from brain trauma.
I grew up on his bikes, on his lap when I could barley walk he would drive me around our neighborhood and then when I got older I would ride on the back. He bought me a dirtbike when I was 13 and we would go riding through trails he taught me how to jump it, ride it, and have fun on two wheels like any great dad would do. We had plans to ride when I got older, always talking about how I couldnt wait to be old enough to ride with him and chase him around down some back roads stopping in having a beer or two and talking about life. We never got that chance to physically ride together. I went and got my motorcycle license a few months later and rode the last bike he built around a few times but unfortunately it had to be sold to pay for bills and for college. Since everything that had happen it wasnt in good taste I get a bike just yet.
Fast forward 9 years (Early 2012) the time finally came and everyone had realized like my dad and his dad before him and all of our relatives that riding motorcycles is in our blood I started looking around for the perfect bike. I started the process of looking for a home for myself and the love of my life who I had met early in 2012. During this time lenders do not like to see non essential purchases so the bike had to old off until the home was closed on. Fast forward to present to August 2013 finally it happened, we had become home owners and I could finally go get a bike that I had been waiting for. I had been debating between the Nightster and the 48 the past few years on which one I would get. One morning I was browsing craigslist and came across the perfect bike... a 2011 Sportster 48 with only 2700 miles drag bars, vance and hines short shots, retro air cleaner, lifted gas tank, removed front fender, and covers blacked out. I knew that was the bike. I picked it up September 29 just a few days after what would have been my dads 50th birthday and rode it home from Herndon VA. Yesterday afternoon after riding the bike to the gym and riding around back roads I came home and the girlfriend looked at me and said "what are you doing? It is gorgeous outside go ride for another hour or so then we can go have dinner somewhere you see on your ride!" I hopped back on the bike determined to drive into middleburg taking back roads from Round Hill.
My initial path was to go down Airmont until the road closed signs were still blocking the road. This required me to take back roads that would put me right next to where my dad was buried. I had yet to stop by his grave site since purchasing the bike, I do not know if it was because I was scarred or just not ready or what it was, but this day with the roads being closed I said this is it lets go visit dad and poppy and show dad my bike. I took off down route 7 towards winchester looking for the Bluemont sign, hopped of the highway and had a good blast down some back country roads getting closer and closer to the site. Within about 5 minutes I had pulled up to Ebenzer Church and the gravel road the cemetery is off of, slowly went down the gravel road pulled of to the grave site. Before shutting her down I decided to crack the thorttle a couples times in case dad was busy riding up in heaven. Right after about the 4th one I felt the wind pick up from right behind me and blow for a second. Dad had been with me the whole time and he approved. I sat there talked to him for a few minutes and told him about the ride I organized for him on the 26th of this month for the 10th anniversary of his life. Told him about the girlfriend and my big plan I have for her and I. I talked to them both for a few more minutes then asked for blessing and protection and got ready to leave, but before I did I took a quick photo on my cell phone and had no idea it would turn out like this.
Last edited by HawkJunior; 10-15-2013 at 11:44 AM.
#2
10-15-2013, 12:00 PM
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#3
10-15-2013, 12:20 PM
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10-15-2013, 12:35 PM
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10-15-2013, 03:18 PM
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10-15-2013, 03:30 PM
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#7
10-15-2013, 08:52 PM
Road Master
Hey whats going on guys, want to tell you a quick short story and show you an awesome picture I took yesterday.
This past monday I put 140 miles on the 48 just riding around Loudoun County and putting miles on some back roads. I decided I would stop by and visit my dads grave site for the 1st time on the bike. See my dad died back in October 30th 2003 when he was 40 and I was only 16. He had been riding at midnight with two of his buddies on a bike he was working on for a friend and a Deer had jumped on top of him knocking him off his bike. My dad unfortunately had been wearing a skid lid and died a few days later from brain trauma.
I grew up on his bikes, on his lap when I could barley walk he would drive me around our neighborhood and then when I got older I would ride on the back. He bought me a dirtbike when I was 13 and we would go riding through trails he taught me how to jump it, ride it, and have fun on two wheels like any great dad would do. We had plans to ride when I got older, always talking about how I couldnt wait to be old enough to ride with him and chase him around down some back roads stopping in having a beer or two and talking about life. We never got that chance to physically ride together. I went and got my motorcycle license a few months later and rode the last bike he built around a few times but unfortunately it had to be sold to pay for bills and for college. Since everything that had happen it wasnt in good taste I get a bike just yet.
Fast forward 9 years (Early 2012) the time finally came and everyone had realized like my dad and his dad before him and all of our relatives that riding motorcycles is in our blood I started looking around for the perfect bike. I started the process of looking for a home for myself and the love of my life who I had met early in 2012. During this time lenders do not like to see non essential purchases so the bike had to old off until the home was closed on. Fast forward to present to August 2013 finally it happened, we had become home owners and I could finally go get a bike that I had been waiting for. I had been debating between the Nightster and the 48 the past few years on which one I would get. One morning I was browsing craigslist and came across the perfect bike... a 2011 Sportster 48 with only 2700 miles drag bars, vance and hines short shots, retro air cleaner, lifted gas tank, removed front fender, and covers blacked out. I knew that was the bike. I picked it up September 29 just a few days after what would have been my dads 50th birthday and rode it home from Herndon VA. Yesterday afternoon after riding the bike to the gym and riding around back roads I came home and the girlfriend looked at me and said "what are you doing? It is gorgeous outside go ride for another hour or so then we can go have dinner somewhere you see on your ride!" I hopped back on the bike determined to drive into middleburg taking back roads from Round Hill.
My initial path was to go down Airmont until the road closed signs were still blocking the road. This required me to take back roads that would put me right next to where my dad was buried. I had yet to stop by his grave site since purchasing the bike, I do not know if it was because I was scarred or just not ready or what it was, but this day with the roads being closed I said this is it lets go visit dad and poppy and show dad my bike. I took off down route 7 towards winchester looking for the Bluemont sign, hopped of the highway and had a good blast down some back country roads getting closer and closer to the site. Within about 5 minutes I had pulled up to Ebenzer Church and the gravel road the cemetery is off of, slowly went down the gravel road pulled of to the grave site. Before shutting her down I decided to crack the thorttle a couples times in case dad was busy riding up in heaven. Right after about the 4th one I felt the wind pick up from right behind me and blow for a second. Dad had been with me the whole time and he approved. I sat there talked to him for a few minutes and told him about the ride I organized for him on the 26th of this month for the 10th anniversary of his life. Told him about the girlfriend and my big plan I have for her and I. I talked to them both for a few more minutes then asked for blessing and protection and got ready to leave, but before I did I took a quick photo on my cell phone and had no idea it would turn out like this.
This past monday I put 140 miles on the 48 just riding around Loudoun County and putting miles on some back roads. I decided I would stop by and visit my dads grave site for the 1st time on the bike. See my dad died back in October 30th 2003 when he was 40 and I was only 16. He had been riding at midnight with two of his buddies on a bike he was working on for a friend and a Deer had jumped on top of him knocking him off his bike. My dad unfortunately had been wearing a skid lid and died a few days later from brain trauma.
I grew up on his bikes, on his lap when I could barley walk he would drive me around our neighborhood and then when I got older I would ride on the back. He bought me a dirtbike when I was 13 and we would go riding through trails he taught me how to jump it, ride it, and have fun on two wheels like any great dad would do. We had plans to ride when I got older, always talking about how I couldnt wait to be old enough to ride with him and chase him around down some back roads stopping in having a beer or two and talking about life. We never got that chance to physically ride together. I went and got my motorcycle license a few months later and rode the last bike he built around a few times but unfortunately it had to be sold to pay for bills and for college. Since everything that had happen it wasnt in good taste I get a bike just yet.
Fast forward 9 years (Early 2012) the time finally came and everyone had realized like my dad and his dad before him and all of our relatives that riding motorcycles is in our blood I started looking around for the perfect bike. I started the process of looking for a home for myself and the love of my life who I had met early in 2012. During this time lenders do not like to see non essential purchases so the bike had to old off until the home was closed on. Fast forward to present to August 2013 finally it happened, we had become home owners and I could finally go get a bike that I had been waiting for. I had been debating between the Nightster and the 48 the past few years on which one I would get. One morning I was browsing craigslist and came across the perfect bike... a 2011 Sportster 48 with only 2700 miles drag bars, vance and hines short shots, retro air cleaner, lifted gas tank, removed front fender, and covers blacked out. I knew that was the bike. I picked it up September 29 just a few days after what would have been my dads 50th birthday and rode it home from Herndon VA. Yesterday afternoon after riding the bike to the gym and riding around back roads I came home and the girlfriend looked at me and said "what are you doing? It is gorgeous outside go ride for another hour or so then we can go have dinner somewhere you see on your ride!" I hopped back on the bike determined to drive into middleburg taking back roads from Round Hill.
My initial path was to go down Airmont until the road closed signs were still blocking the road. This required me to take back roads that would put me right next to where my dad was buried. I had yet to stop by his grave site since purchasing the bike, I do not know if it was because I was scarred or just not ready or what it was, but this day with the roads being closed I said this is it lets go visit dad and poppy and show dad my bike. I took off down route 7 towards winchester looking for the Bluemont sign, hopped of the highway and had a good blast down some back country roads getting closer and closer to the site. Within about 5 minutes I had pulled up to Ebenzer Church and the gravel road the cemetery is off of, slowly went down the gravel road pulled of to the grave site. Before shutting her down I decided to crack the thorttle a couples times in case dad was busy riding up in heaven. Right after about the 4th one I felt the wind pick up from right behind me and blow for a second. Dad had been with me the whole time and he approved. I sat there talked to him for a few minutes and told him about the ride I organized for him on the 26th of this month for the 10th anniversary of his life. Told him about the girlfriend and my big plan I have for her and I. I talked to them both for a few more minutes then asked for blessing and protection and got ready to leave, but before I did I took a quick photo on my cell phone and had no idea it would turn out like this.
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10-16-2013, 08:14 AM
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Thanks for all the kind words brothers, yeah his headstone is pretty bad ***. It cost a decent amount to get his bike etched in with the amount of detail that is on the headstone. Next time I visit i'll get a closer picture of the bike to show the detail. That quote sums it up. Got to keep on riding for those who no longer can!