The Adventure of a Lifetime
Posted Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008 , by Peter Reitzfeld
Hardly back from Sturgis, and it’s time to start getting ready for another great ride. One hundred and five years ago, an American institution was founded and a legend born: Harley-Davidson Motor Company. To commemorate this achievement and to celebrate the Motor Company, “The Ride Home” has already begun. Riders from around the world are descending on Milwaukee for a celebration acknowledging this momentous occasion. With 105 starting points around North America, Harley riders are making a pilgrimage. My journey begins tomorrow.
This ride will be different from my commute to Sturgis in several ways. First, while riding from Brooklyn to Milwaukee is no small ride, it is much shorter than from Brooklyn to Sturgis – about half the distance. Second, I will not be riding by myself. I’ll be riding with a group, which adds a whole other welcomed dimension to a road trip. Third, I’ll be riding a 2008 Road King Classic for this ride. While it will seem weird not to be on my bike for a trip like this, she has done enough this month, and I am excited to experience some of the advancements made in the fourteen years since she was a new ride. Last, but by no means least, when I get home I will have a brand new niece or nephew. My identical twin brother and his lovely wife are expecting their first baby any day now. My request that she deliver sometime between Sturgis and the 105th Anniversary, as of right now, seems to have fallen on deaf ears.
Now, as if this gig couldn’t get any sweeter, here’s the kicker: the group I am riding with includes the Davidson family. Eighteen years ago when I bought my first Harley-Davidson motorcycle, if you had asked me if I thought I’d ever meet one of the Davidsons, I’d have said no. If you had told me I’d be on a road trip with them, I’d have said you were out of your freakin’ mind. But here I am about to embark on an adventure of a lifetime, and I can’t wait.
