Clarksville, TN – Spending a career in broadcasting, I can’t say that the environment was conducive to being a “brotherhood.” The environment was rock stars, record companies, groupies and rock-n-roll DJ’s. I love it, at the time, it was exciting, it was a rush, but at the end of the day, it was every man for himself. Today you’re a hit, tomorrow, you’re gone. I spent years and years in that environment and I loved it. But I promise you, it was NOT a brotherhood.
So when I discovered motorcycles and began this journey, the first thing I understood, was there was a brotherhood that I was walking into. I was just coming out of the darkness, and was almost free of the mindset that had me down. I was THIS close to being free. I wanted what they had. A motorcycle, a brotherhood, the biker’s code.
I found it when I bought my Street Glide Special and hit the road. The first time I showed my respect to an oncoming rider by flashing him the two finger “respect” sign, I was officially a brother, a biker, I was the man! (In my mind anyway, and that’s all that mattered).
This connection we have is obviously our motorcycles. It doesn’t matter what we ride, we’re brothers. It doesn’t matte who we ride with, we’re brothers. The connection and the bond runs through the motorcycle we ride.
The culture that exists is born from old school bikers who paved the way for all of us to see and understand what this is all about. It comes with new bikers who understand the culture. Who understand the code.
You don’t even have to know his name. He’s on two wheels, he’s a brother. We’re connected by the danger of our passion. The idea that we would sit upon those machines and hurl ourselves down the highway at high rates of speed. The fact that so many of us identify with this adventure, makes us all brothers and sisters. Our connection is the motorcycle, that common thread that makes us all brothers and sisters.
It’s a beautiful thing when the missing parts come together.
As I travel around the country, I pass you. When I stop for gas, I meet you. When I visit motorcycle events, we talk, we bond, yet we may never see each other again. It’s that bond and brotherhood that makes this journey so complete. Because anywhere you go, any biker you meet, under any circumstances, you’re brothers. And brothers stick together. I love this. I love my brothers.
Spending my life in such a place where I couldn’t set my soul free, where I couldn’t let my heart beat at maximum RPM, was killing me. When I straddled my first motorcycle, I began a new journey and my heart and soul exploded into a new gear. This is what brings us all together. When you touch your inner being and realize there’s more to life than a rock concert.
I’m blessed!
