Saying "Safe Travels" to a Rugged Friend

I have had my Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider for 5175 days now, which is 14 years, two months. I have ridden many, many miles on him. Back in the days when my partner could ride with me, we rode to my family ranch in Oklahoma, taking a week to get there, seeing sights along the way, and on the way back. We rode to Sturgis in August, 1995. I once commuted about 110 miles/day round-trip. Lately, though, his daily commutes are about 3 miles, round-trip.

He's taken me on many back-road rides, rides to nowhere, rides throughout my lovely home state of Maryland, as well as nearby states of Virginia, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. We've been through a lot together.

I love to leather up and put on big tall biker boots and just head out. I have no gizmos on this bike; no radio, CD player, or CB. No GPS. Just me and the soft throaty roar of my Harley. Riding him gave me a lot of time to think, wonder, and appreciate so many things.

Back in the day when my partner rode as my passenger often, I would serenade him with my less-than-stellar singing. How many times he heard me belt out, "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin', Oh What a Beautiful Day...". Other times we would reach an intersection and flip a coin to determine which way to go. We would have a lot of fun "getting lost" for a day.

I am a bit melancholy, as I have a buyer lined up for this lovely bike. He's coming tomorrow to take a test ride and complete the sale. I have a new Harley all lined up that I will take delivery on soon, but I hate to part with this one. He's been a reliable, fun, and trusted friend. He's never let me down or argued with me. Unfortunately, I can't keep two bikes. I don't really want to pay the insurance, nor do I have a place to keep two bikes. Plus, my partner would have a cow. So tomorrow, it's "so long, ride safe, keep the rubber side down" to my dear friend. I hope the buyer will be as happy with him as I have been. sniff...sniff...