Our County's Finest

Lined up, ready to escort us on a ride to raise funds for C.O.P.S. (Concerns of Police Survivors), here are my county's finest motor officers. They're great men, easy to talk to, hard workers, and among the best at what they do.

I enjoyed the ride along Maryland's byways, non-stop along the way. An officer would block traffic at stoplights and major intersections so the 1,200 or so bikers on the ride could just roll through non-stop.

Man, what a great ride. I kinda wish the officers would take some pride in their boots, because most of the boots were dirty and scuffy. A nice shine would look good on those Dehners and Chippewas. But other than that, their graceful style of riding those big Police Harleys was quite a sight to behold, and enjoy.

One wonders about how such a big bike is handled so well. If you look closely at this officer, he is looking where he wants the bike to go -- not looking at the bike or its controls. His body is upright, over the center of gravity of the bike. He is countersteering -- pushing against the bar as he enters his turn. This method of operating a motorcycle takes lots of practice, skill, and training. When done correctly, it looks quite graceful. Such training for us regular bikers (in the U.S.) is available by taking the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Experienced Rider's Course, offered periodically. I continue to learn a lot while watching our officers ride, and enjoy the opportunity to ride with the best.