Saturday September 5th (Bend, OR to Alturas, CA): Danny and I met up with the Portland riders at Baldy’s Barbecue and enjoyed a meal together. We chatted about our mission and what had gotten each of us involved. The things that I heard were:
1. Our right to protest and make our voices heard is paramount
2. Our voices will only be heard by people who will listen
3. We need to attract and find people who will listen
4. We want to be firm, vigorous, resolute, outspoken, loud with our mission and goals while maintaining our integrity
5. WE MUST STAY UNITED.
These ideas are not new, but rather a revival of so many who have come before us to stand up for Democracy, the Constitution, our Civil Rights, our great United States of America. I am PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN.
Danny and I took off after eating, heading South on 97 to meet up with our friend Dylan in Klamath Falls, where we proceeded to Alturas, CA to spend the night. Smoke was thick in spots, but not to where we couldn’t breathe, and I was glad we had made the decision to stay as far East as we could and at higher elevation. It got dark somewhere south of the California border, and we saw a few mule deer along the side of the road, one HUGE buck that looked like it was easily twice as tall as any of us (Night riding needs one of those caution labels like they put on car mirrors. Caution: objects and animals seen late at night in the headlights may appear larger than they actually are.)
Sunday September 6th (Alturas, CA to Reno, NV): We got up early with the intention of beating the heat, as the forecast had record setting temps projected for the day, and we did not necessarily want to be out in that if we didn’t have to be. Turns out, the plans were a good idea, as we pulled into Reno right about noon, without incident. Phew, what a relief, it was getting HOT and smokey and it was a good time to check in to our hotel. Being a holiday weekend, it was crowded, I mean, crowded like a normal Labor Day Weekend, not a covid, travel restrictions, health warnings etc weekend. That was strange to see for someone who has been masked up and slathering on the hand sanitizer like a fiend. At least they enforced the mask and 6 foot rule, everyone inside had masks on that I saw. (Now that we’re home, Danny and I will self quarantine for the next two weeks to keep our people safe).
Taffy met us for dinner that night, where we also discussed the mission, what our voice should be, and how we intended to carry that message to as many people as possible. And I think I found a life long friend, we had so much in common to laugh, talk, and share about. That was an unanticipated gem in this journey!
Monday September 7th (return from Reno, NV to Bend, OR), we met up again at high noon to transfer the scroll, Dylan, Danny and I all signed in biker style on the seats of our bikes and then proudly passed it onto Taffy for her leg of the relay. Once that was done, we got back on the road, just 400 miles to get home….
Remember that record breaking heat wave I mentioned? It was HOT, and we left Reno just after noon, so we were in the thick of the heat of the day. But that was easily remedied by twisting the throttle a little more (wind “chill” was our friend, lol). Skies were clear for most of the ride back, much clearer than they had been just the day before. Dylan peeled off at Susanville while we continued north on 395, traveling through parts of California that I, a California native of 45 years, had never seen. It was beautiful. About an hour before dark, the wind picked up with a vengeance, the likes I’ve never ridden in before (17 years and 35,000 miles under my belt), I told Danny “keep low and tight (to the bike)” and we kept on going, through tumbleweeds, downed leaves and branches. We were 120 miles from home, bed was calling our name, so we pressed on into the, barely visible, red sun. As dark descended upon us, the smoke got thicker and thicker until one stretch when Danny said “your bike is kicking up dust swirls” but it wasn’t dust, it was ash from the fires! Things got a bit sketchy in that last couple of hours with the unpredictable gusts of wind and the smoke and the mule deer, but we persevered and finally let out a huge sigh of relief as we dropped our kickstands down in our driveway! We are proud to have participated, tired and sore, but damn proud!
Moving forward, I hope to share this relay so that by the time the scrolls reach Washington DC, there is a pack of bikes that rumble through the streets of DC, the thunder of all of our bikes singing a unified battlecry for our Democracy, for I believe our Republic is under attack, and together we are not going to just sit by and watch as our freedoms are attacked, dismantled, and destroyed! The founding fathers created a government of the people and for the people, and WE ARE THE PEOPLE!!
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL (1924-1954 version)