I know that I’ve been writing this gig for a few months now, and I love it. I get to talk about the stuff that I really enjoy – playing on the old Sportster, riding all over, and offering up an opinion whether ya’ll asked for it or not.
This morning, though, I want to take a few minutes to ask you guys to give a moment of silence to an old partner who I rode with more than a few miles. Scott was killed early this morning on an interstate outside of Atlanta. He was 51, married, father of three, and a Helluva guy.
The motorist that struck him? A kid in a Honda. Cited for speeding and a laundry list of things wrong with his “Rice Rod” – exhaust, emissions, failure to maintain lane, window tint. I guess they’ll get around to vehicular manslaughter soon enough. I spoke to Scott’s widow an hour or so ago, and there just aren’t things that you can say.
What I can tell you guys, though, is that we’ve all lost friends – we may joke around that marriage and family has ruined many a good biker, but the tragedy of losing riding buddies to a wreck is something that plenty of us know too much about. If you lost somebody, I feel your pain.
If you haven’t, know that someday, you might, so when you’re out, having a good time, tell those guys that you really enjoy their company, hell, tell your wife and kids you love them, too, because none of us is guaranteed a tomorrow.
Ride safe. Be safe. Watch out for the ones that aren’t watching out for you.