East Valley HOG Blog

What Was Your Spark?

A few weeks ago John Sliney, our Assistant Director, asked the question - "What was your spark, what got you into motorcycling?" He asked for stories from the membership, and has offered a $25 Chester's Gift Card as an incentive. The response was outstanding. We've received 12 stories, 12 unique perspectives on the roots of our motorcycling obsessions. At our General Meeting on August 13th, John will be choosing a winner at random from those 12 people who submitted their stories. In the mean time, please take a momment to enjoy these tales, and maybe think back to some of your own experiences.

Sandy Miner

What was my spark? Mine started when my son bought a V-Rod and my wife Anna told me one day while she was sitting on it, that she was going to buy a motorcycle and that I would just have to deal with it. I was not very fond of the idea of riding motorcycles before this happened even though I had a mini-bike when in high school and we had four wheelers while the kids were growing up. On my 55th birthday, I asked her if she would take the MSF class with me and that became the start of my actually riding motorcycles. We purchased a Honda Shadow for her and ordered a 06 Dyna Street Bob for me, and I learned to ride on the Honda before getting the Harley in. My wife, son, and I rode together for several months before going to a general membership meeting of East Valley HOG, and then we went on our first Friday night dinner ride. The sound and feel of 30 plus bikes leaving Chester's that night just set the hook even more. I have been riding as much as possible ever since and now have over 46000 miles on my bike.

Ride Safe and remember it's not the destination, but the journey.

Anna Miner

What made me want to ride the first time was my brother telling me I was not able to pick his bike, a Honda of some sort, up and kick-start it. It was August 25, 1971 and I had just given birth to my youngest daughter on August 20. I picked his Honda up off the ground and kick-started it. He gave me a key. I only rode that motorcycle 5 or 6 times until he wrecked it. But I knew that someday I would have my own.

Fast forward to August of 2005 I am getting ready to sit on my son’s new V-Rod and as I throw my leg over to sit down my calf touches the pipes and I get a second degree burn on the calf of my leg. I knew right then and there that someday I would own a Harley-Davidson V-Rod. December 2006 this beautiful 2004 V-Rod, with red and blue flames, is sitting in the parking lot at Chester’s. I sit on it and admire it until January 2007. I can stand it no more. I look at my husband and tell him it is time for me to have my own Harley Davidson. The rest is history. Now he sits on my V-Rod and says “Someday I will own my own V-Rod.” Then he can keep up.

Sonya Davis

My spark started thanks to my uncle George. He had bought a Harley in January of 2007. When I saw him riding his bike, I knew I had to have one. I waited until the time was right. I knew I needed help getting the financing, so I needed to prove I was trustworthy. In June I knew it was time. I was able to do it financially and mentally. I knew once I started to ride I would want to get more women involved in riding their own bikes. Uncle George took me down to Chesters to look at a bike. I really liked the Sportster. It was the right size and I knew I could ride it. Of course, Uncle George rode the bike home for me cause I didn't have my motorcycle license yet and I hadn't taken the Safety course yet either. BUT as soon as we got it home Uncle said I had to go practice riding it in a big parking lot. I thought ok, no problem. I was riding in circles with no problem, but I felt like something was wrong. So, I went to ask George a question and wwas going to stop next to him to talk about it. Of course I forgot to put my feet down and over I went. OMG, how embarassing that was. I wasn't sure if I wanted to ride anymore after that. Then my thought was how can I get other women interested if I get scared and quit. So I got right back on and rode some more.

My Aunt Rhonda and I are pretty close, and she had just gotten her new bike too. I knew that I wanted to ride with her because it would give a different bond than what the rest of the family could have. I had enjoyed riding so much that I had to get a bigger bike after only 6 months. But during that time I had talked 2 other women members to getting their own bike and riding free just like the other women. I have only been riding for a year now and it has been the best time of my life. Meeting new people and seeing new things. It has been wonderful.

Ride hard but ride safe.

Rip Laird

"I am, therefore I ride", or is it "I ride, therefore I am"? Either way it holds true. There are a lot of reasons I ride and then there are the reasons I ride a Harley. I'll try and keep this short so I'll have to skip a few things and cut back on the details.

I grew up around bikes, on the back of my Dad's Duo Glide and riding my little Yamaha pasture buzzer and of coarse, watching Evil Knievel do his thing. In high school I hung out at a bike shop until I could get my own and have since owned several bikes.

What it comes down to is, driving a car is done by merely moving your foot and hands around to control it, but to control a bike it becomes part of you. Leaning into a curve and varying how you shift your weight, push a handle and twist the throttle according to sharpness of the curve, speed, road conditions, weather, passenger, and so many other things has to be done by feel and is rarely the same way every time. It’s a mild rush that is hard to explain, but then I think you know exactly what I mean since you've experienced it too.

Now why a Harley, well some reasons have been alluded to above but one big one is because I'm retired military. What does that have to do with it you ask, I'll tell you what. When you are in the service you are part of a brotherhood (and sisterhood) not just in your own branch but with all of them. Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, all have one thing in common. They all have determined that this country is worth giving up all or part of their lives to defend. We'll joke with each other as "grunts, squids, air farts, and jarheads" but it is done with respect and it has been an honor to be one of them. After I retired my life changed drastically. I adapted to most of the changes but always felt there was something missing. Then I got my New Harley.

First there were the waves and nods from other bikers and the comments and conversations at gas pumps and in the parking lots of store and restaurants and I started feeling like I was part of something bigger again. Finally I joined this HOG chapter and things came full circle. Soldier, Sailor, Airman, and Marine had been replaced by Metric, Custom, Cruiser, and Touring. Harley Davidson is now my branch of the service and the East Valley HOG chapter is my squadron and the added benefit is this one isn't going to send me into a combat zone. Wait a minute, I just remembered how the drivers are around here, they are sending me into a combat zone. But that's a subject for another article.

Tim Donovan

When I ride I get the illusion of being free from all the crap I have in my life. Don’t get me wrong I have been very fortunate in that I have a beautiful wife who loves me , a daughter I am proud of, and some material things that I enjoy,(a house, toys, a really comfortable chair etc.) and my health.

But I still have to work every day and put up with all that garbage, weeds grow in my yard, I’m in a constant battle with gophers, and the traffic in this town sucks. All the same things a lot of people have to deal with that over the course of your life just kind of wear you down. Paying the bills, worrying about little things in the back of your mind, retirement , is your kid happy and doing well, can I afford gas this week, will my car last another year, hope the roof holds up during monsoon.

Then there is the time I spend on my motorcycle. The open road. I never think about all those things when I’m riding. I’m happy. Sometimes I smile for no real reason. My mind is on the sound of my bike, the curve of the road, how it feels to be in the open with the wind and the smell of the desert or the mountains and pine trees. Looking at the countryside and all the scenery and realizing that after I’m gone none of the stupid things will matter.

I guess it’s the feeling of being free and independent, if only for a couple of hours at a time. Like when you were young and on summer vacation. No mortgage, no bills, and the only problem you had was what you and your friends were going to have fun doing today.

When I feel a little down I can just go to the garage and look at my ride and feel better knowing it’s there. My own personnel E-ticket to the best ride going. (For those of you too young to remember,Disneyland used to sell tickets to the rides. No all day passes. The tickets were lettered A thru E and the E tickets were for the best rides.) No massages or therapy or alcohol or drugs for me thank you. Give me four hours on my bike and I can take all the things this world can throw at me.

I love my life and would never leave the family and friends that I have, but it’s there my own steel horse waiting to take me over the next mountain pass or across the next plain to see what’s there. And that is what I like about my Harley Davidson Road King Custom. And that’s why I ride.

That and the chicks dig me on a Harley.

Connie Michalek

In my wildest dreams I would not have imagined that I would become involved in motorcylces. I had ridden a few times as a passenger as a young teenager and that was it. My husband, Dave had a bike when I met him but he did not ride it, he sold it to a coworker and that was that. A few years ago he was approached by a neighbor that needed to sell his Harley, the deal almost went through but once our deal went through to purchase his house he no longer needed to sell his bike, needless to say, Dave was crushed. His brother in law has had a Harley for several years and he kept talking about getting a bike. When his brother in law moved to AZ I had him give me a ride to see how I would like it. The first few trips around the block were a little scary but I soon felt ok on the back. I planned to buy one and surprise Dave with it but then realized, I did not know which one he would want. Well, we found a used bike and went to "just check it out." Little did he know I planned to get it if he liked it. The rest is history on that one. He has since traded that bike in for a newer one and then came our affiliation with the East Valley Chapter. I still had no intentions of moving to the "front seat". I was very content being the back rest.

Within a few short months I realized I should at least know how the thing worked in case of an emergency! The training wheels class seemed to be a logical place to start, again thinking this would just be an introduction! WELL, the excitement was so great after this class that we purchased my very own bike before I even took the class. Now I was committed to taking the Basic Riding Class. This presented its own set of mishaps, crashing in class is not a good way to start out! Perserverance pays off though and I practiced for 2 weeks after failing my first attempt. Unfortunately, stupid things happen and I again crashed on the city streets this time. No serious injury to me or the bike, thank God. I made myself go to my retake class and I PASSED on Easter Sunday.

I still have my fears and hesistation but continue to make advancements with encouragement from Dave and the rest of the Chapter. Every new experience makes me feel more confident that I can do this! I still enjoy being a passenger, spending time on the road seeing so many new sites and experiencing all the new adventures with our group of new friends.

The special family atmosphere among bikers is amazing! How I escaped it for so long is unknown to me. This is an experience everyone should have. There is nothing like it!

Tony Martinico

It all started a long, long time ago, in a land far, far away from here. In a place called California. It’s a strange place but it has it’s purpose. I met a girl named Danielle. She blew in like the wind. OK maybe a tornado. That’s where it all began. I wasn’t looking for a girl at that time but out of nowhere the gods sent me Danielle, at least I think it was the gods.

As time went on she told me a new Harley dealer was opening in our town and she was going with her girlfriend to the opening. She said to meet her there after work. That was a mistake. I saw a bike I liked. In all her wisdom she said BUY IT. I said I haven’t ridden a bike in years and I’m not going to spend that kind of money on a bike. Well she said, BUY IT again, so as fate would have it, I bought the bike. That was a 95th anniversary 1200 Sportster. We rode that thing everywhere. She always had a smile on her face riding on that bike and the rewards of having a Harley paid off, if you know what I mean!!! She was addicted, and I was a happy man.

I think that sometimes the spark is more like lightning and I know I would of never have bought a bike if Danielle didn’t put that spark in me to just do something crazy for once in my life. Well the bike was the second crazy thing I did the first was getting together with her. She is my spark. No, more like my firecracker. And the rest is History

Danielle Martinico

I was always a bit of a tomboy. Never liked playing with dolls, boring!!!

I remember being seven years old and our next door neighbor had two boys. Their dad got them one of those tiny little motorcycles to run around in the yard with. I saw it and wanted soooooo bad to ride it. I would stand there and watch them forever. But back then girls weren’t allowed to ride and my parents would have nothing to do with letting me either.

Years later I had a cousin who lived quite far away, that had a sport bike. He would always give me a ride when we went to visit; I never wanted to get off. I was excited and scared all at once. He was into speed and I loved it.

In my early twenties (which wasn’t that long ago, no, really), I was at a gas station and someone pulled up on their Harley. My pulse quickened and my blood flowed faster. I remember thinking one day I would have one of my own. Something about all that chrome and the sound and the image that goes along with owning a Harley never left my heart and soul.

Many, many, years later a Harley-Davidson dealership opened in the town we lived in. I was there at their grand opening. It was so exciting to be there among all those brand new shiny bikes I just couldn’t stand it. Tony mentioned he saw one that he liked and that was all it took. Next thing he knew I was handing them a credit card and we drove off with it. (It was a Sporster).

A couple years later, Tony traded up and I was not satisfied with being a back rest. I finally after all those years went and got my license. I remember how awkward it was at first. I remember thinking, this is hard work, when does it become fun? But I had waited so long for this I decided I wasn’t going to give up until I had figured it out. Then I guess you could say, “The rest is history”.

The passion I felt all those years ago had never diminished it only got stronger. I can’t imagine not being able to ride my Harley. Some people (my husband) call me a real Harley snob. For me there is no other bike worth owning. I wear their name proudly as more clothes in my closet and shoes and boots and coats all bear the name Harley-Davidson. Riding is truly a passion for me. I pray I will be able to ride for many more years to come.

Now if I could just grow some longer legs I have my eye on this really hot custom paint job on a 2008 Street Glide parked right in my own garage.

Gib Donovan

Why I ride a bike.

I never quite figured out why the sexual urge of men and women differ so much. And I never have figured out the whole Venus and Mars thing. I have never figured out why men think with their head and women with their heart.

FOR EXAMPLE:

One evening last week, my girlfriend and I were getting into bed. Well, the passion starts to heat up, and she eventually says, 'I don't feel like it, I just want you to hold me.' I said, 'WHAT??!! What was that?!' So she says the words that every boyfriend on the planet dreads to hear...

'You're just not in touch with my emotional needs as a woman enough for me to satisfy your physical needs as a man.'

She responded to my puzzled look by saying, 'Can't you just love me for who I am and not what I do for you in the bedroom?'

Realizing that nothing was going to happen that night, I went to sleep.

The very next day I opted to take the day off of work to spend time with her. We went out to a nice lunch and then went shopping at a big, big unnamed department store. I walked around with her while she tried on several different very expensive outfits. She couldn't decide which one to take, so I told her we'd just buy them all. She wanted new shoes to compliment her new clothes, so I said, 'Lets get a pair for each outfit.'

We went on to the jewelry department where she picked out a pair of diamond earrings. Let me tell you... she was so excited. She must have thought I was one wave short of a shipwreck. I started to think she was testing me because she asked for a tennis bracelet when she doesn't even know how to play tennis.

I think I threw her for a loop when I said, 'That's fine, honey.' She was almost nearing sexual satisfaction from all of the excitement. Smiling with excited anticipation, she finally said, 'I think this is all dear, let's go to the cashier.'

I could hardly contain myself when I blurted out, 'No honey, I don't feel like it.'

Her face just went completely blank as her jaw dropped with a baffled, 'WHAT?'

I then said, 'Honey! I just want you to HOLD this stuff for a while. You're just not in touch with my financial needs as a man enough for me to satisfy your shopping needs as a woman.'

And just when she had this look like she was going to kill me, I added, 'Why can't you just love me for who I am and not for the things I buy you?'

Apparently I'm not having sex tonight either....but at least that bitch knows I'm smarter than her

That is my spark for riding a bike.

Rich Fesmire

My original spark to ride happened in about 1959 when I was 12. A neighbor, my Dad and I were helping another neighbor move some short wave radio equipment. The helping neighbor was an actual "Hell's Angel" (that was before the bad rep) and he showed up on his stripped down Harley. He was the "Fonzie" cool guy in the neighborhood. After we finished moving the equipment we stood in the driveway talking and admiring this motorcycle and of course as he left he smoked the rear tire out of the driveway and off down the street. Three years later I was one of those smiling, bug eating, little Honda riders spending all my free time riding whatever direction the front wheel was pointed.

Sue Beverly

Tony rode crotch rockets for years prior to his mini van days and was eager to get back into motorcycling. Just over 2 years ago Tony and I bought a Harley-Davidson Road King Custom. After 2 months I got to thinking - what if something happened and Tony got hurt? What would I do? So I decided that I needed to know how to ride a motorcycle. You know, just in case of an emergency. After the excitement of taking and passing the Basic Rider class I realized I didn’t have a way to practice my newfound skills (or lack of!). With Tony’s faith, patience & trust in me I did my practice on his 4 month old bike. I was bitten by the Freedom Bug! After 3 months he wanted his motorcycle back so we bought another bike for me. I’m enjoying the heck out of it and have 25,000 miles in 18 months as my witness! Tony was my spark and my passion for riding has become a roaring flame! I also want to thank Anna Miner for her encouragement and trust. Yes ladies, us vertically challenged gals can ride big bikes!

June Cline

I can still feel the sparks inside me ignite as William cupped my hands in his. Mine were wrapped around his waist in sheer joy on the back of his 750 Honda. It was sooooo forbidden for me to be there. My parents would have killed me dead if they knew I was screaming down the highway on the back of a motorcycle, destination Lake Tuscaloosa, AL. It was a more innocent time, I was 15 and nick-named "Ms. goody two shoes," by my friends because I never wanted to get in trouble nor disobey my parents. I was the perfect child. But, I could not resist the feel, the freedom, the wind and that electric spark of William's hand on mine. Often, I would lean into William and tell him…"One day, I'm gonna own a Harley and ride in front." I meant it in my soul and told anyone that would listen.

Thirty-eight years of Harley Memorabilia and mementoes from friends and family later, I was on a road trip to San Diego with a girlfriend in my White Saab Convertible - the closest I could get to having the wind in my hair. My girlfriend received a serious phone from her soon to be ex-daughter-in-law, "Oh no, I'm so sorry, I hate this for you" I heard her say. Just a moment." She turns to me and said, "Do you want a Harley or not?" The brand new, 83 miles, 2005 883 Sporty the daughter-in-law had just bought had to go immediately due to her divorce. "Well, yeah, I want a Harley, why?" Next thing I knew, I owned a Harley, sight unseen in St. George, Utah and had to figure out how to get it to Phoenix with no clue how to ride.

Finally, I got it here, and the fun really began then. I dropped it 6 times in three months and was voted most likely NOT to success in my riding course, I almost gave up on my life long dream. Riding was much harder than it looked. And, I was terrified of it. But my dear Ex-husband and a riding instructor encouraged me to give it 6 months before I sold Ms Molly…the name I gave her after the Unsinkable Molly Brown & Good Golly Ms Molly. How right they were. Within my 6 months self-imposed time frame,I connected with Ms Molly…I found her top heavy center and learned to quit tilting my head when I stopped. It turned out, also, that I was being too cautious and going to slow. A friend finally told me, June, you gotta give the bitch some gas." I did and we've been best friends ever since, Ms Molly 'n me.

Of course, I still had to tell my Momma that I had a Harley. At age Fifty-three, I was terrified to tell her and had given strict instructions to every family member NOT to tell her. One day, Mom and I were on a road trip and passed a whole passel of Harley's on a ride…where I was wishing I was. It seemed like the perfect moment to say; "Ya know Mom, I have one of those now." "I HEARD," she snapped, in a very familiar tone I hadn't heard in years. Who told you? I asked. She would not give up her source. "That William was a bad influence on you" she said. "Why?" I asked. "He started all this years ago," she hissed. Oops. Oh the things we think we are hiding. So, here's to my Momma, who knew all along. And, to William and the spark he ignited 38 years ago. One day, I'll own a Harley and I'll ride in front. My dream came true through a fluke and fate. Long may we both ride…still feeling the spark and with the shinny side up, Ms Molly 'n Me.