Roads Less Traveled......

Another lost and alone sunrise..new town with the same jam..Rode through the night till I couldn't ride anymore. Made it to Deming before the sun broke the Red Rock mountains..Got me a room in a dump but in those years there were no choices..Who cares I needed some sleep before I face the Chief today, time to make amends..

Me and the chief had grown up together. Stood side by side a few times and toe to toe others. His family was for a lack of words clannish, tribal..They had a small spread in the hill where generations still live today. In the tradition of their breed they are hard drinking, hard working and hard living souls..

About ’82 the Chief needing change packed his scooter and headed for Alamogordo. He wanted more from life..The same year me and Billy Mac had the little problem. Billy was a wild child and Chiefs half brother..Not close but back to clannish..Billy loved his drugs but hated to pay, found out I was holding that night and made the wrong choice. Bragged about his intent and before he left the bar I knew what was coming and what had to be done..I sat in the chair and waited..I will leave out the details,,I’ll take the 5th please..Billy ended up in Jail where he was jumped and killed three days later..Chief wanted to hear my side and I wanted to tell it..

I pulled into the shop where he worked around noon that day..didn’t know what to expect but knew I needed to do it..The big man walked out and offered his hand..We walked down the street to a little tavern and ordered a beer..I told my side and we finished are beers and headed back down the street..I hung for a few days and continued to Florida. Stopped in every time I made the trip..

My last trip didn’t go the way I planned..when you ride the road to nowhere it’s a risk you take..In someways it was better and in others it was..well leave it at that I was doing road time and that’s what counts..Rode from Tuscon on Friday night..Capt.Rudy came up from Aransas..I broke the belt at about 5am and got to spend the day with two old friends on a hot dirty road changing a belt..Thanks to the Las Cruces Harley shop we did get back on the road..I pulled into Alamogordo around 3pm..with a couple of friends in tow and call the Chief to guide me in..

We pulled into the driveway and there sat my friend or what’s left of him..Bound to the wheelchair, skinny and frail..he had tears in his eyes as we tossed out the jiffy’s..You know my allergies kind of got the better of me for a few minutes there too..Doctors had gave him 6 months to live almost five years ago..Bad heart and other complications..We talked through the night, shared road tales and lies..laughed at old times…I grabbed a couple of hours of shut eye and started for the door..Ride it for me Bro..were the last words I heard..

I came away a better man today I hope..I seen the true meaning of strength and honor..I learned my battles are nothing and I still have my life and the ability to do as I please..I have choices about my future and I can turn around and ride into my past..I am still free..Thank Big Guy..

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