The Metzler 880 rear tire I had Seminole Power Sports install 6 weeks ago as I was leaving for California was treadless after the 7,343 mile ride to the Pacific and back.
Now as I plan the 4,000 mile ride back to Montana they are ready to install the new Metzler 888 or the Triple Eight as other bikers have called it.
Ultra high mileage the ads on-line say.
We'll find out.
As always when the Power Sports guys are doing their thing on the Yamaha, I stroll through the hundreds of machines on display inside and out of their building.
And as always, I meet other bikers.
Other bikers with stories.
Today is no different as I approach the big black man standing by his Harley.
Extending his hand he says, "Victor, Buffalo Soldier."
That last part with obvious pride.
He laughed as he looked at the 80 Year Old Biker sign on the back of my rig.
He then dug through his wallet and pulled out a card showing Victor "Raw" Burns was indeed a member of the Orlando Chapter of Buffalo Soldiers MC, a national organization of black bikers.
The Buffalo Soldiers have a rich history in the US Military
As we chatted a younger black man sat on his Harley, giving it an occasional rev.
Great pipes, it really rumbled.
I turned to him and said, "Nice Ride."
No response, he just looked straight ahead and wouldn't look at me.
Victor said, "if you are ever in this area again give me a call and I'll buy lunch. Be Safe."
With that the two roared away.
I turned toward a young white biker and said, "Those were great sounding pipes."
He looked at me for a long moment, then turned his back and walked away.
The disgust in his eyes and on his face was obvious.
I thought to myself, "I have just been snubbed by a black biker and a white biker."
Well, I sat down on a new Can Am Spyder and thought about it.
Victor, the Buffalo Soldier, like Ilidio, my black son-in-law from Africa, could look past the barbs, the insults, the indignities of the bigots of the USA, and could see the real America. A good America. The good land I have ridden 20,000 miles through in the past 12 months.
The young black biker and the young white biker couldn't see past the hurt, the hate, the anger that made them what they were.
Ilidio, the gregarious, fun loving African who became my son-in-law so many years ago, and Victor, the Buffalo Soldier who rode his bike from coast to coast and all the way to Alaska were able to look past the hurts and enjoy a good life in a good land.
Is there a solution to the bigotry and racism in the world?
Probably so, but I do believe the only man who was wise enough to solve it was killed over two thousand years ago by the zealots of his day.
Does this generation have a man or woman wise enough to solve these issues?
Probably so, and we can only hope they have not already been killed by the bullets or by the words of the zealots of today.
Well, the Metzler Triple Eight is on and I am ready to ride.
More places to see, more new friends to meet and more stories to share.
Watch for me, I'll be in the Right Lane America
Del "Lonnie" Lonnquist
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