Tomorrow's Ride

[Dubsvalk]

I penned this the day before our Hillbilly gathering in Marion.  I hope you like it.

Tomorrow morning I will hoist my leg over the two wheeled beast and point her head North to Marion, Va.  Saturday morning a 100 or so of us will ride into the West Virginia hills.  To the land of fresh air, smokey blue mountains, fog gently rising from the valley floors, fading into the warm morning sun.  Maitwan and the Molly Mcguires, Williamson and the Hatfields and McCoys, Coal Field and Rocket Man, home of Chuck Yeager, Jerry West and Bernie Watkins!  A hundred bikes will crawl their way into the West, Virginia coal fields, visiting, Bishop, Big Creek, War, Coal Field, Welch, Maitland, Keystone, Northfork, Bramwell, Bluewell, Bluefield and other obscure dots on the map that used to be thriving communities.
A place where bald eagles still soar high and proud, deer and cattle graze together in high mountain pastures and sip from the same cool, fresh streams with beginnings high in the lofty peaks of the Blueridge.
I'm going home for a brief respite where fond memories abide.  Where the heart beats faster and the brow lines fade as the tension from a hectic world is devoured by this special place of places.
The roar of our bike's exhaust will herald the return of a son, trumpet his arrival, announce his presence and, sadly, his departure.
Ah, Beautiful West Virginia, you haunt my memories and I will always love you!
Dubs

[Charlie McCready]

Very well said Dubs. We rode through my old backyard last Saturday too.

[eric in md]

can i go please ?

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Damn Bernie you make me want to saddle up and head that way right now     Nice job and that was one sweet ride and all the folks that attended was top-shelf...I'll always remember that ride.

[Dubsvalk]

Yea Joe, I would ride to W.Va. anytime.  The memories of the last ride will be with me for a long long time!  I missed all our friends as soon as I pulled out.
Dubs

[Highbinder]

I remember saying when we were promoting this ride, that it would be one that most people would remember always...I can't tell you how many people came up to me and said it was the best group ride they had ever been on and that they thought we could never top the first Hillbilly ride.   My mother once told me as a little boy around 3 or 4 years old, we would travel from Texas to New York to visit my mothers parents and everytime we would pass thru Va. and W.Va. she said I would always say that I was going to live there one day...I never remembered saying that and I'll be dammed if I didn't end up here....
Good report Bernie..

[T-Bird]

Dub's good report buddy,
I remember when I was just 18 years old, my dad was a manager for a furniture mfg. here in TN. He had a opening in the sales dept for a salesman in West Virginia, I was off for the summer from college so he asked me to do it till he hired someone. Mind you this was in 1977 and the recession was building up at that time. I traveled all of the state in a 7 week period and never sold the first piece of furniture! I did get a good education that summer, than any other time in my life. I learned that you don't have to have a lot of material things to be happy just your family & friends. The people of West Virgina are some of the Best and that includes you Bernie!

[Dubsvalk]

Don, I have to agree, they just keep getting better and better.  A lot of hard work went into making it a safe enjoyable ride that really emphasized the culture of the VA/WVA coafields and the people who live there.  I'm sure that next year's ride will be even better because we have people who care, making the arrangements.  You, Tracy, Joe, Ron and others make it possible for many friends to come together for a few days to enjoy a beautiful part of America and its people.  To strengthen the bonds that keep our brotherhood and sisterhood strong.  Your unselfish work is a testiment to your character, your love of this group and where you live.
T-bird, I missed you this year ole friend!  I know we will ride together again!
Dubs