I don't know what I would do without JP - and I mean that in more ways than one. He is one of people you meet once in a lifetime that a Valkyrie just happened to bring into your life. Started out as a mentor on what could be done with a Valkyrie and then turned into one of my best friends.
You know, in 10,000 clicks on Shadowfax and the 61,000 clicks I have put on Traveler, JP and Warlock have been the only ones to touch her - mechanical wise. Never had the bike to a shop. I think JP was on vacation or something one time and I......NO, NO....what happened was I ordered a set of tires and had them delivered to my house and didn't have a way to get them and the bike over to JP - that was it. Anyway, I had a tire put on at a stealer here and a tire go bad on me in Colorado Springs, CO and had a stealer put one on up there.
But as far as mechanics, no stealer has ever put a hand on my bike. I wish that I knew all of the ins and outs of a Valkyrie - that JP has forgotten. He is the kind of guy that if something falls off your bike, he will turn it back and forth in his hand and figure out what it was for and where it went. Luckily, this hasn't happened very often!
All of my tune ups, desmogs, carb synchs - everything was done by one or the other. Awesome mechanics both. I mean, when I ride over to JP's he has a tire mounting unit in his shed...and tires to boot. We spend more time talking than working usually. I got there at 11 and left at 4 - and that was with a bike cool down, lunch break and a ride plan. I have had JP talk me through a limp home from Colorado and Warlock fabricate a spring catch mechinism that holds the kickstand spring on out of a can of nuts and bolts.
The main thing about JP to me is how dear of a brother he has become to me. When you spend that long on the road with each other - sharing rooms, breaks, stories, sights, sounds, smells, food, talk, drinks and just fellowship, it builds a certain bond that nothing else can match - I am sure you know what I mean. It was like when I lost a certain ride this year due to a change in work schedule, he told Ms Mary and she asked, "Well, can't you just go by yourself?" His answer, "Yes, but it just isn't the same if you don't have someone to share it with." Ain't that the truth. You see things, but there is nobody to share it with or talk about it later with. And JP has shared more miles and smiles with me than anyone else.
Just watch where you park your plane, JP and Bandit will steal it in a heartbeat!!!!!
This may sound strange, but you know how it is when you meet somebody and something just clicks? That is the way I feel about my favorite riding partner. Something just clicked.
I mean, we have little in common, came from different backgrounds, have different life stories....on and on. Yet, we care deeply for each other. Let a hurricane come through and see who the first phone call is from checking on you. We can discuss anything and everything and even though we don't agree on a lot, it is never negative nor argumentative.
When we share rooms on a road trip, he may watch a John Wayne movie and I may sit at my computer all night. He may crash at 9:00 and I may be up to 2:00 am, but we don't disturb each other and we are both ready whenever we said that we would go AOS. The bad thing is that he will lie to me every time about what time it is when he hands me my coffee in the mornings!
Our riding styles are different but after many miles, we have adapted to each other's styles. We now know when to stop for a smoke or a stretch. We know that the other one will catch up if we get seperated and I know that I hate JP to lead on the Interstate - I think some stretches, the LEO would put us UNDER the jail, but hey, we make good time together. We have learned when to air em out and when to sniff the roses.
The main thing is that with our differences, we see things differently as well. He may think one thing is awesome when I find a different thing awesome and then at the end of the day when we talk about our day's ride, I see things from his perspective and he from mine - which makes the trip that much better.
The other thing is the humor. We have played many a joke on each other (with respect) and enjoy each other's sense of humor - and that makes a long ride that much more pleasurable. You know, it's nice to be able to ask your mechanic that "aren't the arrows on the tire suppose to point towards the FRONT of the bike?"
"WHAT?!?!"
"Just joking brother!"
And respect - I just respect JP and I guess he does me. His life was different than mine, but I respect him as a person. We know about each other's children, grandchildren, etc. The last thing that Red said when she left this morning was, "Tell JP Hello for me!"
I have spent many miles, many trials and MANY SMILES with that ya-hoo and I wouldn't trade a one!!!!!! He is a good man and I enjoy sharing the wind with him.
That is for sure and for certain.
Sorry this was so long winded.....but hell, while we are slapping on a tire - we got the next trip planned out as well!!!!
I mean, riding over to work on the bike is one thing - leaving with a smile on my face, a hearty handshake and a hug out of the way and a ride planned is something else.....
Wyatt and Billy are going back in the saddles soon!!!!!!!
Here are two guys, you JUST CAN'T GET NO BETTER THAN!
