Zippo and the Dragon

[solo1]

It's raining and things are a little slow here.  I thought that I would post one of my previous stories here.  It's about my Zippo lighter and my avatar on this board.  I hope that you enjoy it (again)
A little change from the political climate that most of us aren't happy with.

Wayne, Solo1


In the summer of 1983 I owned an '82 Honda 900F, a nice bike.
I decided to visit my sister in Minneapolis. To make the trip interesting, the plan was to get there
by way of the upper peninsula of Michigan and so I did.
I packed my gear into a couple of soft saddlebags, added some camping gear, and, although I
had quit smoking years back, I put my trusty Zippo lighter in my pants pocket for lighting the
camp fires. I left New Haven, got on I-69 and rode north at a little more than a leisurely pace. The
weather was beautiful, riding was, well you know, and everything was fine until I got close to
Grayling  Michigan traveling on 175. My soft saddlebags had tilted and were touching the upswept exhaust
pipes, so I stopped in Grayling for gas and lunch and tightened up the straps across the seat to
make those bags behave.
Now the skies were turning dark. Of course I rode on, it's not agonna rain. I was wrong! The
skies opened up and I had to stop under an overpass just shy of Big Mac, and put on the
rainsuit. No further problems and the sun was shining again as I crossed the bridge on the
concrete, no grating for me that day.
The ride west on highway Two (my favorite) was great with the view of blue Lake Michigan on the
left. I stopped at a motel on the east side of Manistique.The temperature was 95 degrees and the
motel didn't have AC, normally not needed with winds blowing off Lake Michigan.
The next morning was bright and clear and I rode into Wisconsin and headed west on highway 8
through Rhinelander. Farther west I noticed that a big thundercloud was coming up from the
south and about to cross my highway. Naturally I turned up the wick, somewhere on the other
side of 85mph (PC speedo that year). Damn, I'm motoring now. Oh crap, blue lights in my rear
view mirror! I pulled over and maybe my white hair helped, whatever, I only got a warning.
Ok, back on the bike, at a slightly more easy pace, riding into the storm with the usual too late
drill on the rain gear.
By the time I got to Minneapolis, the chain was dry and squealing, and I was wet and squealing.
After a two day visit with my sister, I headed back towards home. I bypassed Chicago, rode
down to Kankakee,(now there's a name) then caught Lincoln Highway 30 and got back home, safe and sound EXCEPT that  my lighter was gone.

! The lighter that went to basic training with me, the lighter that went to Korea with me,
the lighter that was engraved by a Papasan in Korea. Where did I lose it? Somewhere along the
1600 or so miles of road, gone for good.
Here is the rest of the story. The following summer, the wife and I drove to the UP on vacation.
As the lighter was still on my mind, We stopped at that overpass by the bridge. It could've fallen
out when I rain suited up. It didn't. I gave up on finding it.
We traveled all over the UP, Houghton, Copper Harbor, the works. Beautiful place, the UP.
As luck would have it, we came back on highway Two, drove through the town of Manistique, and
proceeded east .  I thought, no way, but one more try!
I turned around and drove back to that little motel on the outskirts of Manistique, that motel where I spent the night a long year ago. I parked ,I went inside to the office thinking that they're going to know that I'm a fool. I asked the desk clerk; "Ma'am, in your lost and found would you by any chance have a Zippo
lighter with an engraving of a dragon and the words 1953 on it" She reached under the desk and
pulled out my long lost friend and said; "Is this it?" Tears came to my eyes, why I don't know.
And then she told me the rest. . The lighter was found under the bed a week later. It
was sent to the last occupant of the room. It was returned because those people knew the value
of this worn but not worn out old Zippo. Maybe it was an omen of things to come.  After all, it is an engraving of a Dragon and the Valkyrie is a  Dragon!

[Normandog]

A good story and well written. Missed the first time Wayne. So thanks for posting it again. 

[solo1]

Here's the Zippo today, a friend for 58 years.

[stormrider]

Thanks for sharing.   

[Wewaman]

Very Cool my friend,  Thanks for YOUR SERVICE to this great Nation

[Big Rig]

Great read...thanks for your service...and thanks for putting a smile on my face this morning...

Ride safe
Dave

[Ice]

Awesome story. Great read, and yes your right it was an omen of things to come and you and that Lighter have a common bond that nothing can break.

[Black Dog]

Loved the story the first time, and it gets better with age 

You've had a life worth sharing Wayne.  I look forward to your posts.

Black Dog

[R J]

Good read old timer.

I won't hijack your post, with my Zippo story, other than to say mine stopped a bullet in Korea for me...

Thanks for sharing.  Like Black Dog says, these stories us old timers have get better with age.......

[hubcapsc]

I obviously think the zippo dragon is the coolest dragon going:



Keep it away from Strider, I think it looks kind of like a crawdad...

-Mike "Thanks Wayne..."

[PAVALKER]

     Great story....       I am glad you found your long lost friend.

I have a few Zippos that I acquired in the Navy which hold some unit/ship engravings and memories.  Although I gave up carrying a Zippo, or any lighter for that matter, I still keep my Zippos in a safe place that I go to now and then, and reminisce.

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Great story Wayne. Thanks for sharing ! 

[highcountry]

Cool story, thx for sharing.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I obviously think the zippo dragon is the coolest dragon going:



Keep it away from Strider, I think it looks kind of like a crawdad...

-Mike "Thanks Wayne..."

I remember when you told this story before ....Great read Wayne and as others have stated it gets better with time 


Nice shirt Mike 

[solo1]

I obviously think the zippo dragon is the coolest dragon going:



Keep it away from Strider, I think it looks kind of like a crawdad...

-Mike "Thanks Wayne..."

I remember when you told this story before ....Great read Wayne and as others have stated it gets better with time 


Nice shirt Mike 

Mike asked me whether he could use my dragon for the SC chapter.  I was honored that he asked and gave him the OK.  I had forgotten about it when awhile later I received one  of the SCVRCC Tee shirts like the above.  Thanks again, Mike

Wayne

[fudgie]

Wow, good read!  Maybe I'll see ya tomorrow.

[Jess from VA]

Good story Wayne.  Thanks.

'53 was a better year for me (than Korea).... I was born in March.

[Hazman]

Cool story. The UP is a great place. So much beauty up there. Great place to ride!!!!

[solo1]

A great read... the second and third time around.

The guys I was on board ship with had a coffee cup made for me (in Japan, I think).  For a number of years I used it for a pencil holder in my office. I left that office... and didn't think about the mug. About five years later I started thinking about the mug and the last place I saw it. I called the guy who had the office and asked if there was a coffee cup around there someplace that matched the description.  It was still on his desk holding pens and pencils. I briefly described the story behind the mug and asked If I could have it back.  After a few days - five years and a couple hundred miles later - it magically showed up on my desk. The guy was a Vet... and didn't question the value of said mug. Forty years later... it sits on my desk, holding pens and pencils.
Yrmv, sheets 

+1   

[BOZ]

Your story made my morning.