The 87th Laconia (and beyond… most of NH) Bikefest has been a crowd pleaser since time began. A motorcyclist’s history is limited to just over a century, but what is time when we are viewing life within the prism of an open road, machines that are kinetic art forms, mountain vistas, camaraderie of friends and the verdance of seasonal foliage.
Briefly, problems seem far away. Damn! Was that a moose?? They are larger than horses and dumber than an ox. Feel free to think of them like your least favorite politician: they stride confidently forward, rarely glancing around, towards their next meal. They feel no accountability. There have been many accidents. some fatal.
NH allows adult motorcyclists to ride without helmets; Our state motto is Live Free or Die. Dermatologists and brain surgeons are busy here, but I am okay with personal freedoms that encourage accountability, skill and diligence.
A slight breeze cools this warm day as I sit on a Tavern’s patio. A blues band is setting up their equipment. There are a few little people with their parents, the rest are evenly mixed between 20 and 60 year olds. The band Torn Down House, is catching with skill rocking blues classic cover tunes.
The day and the music is soothing…bad luck for you now; I will attempt a haiku poem:
The wind continues to sing
Do transcend a Schwinn
Pleasure is astride a v-twin
For those outside this loop; a schwinn is a popular foot powered bicycle, the v-twin is the durable and iconic Harley Davidson motor.
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Clark Wells is from New England, and spends a third of his time in New Hampshire, a third in Vermont and a third on-the-road. He spent time as a Peace Corp volunteer in South America and exploring the world over the past 25 years. An avid car show attendee and antique lover, Clark has also driven across America several times.
