Who made you?

We all have people in our lives who have shaped who we become. Those who helped us grow, mature, and learn how to really live life, not just muddle through it. At least, if you are lucky, that is what you can say about those you have been surrounded by. And, unfortunately, some times, the people who end up shaping who we are may not be those that we ultimately choose to mirror in our adult lives. Either way, I would like to pay tribute to those individuals who have positively affected my life and who I became.

It sucks to admit it, but, damn it, I am old enough to be somebody's grandma, though I never will be. Mainly because I always found Harleys and dogs and Buffaloes enough to fill my life. Curtain climbers were never my forte. I found small people to be sort of annoying. Please understand that since I never had alot of interaction with children, I was never comfortable with them. The way their squeeky sort of voices babble on, alot of times when I cannot understand anything they are saying, I just kinda' wish they would just, you know...not talk. Sounds bad, but again, I never was around those smelly, squeeky things, so I just don't get it. Enough said...

Now, I want to give some praise to those who really made me who I am. There is no way I would start with anybody but Buffalo. Some day, if I get really old and actually let the gray take over where the bottle blonde now reigns, I will write a book and it will start with this line: I was born in 1958 but I did not start to live until 1982. That is when I started to live. That is when I met Buffalo.

One does not merely live with somebody for 25 plus years. This guys really helped me round out who I am today. More importantly than that, he has made me comfortable about being somebody that alot of people may or may not like but, ya' know what...? He loves me for who I am. Just as important is that he has helped make me who I am. I didn't have my own bike when I met him. Yeah, I had ridden dirt bikes before I knew him, but not a Harley. (Well, unless you consider the desert ride outside of Vegas on Burn's...yeah, I swear to God, that was this egotistical asshole's real name...Shovelhead Buffalo told me I should have my own.

And that brings in another whole set of characters that helped shape that whole scenario. Because, you see, I don't know that I would have even been considered for my own ride if I hadn't started to write for Harley Women Magazine, owned by Asphalt Angels. And these ladies are who I aspired to become. Jo Giovananni and Chris Sommers started a ladies riding magazine back in the 80's and Buffalo encouraged me to apply to write for them. I did, they welcomed my contributions and before long, Buffalo was saying that I needed to ride my own scoot. Because alot of the gals who contributed to the rag did ride their own. He brought home a 71 kick start sporty, laid it on the lawn and told me that if I could pick it up, I could ride it.

I clearly remember riding to the Love Ride, I think #5, up I-5 in So Cal with Buffalo, a lite drizzle coming down, prior to taking the riding course. I was terrified and then, there went Jo and Chris flying past us down the freeway. I thought of them as gods. Today I would give anything to have the chance to ride with either one of them. For today I ride with the confidence they rode with twenty years ago.

And then there is Papa John, who gave me away when Buffalo and I got married. Today, if he is still alive, he is probably still in prison for murder. And there is Red Dog, a good brother and friend, who seems to be doing life on the installment plan. Two good men who had life kick their asses. Two brothers wandering through life in the worst possible way.

And there is Sky, Pam Renfro, a friend of Buffalo's who made our wedding one of a kind. I am still sorry we made her take the bone out of her nose at our wedding. She lost it that night and then some how, we lost touch with a good lady.

And today we are blessed to be friends with Jimbo and Bummer and Wildman. Ohio and Pennsylvania bikers who know how to live and love their friends. Jimbo is one of the funniest men I know. And, today, I am so thankful that Jimbo's cousin George is in remission from his cancer.

To all my brothers and sisters, you have shaped who I am and I thank you. Through good times and bad, you are all my family.