2015 Harley Road Trip: Part 5, Sturgis, A Visit With My Dad

2015 Harley Road Trip: Part 5, Sturgis, A Visit With My Dad

 “That was when the world wasn't so big and I could see everywhere. It was when my father was a hero and not a human.”
― Markus Zusak, I Am the Messenger

Being in Northeastern Oregon, I had the opportunity to go see my dad, which was really the whole reason for the trip in the first place. Sturgis was just icing on the cake. The year before, I was able to ride to my dad’s in Milton Freewater, Or. and spend a few days with him and Peggy. This time, however, was an unannounced  surprise visit.

The ride to my dad’s was less than a 4 hour trip. I made my way to the Umatilla Indian Reservation and got a room in the White Horse Casino, about 12 miles from Milton Freewater. The White Horse Casino is where I met Marshall and Butch (two from Hotrod’s tribe) the year before in a chance encounter at the gas pumps.

I unloaded Dorothy and packed everything in my room, a very nice room indeed in the new wing of the hotel, and headed to see my dad. When I arrived, my dad was gone for the afternoon at a group meeting for vets. It was his only real social activity at this point in his life. Jeff, Peggy’s son who was now living with them, told me he would be back around 3PM.

I rode back to the hotel to get a bite to eat and also to wait for Anthony “Drifter” Landis. Originally, Anthony was going to ride with me on the whole trip but his boss, being a real prick, decided to cut half of his vacation time. (BTW, "boss spelled backwards is "Double SOB" and I guess this jackass took that literally.) Instead, Anthony rode north from SoCal and met me at the hotel. Our plan was to ride from the Reservation straight west to the Oregon coast and then south along the Oregon and California coast.

Sometime just after lunch, from my room on the 4^th floor, I could hear the rumble of Anthony’s bike out in the casino’s parking lot.

Anthony "Drifter" Landis arriving at the White Horse Casino

Looking out the window, there was Anthony, on schedule. I met him downstairs bringing him up to our room. After about an hour of sharing our trip experiences, I headed back to my dad’s house.

I spent the afternoon and early evening with my dad. It was such an enjoyable time surprising him, especially considering when I left him the year before I thought that might be the last time I ever got to see him, hug him, and look him in his eyes and tell him I love him. Leaving him was not as emotional as it was the year before but it was still sad, knowing that this might be our last time together. It wasn’t. A year later, on another ride, we did say our final goodbye.