August 31, 2012
One of my favorite places in the world is the Harley-Davidson Museum. Got to spend the day there today and though I've visited a dozen times, it really never gets old. A quote from the HD Museum website... "For true believers, the Harley-Davidson Museum® is not just a museum. It’s sacred ground. Gather the tribe. Make the pilgrimage." It would be hard for me to conjure truer words than these. It is the affirmation of all those things that make the Harley Enthusiast who we are.
It speaks truths to us and weaves us into the fabric of the historical tapestry that is the Harley-Davidson experience. The exhibits allow you to immerse yourself into them and go on an emotional journey back through time. I draw parallels between my personal experiences on a Harley with those pioneers who came before me. I communed today with "Hap" Scherer, the legendary Harley-Davidson "Endurance" rider who, along with his 1919 model Harley Sport Twin set an Endurance record riding from New York to Los Angeles in a blistering 77 hours and 53 minutes. Hap wrote many an article for "The Enthusiast", Harley-Davidson's long running marketing and lifestyle magazine. From a 1920 article...
"While touring from coast to coast last year, I many times covered
300 miles in a day, not because I had a limited amount of time in
which to reach my destination, but simply out of pure joy from roll-
ing over the broad open country..." Hap Scherer
Right on, my brother and poet. Right on.
I spent a little time with Ms Vivian Bales, the trailblazing brunette beauty from Albany Georgia, whom, though barely in her 20's and in a world that hardly welcomed her and told her she couldn't do it, rode her Harley from her home town of Albany straight up to the Harley-Davidson Headquarters in Milwaukee.
"It makes me so mad to hear folks saying that a motorcycle is dangerous
and especially that no girl should ride one. I always wanted to so some-
thing that most girls wouldn't do, and my motorcycle gave me the chance
to satisfy my adventurous spirit"--Vivian Bales, 1929
My kind of girl.
Satisfy your adventurous spirit. Are you satisfying yours? Joe Petrali, Effie Hotchkiss, Fred Pavlich.... These and so many more names now live not only in the walls of this monumental place but also pulse through the veins of us that continue that search for excitement and adventure.
Harley-Davidson began celebrating its 110th year during our Milwaukee stay. We are fortunate to have places like the HD Museum to help us on that journey back in time to reclaim our roots and recharge our love affairs for these machines. We are fortunate that the founders of the Motor Company, Mr Harley and the three Davidson brothers, knew they had something special and had the vision to preserve their heritage and the machines that they were building for us to use as a bridge over the span of time. How fortunate are we to have people at the museum like Tom Platz , a former HD Executive, and now a tour guide and restoration expert for the Museum. Tom is a walking exhibit himself, not just reciting what you could read on your own but also telling you the story behind the story. Just as every enthusiast is an individual with their own stories to tell, so to is every motorcycle an individual, be it one that sits upon a rack up in the archives, in the hall of motorcycles in the museum, or in your garage. Be like Tom and learn those stories and tell them again and again. Not only has Tom learned the stories, it is fascinating to hear him tell of his role in those stories. Thank you Tom, you're a legend.
Hearing the epic story of the perilous years of Harley-Davidson as they fought to stay alive through the early 1980's and their triumphs over the bankers that had every intention of killing them and their love of the brand is always a thrill for me. What a debt of gratitude we all owe to that buyback team for without them, this brand we love and these motorcycles we are passionate about would be no more. Hearing Willie G Davidson's voice as he recalls those days when Harley was literally hours from bankruptcy before getting that last minute news that they would have the financial ability to continue their struggle and listening to my old friend and Harley-Davidson CEO Rich Teerlink tell of the group jumping and throwing papers in the air as they were given another chance, one that merely months later would result in HD trading publicly on Wall Street. What a story of success and perseverance.
And what else of Willie G Davidson. Our living legend. Our Iconic brand in flesh and blood. The mouth piece of all we feel and love about our sport, our lifestyle. The holder of the bar and shield. The connection to our roots and the Merlin of our magic. The man who was able to take a few minutes of his day and stop by our table as we dined, for no other purpose other than to welcome our group to Milwaukee and to thank us for our loyalty to the motorcycle that his grandfather founded and who's tank is emblazoned with his name.
Are you kidding me, Willie G? Thank me? No. No sir. Thank you. Thank you for never straying from what makes us special. For never taking for granted that which binds us all together, emotionally and spiritually. Thank you for always taking time to let your fans and, I dare say 'followers', know that "YOU ride with us". I love you, Willie G, and I love this brand.
Tonight, I'll repack my bag and tomorrow, I'll load it all back on my machine. I'll bid farewell to Milwuakee until I return for the 110th Anniversary celebration and then I'll point it south and ride into whatever the remnants of Hurricane Isaac can throw at me, but I have to qualms about it, because I'll be riding with Hap Scherer, Vivian Bales, Joe Petrali, Effie Hotchkiss, Fred Pavlich, Click Baldwin, Gregg Waynick, William Harley, Arthur, Walter, and William Davidson, Dot Robinson, Eric Jones, and Wille G....
And a million of others that I never was able to meet but that I know as my brothers and sisters.
Thank you again Willie. My love affair is again renewed.
Ride Safe and with Purpose,
Scott Michael Bumpus
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