They came from many parts of the world. They must pass by my street that is situated and runs mere feet from my window to reach their nest. With a seriously damaged and battered heart I can only compare the buzzing and thunderous noise of the machines as they go by to that of a plaque of monsters invading Milwaukee from some unknown faraway planet. They are hairy, dirty looking, come in all colors and ride shiny iron horses. A weak heart sends a message when it is uncomfortable with the decibel sound of this noise.
And they kept coming, riding through the hot steamy mist rising off the hot pavement of my street.
And my heart throbs meekly for several reasons as I sit witnessing this spectacle. I have survived many near fatal catastrophes in my life`s saga and if I live above the rumbling and thunders crashing into my bedroom day and night I will withdraw my use of "a plaque" to describe these riders. But for now, they keep on coming under a cloud of gas vapors that assault my sinuses.
Highway 94 North coming from Chicago to Milwaukee is two blocks from my house. The noise of the rumbling motorcycles on their way to the Harley Davidson`s global headquarters located on my street a mere mile away just north and near downtown is the destination that this plaque is riding towards -- to celebrate their 110 anniversary of founding this awesome mega-corporation of hogs. My street is the last lag they must ride through to reach their cradle.
They are coming home to party...and it feels, like you know, to kill me.
Well not really. I just need to cover my ears right?
Scroll down a bit on this link the view the invasion.
http://www.jsonline.com/...
I started this diary on Friday when the first of the continuing riders first rode by my house and made me feel like a terrorized puppy afraid of storm thunders wanting to run and hide under my bed.
It isn`t like this is the first time I have heard or seen a hog race past my house. Shit it seems like everyday for as long as I`ve lived in this house these bikes go by. But honestly, I could not imagine or envision such a large pack of motorcycles as the ones I see today. I guess I was never home on a prior Harley Davidson anniversary celebration so I might not have noticed. Maybe I`ve changed a lot too.
I have not been ole Texan lately and that appetite to write here at Daily Kos I once hungered for has painfully staled in me. I think I wrote one or two comments ever since I came home from the hospital, period. I do not write anywhere else but here. I made a strong effort to write today not because of the hogs and the punishing ass-kicking they are inflicting on me, no, I thought how arrogant the whole show is for Milwaukee with this spectacle of riders coming in from around the world -- to celebrate, wait for this....Labor Day, in Wisconsin.
I mean, this is not about the riders who made unknown efforts and sacrifices to come to Milwaukee from as far away as Japan, Russia, Italy and many other countries to celebrate Labor Day with us in the name of Harley Davidson. I still have a clear conscious and I know what Scott Walker has done to Labor and its Unions all across the state of Wisconsin. No, I find it personally arrogant and insulting of the Republicans who thinks Labor and Unions as something sinful and obscene. Scott Walker got into a contest with other party drinkers (because this is what it is about) with bikers, to see who could make the closest sound to a Motorcycle roar using their lungs, apparently.
I would have to think that he used his ass for this test of the greatest roar.
No word on a winner at this writing.
As of this writing on Sunday morning(Labor Day) tomorrow, I want to extend to you a happy weekend holiday, regardless of my rant here. Be safe as I will advise you below.
From my window this morning a bike or two roar by occasionally. A red right on the corner about five houses from mine requires that traffic stop. A right turn after a blast of hot smoke from the biker the rider can reach highway 94 to head north to Minneapolis or south to Chicago. This is my view as I sit here thinking of how it used to be here in Milwaukee for me when I was very much younger...and running wild like these riders. I`ve lost all that venom, all the juice of youth even as I realize that I know nothing about bikers.
No, I never rode one of these awesome powerful iron horses. In fact, I have never even been on one as a passenger. But that fact reflects on my upbringing I guess. Interest was never there for me either. These folks who came to celebrate Labor Day here are, or I will suspect, honest and working folks. Some bring the wives who also have their own brand of riding these machines. A group of women have a club dubbed "Stilettos on steel" and adorn their bikes with images of spike-high-heel-stiletto shoes. http://www.jsonline.com/...
Women also have their rightful place in Harley Davidson`s history as well, as the month of
May has been designated as May-Women-Riders-Month.
Congratulations to lady Kossacks who ride...Ride baby, ride.
And something else to pass along, This Harley Davidson 110 Years anniversary celebration is a day that made me realize I am at peace with myself, finally. I have to think that many of our own Kossacks are hog lovers and own their own bikes..and ride. I am very sorry that I could never attain that feeling rush of riding on one. Now it is too late for me.
On the other hand, I feel very lucky. I think of some here who write of the pains when it comes to paying for health care. The bills that they cannot afford. I have one very true and important message of advise for them:
Get old quick, fast! Very old in fact.
In other words, once you attain senor status, an ole fart like me, only then that you`ve paid your dues. You become like me, a moocher who the government will support. Medicare is good for you. It comes with extra help if you qualify as a Medicare recipient. I do not even know what I am telling you this -- as you might be the kind of person who does not believe in handouts. And that`s fine too. Yet getting old cost nothing, and is guaranteed.
I feel lucky today, not only to have cheated death, but the Republicans as well. And all of this without worrying about how to pay for that....Republicans? well, I do not want to put that is writing here in case children are around.
Now I have to keep my appointment to see my Eye Care Specialist in three weeks, that`s
something I had put on hold to recoup my heart strength. I`m ready.
In closing this diary, a note of caution if you are in Milwaukee this Labor Day as mentioned above:
Bikers have a special designated law that allows them to go past a right light without stopping in certain situations, that law sounds disturbing to me also. I see it going hand in hand with laws Walker sign exempting his donors. So do not expect bikers to extent to you the "yield" sign. Somehow they rule the roads. Be careful.
To all my fellow Kossacks who ride, who love hogs. Pay no mind to the "plaque" moniker I chose for this diary. Like I said above I am not the same ole Texan. I think I lost a small piece of my "respect for others" vein during this personal war and the scar of that war is what is thinking, my fingers do the dirty work...Sorry.
So don`t drone me bro.
It is now 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Have a wonderful Holiday with your family tomorrow.
Peace.