For Judy

I MADE MY FIRST OFFICIAL CUT INTO THE BIKE.

It was like carving a cake... but with a sawzall.

From day one of getting the bike I wanted to cut that bulky butt-brace off. There is so much excess hoses and tubing on the bike too. Staying true to chopper dreaming, the simpler the better, it's all going in the trash. The 90's were such a weird time. So much plastic and so much bulk. Unnecessary plastic pieces filled the garbage pile.

CUTTING OFF FROG LEGS

Joe was so excited about cutting the frame. We are planning to get rid of the whole rear end of the bike and installing the TC Bros hardtail kit. I can see where the bike is really headed now. I'm so stoked. The bike is going to look so good and I feel like my soul NEEDS this work.

We mocked up some parts hanging around and my heart skipped a couple of beats. 

Alas, Cal directed and I worked on removing nuts and bolts. I even saw the bike bleed green blood everywhere (coolant). We removed the radiator and the rest of the wiring. I held the carburetor in my hands. It's a pretty cool feeling, opening the guts up and see how the system works. I held the wiring like a central nervous system. I believe to truly understand something, I like to see each part and what it does. 

As the day ended, we received some sad news about Ben's mom, Judy. She had been fighting pancreatic cancer for awhile and passed. A stillness kind of overcame us. Some of you may know, I lost my mom to cancer last May, so my heart bled for Ben. It's in times like these, you can't help but feel compassion. When my mom died I wasn't even sure if I could imagine myself enjoying things that I loved. I made myself ride to Babes Ride Out and it was a decision that helped me heal. When people we love so dearly pass, it's hard to picture a life without them. 

However, I found that it's never really "without". It's within. We carry these people within us. The people who pass live through us and we share moments of their memories while we make new ones. I talk to my mom all the time when I'm riding. I'm pretty sure she makes sweet traffic breaks for me and tells me to slow down around curves. 

We can't control pain or grief but we can control how we handle it. we offer comfort to those who have just lost. Ben, I can't say its easy but I can say, I will carry the weight with you. 

Cal and I were at the bar when we got the news. Only made sense to have a shot for Judy

So, as I leave this blog post on a bit of a somber detail, remember that when we ride, we feel life. Life is the most fragile thing. Build the bikes you want to build. Ride until you feel content, and tell the ones you love dearly, that you would move mountains for them (Calvin).

Joe and Judy at the Fuel Cleveland show last summer. She made the very long trek from Delaware to Ohio with her daughters, Amy and Tracy, just to see Ben's bike in the show. She was so incredibly proud of him.

Here is to you, Judy.