Chapter 6
The American Dream
Friday morning became a culmination of events, as the guys looked at an empty lot and nothing to do. Jake had JT and Piney bring their bikes inside and both were given a thorough going over. Every filter was changed, tires changed and set to the right pressure, every point on the bike that moved one way or another, was lubricated and made to operate smoothly. Jake looked them over after they were done and had JT start his first. He waited until it was warmed up and then listened to the engine, giving the throttle little twists to hear the response. He adjusted the carb and the timing, getting it to idle smoothly, the exhaust sounding sweeter in tone. He revved it up and let the throttle go and watched for the engine's response, happy with the way it performed.
"Start yours up now, Piney. Let's see if we can make this old Indian sing a war cry again. The paint came out nice, looks good. Indian's are lucky to have DuPont in their corner, they like to show off their paints on the bikes. Harley-Davidson should take some lessons from them. Smart looking bike. Okay, let's hear it, son, let her rip."
Piney and JT heard the first use of the word son come out and wondered what brought that out. Piney, gave the throttle a prime and then the starter, rising up and kicking down hard. The twin cylinders came to life instantly, rumbling out the slash tip pipes and echoing in the yard. Jake waited until it idled and did a few minor adjustments and checked it out.
"Damn, Piney, your dad would be real happy to see and hear his bike like this again. I think we should go see him after work and show him the bikes and the hard work you've put into them. You should be proud boys, either one of those bikes is worth having and riding. I know I'll be asking to have a turn on them."
JT and Piney looked at each other and then back to Jake. The same thought was shared between them and both offered their bikes to Jake.
"Be my guest, Jake. I'd be happy if you did take it. You'll know right off if something isn't right, long before I do."
"Same with mine, Jake. I made it look pretty, but it wouldn't be running as nice as it is, if you didn't work your magic on it. Dad's going to be real happy when he sees it, thanks to me, but he's going to be happy with you, when he hears it."
Jake smiled at them, raising his eyebrows and looking at them to make sure. The guys assured him they would be honoured if he took the first ride. Jake sat on Piney's bike and walked it out of the garage backwards, then turned and put it in gear. The bike started off smoothly, no hesitation to want to go, as Jake gave it a bit of throttle. The sound reverberated back to the guys and they smiled, hearing the power and tone come to them. JT backed his bike out and got it ready for Jake, when he came back from riding Piney's. They stood against the wall of the office, lighting up cigarettes and enjoying the sun shining on them.
"Just think, Piney. It was barely a week ago that we boosted that Impala and talked about getting bikes and starting a club. That was just an idea I had and look what we have, man. Bikes, a clubhouse, jobs, chicks and guys we can call brother and ride with. Like, how did all that happen so fast?"
"JT, I've always known that you can put your mind to something and figure on how to make it work. I know I don't have those smarts and most likely, never will. You saw something that day in your head and you knew it was something good, something right. You've always had a good heart, brother, knew it since we were kids. You were the only kid who would talk to me and play with me in school. You knew I wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but you stuck up for me and didn't mind it. That day when I saw you get humped on by Dave, Kenny and Robbie, I saw red and lost it. It hurt me in here, JT, in my heart. I loved you like a brother ever since and I know you've loved me the same. I don't have much of anything I can say I ever counted on, but I know I can count on you, like you can with me."
"Always, brother, always. We're just two spirits wandering through life and we found we had a connection and began moving through it together. It's like, I can't imagine my life without you in it. It's like, you've always been there, no matter what shit happens to us. Yeah, we can always count on each other, Piney, no matter what."
JT and Piney shook and hugged, affirming their connection as brothers, then leaned against the warm wall and let the sun splash on their faces, as they finished their cigarettes. The faint throb in the air, let them know Jake was coming back. As it got closer, they could hear Jake was letting it out and then started to slow and downshift. He pulled in the lot and roared up to the bay.
JT and Piney could see the smile on his face, knowing the ride had impressed him enough to cause it.
"How was she, Jake?"
"Piney, you are gonna love it. She rides smooth and she has lots of go in her yet."
"Yeah, we heard you coming up the road, it sounded good."
"Mine's all ready for you Jake. Jump on and take her out, let me know how it is."
Jake went over and started it up easily, the engine warmed and ready to go. He revved it a couple times and let it coast around and then twisted the throttle and let it rev up close to the limit. JT and Piney cheered Jake, as he waved back at them. He turned left and the guys listened, as Jake let the engine wind out between gears, getting the most power out of every gear. The sound brought an excitement to them, knowing they would shortly be in control of that power themselves. Piney sat on his bike and enjoyed the feel of it, as JT looked it over.
"You gonna paint yours, JT, or leave it as is?"
"Right now, I don't mind the army look, but yeah, looking at yours and Otto's, I'd like to paint it up nice. Do the frame all black like Jake's, not sure what colour I would like it to be, but I wouldn't mind something like Otto's, that has a few colours to it."
"Yeah, I like that look, too. I like that metallic he used on the orange part, that's sharp, man, real sharp."
JT nodded, trying to imagine a paint scheme in his head and putting colour to it, when the roar of the engine blared out to them. Jake must have been enjoying himself immensely, his smile broad and heartfelt, as he pulled into the lot and stopped where he started from.
"I love this bike, not saying yours isn't good, Piney, just that it brought back memories, of my days riding one like it in France. Felt like I was running the course again between posts and looking for Jerry. Good running bike, JT, not a thing wrong with it. So, what say we get mine going and we go for a run. Let's go to...Black Mountain and back, there's some good roads to ride and give the bikes a chance to get settled in to running again."
JT and Piney started their bikes and waited for Jake. He kicked it hard and it fired up easily, not needing much to warm up and be ready to go. Jake put his helmet and goggles on, then looked over at the guys.
"You might want to think about something for your head to wear and definitely get something for your eyes. Won't take but one bug, or stone to make you decide, trust me. Get a bug in your eye, better get prepared to hang on and ride out some big pain there, it's gonna hurt."
Jake's warning had JT and Piney thinking, knowing what the pain Jake described would feel like and compounding that with holding a bike up at the same time, made sense to them.
"Let's stop somewhere, so Piney and I can get some sunglasses then, that should work for now. We'll figure on head gear later."
Jake nodded and motioned with his arm to follow. For the first time, the lot was alive with the sound of motorcycle thunder, riding out of the gate in unison. They rode together, Jake out front leading and JT and Piney riding side by side, discussing how their bikes were. Smiles were broad and well worn, as the first mile was passed. Jake pulled into a convenience store and the guys went in to buy sunglasses. After looking at several styles, they bought the ones they liked and went back out wearing them, acting like stars with them on. Jake laughed and told them to get on, firing up his bike, then JT and Piney did as well. The clerk came to the window to look at them, feeling the vibration through it. She stared at them as they left, seeing the freedom they must have been feeling, their hair blowing back in the wind, unconfined by the worries of other men and safety, fully in control of their destiny, as engines were given a free rein to go. She could feel how it aroused her inside and smiled at them, something sensual stirring in her loins, as she walked back behind the counter.
Jake took them west along Kettleman Lane through Lodi and picked up the I-5 hwy. and headed south. He had each of them ride beside him, so he could look the bikes over, as they rode, looking for anything wrong. Once he was sure they were okay, he gave his Panhead a good twist of the throttle and his bike roared ahead of them, climbing up to seventy miles an hour. JT and Piney followed suit and closed the distance between them and stayed at the safe distance Jake told them to. Jake leaned into the bend, as it swept to the right, taking the cutoff to I-205 towards the coast. Smiles grew bigger, as they followed his lead and cruised behind him, feeling themselves become more like one with the bikes. Man and machine uniting in a common bond to move forward, each depending on the other to accomplish their duty to perform.
When the road straightened, he looked back and smiled at the guys then turned back and twisted his throttle wide open. The light blue Harley belted out its cadence rapidly, as Jake went faster still. JT and Piney weren't sure enough about their bikes to go that fast yet, so Jake backed off and the Harley burped and popped with the back pressure as it slowed down again. JT and Piney caught up and they formed their triangle once again, moving as one entity on the road.
The flat farmland of the valley gave way to the view of foothills in the distance, as they skirted past the small town of Tracy. It wasn't long before the road began to climb up, as the hills began, along with the I-580. The air cooled, as they went higher, but Jake kept up the same speed, riding comfortably with one hand on the throttle, his eyes ever vigil for the signs of police cars. They crested the mountain and began descending, coming up on Livermore. Jake pulled into a roadside diner and stopped near the door, Piney and JT doing the same. They shut off the bikes and did their best to untangle their hair, as Jake took off his helmet and ran his fingers through his shaggy hair and smiled at them. They gave up and joined him, walking inside and finding a table by the window.
They sat and waited, looking at the menus and shortly, a forty something woman, dyed blonde hair and a decent display of feminine wares showing in the front, came over to take their order. She looked them over and then noticed the bikes out front.
"You with the other guys? They left about ten minutes ago, you just missed them."
