While we’re on vacation, I’m rerunning some of my favourite blog posts.
It was cold when we started out on our riding adventure. Once you get moving on a motorcycle -3 degree conditions turn much chillier and the wind whips your face into a froth. My riding goggles proved woefully inadequate and tears poured from both eyes as the frigid air permeated several layers of clothing.
A trip to a local grocery store in Kingman, Arizona for fruit and munchies led us to a sunglasses shop where everything was “buy one get one free”. The young lad was minding the store for his grandparents and after I chose some excellent goggles he warned me they were pricier than the rest of his wares. “Twenty bucks”, he said, and I laughed. No problem. I bought 2 pair and he gave me one free! They may be the best riding glasses I’ve ever had, with foam around the lenses to keep out the wind. No more tears! My legs were fine because I had invested in a pair of Royal Robbins travel pants. They’re thin and wrinkle-free, they can be rinsed at night and will be dry by morning and they zip off at the knee to become shorts. They have loads of pockets and are comfortable in any weather. From my belly-button down I was fine. It was the top of me that wasn’t comfortable.
Soon after we left Kingman early on Sunday morning, the shivers set in. I tried not to think about it but I was darn cold. We pulled off the desolate highway because Derek had an idea. It was too chilly to take a photo at the time but this is what he fashioned for me to wear under my jacket and believe it or not, it helped.
The garbage bag blocked some of the wind but my arms were still chilly and soon I was almost as cold as I was before.
We stopped in Seligman to wander around its colourful little shops. Seligman was the inspiration for the town of Radiator Springs in the animated movie Cars. It used to be a bustling little metropolis until Interstate 40 opened in the 1960’s and traffic slowed to a trickle. What’s left are a few Route 66-themed shops and some catering exclusively to bikers. One, called The Biker Store, had all sorts of gear, including crappy quality, stiff leather coats for $125 and surly counter-staff. What I decided I really needed was a wind-breaker. We didn’t have room to stow anything bulky. I asked, they said no, but maybe the “guy next door” has some. This is the guy next door’s eye-catching store-front sculpture. 
We looked around the shop but didn’t see what we needed. The proprietor, a one-legged biker with a keen understanding of my garbage-bagged torso, said he didn’t have anything to block the wind but…wait here. He emerged a few minutes later with a well-used leather jacket. “See if this fits you”, he said. It was a little big but it would do. Then he said I could have it. He didn’t want anything for it. “A guy gave it to me, so it’s yours if you want it.” I could have cried! He literally saved the day for me. The removable lining has Thinsulate for warmth and because it was a little large, the sleeves covered my hands which, along with my leather gloves would keep me well protected. It blocked out the wind and allowed me to enjoy the ride. And we found a way to deal with the extra bulk including lugging the jacket home on the plane. It was the least we could do.
That may have been the nicest thing any stranger has ever done for me. He could have charged us $50 bucks and we would have happily paid it. But he wouldn’t hear of it. I wore that jacket nearly every day we rode and it made me smile from ear-to-ear and kept me protected from the elements. He only asked me to pay it forward and I intend to do just that. He is John Balistreri at the Route 66 Motoporium. If you ever have the chance to stop in and say Hi, tell him your leather-jacket-clad pal in London, Ontario speaks fondly of him!
Originally published June 4, 2012.