105th Roadside News: Day 5 - Billings, MT. to Bismarck, ND - August 22, 2008
Maverick and Radio - Aug 23, 2008

We awoke at 5:30 a.m. to a clear sky and what proved to be a great day of motorcycling. The 105^th Ride Home leg from Billing, MT, to Bismarck, NC, was 382 miles via I-90. So with departure set at 7:00 a.m., we were ready to go. 

 

We met at Harley-Davidson Executive headquarters and were off at 7:03 a.m.. Our lead, J.T. Hasley, Regional Manager of Harley Owners Group, described his feelings as eleven Harley-Davidson motorcycles rolled onto the ramp of I-90. Paraphrased: when I looked into my rear view mirrors and saw that row of headlights, everything leveled out, I was at peace and life was good. 

 

At exactly 8:03 a.m. I glanced at my odometer and we had traveled 79 miles. Picture this…79 miles in exactly 60 minutes. The temperature was a chilly 50 degrees, but the 15 people on this ride were warmed by the excitement of moving down the highway. Bothering no one…being bothered by no one! Just the sound of motorcycles, the wind, and the beauty of the countryside in Montana, mile after mile.

 

J.T. is an extraordinary motorcycle enthusiast. He spends his time creating experiences for those who ride, those who want to ride, those who make the ride, and those who deliver the ride. J.T. is all about addressing the needs of consumers of Harley-Davidsons. He is genuine, sincere, and leads with a vision that anything is possible in motorcycling.

 

 

Like all Harley-Davidson executives on the 105^th Ride Home, J.T. spent extra time to help us understand his role in the motorcycling industry and his passion for motorcycling.

 

J.T. has ridden his Harley-Davidsons 450,000+ miles. He was introduced to Harley-Davidson at age nine when a neighbor rode one into the neighborhood. He obtained his own first Harley-Davidson at age 21. 

 

For the next 22 years, J.T. worked for a construction company as a laborer and customer service and project manager. In addition to riding his motorcycle, he became involved in the operations of motorcycle rallies with increasing management and leadership roles.  He coordinated the Oklahoma State Rally for six of those years.  In the mid-nineties, he was invited by a Regional Harley Owners Group Manager to consider a similar position for the West Coast States. J.T. sent in his resume, flew to Milwaukee for an interview, and was offered the position. 

 

He has been with Harley-Davidson for 11 years and could not be happier. J.T. is a linchpin between customers and the Harley-Davidson Motor Company.  With primary responsibility for Harley Owners Group membership and activities in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, California, and Hawaii, J.T travels 200 days out of the year. A common sight at stops for refueling, lunch, and before and after rides is J.T. on his Blackberry taking calls and responding to email messages from customers. 

 

For the 105^th Ride Home, J.T.’s responsibility as Ride Manager is to get the Harley-Davidson executives, and any other motorcyclists who join them on the Seattle leg of the ride, to Wausau, Wisconsin where motorcyclists will join up from other starting points across the country.   

 

J.T. says, “I am very thankful for those who join us…I love riding Harleys.”  

 

This morning we left an hour earlier for our ride to Bismarck ND. We had 420 miles to cover and would lose an hour as we crossed over into the central time zone. It was 50 degrees at 7:00 a.m. in Billings. If that isn’t a wake-up call, I don’t know what is! Personally, I came prepared with my trusty heated liner. I wouldn’t leave home without it. Others weren’t as fortunate. John had only a denim jacket to keep him warm. I felt for him the first couple hours until it warmed up.

 

We hit the road hard today. We primarily the same core group of experienced riders, JT lead us like a well-oiled machine. While JT leads, we have been riding sweep. You know what they say about the lead dog, don’t you? If you aren’t the lead dog the scenery never changes. For us, that is partly true. While we only see the rear of riders, we still are able to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Riding sweep allows us to ensure no one is left behind with mechanical problems or other issues. From the back, you also have the thrill of watching the bikes stretched out in front as they travel the canyons and curves. Today, as we traveled in a tight group…fast…we had the precision of the US Air Force Thunderbird F-16s as we navigated traffic. From the back, you can also witness the expressions on faces of those we are passing as the long line of bikes travels past them.

 

 

Have you seen the movie Dances with Wolves? I think we all have at least once. Then you know what our ride looked like today as we traveled through eastern Montana. It was absolutely beautiful with rolling prairies and winding streams. As we entered North Dakota, we encountered smoke from what I can only assume was a grass fire. While we were never able to actually see the fire, we did experience miles of smoke as can be noticed in some of the photos. All-in-all, it was a beautiful sunny day and another great ride with fantastic HD staff. The day ended with a big party, bands, and food at Roughrider Harley-Davidson in Bismarck.

 

Personal observations: It is better to ride in the sun than the rain. It is hard to remember what day it is on the road. Who cares anyway! It is hard to take photos from the back of a bike traveling 80 mph. If you have not had this experience, try this. Sit in the passenger seat of a car. Now, hold a volley ball in front of your face to replicate the motorcycle driver’s head. Roll down your window. While the car is going 80 mph, put your camera in your hand and hold your arm out of the window, and take a photo of someone on the street. Now look at your photo.  How did you do? The hard part, for me, is there are no second chances. There are no do overs if you want to ride with the group, and that is okay. The pictures are captured forever in your mind to be recalled over and over whenever you want to see them. I’m okay with that.  A camera can rarely capture beauty the way the eye sees it and can never capture the moment as your heart feels it. I love to ride!

 

Click here to view the ride to Bismarck photos. 

 

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