Roger, about the best friend a guy can have


Roger was kind enough to call and ask me to ride. A quick excursion in the afternoon in the desert? You bet! With Roger? Absolutely. He's the kind of friend a guy wants. Roger is kind and thoughtful, and a guy you can talk to. Before this sounds too gay, let me say he's got one bad trait.

He's faster than me.

We used to ride and race, and I could beat him. At least, run with him. Those were the good old days! Now, I am left in his dust. Okay, really, the dust has settled by the time I get there. The Little Woman has little patience for my whining about his speed. She gives flippant replies like, "Isn't he ten years younger than you?"

Really. She just doesn't understand.

It's hard to beat riding with Roger, however fast he goes. Zipping up into the mountains, it's amazing to believe we're just minutes away from Las Vegas. God rewards our effort with His dry sense of humor. Cactus, Joshua, Mesquite, all scattered over the rocky hills. A ridge overlooks the valley, revealing Las Vegas and the Strip, a stark contrast to our surroundings. Stopping, we appreciate the job the Creator did, making the world a different place in every crevice.

One of the great side benefits of riding dirt bikes and racing, is the comeraderie. Men don't talk too good, you know? But put a bike under him, or inject him into a racing situation, and the conversations open. What to say to a divorcing friend. How to handle kids doing stupid things. Fear and depression with business setbacks. Good stuff!

Take a look at the picture. Roger is working on his clutch lever. He's had myriad clutch problems lately. Perhaps I should nickname him 'clutch'.

Nah. That's a bit mean, don't you think?