We once played together… as a family

Remember the days when we played together off-duty with our families? We’d go to the big parks or lakes or to the river and have picnics, play volleyball, softball and waterski. We’d share stories and re-live tough calls. We were closer because we lived closer to each other and within the cities we worked. But times have changed and we’ve moved out of our cities for various reasons and with those moves have come a more individual lifestyle. Many of us have kept the bonds close by still managing to hang out together in smaller groups but have had to schedule times to make trips work. Most of us have simply adapted to an off-duty type of mindset and made friends outside the department. The internet has added to the long distance existence but it has also provided an enhanced communication ability and capability to extend greetings and invitations to friends and groups well outside our immediate area. One of these opportunities has come in the form of transportation that doubles as entertainment… the motorcycle.

Although it can be more expensive than other forms of activity, it’s not necessarily always the case. Many have turned to it for their basic commute to work. There is a core group of us that have embraced the bike as a way of living beyond the more accepted methods of riding. It‘s known as the long distance trip. A multi-day adventure built around riding as far as possible and seeing as much as can be absorbed on two wheels. Some have been doing this for years – even decades. Some of us here on San Bernardino City Fire have been involved in this since 2000. We started out getting together with members of Pasadena Fire Department and embarking on a 4 day odyssey we ended up calling “Chrome on the Coast”, a name derived from the trip route up the coast of California to Monterey Bay. We’re now into our 7^th year of COTC and have explored Northern California’s redwood forests, Napa Valley, the Russian River and an extensive exploration of the coastline from San Louis Obispo to the Point Arena Lighthouse. We do this ride every May.

But the crown jewel of long distance riding is “The Fortnight Ride” or “5000”. This is a well planned tour that usually takes about two weeks and covers over 5000 miles, hence the name. Daily averages range from 325 to 450 miles and can span 12 hours of riding. The sights, sounds and smells of this kind of riding can only be experienced – no amount of writing or explanation can express the complete immersion you feel as the miles click by. To give you a brief example – one does not simply ride through an area… you are part of the environment and all of its exposures. You are part of the landscape. You are the weather, the wind and the aromas. There are no glass windshields, no A or B pillars, no roof and no floors to block the views. Everything is taken in all around you all at once. Imagine Banff National Park in Canada and the Columbia Icefields. Imagine the Juan de Fuco Straight and Vancouver Island. Imagine Glacier National Forest and the Going-To-The-Sun Road. Imagine Yellowstone Park and the Yellowstone Grand Canyon. Now imagine all this with no obstructions, no time limits and sharing it with friends. That is the essence of long distance riding and is the pinnacle of the riding experience. It’s an opportunity to get the full measure of why you bought that expensive toy in the first place. It doesn’t matter if it’s American or Metric. It’s not important if it’s an 800cc V-Twin or a 2000cc 6 cylinder motor. It makes no difference if you like day trips for coffee and pie or the occasional overnighter trip to San Diego. The only thing that matters is that IF you bought it and are licensed to ride it and can do so safely… then why not ride it? So many of the bikes purchased in the last 5 years are barely ridden with less than 5000 miles on the odometer. Imagine the opportunities that have passed you by or will pass you by again.

We used to hang out together and do family activities. Some still do. We used to go to the lake or river and waterski till our arms fell off. Some still do. We used to have an “Auxillary” that promoted family time and department get-togethers. Some departments still do. We used to live within 20 miles of each other and spontaneously visit each other – “check in” – as it used to be known. Some still do. But most of us… don’t. The past is the past and life moves on. Rookies become veterans and familiar faces eventually retire. In between that period of time is the place called “The Dash”. It’s the written place marker on your tombstone that is in between the year you were born and the year you died. It’s the dash. This is the time that life is lived and careers are made. This is the moment for living and experiencing the opportunities that you create. How are you living your dash? Are you satisfied with what it represents? Could you do more? See more? Experience more?

Mike Alder, Mike Clark and I decided to finish what we had started over a year ago. We had planned on a two week trip up the coast and into Canada. Plans were made and then put on hold. The decision was made early in ’08 to follow through and complete our 5000+ mile trip. On Sunday, July 13^th, 2008, we started at the Mobil Gas Station on 4^th Street at the Ontario Mills Mall and finished late Monday evening, July 28^th. All of the sights I wrote about above are just some of the sights we saw plus hundreds more. On top of that we met some amazing people and rode with some of them on a spur-of-the-moment suggestion. We were invited to a steak dinner in Hinton, Alberta, Canada and made gifts of our department patches to some of the people that we met. We helped a few poor souls that needed assistance and had our picture taken by several people that didn’t speak a word of English. We rode through some interesting weather and spent some time realizing that we were doing the right thing at the right time. We were riding to improve our skills and at the same time we were ambassadors of our department and the fire service as a whole. We answered endless questions and thanked them for their kind words of support and praise for those that were currently on the fire line. We saw some amazing sights and managed to complete our trip without even one negative comment or personality issue - an accomplishment that has us all baffled.

The reality is this – If you have a motorcycle, ride it. Our time together as a fire service family has become more complex and not easily shared anymore due to schedules, distance, age and personal tastes. The purpose of this little article was to reminisce, share, offer and support. Our trip was truly a lifetime experience and one that all three of us have decided to repeat in the very near future. Our Chrome on the Coast ride is an annual affair and is open to everyone. There are numerous opportunities for day rides and special events throughout the Southern California area all year long. I / We simply wanted to show you all what a great time we had and extend an open invitation to anyone reading this - if you have a motorcycle, you’re invited. The choice is yours on how you want to live your dash.

Cheers!

Bill Beaumont

Mike Alder

Mike Clark

San Bernardino City Fire Department