Posted on 08/23/2005 12:53:01 PM PDT by martin_fierro
Motorcycle Mama
By THERESA HOGUE Gazette-Times reporter
Assisted living resident finally gets her Harley ride
Behind the front desk at Stoneybrook Assisted Living Center sat a pile of leather motorcycle gear and a shiny helmet, hidden from the view of passing residents. Guarding them carefully, administrative assistant Vickie Gregoroff giggled as she waited for resident Beulah Hatter to make her way downstairs for lunch.
"I'm just too excited," she said, practically bouncing in her seat.
Hatter, 82, has long maintained that she has two things she'd like to do before she died, ride a motorcycle in full gear, and drive a semi-truck. Her daughter, Nancy Payne, was determined to make at least one of those wishes come true for her mom, who has lung cancer.
"They don't call her the Mad Hatter for nothing," Payne joked about her mom, who has never hesitated to try anything. Payne said her mom is a real horseman, an artist and a gourmet cook, and was always doing crazy things, such as staging a mock-kidnapping of her daughter on her wedding day.
Beulah and her husband of 61 years, Norm, moved into Stoneybrook last year from Redding, Calif. Payne, a school teacher in Albany, wanted her parents close by, especially after Beulah was given three months to live by her doctor. But Beulah has already outlived that diagnosis by more than a year.
Payne wanted to arrange a motorcycle ride as a surprise for her mother's 82nd birthday in June, but the plan fell through when her friend Ron Freborg, a life-time Harley rider, injured his knee and couldn't take her. But Monday, a recovered Freborg pulled up to the front door of the assisted living center and marched inside and up to Beulah's table, where she'd just sat down to have lunch with Norm and their daughter.
Beulah, surprised but game, followed Ron out to the front of the center, where Payne helped her put on the leather gear that had been hidden behind the front desk.
"You better get on your chaps," Payne said, holding up a set of black leather pants.
"Oh my heavens, yes," Beulah said. "Oh my word!"
The chaps presented a little bit of difficulty.
"You're going to have to do the hokey pokey," Payne joked, as she maneuvered her mother's legs into the chaps.
"I can still do that good for an old lady," Beulah joked.
Payne slipped a black leather jacket over Beulah's shoulders, and took off her glasses long enough to put a helmet on her head. Beulah's oxygen tank, hidden in a small black backpack, fit over her shoulders, making it easy to take it along.
"Ok, you ready? Let's go!" Freborg said, leading Beulah over to his motorcycle. "The first rule is you've gotta enjoy it. The second rule is, when I lean, you only lean in the direction I lean."
As Beulah climbed on the back of the bike, her husband, Norm, made his way to the curb and stared at her.
"Look at that girl!" he said, staring in surprise. "What the hell are you doing there?"
He walked over and jokingly slugged her in the shoulder. When Freborg revved up the engine and the pair took off, Norm watched them go.
"I may never see her again," he said.
"This is just so special," Payne beamed as her mother and Freborg disappeared down the road. She and Freborg have been longtime friends, and he was the natural choice to fulfill one of Beulah's last wishes.
When the dynamic duo returned to the center, Beulah was flushed and excited from her ride.
"She's done this before," Freborg said, after helping her off. "She's too good of a pro."
"That was fantastic," Beulah beamed. "It was just wonderful."
Beulah and her family went back inside to get some brownies, topping off an exciting morning. Now, Beulah said, she has only one wish left, to drive a semi-truck.
"Even if it's only this far," she said, holding out her hands about two feet. "I doubt if I'll get that done."
But after having outlived a dire diagnosis, and taking a spin on a powerful motorcycle, anything is possible.
Wonder if her middle name is "Harley"?
This was also a wish of a friend of mine's mother who had cancer. He arranged for his mom to have the ride of her life. She was so thrilled. The Harley rider took her for an all day ride and even picked up the tab for lunch.
I think I could get another mile or two out of that tire!
R6 I think... gotta luv roadracing! Ihaven't done it in years, but when I did, it was by far the most fun I could ever have.
I have no idea what he's got in that motor, but I want it!
I have one! :-)
You want the list?
You betcha! Beats hanging all those Nitrous bottles in the nooks & crannies.
I met this Outlaw at the local Cruise Nite a couple of years ago that had THREE spun aluminum NOX bottles on his Electra-Glide; two, each the size of a small thermos, on the sides of the Tour-Pak above the saddlebags and one Big one under the Tour-Pak. He said he got tired of running out every night!
That guy is something else . . .
ROFL!!! The guys ate up with sniffin it!! :-)
Freepmail, with list, comin up.
Congratulate Mrs. Chuckster on her riding and racing accomplishments ~ good job!
Do you ride also?
Old curmudgeons like to go fast too. ;)
Bingo! Yes, its an R6. I gave up racing when I was in my twenties but the Mrs. was 38 in her last season when she finished first in 600 production and 3rd in 600SS (On the same bike). The other club members were complaining that she was hurting membership because the young hotshot guys didn't like getting beat by an "Old Woman" and wouldn't come back after being spanked. Now we're talking about getting into vintage racing and looking for a suitable platform; I want a Triumph, she wants a Honda. Guess its the age difference.
See my #30 to SFC Chromey. Yeah, I'm a lifelong biker. Mrs wouldn't have me otherwise. Current ride is a Sportster based street tracker with Buell Lightning front end, Buell engine except for the cases, JMC aluminum swingarm, Progressive shocks and 17 inch wheels. She just sold her TL1000R Street bike. My company car is a '05 Road King.
Sounds great ~ you got it all! ;)
I used to race 600-SS and F1 with a 86 Ninja 600 and 250 Prod and SS with a 250 Ninja AFM at Sears Point,CA
Sometimes I have to wear a suit to work so I can't always hop on my Duc.
I drive one of those terrr-r-r-r-r-ible SUV's, but I put a few miles per week on my Ducati 900ss. I also have a YZ-250 for playin in the dirt when the Jeep can't keep going.
The wife (maximus-ridiculousness) doesn't find the back seat of the Duc all that appealing, so until I buy a Gold Wing or bigger, its solo rides for me.
Just bought the wife a Jeep Rubicon Unlimited, and our first picture of the new Jeep was four wheeling in Tahoe forest with the dealer tags still on it :)
My next goal is to get her out dirt biking. If she can ride half as good as she can shoot she'll do just fine!
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