Loyalty.............................

Loyalty............seems to be a foreign concept in today's society.  When I first learned how to ride, it was an unspoken rule, a belief system that was integrated into your being, not just written in a "by law".  It was knowing that the person riding beside you had your back, that the people you are standing around and sharing your love of riding for, had your back, no matter what your predicament was, they were there.

It was a wonderful feeling knowing that the people you were riding with were people you could count on.  That the guy or girl on the bike next to you was "family".  No matter our differences, no matter our uniqueness, they would be there for me when needed.  It was a nice warm feeling that I never had to worry about being lied to, cheated or back stabbed.  You didn't need a patch to prove you were a biker and that you held these values to heart.  We were honest, loyal and had the utmost respect for each other and each other's differences.

In today's biker lifestyle I have found that you will be lied to, even when you show enough respect to ask forthright honest questions.  That your biker "family" will run at the first sign of adversary, that they will turn their backs on you in your time of need, that they will take the things you work hard on and hold true and dear and attempt to use them for themselves.  That they will see your idea and try to steal it.  These are not true bikers.  True bikers stand strong behind their brothers and sisters, they don't turn their backs, they don't quit in the light of adversity, they damn sure don't take up with the adversary.

Please know that this is not written with hatred nor am I mad, disappointed maybe, but not mad and no hate.  I am proud to say that in my many travels I have been honored in knowing some of the best bikers around.  I have "family" from back when I first started riding that is "family" to this day and I have new "family" members that I know without a doubt, I can count on. I have been lucky to find a few that believe in the same code I do.  The "OLD" code.  What we call "Old School" bikers.  The others, the ones that came and left, they were but lessons learned.  Some I still cherish, I just know that when it came down to the wire, they would not be the ones I call to ask for help or count on.  I am sure we all have some of those in our lives.  They bring me down to Earth and remind that we are not all made the same.

So, the next time you ride and you look to the side, I hope it fills you with the same warmth to know that the person there will be "there" no matter what.

MLH&R
~Whisky Girl~