NO RIDE WITH THE (OLD) LADIES OF HARLEY

Story and Photos by ITN European Reporter Herve’ Rebollo

Salut à toi American rider,

As you already know …i’m a lucky happy guy.

As you, I live in a wonderful country, I ride a Harley, I have a marvelous family, a great job…and I meet many people.

Life really surprises me every-day (What a luck!!!).

Some weeks ago I received such a strange phone call: a lady that I didn’t know called me explaining she found my book (about the Daytona Bike Week) on the Net and that she would like I come to introduce Harley Davidson and the motorcycle sub-culture to a group of ladies she has on charge … in a home retirement.

What?!?!?!!!!! Could you please repeat madam?!!? You want me to talk about motorcycle with old ladies ???? What a great and sooooooooooooooooooo cool idea!!!!! I’m already on my way madam!!!

And then three weeks later, on a sunny Monday afternoon, I was riding my bike, crossing Paris, it was time to meet this group of old ladies, new Harley fans. Should I say I was happy, curious …and a little bit nervous????

It was quite strange and funny being there discussing motorcycle, road trips across Europe and the USA, the MoCo, Sturgis and the Daytona bike week with these ladies … we even spent time talking about Hollister 1947 and the one percenters history. They had so many questions …

And of course, right after this almost three hours cession, came the time to meet the beast …

They all wanted to seat on the saddle (unfortunately, it was not possible for all of them physically speaking).

For the ones who were not able to seat on the bike it was still possible to make roaring the engine (what a success in this Parisian street with my Mohican exhaust system …). What a great funny noisy cession!!!

I have no words to describe how these some hours with them made me so happy, proud and grateful.

You know my friend, I really wish you once in your life such a wonderful (incredible) experience, sharing your passion (whatever it is) with a group of old people so far from your daily world.