Story By Fingers
When I woke up it was New Year’s Day 2015 and 29 degrees. Great day for a bike ride! When I rolled into the Cradle of Aviation I saw NCPD, Highway and State along with the Civil Air Patrol and dozens of volunteers from the More Foundation Camp Adventure team as well as my WBAB brothers and sisters. The museum and parking lot were buzzing hives of busy bee’s trying to stay warm. It was awesome. A school of leather clad, head wrapped, gloved and smiling men and women navigated through a sea of brightly colored steel and chrome to warm up with a hot cup of joe. Many have made this run their New Year’s tradition. Some are here for the first time. like Brittany, who was a camper and beat her cancer, then became a volunteer at camp and now has finally gotten a bike and this was her first run. Some are seasoned veterans making this their twelfth CFR.
Regardless of how many times you’ve made the run, riding on New Year’s Day in the cold never gets old. I know this by the handshakes and slaps on the back and the smiles and words of encouragement and appreciation I receive from the riders as well as the volunteers. I do this run for two reasons. One being the fact that I have lost so many, including my parents, to different forms of cancer, so it’s to honor them. Adults have the power to go for checkups and care for themselves, children rely on us adults, so it’s for the kids. The other reason is simply because I am very blessed to have the life I live. Sure I have challenges like everyone but I have two beautiful healthy children, a wonderful woman, a great circle of friends, the job I wanted as a kid, and God has my back. So this is my way of giving back.
At noon we mounted up and rolled out. I can’t explain the overwhelming feeling I get as I roll onto the parkways with the police shutting down the roads so we can enter, ride and exit safely all while being followed by a mile long string of motorcycles. As we rolled from the Meadowbrook onto the Northern and eventually onto the LIE, Police from all factions cruised all around making sure we were safe. I remember getting to the “handoff” (where Nassau Highway gives us to Suffolk Highway) on the L.I.E. and breaking down (emotionally) as this is the area where in 2012 we spread the ashes of my brother Ski, who usually rode right next to me. Watching the people in their cars on the other side of the expressway is always a blast. We do create quite the spectacle. Off the L.I.E. at 63 and down into Patchogue for our party at the Emporium with Vavoom rocking out.
At the club I jumped off my Road king (thanks to Harley Davidson of Nassau County) and stood at the door and thanked everyone for their support. My hand still hurts from all the handshakes Ha! A quick story and then to the thank you’s.
Last summer on my visit to Camp I met a young boy named Jesse. He was a little timid but still enjoying his first experience with camp, I think he was 7. Anyway, cute as a button and battling cancer. Sometime later in the summer I met Mike who has been compelled to do the CFR for years, but never quite knew why. Now he knows. He is Jesse’s dad. They along with brother Jake and Fariba (mom) joined me onstage at the end to share their story. May God bless your beautiful family and all of the More Foundations Camp Adventure family as well as you and yours for supporting this run.
Thank you to Nassau, Suffolk and State police, the Staff of the Cradle of Aviation, the staff of the Emporium, the town of Patchogue, Vavoom, Harley Davidson of Nassau County, Island Power Sports and Full Throttle Magazine and all the riders for all your support. See you all next year for number 13!
