I have a favorite group of people.
They aren’t who anyone would expect. I’m a 17-year-old girl. Most girls my age love shopping and scrolling through social media. Yes, I also love those types of things, but I also love something else that people are oftentimes surprised by.
The extensive country roads, as well as the highways, are where I’d like to be. Not in a car, but on a motorcycle. Not on a sport bike, but on a touring bike. The comfortable backseat of a Harley-Davidson or Indian Motorcycle is my happy place.
Once spring hits, the bikes are brought out from storage to hit the road. Getting up at 7 a.m. on a Saturday to join my dad and my grandparents on a day-long trip is my favorite way to spend the day.
We often stop along the way at random bars and smaller restaurants. Our favorite spot to stop is the American Legion Post 49, located atop a hill in South Haven. American Legions are gathering places for veterans and their families but are also prominent hotspots for motorcyclists. Post 49 is where I was first exposed to a group of people that I never had expected to adore so much.
For Memorial Day, a charity ride was hosted there to raise money for veterans. The ride began at the South Haven American Legion, looped to the Coloma American Legion, and eventually back to Post 49. In total, 810 bikes were there, with 1,200 total riders partook in the event.
Usually, I’m not a social event enthusiast, so I was a little timid at first when my dad brought up the topic of the ride. Underestimating how many people would be there, I agreed to attend the ride with my dad, my grandpa, and one of my grandparents’ friends. We arrived early to grab a quick complimentary breakfast that was provided. Although we were there two hours early, Post 49 was packed. I’d seen the type of people there before, but never this many congregated in one place.
The majority of the people at the Memorial Day ride were what people would think a stereotypical hard-core touring bike rider to be. Many of them wore leather vests, bandanas, big boots, had long and gray beards, tattoos, and, of course, were decked out in Harley-Davidson or their bike of choice’s merchandise. Most people there looked very intimidating and tough, but they were the definition of don’t judge a book by its cover. Those bikers were among the kindest and funniest people I had ever met.
This huge group of people with a similar interest had been brought together for a charitable and beautiful cause: to help raise and donate money to the community’s veterans.
I was surprised to discover that my grandpa was familiar with so many of them. I stuck around him and my dad while we were at either of the Legions, so I was introduced to many new people. I had never met such genuine and kind-hearted individuals in my life. Getting to see the soft and gentle side of them changed my perspective and how I see people from then on.
They might look intimidating, but they are the sweetest, friendliest, and most welcoming people I have had the joy of knowing and meeting. Meeting people with tough exteriors who turn out to have a soft, kind, and respectful way of behaving has taught me never to assume things about people, no matter how they may look.
