SOME HOME GROWN STORIES!!!!

The sun had already set by the time she pulled into her grassy campsite. Trees lined the site and made the spot seem even darker than it was. That was fine with the rider. Her body ached for the calm and the quiet. All she wanted to do was get off of the throbbing rock of hot iron she had been stradling for the past 25 days.

The trip had begun as a motorcycling getaway. Just fun filled days of leisurely riding to see the land. There was no schedule, no plan. Just a few days to get away from the job and the hectic city life. However, within two days of starting out, she felt an urgency in her riding. She felt the desire to ride hard, long and fast. For reasons unknown and undefinable to her, she had been pushing herself for these past 25 days. Maybe she was testing herself. Maybe she was punishing herself. She didn't know. All she knew was that tonight she had to stop. She needed to get off the bike and enjoy the feel of a warm fire and the pleasure of sleeping for more than two hours.

The campground she had entered was empty but for one lone mini van at the other end of the grounds. She had spotted the elderly couple sitting at their campfire as she rumbled past. Looks of disgust crossed their faces as she pounded passsed; her exhaust pipes announcing her presence. "So what else is new?", she thought. She had seen those same faces in every town she passed through. Different people, same faces. People usually snubbed their noses at the lone rider. They could not understand why a woman would ever have the desire to ride a motorcycle.....let alone want to ride around the country without a man leading the way!! She laughed at herself as she thought about it. She dismounted from her ride and allowed the pleasureable feeling of blood rushing down into her legs flow over her. It felt good to stop for the night.

It didn't take long to unpack the bike. Her saddlebags carried a few basics; minimal clothing and a toothbrush. Her bedroll consisted of a sleeping bag and a tarp. Her nights had been spent tucked in her sleeping bag lying next to the bike. Her tarp covered both she and her ride, protecting both from the rains and the heavy morning dew. On those few occasions when she did lie down to rest for a few hours she would lie up close to the motorcycle enjoying the last remainder of warmth coming from the exhaust pipes. She would lie quietly, listening to the pinging of the engine cooling and imagining that she could actually hear the heart beat emanating from the Valkyrie that rested beside her.

It took but a few minutes to set up her camp and a few more to gather enough wood for a small fire. One just big enough to provide warmth for one, nothing more. With a strike of a match her mind settled and ragged nerve endings began to quiet their war path dance. The fire caught quickly and soon the fire's heat and glow began to soften her leathered edges. Within moments the last 25 days began to melt away. She relaxed and felt at peace with herself and her machine.

The lone rider hadn't been relaxing for long when the glare of a car's high beamed headlights pulled into her little sanctuary. Without turning down the beams a figure stepped from the car carrying a flashlight with an equally disturbing beam. Cracking underbrush announced the advancing offender. "Hey, you buddy", a voice from the dark beckoned. "Hey, buddy, you there on the bike. You can't be in this campground. Didn't you see the sign at the entrance? It says No Motorcycles." His voice seemed hesitant. A hint of fear edged through. "Hey, buddy, didn't you hear me. No bikes are allowed in this campground. It's a family campground and we don't permit guys on bikes...especially loud ones." His fear was more obvious now. His flashlight scanned he site seeking out the person to whom he was directing his attack. Finally, his light fell on the lone female leaning up against the motorcycle. "Hey lady, are YOU the one riding the bike?" he asked in disbelief. The lone rider gave him a barely noticeable nod of her head. Realizing that the rider was a female he began to gain his confidence. When he pulled into the site he had feared that his path would cross that of a burly rider. But, a mere woman...!!! No problem, he thought to himself. "What are you, some kind of God damned retard or something? Can't you read?", he asked feeling in total control of the situation. "Pack your shit and get the hell out of here", he said as he stepped boldly into the rider's sanctuary. As he moved closer towards the fire he shined his light directly into the rider's face. Their eyes met for but a moment but that was all that was necessary. The park ranger dropped his light from the woman's face and stumbled backwards. He quickly began to fumble his way back toward his vehicle. "You need to pack up and get the hell out right now. I want you out before I get through my next rounds. Got that?", he hollered over his shoulder as he scrambled to his car. He jumped into the car and floored it back out of the site throuwing dirt and sticks in its wake. Through this barrage the lone rider never spoke nor had she even shifted her weight from one foot to another. She had only looked at the ranger when he shined his light in her face. He saw the days of endless riding, the hours of enduring. The lack of sleep, the lack of food and the lack of social contact. He saw her face and he was afraid.

The rider stood for a moment contemplating the events that had just taken place. In the matter of less than 2 minutes her respite had been shattered. Experience told her that the ranger would indeed be back and even though she knew he would not try to 'make' her leave he would make her stay here an unpleasant one at best. With that, she kicked dirt into her small fire snuffing out the heart of her little paradise. She was packed in minutes and mounted up. As she rode out of the campground she again passed the elderly couple by their fire. She popped her throttle as she passed allowing the bark of her mufflers to disturb them yet again. She drove out slowly from the grounds. As she approached the exit the ranger with the intrusive flashlight stood by his car near the ranger station. She stopped at the exit gate and met his gaze. Again, she cranked on the throttle creating a cacophany of deafening sound from the rear of the big Honda. The ranger dropped his eyes from her. With that she pulled away driving slowly. The ranger did not look up.

The dark night closed in around the lone rider. The evening's events had added to her unease. Her legs felt like lead and her hands tingled from the vibrations in the bike. She needed to stop.....to find another campground. No....that wouldn't work. It was too late at night and her reception would be the same. She would simply pull off to the side of the road to camp. She had done it before and tonight would be no different. With this in mind she began scanning the roadsides for a suitable spot. The wind had picked up and flashes of sheet lightening were beginning to cross the skies ahead. Rain. Rain would add insult to her injuries this evening. With her head down into the wind, she rode ahead toward the oncoming clouds. As the rider scanned for a spot, sheet lightening flashed a sihoulette ahead. A barn...a great monolith of a barn off to her left. Bingo! she thought to herself as she accelerated ahead. Gravel crunched under her tires as she rode alongside the building keeping time with the thunder gaining momentum off in the distance. She could see no other buildings around and in fact, closer inspection proved that the barn had not been used in quite some time. Though the roof looked to be intact, the interior smelled of old livestock long since gone, and musty hay. She rode the bike through an open doorway. The door was gone but the entrance was on the lee side of the wind. No rain would touch her tonight!

She parked her bike and again began the process of cutting the umbilical cord that connected the two of them during this trip. She dismounted and stamped her feet in an attempt to get the tingling to stop. The stamping sent up little wisps of dust from the dirt floor. Looking up she realized that the building was massive inside, easily three stories and open. As her eyes began to adjust to the darkness she noticed piles of old wood off to the side. Probably the remains of the big barn doors that were missing. "A fire", she thought. The floor was dirt and the roof was high. She could make a small fire. "This evening might be salvageable after all", she said to herself. Gathering some of the more manageable pieces of tinder dry wood, she made a small pile and struck her match. The collection caught quickly and within moments the fire drove away the shadows and ghosts of the night. A gust blew through the open doorway and swirled dust and sparks monentarily, but it died away as quickly as it came. The rain began to fall pelting heavily off of the metal sheathed roof. The sound sent a shiver through the rider's body. It felt good to be inside away from prying eyes. She pushed the bike into the shadows then settled herself into a pile of old straw that was heaped inside the room. Indeed, it felt good to be inside. She looked into the fire then over to the bike. It sat pinging gently to itself as it cooled. She turned back to her fire and allowed her eyes to droop.

"It feels good to be out of the rain after a long ride doesn't it?", a quiet voice spoke out from a dark shadowy place. The sound sent the rider immediately to her feet scanning the room in search of the origin of the voice. Or was it a voice? Was it real or imagined? She had been sleeping hadn't she? She continued scanning, her breath coming in short gasps. "Relax", came the voice again. "You're safe here." "Who...where....?", stammered the rider. She heard a shuffling around as the man behind the voice got to his feet back in the shadows and then stepped forward into the small circle of firelight. "Stay back from me", the rider ordered. "Like I said, relax", he repeated. "I'm no danger to you. The others......those out there, are you enemies, not me", he added nodding his head toward the open barn door. "Wh..wh..what are you doing in here?", the rider demanded. "Well, lady, looks to be about the same thing you're doing in here...gettin' in out of the rain and the dark", explained the man. He shot a thumb over his shoulder in the direction he had walked from. In the murky shadows she could barely make out the outline of a motorcycle standing near the wall. "Been riding a long time", he said. "I needed somewhere to stop for the night to get out of this storm that was blowing up. I figured this looked pretty good." He stepped further into the light. The fire was between them and he was able to see her more clearly. Her gaze never left his eyes. His eyes scanned over her. He saw the miles of road flying beneath her, the weight of the bike pulling on her arms. He saw the toll she was paying. "I see that you've been on the road a while too", he commented in a barely audible whisper. He continued to meet her gaze and in those moments, years of understanding passed between them. She saw the rugged edge to his face, and the deep set, piercing blue eyes. She saw the way the sun had tanned his skin to a rich brown and how that same sun had set the small wrinkles around his eyes, giving off and air of experience and knowing. He was tall and his browned arms pulled the material of his shirt tight in the sleeves and across his chest. His long hair was a rich brown also, with small flecks of gray beginning to appear at his temples. It hung loose and full about his shoulders; small wisps of old straw were caught in it's entanglement. She dropped her eyes from him, feeling a flush rising to her cheeks and ears. She sat back in her spot in the musty straw. "Do you mind if I join you at your fire?", he asked quietly and in a humbled tone. She shook her head and motioned for him to to sit. He walked back to the shadows and pulled a small blanket up to the fire. He settled himself in the old straw across the flames from her. Sitting close enough to study the young woman he had just encountered, yet away from her personal space. She watched him with a wary eye. She was neither in the mood for company nor small talk. The dark haired man sensed her air of solitude and he sat quietly.

The minutes ticked away as the two loners, thrown together by nature's circumstances, sat mutely, each on their own side of the fire. The woman tried not to stare at the rugged stranger. She was exhausted and needed sleep, but her wariness of this man combined with the disturbing rush she was feeling by being in his presence, worked against her sleepy inclinations. The man could feel her eyes upon him. He looked up and met her gaze. "I've been on the road a long time", was all she managed to say. "It's eating away at you isn't it?", he asked quietly. "You start off on a leisurely trip to do a little exploring and the next thing you know your whole world has turned upside down." His voice, low and gravely, drew her deeper into his world. His words struck a nerve with the woman and she sat more upright, more alert. "I know where you've been and where you're coming from, because I have been there and back. Whatever it is you are looking for..........it ain't out there lady." His voice had remainly subdued as he spoke. With every little movement of his head his thick hair fell forward and he continually brushed it back from his eyes. The woman watched, drinking in his every move, not knowing why she was so drawn to this man...this stranger who for all outward appearances was frightening. She continued to sit without speaking. "You see, I was just like you once. Nice motor, time on my hands and the world on my front door step. I can see it all in your eyes. You've got a longing in your bones and you ain't got no idea what is causing it or how to satisfy it." She continued to watch him.....watching the words escaping from his lips; his leathery hands as he continued to brush back his hair; and watching the fire that flared in his eyes each time they met hers. "That was 15 odd years ago and I ain't never been back home. As long as I can keep a little money in my pocket, gas in my motor and my heart pounds in my chest, I'll continue that search." As he spoke he pounded his fist on his chest causing the woman to start and catch her breath. With that he turned his attention to the fire, poking around the dwindling flames with a stick. After many minutes he spoke again......"Go home young miss.......while you still can and time is still your friend. Go home." He raised his head and met her gaze. The fire glinted off the moisture building in his eyes. "Go home......". Everything that the woman had been through during the past weeks came flooding over her. The long days, the heat, the cold, the rain....the endless hours of riding, searching, wondering.....It finally came together. THIS was what she had been searching for. This meeting, with this man, in the middle of nowhere on a stormy night. She stood and walked over to the man. He continued to push the dying ashes around with a stick. She knelt before him and with her hand, lifted his chin and looked into his eyes. His gaze was so intense she was frightened for an instant. She was so close. She could feel his breath on her face. She took his face in both of her hands and leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips. Fireworks exploded in her brain.....time stood still yet pictures of her journey flashed through her brain. Yes...this is what she had been searching for. Her search had taken her from one ocean to another, yet here it ended, in a desolate barn in the middle of a rain storm. "I've been searching for 15 years...." was all he managed to say as he clutched her in a passion's embrace and dragged her to him, crushing her against his chest. He kissed her full and hard on the mouth, almost as if he dare not believe that she was here. Her head was spinning, she couldn't breathe. Her heart was racing but she knew she could not, would not fight this feeling welling up inside of her. She reached her hands into his hair, grabbing great fistsful and pulled him tighter to her. She opened her heart and her being to this man...this stranger.....this gift from the Gods! She pushed the stranger back onto his makeshift bed of old straw. Pulling back she saw the fire in his eyes, the wanting on his lips. "This......," she said in a bare whisper. "This is what I have been searching for." She leaned over him, her hair dragging across his face and kissed him lightly, first on the mouth and then moved slowly over his weathered face. She watched him as he watched her move; the meager light from the fire sparkling in his eyes. She sat up, straddling his tight frame, and began to unbutton her cotton shirt now covered with old straw. "Wait", said the stranger in a raspy voice. "More wood...we need more wood on the fire. I want to watch you. I want to see you. I want to watch you make love to me." He laid still for a moment more. "I have seen every breathingtaking sight that this country has to show me these passed 15 years," he began, "yet nothing will compare to the beauty of this, of you, and of this moment." The woman moved to the fire and added more wood as requested, poking and stirring the dwindling flames until it sparked to life again. The dry wood caught quickly and within moments was burning brightly. Standing with her back to the fire, the rider continued her mission of unbuttoning her shirt. Her hands shook but she was not afraid. She was eager, she was wanting and she was needy. Yes, needy was how she felt. She needed this man, this night, this fire. It felt as if God had predestined this to happen. Her shirt was open and she slowly pulled it back revealing her anxious and ample breasts cupped ever so delicately in their protective lingerie. The stranger stood and walked over to her, immediately cupping her breasts in his hands and kising her again, hard on the mouth. She grabbed for his arms to keep from falling backwards and she felt the strength and power under his shirt sleeves. He grabbed at the material of her underclothes and pulled, tearing the thin band of cloth that held his prize intact. Without restraints, her breasts stood proud and eager. Like a man possessed, he dropped to his knees and buried his face into her chest, holding her tightly against himself. She heard him breathe deeply, smelling the erotic mixture of all that she was. His mouth found its way to first one nipple and then the other, nuzzling and cooing under his breath. His pleasure was obvious and she tilted her head back and clutched his head to her. He looked up at her and their gaze met yet again. Only this time, there was no fear, no wariness in her look, only wanting. "I want you to make love me", escaped from his lips and he pulled her to the ground beside him. Time seemed to stand still for the rider. Every move was in slow motion as the night hours ticked away. She watched as he stripped the clothes from her body. She watched as his mouth explored her; explored her mouth, her neck, her breasts. She watched the fire light dance off of his sweat glistened back as he buried his face into her, touching places that had never been touched before. And she watched his face.......never closing her eyes or taking her gaze away from his as he entered her, thrusting into her again and again. Visions of the past month passed through her mind in a kaleidoscope of colors and fragrances and textures. She felt herself building and rising. She felt the tightening in her and her need to release everything that had been building up in her these passed weeks. Suddenly, in an explosive moment she cried out clutching the stranger. She rose to meet his trusts as the sweat from his naked chest dripped onto hers. In an instant he was with her, crying out and burying himself into her. As suddenly as the thunder that clapped outside, it was over. They lay together atop the old straw, in an old barn, while the rain thundered down around them. Neither dared to speak for fear the spell would be broken. After many moments the rider dared to speak. "I don't even know your name. I finally find the man I have searched for my entire life, I share the most exhilarating experience of my life yet I don't even know your name." He lay beside her so quietly that she feared he was asleep. Then, as he slowly opened his eyes he replied, "I am the Wind Rider and I have always been with you. You only had to search as far as your arms could reach. I have always been here, always with been with you. Across every mile, every highway, ever river, I have been there." And with that he closed his eyes. She watched him as he lay beside her breathing slowly. She looked over his taunt body and the magnificance that it held within. She watched him until she could no longer keep her eyes open, and she fell asleep safely wrapped in his arms.

Morning broke early and fresh.....as God's first day would have been like. The rider opened her eyes expecting to see the Wind Rider by her side. He was not! He was gone! She sat up quickly and looked about. There was not a trace of him. His blankets were gone, his motorcycle....him! How could he have left without her knowing, without her hearing him? Why would he leave? She stood quickly and ran to the open doorway and gazed out into the glorious morning....fresh, new...a new beginning. Suddenly she realized that the Wind Rider had not left....he had never been there. The Wind Rider was within her, was part of her and would always be there with her. She smiled into the wind and turned towards the rising sun. In the distance she thought she heard the thunder of an old motorcycle riding endlessly down a dusty highway. She turned toward her bike and began to pack her gear, smiling. It would be a long ride home!!