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Saturday’s annual pet food run was a huge success!

Thanks to the generous hearts of bikers from all over the province, the Maritime Motorcycle Touring Association’s annual run to benefit SHAID Tree Animal Shelter was the biggest and best yet.

More than 130 bikes, the largest number we’ve ever attracted, participated in the run on a beautiful sunny day. Many of those bikes had two riders, so it’s safe to say about 200 riders took part in the event.

Those same bikers, helped out by a couple of local businesses, also donated $1,329.25 in cash and about $600 worth of pet food to the Whynotts Settlement shelter. Good for you, good for us as the sponsoring bike club and, most importantly, good for the animals who will benefit. It costs a lot of money to operate SHAID all year round and every little bit helps.

There were a few very special bikers along for the ride on Saturday. Jake was not the only dog on the run! He was joined by a dog travelling in a sidecar (it might have been a Shih Tzu — if not, I apologize, I never did get close enough to meet that four-legged rider) and a black female chihuahua. What could be more appropriate than dogs riding in a run to benefit other dogs.

Our RoadDog had a fantastic day. He hung out with his people from the bike club, he met lots of new people who came along to say hi, and he had a great ride in the sunshine in his new carrier. Jake always seems to catch the excitement of a charity run with so many bikes and lots of waving and tooting horns. He just loves it.

I have to say, unfortunately, the day wasn’t without incident. The run went off without a hitch, but two riders were injured after they left the shelter and headed back toward Bridgewater. A driver travelling in the other direction didn’t see them or didn’t look or something and cut them off. The bike had nowhere to go. The skid mark where he braked was no more than 10 feet long.

Luckily, Mike and Beth are going to be okay. They’re banged up and bruised and, I have no doubt, incredibly sore, but thankfully they’ll be okay. Their bike is toast, but it can be replaced.

It was a scary thing to ride up to that crash scene just moments after it happened, realize it was a bike and then learn that we knew the riders and they’d just left the shelter moments earlier. It could have been any one of us and we were all so grateful that they weren’t more seriously hurt.

Please, please, try to watch for bikes on the road. Please, please, pay attention to your driving and the road and the traffic around you, instead of looking here, there and everywhere.

Saturday was a good day for the animals, but it wasn’t quite so good for people.
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It’s that time of year again when RoadDog does his part to help his four-legged friends.

Saturday is the Maritime Motorcycle Touring Association’s annual Pet Food Run to benefit SHAID animal shelter. The run will leave the parking lots across from Mahone Bay’s three churches at 1 p.m., head through Maders Cove to Lunenburg, then through Dayspring to Bridgewater, before winding its way to the shelter in Whynotts Settlement.

Our bike club is usually lucky enough to attract fellow bikers from around the province to participate in this worthy cause. Lots of times, we also have people who sit roadside in cars or on their lawns and porches to cheer us on.

It really is a fantastic day, all the better if the weather co-operates, and it’s one of Jake’s favourite group rides. It’s often his first chance to see “his people” (MMTA members) and the first big gathering of bikes and riders after a long winter.

I doubt very much if Jake has any idea of the significance of what we’re doing for other animals, although he enjoys seeing the dogs when we get to SHAID. Steve and I, however, are very aware of how lucky we are in our little family. All animals should have loving homes and everyone should experience and appreciate the unconditional love of a pet, either the total adoration of a dog or the cooler independence of a cat. SHAID provides a wonderful link between animals who need to be loved and people who can love them.

The riders who participate in Saturday’s pet food run will donate money and supplies, such as pet food and kitty litter, to the shelter. Everyone is invited to participate — Hondas and Harleys, Kawasakis and Victories, Suzukis and choppers, all riders are welcome. As well, anyone doesn’t ride on two wheels who wishes to help a good cause can drop off donations to club members (we wear bright yellow jackets) in Mahone Bay between 12:30 and 1 p.m. or at SHAID. The riders should be there by 1:45 p.m.

On behalf of his four-legged friends, RoadDog says thank you.
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Steve had one of those weird and wonderful RoadDog experiences recently that I just have to write about.

He had taken a vacation day to do some things around the house. Jake had spent most of the afternoon outside with him, so when Steve decided it was time for a Tim’s run (he’s addicted too), he decided to take Jake with him.

Now you have to understand our RoadDog loves to go on the motorcycle, but he’s not so thrilled about the car or, in Steve’s case, the truck. We can’t trust him to behave so, unless we all go together and Jake rides on my lap, we have a doggie harness that the seat belt attaches to which helps to keep our boy, and us for that matter, safe.

So on this afternoon Steve put Jake in the harness and put him on the passenger’s seat and away they drove. They went to the drive-thru Tim’s at Exit 12 and Steve ordered his coffee and a couple of honey dip bits for Jake (I always knew he ordered the coated ones on purpose although he tries to deny it).

When Steve pulled up to the window and paid, the woman noticed Jake in the truck. I understand from Steve that it would have been hard to miss our lovable Cairn given the whining and “talking” that he was doing. Apparently, he knew exactly where he was and was anxious for his treat.

So the woman passed Steve the order and started to say “he’s so cute,” but she just barely got the words out and quickly asked “is that RoadDog?” Surprised and I think sort of awestruck, Steve confirmed that it was.

Anyway, to the nice woman in the Tim Horton’s drive thru, thank you, I think you made Steve’s entire day. And Jake’s too — he drove home with his nose up against the little brown paper bag with the Timbits in it and enjoyed them very much when he arrived there. The way to our boy’s heart is definitely via his tummy.
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Because this is Motorcycle Awareness Month, this week I’ve decided to write less about RoadDog’s adventures and more about safety for him and all the other riders out there.

Anyone who rides will tell you the biggest hazard of riding a motorcycle isn’t the bike, it isn’t balance, it isn’t going too fast into sharp turns, it isn’t deer, it isn’t even those massive potholes that have been appearing all over our roads in recent years. The biggest worry about riding a motorcycle is other vehicles on the roads and by vehicles, I really mean drivers.

First, there are the drivers that don’t see motorcycles, mostly because they don’t look for them. Bikes have daytime running headlights to help solve this problem and many bike owners, my husband included, opt for loud pipes, not to annoy everyone around them, but to increase their chances of being noticed on the road and staying alive. (Admittedly, some of us also think they sound pretty sweet.)

That’s the same reason we ride in a staggered pattern when we ride in groups. By alternating bikes between the inside and outside of the lane, we increase our chances of being seen and give ourselves the best chance of avoiding hazards. We ride in that formation to help protect ourselves. We’re not trying to annoy anyone, so please don’t put people at risk by trying to force your way into the middle of a group of riders.

And speaking of driving close to bikes, please don’t tailgate us. A bike handles differently than a car. There are times when we slow down when the driver of another vehicle may not (remember those aforementioned potholes). We can also stop faster and the last thing we need if we brake suddenly for a hazard (such as a car pulling out in front of us) is another driver hitting us from behind. I personally have an aversion to the idea of being shot putted through the air.

And please don’t pull out in front of a motorcycle because it’s smaller than your car or truck and you think it will slow down. The next time that urge strikes, please ask yourself if you’d pull out in front of an 18-wheeler coming at you from the same location. If the answer is no, please show the bike the same respect. If the answer is yes, you clearly have other issues you might want to consider.

There are a lot of very considerate drivers out there and Steve, Jake and I have been fortunate enough to meet lots of them in cars and on bikes. (You meet a lot of people when you ride around on a motorcycle with a dog.) But just as one bad rider on a motorcycle can ruin things for others by getting us all painted with the same brush, one inconsiderate driver can make those of us on two wheels angry and wary.

Everyone should share the roads fairly, so please remember to think about those riders you see out there. One of them might be RoadDog.

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In recognition of Motorcycle Awareness Month, I’m posting the following item which travels around bike circles. I have no idea of its origin, but it is so true.

But you didn’t see me

I saw you hug your purse closer to you in the grocery store line. But you didn’t see me put an extra $10 in the collection plate last Sunday.

I saw you pull your child closer when we passed each other on the sidewalk. But you didn’t see me playing Santa at the local mall.

I saw you change your mind about going into the restaurant. But you didn’t see me attending a meeting to raise more money for the hurricane relief.

I saw you roll up your window and shake your head when I drove by. But you didn’t see me driving behind you when you flicked your cigarette butt out the car window.

I saw you frown at me when I smiled at your children. But you didn’t see me when I took time off from work to run toys to homeless children.

I saw you stare at my long hair. But you didn’t see me and my friends cut 10 inches off for Locks of Love.

I saw you roll your eyes at our leather coats and gloves. But you didn’t see me and my brothers donate our old coats and gloves to those who had none.

I saw you look in fright at my tattoos. But you didn’t see me cry as my children were born and have their names written over and in my heart.

I saw you change lanes without warning while rushing off to go somewhere. But you didn’t see me going home to be with my family.

I saw you complain about how loud and noisy our bikes can be. But you didn’t see me when you were changing the CD and drifted into my lane.

I saw you reading the newspaper or map as you drove down the road. But you didn’t see me squeeze my wife’s leg when she told me to take the next turn.

I saw you race down the road in the rain. But you didn’t see me get soaked to the skin so my son could have the car to go on his date.

I saw you run the yellow light just to save a few seconds of time. But you didn’t see me trying to turn right.

I saw you cut me off because you needed to be in the lane I was in. But you didn’t see me leave the road.

I saw you waiting impatiently for my friends to pass. But you didn’t see me. I wasn’t there.

I saw you go home to your family. But you didn’t see me. Because I died that day you cut me off.

I was just a biker … A person with friends and a family. But you didn’t see me.
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