Rolling Wolf Flat Tire Blues & Truck Stop Views

The trip kicked off like every great ride should — a full tank, a wide-open highway, in the middle of the night. Ole’red was purring smooth, the weather perfect, and I was locked in for a long haul toward Georgia after pitstop in Ohio then VA to see a Mile Monster Inc Hero!

Then… a truck with construction debris dropping junk all over the road got the best of me. Boy I wish I had TPMS installed even aftermarket, it happened fast and with all the added weight I had only short distance to the exit but the damage was done to the rim of the tire before I could plug the hole.

I yelled a kind… colorful choice words. I limped the bike to a gas station just off the interstate and tried to fix ole’ red. I finally found someone who was able to stop by pick me up and bring to a local shop – a family owned place went above and beyond to help a biker in need. They are kind of people who remind you why the motorcycle community is one of the best damn families out there. None of the big dealers by me in PA would even help me.

Paupack power sports garage in PA – thank you!

Shop owner dad came out to pick me up, meanwhile he sent his mom to get a tire over at Harley. How cool is that!

Later that evening I stopped at a Love’s truck stop, parked under the neon glow of diesel heaven, and set up camp in my trusty backpacking chair beside the bike to wait out a large storm cell.

It wasn’t glamorous, but it was just what I needed to rest for a few hours before heading further south. Wrapped in my jacket, head tilted against the tank, I drifted in and out of sleep between the growl of idling semis and the occasional honk of passing rigs and Shower stall # XX is now available!

From there, it was back on the road — through misty mornings, mountain passes, and scenic bridges like the jaw-dropping New River Gorge.

I stopped to meet a Mile Monster Hero along the way — these kids are pure light and strength rolled into small, unstoppable package. Seeing Jaxson’s face, sitting on the bike, hearing his giggles, and the awe upon giving him a Geocoin that I found — that’s the “why” behind every busted bolt and flat tire; that’s why.

It’s not just about the ride. It’s about the road between the breakdowns, the smiles between the storms, and the stories that make the miles matter.

-MarkyMark