November, 2004

November’s Rider What’s in a Name?
by Paula McCallum

Can you believe a guy named Hawk Hickok Hickman has the nickname Spooky? Well it’s true, he was nicknamed Spooky by his parents because of his Halloween birthday. “Hawk” is his legal name since he changed it in 2000. He feels everyone should be able to name themselves with something that suits their personality. An old flame coined “Hawk” because he always notices what’s going on around him in large groups. “Hickok” is a tribute to the western frontiersman, Wild Bill Hickok, and besides, it sounds good.

In his 61 years, Hawk has nested in 11 different roosts from Seattle to Honolulu until settling himself back in this area where he was born in Barnstable.

He taught mathematics for 5 years before working for Clean Harbors in 1980. He has sunk his talons in various part-time and interim jobs such as fishing, lobstering and sea-mossing for 25 summers. Sea-mossing, for those of you who aren’t familiar, was a major industry for Irish immigrants from Scituate and surrounding towns, of harvesting sea weed which began in 1880. It is used as a food stabilizer found in some baby foods, ice cream and get this, beer! (Is that how the Irish make green beer for St. Patty’s Day?)

Hawk’s first motorcycle was a ‘68 Triumph T100C 590 CCs, purchased in Tempe, AZ the 2nd year of graduate school at Arizona State University. He drove this bike home to Scituate which he says was 8 days of torture. The bike was small, had no windshield and it was unbearably hot driving through Arizona. At one point a tractor trailer lost its load of barrels just missing him. A June bug hit him so hard on the head it almost knocked him out. By the time Hawk got home bugs were so far embedded in his clothing they couldn’t be removed.

He sold the Triumph 2 years later, after getting hitched in ‘69. His motorcycle wings were clipped for 30 years, while raising his 4 “Hawklings”. He is now engaged to Jane M. Callahan. The lovebirds will marry next June.

Hawk took flight again at age 57, when he purchased his 2000 Harley Sportster. He kept it for a year before buying his current ride, a ‘99 Dyna Wide Glide.

His other joys in life besides Jane and motorcycling are ballroom dancing, rowing and running. He ran the Boston Marathon 4 times between 1995 and 2000, his best time being an impressive 3:59.

His life’s philosophy is to live life every day to its fullest and to treat everyone he meets with respect. His goals are to travel extensively, to continue to improve his dancing ability and to run and row competitively. He wants to look in the mirror at the end of the day and like who he sees without having any regrets. 

The Halloween Run
by Paula McCallum

With the roar of engines, some enthused riders burned rubber awaiting the start of the Halloween Run on Sunday, October 17th. The run raised money for HandiKids to send special needs kids to camp.

Bikes gathered in Canton for a hamburgers and dogs cookout before cruising through the foliage strewn backroads of Westwood, Needham, and Dover to reach its final destination on Hyde Park Avenue. All along the parade route bystanders were cheering on the more than 1,500 motorcycle riders, while some peeved motorists weren’t so thrilled to be held at various intersections.

There were many scary masks and painted faces but the favorite amongst the kids watching us go by were Winnie-the-Pooh and Tigger, two sons of Manomet Mystery Riders, Billy Ferguson Jr. and Chad Pittsley.  

Paulatics
by Paula McCallum

You’ve just come roaring into the parking lot of an “all you can eat” joint with a small group of bikers. There’s a thin layer or road grime covering your leather clad body and you don’t even want to know if that’s a bug now implanted in your teeth. Your hand is still tingling from the vibration of holding the throttle. You’ve got helmet head and all the fluffing in the world won’t make it look good. It’s bad enough to feel like you just got off a horse walking into the restaurant but then some “normal” person looks at you as if you’ve just robbed a bank or like something they stepped in outside.

Walking with your buddies to the tables that the waitress has just pushed together, everyone in the place is now giving you the hairy eyeball. You can just imagine what they’re thinking about your group. Look at those biker low life scum. You ignore them because you’re just hungry and want to crash; to have a soda and laugh with friends. But what you’d like to say is, hey, quit staring, we’re not stereotypical bikers. Us biker scum come in all different shapes and sizes from doctors and lawyers to construction workers, RNs and secretaries. We’re 9 to 5ers just like you. How do you think we pay for all that shiny chrome?

What they don’t understand is a biker’s passion for the open road. How could they? They’ve never experienced the Zen-like serenity we feel being part of the world not just simply passing through to our destinations. Feel sorry for the cage dwellers. To quote a famous statement, “If I have to explain, you wouldn’t understand”. When bikers see man’s best friend with his face out the window, fur blowing in the wind, we get it. It’s just like that, “Weeeeee!” Mind you, most of us forgo the doggy drool that goes along with it.   

Madam Secretary
by Paula McCallum

Deb Johansson is one of the founding members of the Manomet Mystery Riders. She has been the club secretary for the past five years and is now stepping down from her position to give someone else a chance to shine. We all thank her for the service, commitment and dedication that she has put into the job.

On September 28th, Deb and Lee celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. Lee surprised Deb the Saturday before by arranging to have their wedding vows renewed. They were just suppose to meet their daughter Jill, her boyfriend Michael, and Lee's childhood friend Paul O'Rourke and his wife Andrea for dinner. On their way to the restaurant, Lee tells Deb he wants to show her where their 38 Buick Special will be stored for the winter. Deb and Lee have always been classic car enthusiasts. Deb was getting a little hot under the collar thinking Lee was crazy and that they were going to be late for their dinner reservations. Lee shows her the garage and then pulls into someone 's driveway to turn around, when Deb innocently remarks, "Hi everyone we're here". That's when Lee shuts off the car and Deb is wondering what the heck are we doing in this stranger's driveway? Lee asks her to come with him. As they walk into the stranger's yard Deb sees her son Steve and is thinking “what is he doing here?”. Then their daughter Jill approaches them and hands Deb a bouquet pointing out that she had replicated the one from her original wedding day.

There was the JP awaiting, vows, which Lee had picked out, were exchanged and tears were shed. Deb wondered if this was really happening. Was this the same guy she had married 30 years ago? The same guy that would much rather buy her 6 different seats or some chrome for her bike than jewelry? When the rings were exchanged, Paul, instead of giving Deb Lee's old wedding ring, switched it to the one Deb had bought him as her gift for their anniversary. Their daughter had picked it up at the jewelers and let Deb think that it wasn't ready. Deb's thoughts about this special day, “It meant more to me than the actual day that we were married. It was simply beautiful.”

Deb drives a 2002 Dyna Super Glide and is the first female Road Captain. When Deb isn't riding her bike she holds the position as President of the Carver Garden Club. She enjoys hours of digging in the dirt and creating beautiful beds. She makes her living driving a school bus for the local Carver school district. She also enjoys working at a gift shop in Plymouth, further demonstrating her talents with flower arranging and decorating.

10 GOOD HABITS                                               
Source: www.motorcycle safety.state.mn.us

1. Be ready: mind, body and bike                              6. Before proceeding through any intersection
2. Be smooth check left, front, right and left again
3. Know where you are                                           7. When you slow, 1st check review mirror
4. Use your head (look where you’re going)              8. Keep a 2-4 second following distance
5. When your line of sight or path of travel becomes 9. Ride with a great attitude
restricted, reduce your speed & use great care           10. Practice

Keep in Mind
by Paula McCallum

Here’s a good example of number 5 from the list above of “10 Good Habits” to always keep in mind while driving a motorcycle.

One of our members was on his way to the Upland Riders Steve Cole Poker Run this summer when the truck in front of him put on his blinker to take a right. Slowing his bike to first gear, he waited long enough for the lane to be clear to make it through. He passed the truck on the left as the truck entered the turn, never crossing the yellow line while passing the truck.

Unfortunately, at the same time the truck was taking the right, a woman was pulling out of the street to take a left into the biker’s path. She was looking right to make sure the coast was clear and pulled out. She did not see the bike on her left as they collided. It happened so quickly, neither of them ever saw what was coming until it was too late.

The biker was able to kept his motorcycle upright the whole time but he was hit hard on the leg receiving minor injuries. Thankfully, his passenger remained unscathed.

So the next time you find yourself in this situation remember this accident. (#5) When your line of sight or path of travel becomes restricted, reduce your speed and use great care. Drive defensively, assuming that there is a vehicle lurking behind every truck. It may save you a trip to the hospital, lost wages or possibly your life. This biker was fortunate to live to ride another day.

Fall Warning
by Deane Laitinen