untitled
viviti
Saying Good-bye


The most beautiful sight that I have ever seen,
Is of a little old man on his foreign machine;
He was sitting in line waiting to pay,
At the entrance of a campground on a hot summer day;

His bike was all dirty and covered with grime,
You could tell he had been riding a very long time;
I told him he could camp anywhere that he liked,
He just stood there for minute and looked at his bike;

He pushed his bike up under a tree,
Sitting for a moment just looking at me;
He looked to me like he was saying goodbye,
I wanted to know the who, where and why;

He pulled out a tarp, bungies and bag,
Then wiped down his bike with a greasy old rag;
He placed his bag real close to his bike,
Laid down and went to sleep for the night;

I saw him downtown early the next day,
He looked so sad, so lonely, so far away;
I walked up to him and asked if he was all right,
He told me he had never seen such a sight;

The women riding so tough on their bikes,
In skimpy little shorts, or pants so tight;
The men looked the same so full of pride,
Standing and protecting their radical rides;

Some forty-nine years ago, he said, we started a ride,
My brothers, my sisters, my wife and I;
From Michigan lakes to Dakota hills,
On our Harley machines, those wonderful wheels;

We never thought it would come to this,
A sight that I knew, I couldn’t miss;
You see little lady, this is my last time,
I just came to tell a very old friend goodbye;

Young lady I have lived a very, very long life,
I have lost all my friends and even my wife;
My daughter and my son are both gone too,
I have done all the things I have wanted to do;
 
As I said, I am, just here to say goodbye,
To a very old friend before I die;
Pappy and I are all that are left,
I just cannot keep traveling, every year out west;

I had to tell this wonderful man goodbye,
I did not want him to see the tears in my eyes;
I saw Pappy later on that afternoon,
I had a feeling he would also be leaving soon;

Back at the campground, later that night,
Under the tree was someone else’s bike;
When we got home I heard Pappy died,
I hope my friend got to say his goodbyes;

Sometimes times I see him deep in my dreams,
That little old man on his foreign machine.



                               Written By an Old Time Old Lady
                               Living with an Old time Man.
                                     Mrs. Maddog

Thoughts of My Brother Fred

I remember shortly after I started this page I heard from Larry and he told me that Fred had asked why his picture wasn't on the site and Larry told him "That's because you aren't dead." Sorry that has changed.  Rocky 

 

That is sad news indeed.  Fred was always one of my favorite people.  I am sure that Kit and the rest will be waiting for them when they arrive at the "Pearly Gates". 

 

Lorin

Fred Erben

Page is under construction

 

FREDERICK A. ERBEN, 67, Vale, Ore., died April 28 at home. Memorial services will be held at a later date. Arrangements by Lienkaemper Chapel, Vale.

6/28/09

Fred passed away in his room. He was found by his (and our) Brother Larry who had been friends with Fred for forty years.

I have known Fred for about 35 years. Man, I will never forget the trips him, Larry and I made including several Bay area to Oregon runs. The most giving person you would want to meet. God Bless your soul my Brother Fred.              Glen

 

Pictures from trip to Oregon with Fred (in the sock hat).


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