The Sauna Part 306 (2021)

I remember the year that Jon decided to stop touring. It was just after he turned sixty when he decided enough was enough. He and Richie, along with Dave, had continued to do limited tours for a few years after Tico and Hugh had retired but it just wasn’t the same. Jon had lost heart playing with substitute musicians and the chemistry just wasn’t there anymore, especially without Tico. The last studio album had been several years ago and according to both Jon and Richie, “it just wasn’t fun anymore”. No matter how fast we ran, time still managed to catch up.

That Summer, to fill the void left by touring, Jon and I decided to do something we’d never done. We had always talked about taking a “road trip” on the bike through the Southwest and that time was now. My sister thought we were crazy, but then she was in her seventies by that time. My father would have just shook his head, but he was no longer there to laugh at our antics. He’d passed away some years ago and my mother was long gone as well. Somehow I knew, if my dad was watching, he’d be smiling. He always thought I was a bit wild, but I also thought that was one of the things he admired most. This one’s for you, Dad, I thought to myself as I remembered his dream of doing the same thing in a Winnebago. He never did get the chance.

It was early June and the sun was high in the sky. Our saddle bags were packed and we were ready to go. Little Richie was staying with Big Richie while we were gone; we’d flown him out to California earlier in the week. My sweet baby, Eddie, had finally passed on at the ripe old age of twenty-one and I still missed him dearly. Someday I’d see him again and we’d be reunited.

“Ready to ride?” Jon called as I locked up the house.

“Ready, baby” I smiled as I strapped on my helmet.

We rode that first day for several hours. Over the years we had had the bike customized as the stock Harley seats weren’t all that comfortable, especially on old bones. The new seats were comfortable, but still, after several hours, we began to lose feeling in our asses.

“Jon, let’s stop for a bit” I yelled over the sound of the engine.

Jon pulled over at the next diner that we saw and parked the bike. I swung my leg over to dismount and realized I was rather stiff. Getting older really sucked. Jon steadied the bike to allow me to get off before he dismounted as well.

“Whatsa matter, babe? Are you having second thoughts?” he grinned.

“Not on your life, husband. You?” I challenged defiantly.

“Nope, not me” he smirked back, secretly relieved that I’d suggested we stop.

We strolled into the place and sat down in a booth. My ass was relieved to feel plenty of cushioning beneath it, even if only for a brief while. The diner was nothing special; it was like the hundreds of others just like it that peppered the loneliest stretches throughout the Southwest. What was special, though, was the fact that we were treated like regular customers instead of celebrities. One thing that had changed over time as Jon stepped away from the limelight was the fact that we were now infrequently recognized. Perhaps age had its priveleges after all.

“Beautiful day for a ride. You folks gonna want menus?” the waitress asked.

“Just coffee for me” I said, looking at Jon.

“Bring me a menu, if you don’t mind. A snack wouldn’t hurt” he grinned, flashing his still brilliant smile.

The waitress smiled back and I noticed a bounce in her step that hadn’t been there before when she first approached the table and I shook my head. Damn, he’s still got it, that bastard! I smiled as I realized some things never changed.

I watched Jon as he studied the menu, squinting in order to read the small print. He refused to wear reading glasses despite the fact that he needed them and I had to laugh. I wasn’t the only one with vanity issues. There were definitely more wrinkles too, but his face was as handsome as ever and he still had his hair. He reminded me so much of his father at that age.

“Need some help there?” I teased, reaching in my pocket for my reading glasses.

“Nope, I’m fine” he lied, setting the menu aside. Every diner has hamburgers and fries, he thought smugly.

The waitress returned with our coffee and Jon placed his order and she nodded. I gazed out the window, observing the position of the sun. It was lower on the horizon, but we still had at least four to five more hours of riding time before it began to get cold.

“We should make it to Sedona by nightfall” I observed, studying the map I’d pulled out with my reading glasses.

“That’s what I’m shooting for” Jon agreed.

We had no real plans after Sedona other than to follow our whims and see where the road took us. For once in our lives, we had no schedule and no time tables to consider or fret over. For all intensive purposes, we were retired and we could stop wherever we wanted for as long as we wanted and whenever we wanted. The freedom we felt was like a breath of fresh air and we both felt more relaxed than we’d ever been. The only thing we needed to consider was the weather and so far it looked pretty cooperative.

“I love you, Jon” I said suddenly and he looked up from his hamburger.

“I love you too, baby, but where did that come from?” he asked, quirking his eyebrows.

“I don’t know, really. It’s just sometimes I look at you and I’m so overwhelmed with how much I love you. I’m so glad you’re my husband, love. It’s hard to remember what life was like before I met you. I’m just so grateful for the time we’ve had together” I answered honestly.

“Trish, baby, we aren’t really that old. We’ve still got many wonderful years to spend together, but I understand. We’ve been blessed more than most” he observed.

Jon finished his burger and we walked back to the bike and climbed on. I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him as hard as I could through the leathers. He reached for my hand and squeezed it tightly, revving the engine.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Ready” I confirmed.

We spent a few days in Sedona, relaxing and making love as the mood hit us. We then headed South in the direction of Tucson. We ended up detouring through the Coronado National Forest and we even spent a night camping under the stars. We rode through deserts and mesas, forests and valleys and took turns staying at luxury hotels when our bodies craved a little pampering and camping out in the open when we felt the need for adventure. We spent days in some places and only hours in others and we saw the country in a way that can only be experienced from the seat of a bike.

We’d been gone almost a month when Jim called on the cell phone to see where we were. We’d intended to reach San Francisco where he and Cherie were living a bit sooner, but we’d lost track of time.

“We’re not that far away, actually. We’re in Las Vegas, just resting our butts for a few days” Jon laughed.

“Well, Cherie’s anxious to see Trish and it’s gorgeous here at the moment. Think you might see your way clear to heading over our way?” Jim prodded.

“Sounds like a plan, man. We should be there in a couple of days” Jon reassured him.

Jim and Cherie had moved to San Francisco a few years ago and purchased a home on the beach. Jim had become very successful after his book on the band was published and he’d had no shortage of offers for work after that. He’d written a few other articles on bands and the music scene, but he followed his heart and had begun writing screenplays. After a few mildly successful ones, he hit it big with a movie that brought in several million at the box office. He wasn’t writing much anymore beyond a few documentaries he’d been involved with as a consultant and Cherie had closed her private practice several years ago before they moved to San Francisco.

By the end of the week, we were in California and we had half a day of riding before we reached Cherie and Jim’s. I called to give them a head’s up and heard Cherie’s excited voice on the other end of the phone.

“Trish, that’s great! You’ll be here for dinner! And I’ve got a surprise I know you’re just gonna love!” she squealed.

“We should be there by six, kiddo” I assured her, smiling as I hung up the phone. Cherie was still the kid in the group despite the fact that she was in her late fifties. She was still younger than the rest of us!

We arrived just after six and Jim met us in the driveway.

“So, you two really did it. Dayum! I wish I could get Cherie to just go for a ride” he said enviously.

Cherie had had a bad experience on a motorcycle with her first boyfriend and she’d never forgotten it. Jim still rode his bike fairly often, but Cherie had never been convinced it was safe and she still worried when he was gone for more than an hour or two. We followed Jim into the house where Cherie was waiting.

“Surprise!” she yelled as we walked into the house.