Traditionally, I’ve tried to theme my December article after a famous or popular Christmas story, movie, or song. With 2020 being the COVID crisis that it has been, I may not exactly follow an exciting storyline. However, since the Hallmark and Lifetime catalogs now include about a zillion holiday movies, I’m sure that this plot is similar to one of them.
It’s Christmastime and all the children are home from school waiting for Santa’s arrival. Of course, they’ve been home since last March. His sleigh will be pulled by seven socially distanced reindeer. It seems that Rudolph got a little “too close” to Clarice, so he and Donner are quarantined for 14 days. Santa isn’t allowed to use the chimney as the local health department ruled it unsafe due to inadequate air exchange. So he has to come through the front door and leave through the back to maintain one-way traffic flow. He will need to wash his hands about three times while there and has to wipe down all surfaces with some sanitizing wipes that Mrs. Claus made for him since the commercially produced stuff was all sold out (along with the toilet paper). He goes to the fireplace and finds that the children have hung their masks with great care and he places an IOU in each one. It seems that production and shipping at the North Pole are at a near standstill with elves following the stay at home order. Santa takes the individually wrapped, store-bought cookie and puts it in his pocket with the rest. He may lose weight this year, as these cookies are not as tasty as the homemade ones. He makes his way back to the roof and wipes the dash of the sleigh after he checks the temperature of Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, and Blitzen. Then he exclaims as he drives out of sight “Merry Christmas to all, and if I could skip 2020, I sure as Hell might!”
It has been a crazy and pretty crummy year. We have lost a number of people, including a dear friend and incredible champion, John Bodeker, who ran the state rider education program for about 20 years. (See the article on the right.) In some ways, it has really seemed to drag along since things have been so difficult. But in other ways, it has truly flown past. It definitely does not seem like December. How can it be? We never even had spring or summer.
We have done some really good things with the Motorcycle Riders Foundation in Washington, D.C. since the pandemic hit. A great deal of time will be spent working on the Senate version of the highway bill to make certain motorcyclists issues are addressed. At the time of this writing, we aren’t sure what format or schedule the Indiana General Assembly may follow for this session. We will keep you updated as we learn more.
We have learned that you should not say that things cannot get worse because they always can. There are many businesses and organizations that have shut down, never to return again. ABATE of Indiana has faced some challenges, but we are getting by. I’d say that we escaped the bear, but we certainly are not out of the woods yet.
Motorcyclists are likely about to face the battle of our lives and we need to be prepared. Please support ABATE of Indiana in preserving motorcycling so that future generations can experience and enjoy the freedom of the road as we do. Even better, get some of your friends to join in that support.
The ride you save may be your own.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (quickly please),
Jay Jackson
