Miles revs his dirt bike's whiny engine to life and whizzes by patches of verdant trees. Joel rides a safe distance behind, giving his grandson room to experiment and gain confidence in his abilities.
“To us, it's like heaven,” says Joel, of what it's like to blaze through trails alongside his 15-year-old grandson, Miles.
Like many granddads, Joel, 55, isn't satisfied taking the grandkids to amusement parks or shopping for toys. For him, zipping around on dirt bikes is the best way to spend an afternoon or weekend with his grandson.
It was when Joel was around his grandson's age that he first discovered motorcycles. At 18, he quit college to embark upon a European motorcycle tour. The experience inspired in Joel a lifelong love of motorcycles — a passion his grandson is now discovering for himself.
On a spring weekend earlier this year, Joel picked Miles up from school and the two headed to Hogan, West Virginia to rally with a group of riders at the Hatfield McCoy Trail System, a newly established series of trails.
“It was a nine-hour drive, but I had a really good time talking with him,” says Miles of the trip.
That weekend, Joel and Miles logged some 40 miles of trails marked by stops in the sleepy Appalachian towns that intersect the 500-mile route.
The ride exposed Miles to a different way of life. The once coal-rich region is now dotted with shacks and trailers where people languish in poverty. Miles had never before seen such living conditions, says Joel.
In this way, the dirt-biking experiences allow grandparents and grandchildren to cultivate a relationship that goes beyond the parental. Rather than harp on his grandson to improve his grades or brush his teeth, while on the dirt bikes, Joel and Miles can tear through muddy puddles and windy terrain side by side and experience something new together.
“I'm not his parent and I don't try and treat him that way. I just try to give him choices and let him see his choices. I think it's good to let him try and do things himself,” says Joel. “It's interesting to watch him deal with frustration, and great to watch him learn.”
Miles doesn't seem to mind falling from time to time, and knows that when he does, it's not a failure by any means. “I enjoy crashing on my bike and having my granddad fix it. When I wreck, he stops and waits for me. I feel like no other person would do that for me.”
Joel and Miles aren't the only ones whose motorcycle-charged relationship has grown.
Fifty-six-year-old Roe is one of many grandparents breaking the grandparent mold. Not only is Roe a biker, she's also a pilot, a former professional ballroom dancer, a competitive bodybuilder and a salon owner. Somehow, she always finds time to ride her hog.
“My oldest granddaughter is [almost] 22. She's ridden everywhere with me and she absolutely loves it,” says Roe, who lives in Sarasota, Florida. “My grandkids are so proud of me. They tell everybody, 'My grandma rides a motorcycle.' ”
“I think it's awesome,” says her granddaughter, Natasha. “She has the grandma love, but puts a little spunk to it. It makes life more exciting hanging out with her.”
Even though she got to see her grandmother only about three times a year while growing up, Natasha says Roe was always her biggest inspiration. "The people around me just couldn't compare,” says Natasha.
The highlight of each of their visits was the ride. Natasha still recalls one afternoon's Poker Run. In this motorcycle scavenger hunt, the pair chased clues and poker cards all over town, competing against other bikers to see which team could snatch up the best hand.
Even though they didn't win the hunt, Natasha and Roe still walked away with the memory of a lifetime.
“They totally respect me as a grandparent,” says Roe. “They would never get in my face, but they'll call me for advice all the time. We share a lot of things. They talk to me more about personal things because I'm out there and see a lot of things.”
Grandparents such as Joel and Roe are hipper than their predecessors and, no doubt, have had a hand in inspiring their grandchildren's dreams.
Joel's grandson Miles has big plans for his 18th birthday. “After high school, I'm planning on touring Europe with my brother, another friend and — who else? My grandpa,” he smiles.
Top 5 U.S. Motorcycle Rides:
Pacific Coast Highway, California
This California classic skirts dizzying bluffs and affords beautiful evening views as the sun melts into the Pacific. (Avoid the city craze by starting north of L.A. and you'll quickly slip into a Kerouac-inspired Zen zone as you trace the windy curves to up San Francisco.)
Wyoming to Sturgis, South Dakota
The annual Sturgis summer rally, which takes place August 6-12, 2007, might not be the best party for the grandkids, but the ride to what's known as the motorcyclist's mecca cuts through Wyoming's Thunder Basin and glides through South Dakota's Black Hills. On the way, stop off for a presidential rest at Mount Rushmore and add some living history to the adventure.
Green Mountain National Forest Area, Vermont
Described as Vermont's “Little Switzerland,” the Green Mountain National Forest Area's switchback roads hug lush mountainsides and interconnect into a big loop, which makes planning a cinch. And while it might not be Swiss, there's no better way to top off the day than with a cone of Vermont's finest — Ben & Jerry's chocolate ice cream.
Blue Ridge & Smoky Mountains, Tennessee
Rise early for this ride through the scenic Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains and see the sun burn away a veil of mist, and the leaves grow brilliant in its glow. In the fall, trees ignite in a kaleidoscope of colors — red, orange, gold — that's sure to inspire ear-to-ear smiles.
The Hatfield McCoy Trail System, West Virginia
Just like Joel and Miles did, you can ramble on these 500-plus miles of dirt trails that crisscross the West Virginia backcounty in this dirt biker's paradise. Trails for all skill levels connect to small biker-friendly towns that offer an unfiltered glimpse of Appalachia.
Tip: So, now you're eager to hop on a hog alongside your grandchild. But you don't have a hog, you say? No sweat. Check out L.A.-based EagleRider Motorcycle Rental. They rent motorcycles (Harleys, Hondas, BMWs), ATVs, dirt bikes and scooters. Among the guided tours offered (from six to 16 days) is the eight-day Wild West Tour (cost for two riders, one bike, one room: $4,145) covering ground from San Francisco to Monument Valley and Las Vegas. Feeling extra adventurous? Sample one of the self-drive tours such as the Live Free or Die Run that traverses New England, from mountains to ocean.
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