Northeast Motorcycle Expo

As winter starts to ease its icy grip on New England, and withdrawal symptoms from being unable to ride motorcycles start to become almost painful, mid-February is the perfect time for a little encouragement to let you know riding season is (hopefully) just around the corner.

On Saturday, I attended the Northeast Motorcycle Expo at the Bayside Expo Center in Boston, along with a few other Romans 8 Riders: Spike, our chapter president (on the right); Mike Chretien, road captain (center); Bob Levesque (on the left); and Duke Davies (not pictured).


This was my second year attending the show. When I went last year, I did not even own a bike, so it was very difficult to see dozens of used motorcycles for sale by Motorcycles of Manchester, which were displayed at one end of the building, knowing I could not afford any of them - even the more modestly-priced ones.

"That's where you got the bug last year, sitting on the bikes," Bob reminded me. But at this year's show, I was much more subdued, since I bought my dream bike - a 2002 Harley-Davidson Wide Glide - a few weeks ago.

At the Bruce Rossmeyer Harley-Davidson tent, where new and used Harleys were for sale, Spike - who would love to see an all-Harley CMA chapter - couldn't resist teasing Bob, who owns a Kawasaki: "C'mon ... they can sit you down and get you financed," Spike said.

Unlike last year, where we left the show with a bagful of catalogs and handouts, this year we left mostly empty-handed. We did, however, receive an unexpected blessing when a leather and boot vendor, Bruce from Myrtle Beach, S.C., turned out to be a fellow Christian. Noticing our CMA patches, Bruce quickly asked me, Bob and Mike what our favorite Bible verses were. Then he quoted Scripture and prayed with us, urging us to have a fruitful season sharing the gospel with other bikers, because he believes Jesus Christ's return will be soon. He prayed that God would give us a "double portion" of his Spirit.

"That man was on fire!" Mike exclaimed afterward about Bruce's enthusiasm for the Lord.

Walking around the expo center, we also saw several CMA brothers and sisters from other chapters, including the Kingdom Cruzers from the East Bay, R.I. area, as well as Buck West and Bill Hegenauer, CMA area representatives from northern and southern New England, respectively. Rindo Barese and his wife, from the CMA Blood 'N' Fire Warriors chapter, based in Dedham, Mass., also manned the CMA tent in the exhibit area.

Besides new and used stock motorcycles, the show featured custom motorcycles, including radical choppers with fat rear tires and long, raked forks with skinny front tires. If you had $48,449 burning a hole in your pocket, you could have bought a Boss Hoss motorcycle (the red bike), with an engine that looked like it could rival a Caterpillar diesel in size and power.

While I experienced sensory overload during last year's show, being brand new to the world of motorcycles, this year I was more jaded, I suppose. I wasn't looking for a bike, nor any accessories, and I already have riding gear. For me, it was all about the fellowship and spending time with my CMA brothers. And, no Romans 8 outing would be complete without a meal - this year, it was at Ponderosa steakhouse.

How I Came to Ride, Part 2 - The CMA

In October, 2008, I was going through several life-changing events. Having gone to court for my divorce at the end of August, I was having a tough time emotionally. Court went smoothly, since it was a simple, uncontested divorce, but I wasn't prepared for the emotional aftermath. Something inside of me (I later realize it was God) told me I had to deal with these emotions head-on, instead of drinking and using women to numb them. So, I got active in AA and found a Christian-based divorce recovery group at a local church. Soon after, I made a decision to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

Around this time, I was also working on getting my motorcycle license, when I got an email from Pam, a friend of mine. She forwarded me an email from her friend, Bob, who I had met once before. I forget what the email was about, but Bob's email signature had a link to a group called the Christian Motorcyclists Association. So I clicked on the link and learned about the CMA, whose main purpose is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the motorcycling community. I thought it was great there was an organization that combined two of my new interests - Jesus Christ and motorcycles.

I saw that Bob was the road captain of the local CMA chapter, Romans 8 Riders, so I emailed him to ask some questions. He invited me to the chapter's next monthly meeting, which was at a Bickford's restaurant. I had no idea what to expect when I walked into the restaurant. I didn't know if I would fit in - I didn't even own a motorcycle yet. Several members greeted me, some of them were intimidating looking - a few big guys, with tattoos, earrings, leather, including one guy named "Spike" (now our chapter president) - but their smiles and friendly attitudes made me feel welcome. They had dinner before the meeting, and followed with a group prayer.

Well, I've been going to just about every monthly meeting of Romans 8 since November 2008 and quickly got to know everyone. After several months, I became a CMA member and earned a back patch after completing a ministry training course, and then was voted in as a member of Romans 8 Riders chapter soon after.

You couldn't ask for a nicer bunch of people. Besides the meetings, I've participated in group rides, bike blessings, bike shows, retreats and a toy run. I've gotten to know people from other CMA chapters also. My CMA brothers and sisters helped me find my first bike, improved my riding skills, prayed for me and encouraged me when I've gone through difficult times. Basically, they have helped me to become a better biker and a better Christian.

Another Harley convert

Tonight, my local Christian Motorcyclists Association chapter had its monthly meeting. The buzz was that Mike C., who rides a Honda Goldwing, is now the proud owner of a Harley Electra Glide Ultra Classic.

Mike was among members of our CMA chapter, the Romans 8 Riders, who attended the Blackstone Valley (Mass.) H.O.G.s toy run last Sunday. The run kicked off at Precision Harley-Davidson in Pawtucket, R.I., which had several used motorcycles displayed outside for the occasion. Mike saw one he liked and asked about it, mostly out of curiosity, and a salesperson invited him inside. He said he hadn't planned on buying the bike, and, as the talk progressed, didn't think he would be able to, but he was approved and took delivery of the bike a few days later.

"I'm still floating," said the often-reserved Mike, who was unable to stop smiling that night. Hmmm ... much like the same effect my test ride on the Sportster had on me.