Wild Horses Couldn’t Drag Me Away—Harleys, Maybe

I’m in Virginia City for the final gathering of the mentors and mentees in the Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program. It’s so authentic Old West here that it’s hard to believe the town is not a movie set but rather an actual community with people who live, work and go to school here. Last night a group of us mentees had dinner at the Red Dog Saloon. A bar spanned the left side of the interior and probably more than a century. A stage was where the bar left off and had amps and microphones set up as if any minute a sizable band would appear. A Rottweiler sat at the base of the center mic. He wasn’t red, as the establishment’s name painted on the window suggested, but he was a nice touch, especially since he wasn’t growling.

While sipping my pint of Sierra Nevada Ale and waiting for our pizza, an old man hobbled in. His Santa meets John Wayne look suited the town impeccably. He had a cowboy hat with tufts of wild white hair sticking out the sides and circling his face in a beard. He wore a red shirt and crusty-looking suspenders and although the hardships he wore on his weathered face gave him a threatening look, his blue eyes, which were almost lost in the crevices of his face, seemed friendly.

As has likely been the case for countless years, tied up outside were the rides of various patrons. Unlike the Old West, however, the horsepower in these rides packed enough punch not only to herd cattle, but to brand and castrate them as well. Our pizza arrived and the scent of garlic was quickly replaced by Harley Davidson exhaust fumes. Then conversation was drowned out by the whinny of the revving beasts. This got me wondering about this universal trait of Harley owners. It must say in the Harley Davidson owner’s manual that it is necessary to idle the machine for a minimum of ten minutes before using it for travel. Also, owners should note that to ensure adequate functioning and bystander reaction, it is helpful to rev the engine at least every fifteen seconds during that time. If the decibel level does not cause people to cover their ears or swear at you, the revving is insufficient and ride satisfaction cannot be guaranteed. Or, the manual notes, such non-reaction should cause owners to reconsider leaving the establishment because they likely won’t find better company elsewhere.

In two hours I’m going on a wild horse tour where a guide will drive us through the Manzanita dotted hills in a Jeep to observe the animals who still roam free. This will be a refreshing change from last night’s rumble of Harleys. Even the fumes, I’m thinking, will even be an improvement.