Patrick Kirby Dwight Coleman
His favorite motorcycle trip was in Japan , where he was at a biker rally with more than 10,000 mostly Japanese riders . Although they were in Japan , about 90 percent of the motorcycles were Harley Davidsons , he said . The trip also gave him the opportunity to climb Mt . Fuji , he said .
“ The people were incredibly friendly and it was just a lot of fun in a beautiful place ,” Kirby said .
He also enjoys the camaraderie he has found through his work with Run for the Wall , a motorcycle ride that starts in California and ends in Washington , D . C . The event is designed to call attention to Prisoner of War and Missing in Action military personnel .
Kirby serves as a key Mississippi coordinator for the event , helping to feed several hundred motorcyclists each spring . Local people also help participants to fix their bikes and to get other support they might need while they are in town , he said . After the group heads out of Meridian , Kirby jumps on his own bike and takes his own path to D . C ., where he joins the event .
“ I make a vacation out of it and stop and see friends , that kind of thing ,” he said . “ The camaraderie is really amazing . There are people from all over the world there . It ’ s just an amazing event , and I believe it ’ s an important one .”
As part of the group , Kirby also helps to connect veterans with supports , including help paying for utilities and other basic needs . He also helps them access their military benefits . “ There ’ s this image in movies and on TV that bikers are these criminals – these thugs ,” he said . “ But mostly that ’ s not true . Bikers can be some of the best people you could ever meet . That ’ s what I ’ ve found , anyway .”
Coming to riding late
In dramatic contrast to Kirby , Coleman , who works at Reed ’ s Jewelry , came to motorcycle riding later in life .
When he was 55 , Coleman bought a motorcycle at the urging of his cousin . She encouraged him to ride , and later to join the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club , a group that does organized rides and also extensive community service .
After he bought a motorcycle , he didn ’ t ride it for a stretch of time . After taking a safety course , he decided one day that he was either going to ride the motorcycle or sell it .
“ I had a guy come and get it down the hill my house is on for me ,” said Coleman , who drives a 1995 Goldwing .
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“ There ’ s this image in movies and on TV that bikers are these criminals – these thugs . But mostly that ’ s not true . Bikers can be some of the best people you could ever meet . That ’ s what I ’ ve found , anyway .”
Patrick Kirby
8 • TIMELESS MERIDIAN