Brothers & Sisters
Submitted by Suzanne Payne

It’s 4 a.m. and I can’t sleep. Try as I may it’s just not happening. It’s going to be a long day and I know I should get some shut-eye but I’m too excited to sleep. It’s as simple as that.

Why so excited you ask? I could tell you that it’s because in a few hours I’ll finally be leaving on a long awaited trip to Deal’s Gap North Carolina. I could also tell you that I’m excited at the thought of not having to work for two weeks or I could tell you that I’m heading south because I’ve had enough of our crappy Canadian weather. But the answer is simple: I’m going on a trip with a very special guy. Tall… smart… handsome… Sexy? I wouldn’t know you’d have to ask his wife. Now, now, don’t get all bent out of shape, I’m talking about my brother.

If you had told me 20 years ago that one day, not only would I purposely make time to spend with Kenneth but that I would actually enjoy it, I would’ve told you that you were crazy. And I’m sure if you asked him he’d probably give you a similar answer. But somehow, regardless of all the petty fights and sibling rivalry, as we became adults, went our separate ways to start our careers and families, and lost a few important family members, we started talking on a regular basis. One thing led to another and before we knew it, we were friends. Who could’ve known? I’m told stranger things have happened.

I’ve wanted to go to Deal’s Gap for years but couldn’t find anyone to join me. All of my friends thought the 5,000 km round trip was too much. One day, after lamenting yet one more time about how no one wanted to go with me, my little brother simply said, ‘I’ll go with you Sis.’ And just like that, it was settled. We’ve been planning this trip for months and it’s going to be a blast.

Our first challenge: He lives in Northern Ontario (way north) and I live in New Brunswick. After many hours of counting kilometers, we finally came to an agreement and mapped out a route. Our meeting point: Pennsylvania. That means we will both be traveling the first day and a half solo. Well, sort of… Little bro’s wife is tagging along so he’ll be doing the trip two-up. Our second challenge: Camping. We both really want to make this a camping trip. I don’t have to tell you how space is at a premium on a motorcycle. Adding tents, sleeping bags, and cooking gear only complicates things but we are not afraid of challenges. I’m all packed up and ready to go.

So off I go, bright eyed and bushy tailed. The first leg of my trip was uneventful until a plastic dollhouse almost ruined it. The darn thing fell out of a pick-up truck right in front of me. How fast can you say collision avoidance? Thankfully it was early in the day and I was as alert as could be. After a short stop at a nearby rest area to lower my heart rate and collect my thoughts, I was on my way again. I made it to our meeting point only to find out the other two had stopped for the night two hours north. They had been riding in nasty weather all day and were too cold to go on. We talked on the phone briefly and all agreed they had made the right decision. Better be safe than sorry.

Day two was supposed to be our longest day but we barely did a third of our expected mileage. It rained so hard we could hardly see in front of us and we had to stop often. We finally gave up and took a hotel room. We all love camping but we also choose our battles. Tired and wet, it didn’t take long before we were all sound asleep. We finally made it to our destination a day late. After settling down we discussed our plans for the following days. Where to go? What to do? So many roads, so little time… The Dragon is only the tip of the iceberg.

I don’t remember the last time I spent so much time with my brother. Granted we were on different motorcycles and we hardly talked all day but it still felt good just knowing he was close. We were both happy to be sharing a piece of the road. The thing that impressed me the most was how our riding styles were so similar. Living so far apart, we never have the opportunity to ride together; still it felt as though we had been riding buddies for years. I guess there’s no denying those common genes.

Then came the time to say goodbye. After riding the Dragon and neighboring roads to our heart’s content, it was time to go home. Just as we had joined forces in Pennsylvania, it was also where we parted. I really enjoyed spending those few days with my brother and his wife. We took a ton of pictures and no doubt they’ll be passed around family and friends. I’ll never forget this trip. The Dragon was everything I had hoped for and more but by far, my favorite memory will be that I did it with him… my little brother, Kenneth.

As I was getting on the highway for my last 1,500 km of the trip I couldn’t help but wonder what my life would be like had he not been in it. This once annoying, spoiled little brat I now proudly call my brother… Thanks Mom and Dad.

Oh, and thanks little brother for teaching how to ride a bike! MMM