VWC easy riders cruise the open road

Terry Robertson is a graveyard shift security officer. He has been riding for 32 years and his current motorcycle is a Kawasaki ZRX 1200.

“I used to ride year-round,” said Robertson. “Now I’m too old. I only ride when it’s nice outside.”

Jack Dmoch, director of computer services, rides a Harley Electraglide Classic and has quickly become a king of the road in just a short time.

In less than four years, Dmoch will have ridden his Harley in all continental United States with his good friend Bruce Vaughan. Dmoch has had plenty of exciting adventures with his Harley, especially in the rain.

“We have been caught in the rain plenty of times,” said Dmoch. “Once I had to get off and hold the bike to make sure the wind didn’t push it over.”

Dr. Philip Rock, a biology professor also rides to school. Students will either see him pull up on his 1984 Honda Magna or his bipedal powered bicycle. During the first two years of his career at VWC, Rock only had his Magna.

After a snowstorm during winter session and plowing through slush and ice over the Jordan Bridge, he caved and bought a truck that is only used a few times a year.

Rock prefers his bicycle to his motorcycle and rides about 180 miles every week.

“I ride my bicycle 18 miles to work every day,” said Rock. “The human machine on a bicycle is just so efficient, and I love the feeling.”

John Braley of the recreation and leisure department rides his Honda 250 for fun and only when he’s in the mood.

“I don’t like riding on the interstate,” said Braley, “so I don’t use it to commute.”

Braley is relatively new to the sport and prefers to ride his motorcycle on the back country roads and through neighborhoods.

“I wouldn’t recommend riding a motorcycle to any one - -it’s dangerous,” said Braley. “But that’s why some of us ride ‘em.”

Lina Green is the Batten Center director and a true Harley chick. She has been riding for five years but hasn’t bought a bike yet. She either rents or is a passenger.

“I would love to own a motorcycle, but it’s not above my children’s education,” said Green.

One thing is for sure, when she does buy a motorcycle, it’ll be a Harley. To get over the initial fear of riding, Green, Dmoch and Linda Ferguson took a motorcycle safety course at Tidewater Community College.

This is the most important aspect of being a responsible rider.

Green and her friends are passionate about the road ahead which is equally important as the travel with friends.

“It’s as much as the camaraderie as anything – we just have a good time together,” said Green.

Linda Ferguson is a professor of management and business and a Harley enthusiast. Ferguson had an academic interest in the company first; she studied Harley-Davidson for quite some time before her first ride.

She tags along on most trips, but in her pocket is an ad for a Harley that she’s hoping to buy, one day.

Ferguson has spoken on behalf of Harley-Davidson numerous times and is truly dedicated to this legendary company. Ferguson refers to Vaughan in a 2001 presentation saying:

“Our Director of Business Operations is constantly wearing his Harley-man T-shirts under his business shirt and tie. It’s like the little boy who tries to sneak out to school with his Spiderman PJs on under his clothes, only my friend gets away with it.”

Harley-Davidson just celebrated its 100th birthday and the company is growing by leaps and bounds.

In 2004, women make up of 9 percent of their rider demographic.

Harley-Davidson is also a proud sponsor of ‘Bikers against Breast Cancer” and continues to support women in hopes of broadening their rider-ship.

View related article: A boy and his hog: 300,000 miles on two wheels