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

Hidden away in the back of the business office at Virginia Wesleyan College resides a man with a great passion for hogs. Not just any hog, but the classic Harley-Davidson.

“I’ve ridden in all the continental United States, except for Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Oklahoma,” said Bruce Vaughan, director of business operations, “and I plan to ride in those states by the end of this summer.”

Bruce’s enthusiasm is contagious. It’s hard not to be excited about riding a Harley and experiencing the freedom that ensues. His office is besieged with Harley paraphernalia, including a giant home-made display for all of the pins from every place he has been on his bike.

“I started riding when I was 15, and that was 37 years ago!” Vaughan said.

Vaughan is a true Harley rider and owns two bikes that are near and dear to his heart. One is a shiny red Ultra Classic and the other is a low-rider. It’s easy to envision this man thumbing the starter of his twin-cam engine and listening to the time-honored rumble like it is a Beethoven symphony.

As for riding a more competitive bike, Vaughan is just not interested anymore.

“I have ridden a little bit of everything, but at this stage in my life, I’m a Harley rider,” said Vaughan. “It’s the great American freedom machine.”

Over the years, Vaughan has put over 300,000 miles on his bikes and 160,000 miles just last year.

“I don’t ride as much now as I did in my youth,” said Vaughan. “I used to travel across the east coast in the winter, and once I had to turn off my front brake to push the snow down the hills so I could continue – I warmed my hands with the heat from the exhaust.”

Vaughan still has that passion but is a little more low-key in his older years.

“Now I ride to school on days with good weather,” said Vaughan. “When I ride, I want to be comfortable.”

In Vaughan’s life, riding is a family affair. He has taught his father, wife and son to ride.

“My wife has her operator’s license, but she’s much more comfortable as a passenger,” said Vaughan. “And my son, who’s 25, rides all my hand-me-down bikes.”

In Vaughan’s lifetime, he has trained and started 25 to 30 people in this sport. The three people who are as passionate as he is are his father, his son and VWC Director of Computer Services Jack Dmoch.

“My dad is 73 years old and still rides,” said Vaughan. “He had never ridden a bicycle prior, so he didn’t have the proper balance. Now he won’t give his bike up.”

At VWC, there is an underground, a counter-culture, which has existed for over 10 years. Professors, faculty and staff ride together, take vacations together and share the same passion for their hair blowing in the wind and straddling a Harley-Davidson.

In addition to Jack Dmoch, Batten Center Director Lina Green, Dr. Linda Ferguson and Coach Joanne Renn all ride together with Vaughan. They have vacationed together for the past three years, and Vaughan has pictures displayed around his office of the “campus rebel riders.”

There are other rebel riders on campus including: Dr. Phil Rock of the biology department, John Braley of the recreation and leisure department and Terry Robertson of security.

Vaughan leaves a lasting impression on whoever comes into his office, reminding them that “it’s not the destination, it’s the journey.”