"In this aspect, I'd have to say my father and his introduction for the love of motorcycles to me. I was a wild child kid growing up in the west side of Michigan, in the apple growing region called the ridge. My brother and I were always fishing, or water skiing, and oh boy the four wheelers and mini bikes, then Fall would come and my brother would be involved in sports at school but not me I was in the woods chasing after the elusive white tail buck. Then out came snowmobiles. But as the the mid teenage years came the rebellion against parents and school. While my brother excelled at everything me not so much, boy could I throw a orchard party and shoot whiskey, not much of a good dossier for the resume. Well some jail time, bar fights and losing it all put me back home around 22 years old. That year my Dad bought his umpteenth motorcycle, but it was special it was his first Harley Davidson a 2005 Deuce. He was 3 miles from the dealership and said W.T.F have I done it was heavy slow loud but after about 250 more miles that crazy gray haired old man had a smile that you couldn't take away if ya tried. He put 10,000 miles on that first year and while I was moved back in with them we started to bond he'd let me ride his old Honda and we'd go for dinner rides and always stop at a scenic place a park a two track the many piers that grace lake Michigan and enjoy a cigar and talk about the ride. Well even though I had some substance abuse issues I was dealing with I had managed to maintain good credit the following year with a tiny down payment from Dad l bought my first new bike a 2006 soft tail custom, and boy did our miles add up. That same year as 600,000 other bikers do we went to Sturgis South Dakota, and we've gone every year since. I got my issues with alcohol among other things behind me and actually now living in Rapid City SD with my wife but those cigar rides helped get my life together and come August my dad brother and my brothers father-in-law all bring the Harleys and we ride and enjoy many a good cigar stop in the beautiful black hills. Well thanks for the good cigars you produce, and the opportunity to hear my story...and of course thanks Dad your my hero." - Mark from Rapid City, SD
