— By Eli Sentman
A few summers ago, my Dad and I took a trip on his motorcycle to the south, traveling through several different states and the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. What really struck me was not only how great the ride was, but how many interesting people and things you come across when traveling on a motorcycle. From little restaurants, to stops along the mountains, there were always other motorcyclists, or just people in general with a story to tell. This trip was what originally got me interested in motorcycles. There’s really nothing like traveling through the mountains on a motorcycle. A car just couldn’t do it justice. Something about being on a bike just makes the experience all the more beautiful. It’s hardly explainable, but any motorcycle enthusiast knows this feeling. I just know that traveling through the Blue Ridge Mountains in an enclosed car would pale in comparison to traveling through the mountains with the wind blowing in your face while on a motorcycle. It’s an indescribable, intangible feeling that only a fellow motorcyclist could ever possibly understand.
Whenever my Dad and I stopped and came across somebody else on a motorcycle we always made a point to chat with them. There really is a true sense of companionship between bikers who come across each other in their travels, which is another thing I really loved. These are people that share that same love for riding that you do, and only they understand what it’s like to experience the beauty of the country by motorcycle.
The new-found love for motorcycles that I discovered on that trip has continued to this day. I first really became interested in A.B.A.T.E. after riding in the Philadelphia toy run and soon after that became a member. I found it to be an organization I’d really like to join not only because of my move for motorcycles, but because of the great interest I have for individual rights and political participation. A group aimed toward protecting and promoting the individual rights of motorcyclists was something right down my alley. I’d very much like to be part of the political system some day and one of my main goals as a politician would definitely be to protect individual rights as they pertain to motorcyclists. To me, joining A.B.A.T.E. of Pennsylvania is as good a start as any in accomplishing this goal. I really admire the changes in things like helmet laws that the organization has helped to bring about in the state.
Over time, I’ve become more and more interested in the individual rights issues of bikers and in enhancing the mainstream view of motorcyclists. I definitely see political action as one of the key ways of doing this, and thus, have become involved in the political process. Recently’ I’ve become involved in Ron Paul’s presidential campaign, seeing him as a politician who really supports the goals I believe in. I spent nine days this past December /January in Iowa campaigning for Ron Paul as an official campaign volunteer. It was hard work, but I did it because I really believe in the cause and saw it as a good way to get started with a potential political career of my own. I’ve also applied to State Representative Bill Adolph’s office for an internship this summer and hopefully can finally change his mind on some of our issues.
I’m thrilled that next year I’ll be attending the University of Chicago to study economics. In the next four years I hope to receive an education that will prepare me for entrance into the world of politics. I really have a desire to fight for the individual rights of motorcyclists and all other people in this country that have to deal with oppressive laws. I’m proud to be part of A.B.A.T.E. of Pennsylvania, a group with very admirable goals that I support 100%. With my college education, I truly hope that I can help organizations like A.B.A.T.E. accomplish their goals even further.