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| Harry Swanson & Cathay Hankerson |
Early on a cold winter day, as was their custom when not flying, partying, fishing, or reluctantly doing "honey dos," the Ripple Riders gathered in base housing to plan and initiate their ride. This was not the customary core cadre of riders; today's participants included the women folk, so the language was cleaned up a bit, everyone agreed to make the ride at less than breakneck speed, and wine consumption was greatly reduced -- at least initially. Participants on this day included Harry Swanson riding solo, Hank Hankerson riding with his wife Cathay, Barney Coogle riding with his spouse Eileen, Squirrel and Donna Miller, and two or three other new couples whose names have receded into the wine-dimmed past.
It had snowed the night before, about an inch; therefore, the trails were expected to be in top notch riding condition. Harry Swanson was particularly eager to get started because he had recently traded in his 399 Ski Doo for a brand new Yamaha 440EX Exciter. It was top of the line for that day, long before today's amenities of electric start, hand-warming handle bars, etc. It was new and unscratched, truly a thing of beauty that had never been rolled or crashed. In fact, before starting out, everyone wanted pictures sitting on the new machine,and most wanted Harry to take a quick spin around the yard to show off this new marvel.
Throats started getting parched sitting around gabbing about how fast the Exciter might be, so we all agreed to take a leisurely ride out to the ski slope behind the base. Traveling at the sedate pace assumed to be required by the spouses we arrived at our rallying point and began the time-honored ritual of passing the Ripple and Annie Green Springs bottles. Soon, as we loosened up a bit, braggadocio began to creep into our good natured teasing and chest pounding. Some wives allowed as how they could outride their male partners, and some proposed that their 5-year old, hard-ridden Polaris could outrun the new Yamaha.
Sloping down from our gathering spot was the road running from the base to the ski hill. It was smooth as a spread blanket and straight as an arrow. Nobody had disturbed the new surface. Several proposed that this would be a great opportunity to see just what this new Yamaha could do. Not wanting to shy from the encouragement, Harry pull started the Exciter and sped down the straight, smooth hill. 30, 40, 50, 60 70 miles per hour! Straight down the road, no swerving or deviations. The ride back to the group proved the same: fast and steady. Naturally, his return called for another bottle and good-natured teasing about what a wimp Harry was for not "opening her up."
Cathay Hankerson, who had sat on the Exciter in the housing unit, begged Hank to let her take a ride with Harry and the new Exciter. Hank, rider of an old but reliable Polaris, must have only reluctantly agreed, because he knew the family could not handle the new expense of such a machine if Cathay really liked it.
So off they went, Harry scooted forward to allow for Cathay. (The Exciter was really made for one rider, although two could fit snugly.) Not wanting to suffer additional harassment when they returned, and undoubtedly feeling the effects of the third bottle of Ripple, Harry "poured the coals to her." Down the hill they sped, 40, 60, 80 MPH. The speedometer could clock as high as 200KPH, about 125MPH, so there was plenty of room for improvement. Cathay was screaming from the back, "Faster! Faster!" As the excited passenger moved about, the snow machine wobbled and was not easy to handle. It was hard to read the speedometer and keep a straight line, so just over 80mph Harry stopped trying to look. The end of the run approached rapidly, and the pair turned around to make their way back to the group which was watching from afar. Again, 80+ MPH with Cathay screaming "faster! faster!" Those 50 Yamaha horsepowers were working hard, but they had reached their limit.
When Harry and Cathay got back to the group, everybody but Hank wanted to know how fast the machine went with two riders on a perfect road. "102" said Harry with a straight face, and everybody cheered --Cathay most of all.
Until this day, Harry has never deviated from the 102MPH declaration. Nor will he ever.
RIP Cathay Hankerson. Hank and Harry are still going as fast as old age will allow.