This year, for Mother’s Day, I forgot to write a special column because my brain can’t seem to comprehend dates lately.

I know Mother’s Day is in May. I wake up knowing the day of the week and what month we are in, but I feel like we go from May 6th to the 18th overnight, and it’s just a scramble. Plus, we write in advance, so if I don’t catch a certain holiday, my writing can overlap with the week after the holiday or a special occasion if I don’t think about it. So I don’t feel it’s right to do Father’s Day and not Mother’s Day. But, that three-part story over the course of May through Mother’s Day ended up being the perfect ending to say how special moms and grandmothers are. The story of how I ended up riding my motorcycle for the very first time by myself over to Loganton without my dad and got lost in a bad thunderstorm. I ended up cold and soaked at my grandparents’ house.

If you missed it, it’s a three-week story throughout May.

Starts with: Black Skies and Back Country Roads

Second week: Cold Spring Rain and the Shivers

Last one: Frozen Feet & Warm Baths

You can look them up online at http://www.webbweekly.com if you missed them and want to read them.

I’ll never forget the love my gram showed me that night, and I remember my first solo ride without my dad leading me on his bike. I said I had a tattoo of this on my arm and would explain for the week of Father’s Day, so here it is.

Our favorite ride has always been Loganton. I know the ride well now, but at eighteen years old, my sense of direction wasn’t the greatest in places I hadn’t grown up around.

Yeah, Dad took us there to help us learn and get more experience the more we rode, but when you are so focused on learning to ride and following someone, you aren’t paying a whole lot of attention to the scenery around you.

You are way more focused on learning the road on this two-wheeled beast. Focus and having eyes behind the back of your head on a motorcycle are crucial.

I am way more relaxed now, of course, and it comes naturally to me, being I have been on two wheels since I was like three years old. But dirt bikes and street bikes are two different worlds.

Dirt bikes you have yourself to worry about.

Street bikes, you gotta worry about everyone else! This is what Dad has always said. He was the best teacher for so many things, and riding a motorcycle was one of the first things I learned to do at a ripe young age.

On these Loganton rides, I always remembered the scenery coming up the mountain on 880. It’s absolutely gorgeous. Bendy roads. Gorgeous tall trees and a beautiful stream that follows along the road. It’s a little piece of heaven. It was my favorite part of the ride and still is.

When first learning to ride and being over in Loganton, I followed my dad. But once I got to practice and finally knew my way around, my dad would be behind me so he could watch me and see how I was riding. I still had my permit at this point and had to take my test, so any pointers from Dad were always great.

That’s Dad’s spot now, in the back of the pack. No matter if it’s just a few of us or riding in a larger pack, I want my dad right behind me. He had always had my back off and on the road.

Just having my dad behind me riding is something I will always love. Even on dirt bikes, he was always riding behind me at our cabins. It’s just something I will always love and remember.

So, one year, I wanted to surprise him for his birthday and get a half sleeve done on my arm. I wanted him and I tattooed on my arm on our bikes. I had my stepmom, Chrissie Perry, get a photo of my dad on the back of his bike without knowing, and she sent it to me. Then I had a photo of me on the back of mine. I then went over to 880, parked my car, and got a photo of my favorite corner on 880.

I gave everything to my tattoo artist, Aaron Bellve, at Totem Tattoo, and he worked his magic. As I twist my arm, you can see the curve on the road. I am leading, and my dad is behind me. Rocky hillsides, tall pine trees, little saplings, and the stream next to us are all in this tattoo. From the guardrails, lines in the road, my flowing hair, and dad’s beanie, it’s all there. Even the small details on the bike. I sat for two sessions, about 3-4 hours each, because of all the detail. I get so many compliments on it.

I am grateful to have a father who has always had my back and is there any time I need him. He was the first man I ever loved, and I’ll always be Daddy’s little girl.

I’m grateful for an incredible husband who is the love of my life and the best father to our children.

My stepdad, Mark Metzger, who treats us like his own children and will always tell us, “Thanks for comin’,” when we stop over. Also, I’m thankful for a pretty awesome brother, Luke Perry, who is an amazing father to his two beautiful girls. I have pretty amazing men in my life, and I know they will always have my back.

To all the men who are fathers or father figures, thank you. Wishing you the best day on Sunday.

Smash Burgers
Sauce:
Ingredients:
• Mayo
• Ketchup
• BBQ sauce
Directions:

Mix a spoonful of each in a small bowl and mix well.

Next, slice an onion thinly to get ready for the patties.

Take the ground beef which you want to make 1/8- to 1/4-pound balls as if you were making meatballs. Place the ball on top of the griddle and smash it down like a pancake, then top it with onions and whatever seasoning you like on your burgers. Cook both sides until golden brown.

Top each patty with sharp cheese, then a spoonful of that special sauce. Stack two burgers on top of each other (or keep them single if you wish.)

Lastly, butter your buns and flip them upside down to cook. So the top of the bun will be faced on the inside. Place the burger patty on top of the bun and then flip and cook the other half of your bun. Boom, done. A nice juicy burger that is literally to die for. Taste the taste of summer through this burger.