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We were cleaning house in preparation for Christmas. The decorations were up and, as we stowed away the empty ornament and tree cartons in the garage, we noted some of the other storage boxes gathering dust therein. One of the boxes was marked “motorcycle gear.” It had been sitting in storage for the past 16 years or so. I couldn’t help myself; I brought the box into the house wondering at its contents. The passage of time dimmed my memory of what had been sealed in the mysterious box. So, in essence, this was my first Christmas present of the season.

I opened the box and started rummaging through its contents. The first three items hardly related to motorcycle gear - except in remote fashion. You see, the Camp Zama Motorcycle Club (ZMC) used to go on an annual weekend ski trip to the Japanese Alps at Yuzawa every winter as a club sponsored event. The items in the top portion of the box consisted of a ski parka, jacket and cold weather boots. These items brought back fond memories of those ski trips which ZMC members looked upon as a winter bonus, a benefit of club membership.

The second layer of stuff in the box included two motorcycle helmets, one full-faced “Romer” German-made; the other an open-faced with visor, Japanese-made helmet similar to a “Bell.” The summer heat in the garage had ruined the inner padding material under the liners. Both helmets looked good on the outside, but they no longer afforded the protection for which they were made due to deterioration over time and under extreme desert temperatures. They were reluctantly discarded. Remember, these items are not just helmets but memories. It hurts to dispose of them because they evoke pleasant recollections that cannot be relived or replaced.

The bottom portion of the box held the most interesting items, these being a blue and white motorcycle tank bag, a parcel of ZMC-specific clothing and some embroidered Ninja insignia. The tank bag still projected the road map of my last trip to Saku, Japan through its plastic face. The bag contained a few of the things carried on that adventure. There was some orange wet weather gear, a black RECONDO windbreaker, a pair of pants, underwear, socks, toilet articles, towel and a magnifying glass. I guess everything else went into the pockets of my leathers. I know, I know what you’re thinking . . . why the magnifying glass? It was used to read the map. And the parcel of clothing supplemented the tank bag contents, as needed. These items were not taken on every ride, just to specific events during the year. Our club colors were sewn on vests worn over our leathers and on lighter weight denim jackets for summer wear. Boy, did the memories flow when I looked at those ZMC Colors withdrawn from the parcel. The packet also included a ZMC cap and nylon, gold and black sport jacket for special motorcycle events. Yep! When we went to a club function or ride, we went in style.

So much for the box and its contents. I eliminated a few items, re-sealed and stored it back on the garage shelf. That’s where it will stay until I sell the house or leave the scene permanently. When my grand-kids ask what it contains, they give me a curious look when I tell them it’s just my motorcycle memory box.

     Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my fellow motorcyclists. Keep adding treasure to your memory box.

Skid Lid