Special Feature George Pittard: It's Motorcycle Mania For this Breezy Rider When it comes to motorcycling fun, nobody on the Mountain takes it more seriously than George Pittard. His passion for riding goes far beyond the freedom of the open road. He rides escort at military funerals, assists injured motorcyclists, does outreach ministry in biker bars and teaches classes in motorcycle safety and awareness. "I love riding and all that it has brought me," said George, who with his wife Layne, moved to the Mountain from Longwood, Florida, five years ago after retiring as vice president of sales for Herff Jones Inc., a company that manufactures and markets class rings, championship rings, graduation announcements, caps and gowns, awards and medals. He first got the bug for motorcycling when he rode a scooter while a student at East Carolina University. He then moved on to street and off-road motorcycles. After graduating with his bachelor's degree, he chose to get around in cars over the next several decades. "I got interested again in motorcycling after I retired in 2004," he said. "I always knew that western North Carolina was the Mecca of motorcycling with its mountains and the Blue Ridge Parkway. I took a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Riders Course and then bought myself a cruiser motorcycle." He currently rides a Star Stratoliner 1900cc made by Yamaha, which features a big engine, windshield and large saddlebags. His love for motorcycling led him to join the Patriot Guard Riders, a nationwide organization of 200,000 members who have an unwavering respect for those who served in the military. At the invitation of the family of a fallen service member, the group will escort the body at his or her hometown for burial. George was one of the dozens of motorcyclists who honored U.S. Army PFC Christian "Kade" Warriner, 19, of Mills River, after he was killed on active duty last November in Kunar Province, Afghanistan. "We met Warriner's casket and family at the Asheville airport with a flag line and escorted them to the funeral home," said George. The next day for the funeral, the Riders did another flag line where they each held a large American flag and lined the sidewalk. They escorted the family and the hero to his final resting place at the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain. George, a Vietnam vet, said part of the mission is shielding the mourning family and friends from any interruptions created by protesters. "We don't get confrontational." The Patriot Guard Riders was formed in Topeka, Kansas, several years ago in response to the hate-filled protests by members of the Westboro Baptist Church. For years, the small independent family-run church has been picketing military funerals in all 50 states, carrying signs that say such hurtful things as "Glad Your Son is Dead," "Thank God for 9/11" and "Thank God for Dead Soldiers." The Supreme Court recently ruled 8-1 that the church's protests, no matter how abhorrent, are constitutionally protected free speech. For the last two years, George has been doing outreach ministry for the Freedom Biker Church, a brotherhood of bikers whose motto is "Let's Ride for Christ's Sake." "We have a passion for bikes and the freedom of the open road," he said. "It's just bikers reaching bikers with the true message. We do outreach ministry to unchurched bikers and provide them a real place to grow. We have a fellowship from 10-11 a.m. on Sundays with coffee and donuts and listen to a gospel rock band. We have a service from 11 to noon. Then we go for a ride to some place like Lake Lure, Cherokee or up on the Parkway if the weather permits." George's ministry takes him wherever bikers are — rallies, events and biker bars. "I've gone into quite a few biker bars in my outreach ministry. Sometimes I talk to the owner or manager and they let me pass out information about the church. I put stuff up on the bulletin board. I wear my vest that says I'm a member of the Freedom Biker Church and I go in and drink a Diet Coke and talk. I've been to enough of the bars so they know who I am and what I do. I don't hassle them and they don't hassle me. I've gotten people to come to our church, and some are now fulltime participants. We have people who've had a checkered past and we've had firefighters, professionals, and administrators. Everybody is welcome." Picture is George Pittard, left, and his fellow rider, Dave Ralya. George also does outreach ministry for BikerDownWNC, an organization that ministers to motorcycle accident victims and their families who need support and prayer. "When the accident is reported to us, we visit the victim in the hospital or at home," said George. "We try to keep friends updated on the biker's condition through our web site. This ministry is dedicated to 'lifting up' the downed bikers and letting them know they aren't alone." Safety is a major concern for George. That's why he's an active member of the Concerned Bikers Association/ABATE, a national organization dedicated to safety and other issues affecting motorcyclists. George is a certified instructor for the group's motorcycle safety and awareness program which he teaches at T.C. Roberson, Asheville and Owen High Schools. "The whole emphasis is for drivers of cars and trucks to be aware of motorcyclists and share the road safely," he said. Seventy-two percent of motorcycle-auto accidents are the fault of the driver, not the cyclist, he said. Many times the driver is making a left-hand turn and either doesn't see the motorcycle or thinks he has time to make the turn, resulting in a collision. "We're trying to get drivers to look out for motorcycles, which have different silhouettes than cars and are difficult to judge their speed," he said. George is so safety conscious that his motorcycle has five clear lights and four amber lights in the front, a headlight, two running lights, two traveling lights and handlebar mirrors with amber lights that act as turn signals. In the back his bike has an LED light on the frame of his license plate which works in unison with the brake lights. In addition, George has a third brake light, which is transistor-operated, on the back of his helmet. "I always wear a helmet, colorful reflective clothes and boots when I ride," he said. "I wear leather because it has the best protection against road rash. I have padding in my leather jacket at certain pressure points like the shoulder blade, collar bone and elbow. My leather gloves are reinforced with Kevlar." So why does he ride? "It's the most Zen thing anyone can do. It's the freedom of the wind in your face. I wear a T-shirt that says 'Only a Biker Knows Why a Dog Sticks Its Nose out the Window.' You have to concentrate on balance and use your skills and judgment to protect you. You have to be aware of the environment at all times and everything in the road from suicide squirrels to potholes to other drivers. It's an adrenaline rush. It's you and nature. You're the first to smell freshly cut grass, budding flowers and people cooking dinner. I don't have a radio, CD player or MP3 player on my motorcycle because I want to take it all in." George, one of an estimated eight motorcyclists on the Mountain, likes riding solo. "I go where I want and stop where I want. I will be 67 this spring and I've learned to smell the roses a little bit more, and I want to spend more time with my grandchildren who live here." He had been a board member of the Fairview Forest Homeowners Association for years until he resigned three months ago to spend more time with his biker ministry. "I am at peace," he said. "Most of the people I deal with through the bike organizations all check their egos at the door and they do what's fair and right. That's a unique thing." Fairview Forest Homeowners' Association   •   101 Fairview Forest Drive   •   Fairview, NC 28730