Laconia, New Hampshire

Like Mongol invaders they are,
riding out of great desert plains
these barbarians, grim and bearded,
tough and sinewed with their
own resolve of conquering
the open road, with all others subdued 
in their quelling, noisome wake,
come the metal, wheeled steeds
of New Hampshire Motorcycle Week
riding the environment through
fog and pelting rainstorms, Interstates
cowed by their resolute phalanxes,
the warriors of cycling. From the
Steppes of Central Asia to the
highways of America -- Mongols
on the move. Genghis Khan's 
genetic heirs, DNA-specific,
helmeted, fierce warriors of the
ancient world transformed to
unhelmeted racing dervishes of the
American road where the motto
Live Free or Die is taken seriously
-- and so they choose to live free and
also to court Death, willing enough
to oblige from time to time.