The Mercenary and the Protector

The mercenary and his valiant Tenere 700 steed charge out of the Battle of Darkness only to find themselves on a new battlefield. No rest for the wicked! Just as our heroes begin to recover, a counterattack ensues. Tribe Mother Earth, at first animated by the night sky, has been emboldened and decides upon a daylight raid with new reinforcements.

The shields of Barkbusters, are forged in the magma of Mother Earth by Sir Rideworx, a knight of the Velocipede Combustion Guild, and bestowed to our mercenary to aid in his noble venture.  In a twist of fate, that which is made from this earth shall be used to protect from this earth.  Barkbusters the Protector has been enlisted by the mercenary as a shield from the creatures of Tribe Mother Earth in their heinous attacks on the noble T7 steed.

The Barkbusters guards were easily mounted and angled slightly down to accommodate protecting the precious levers for better off-road ergonomics. The VPS kit came with narrow hard plastic deflectors as well as extenders to help block more wind, weather, and debris from the rider’s hands and bike’s controls.

The Hydro Goliath has taken to the skies and rains down fury upon the battlefield. The vile water monster has teamed up with the Undulating Terra Firma Leviathan in an attempt to best our mercenary and his #TankTenere700. The evil duo lay in wait, intending to trap T7 beast and rider in their earthen gashes. The unassuming contours disguised, a strange rock appears out of nowhere and alters the path of our heroes! A pit of despair envelops the mighty T7, and a deep trough of mud and water catches our pair by surprise. The Goliath and Leviathan’s trap ensnare and halt our heroes’ progress. The reins of the noble steed take a blow from the heinous Terra Firma Leviathan as the bike is jarred by the impact as it tumbles to the ground. The mercenary assesses his partner, laying on its side, as they both take a moment to convalesce. Huzzah, the Defense of Barkbusters hath saved the day! The evil beasts’ trap was thwarted by the Barkbusters Handguard Shields, saving the hands of the rider and the controls of the mighty Tenere 700.

Restored erect, our heroes return to the hardened tarmac to regain their wits and momentarily shelter from Mother Earth’s warriors. But what are these wild creatures of hardened metallurgy?  They do not seem to be of Mother Earth but appear just as dangerous to the mercenary and his conveyance. Ah, the crazed jester cagers! Aggression does not always seem directed towards our heroes but the cagers haphazard nature must be taken seriously. The mercenary notices one looking directly at his steed but can tell the cager is not quite seeing them. Swiftly, the mercenary utilizes his DENALI D2 solar swords to help aid in visibility so the cagers will be more likely to notice them and allow safe passage. The solar swords have proven their worth both in the darkness and in the light!

The T7 stallion and mercenary hunger to return to the battlefield and make their way back into the woods across a gravel path. They must first penetrate the thick hedgerow strategically placed to defend the woodland battlefield. The shields of Barkbusters stave off the thorny bush beast’s daggers, deflecting their sharpened weapons and whip-like appendages. Suddenly a minefield of rocks appears out of nowhere, jostling the mercenary and threatening to incapacitate his mount. With both great power of the T7 and balance of the rider they manage to navigate the rocky tract. With a glimpse over his shoulder, the mercenary is gobsmacked to see their previous path has somehow been flattened and cleared of its hazards.

No time to ponder this strange occurrence! The elder oak giants have been awakened, animated in the shadows of their leafy canopies and the howling winds of the northern lands. Barkbusters must protect our fearless heroes in this rapid fire jousting. The elder oak giants wield their lances in an attempt to knock the mercenary from his steed but the Barkbusters shields repel their sporadic advances and the giants fail to unhorse the rider. The oak giant younglings pull into a tight defensive position, attempting to use their trunks as wooden longswords. The nimble T7 is able to dodge the first few offensives, barely squeezing its reins between twin younglings. The mercenary twists the reins to thrust the iron horse forward and uses the shields of Barkbusters to parry the younglings’ offensive. The subsequent younglings manage to land blows! The left Barkbusters Shield giving way to a strike followed by the right, rocking the horse but not defeating its determination. Another twist of the reins by the mercenary and a final thrust defeats the throng of elder oak giants.

In this relentless fantastical escapade, what other strange wonders await? The mercenary cannot hold these contemplations back as the strange rocky appearances have saturated his thoughts. Sitting at the entrance of a long forgotten tunnel, the legionnaire bears witness to moving shadows in the darkened abyss. No time like the present to act against this quandary and cast trepidation to the wind! The mighty T7 roars to life and begins to penetrate the darkness of the subterranean passage, guided by the DENALI D2 LED solar swords and shielded by the defense of Barkbusters.  

The hydro goliath has returned, causing the uneven deck to become slick. The strange rocks have also found their way here but wait, these are no ordinary stones, they are Allegheny boulder trolls! The Mercenary has found their dwelling! The boulder trolls scatter across the tunnel exit, aiding the hydro goliath in its death trap. The mighty T7 cuts a path, fording off the hydro goliath and beating down the trolls. The terra firma leviathan has laid another trap for our heroes at the exit of this creek. The Allegheny boulder trolls reinforce the gnarly inclined gash and an elder oak giant has planted itself on the edge. The rider twists the reins of the iron horse and the two attack the vile creatures’ ambush with vigor. The pair accelerate up the bank, fling terra firma and boulder trolls out of their path, dodge the oak giant’s lances, and launch themselves in a sweet kiss of the sky. Fly to freedom T7!  Ride the heavens mercenary rider!

Free from the aggressions of tribe Mother Earth, our dynamic duo have reigned supreme on the battlefield with the help of Barkbusters Handguards and DENALI D2 LED solar swords. The battle is over but the war is never finished. Whether the moon’s army of darkness or the tribe of Mother Earth, the mercenary and his T7 share a mutual respect for the dangers of our two-wheeled world, whether on-road or off. Both rider and stallion need the proper armor, the proper horseshoes, and the proper training to battle the terrain.

Text and photos by: Kane Wagner

Kane Wagner is the founder of Appalachian ADV – Adventure & Dual Sport Motorbiking LLC, formed as an outlet for creativity in written word, captured visual art, and route development.  Two wheels and a motor are his adrenaline junkie delivery system of choice, providing natural highs delivered through dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins that act as the catalysts for his motorbiking experience.  His goal is to bring people of diverse backgrounds together to create common bonds through shared adversity on his “ADV Dual Sporting” routes as well as building confidence by overcoming those joyous hardships.  Kane and Appalachian ADV aim to use motorbikes, the beauty and challenges of nature, and a healthy dose of those happy hormones to give people opportunities to enjoy life, unplug, find much needed commonality, and to Have Fun, Take Chances…

Appalachian ADV – The Ramblings of an ADV Rider