Alan sold his construction business and retired at age 45. He had lost his wife of 20 years to cancer and no longer had the drive required to keep the business going. Since he had built the business to the point that it was worth many millions, he decided to reinvent himself and retire.

He purchased the top model BMW adventure motorcycle and outfitted it for life on the road. Their home had several million in equity and sold quickly. He could live the rest of his life without working another day if he chose, and decided that he would spend at least a year or so traveling by motorcycle.

Alan and his wife had planned on many kids but their only child was their daughter Danielle. Dani had mostly recovered from her mother’s horrible death and was approaching graduation from UC Berkley in the spring. Alan made a plan to arrive in the San Francisco Bay area in time to attend her graduation. She had already received an offer to work at a Denver firm after she graduated.

The first two months on the road allowed Alan to get his head readjusted to life without his wife. It was difficult, but the miles and the new adventures were therapeutic. He loved the life he had adopted. He had enough money to stay in the finest hotels but instead chose the more modest suite hotels when possible. He always chose one with a fitness center so he could maintain his exercise regimen, and with careful selections at the nicer restaurants his diet was quite healthy as well. He was doing okay.

Graduation day at UC Berkeley arrived faster than he had expected. When he saw Dani at her apartment he could barely contain his pride at how amazing a young woman she had turned out to be. Tall and athletic like her mother, Dani was one of those California girls who seemed too beautiful to be real. What Alan admired the most, and what he was proudest of, was that she was a really great person. Everyone who ever met her, loved her. She was generous and kind, and maybe the most thoughtful person Alan had ever seen. Dani was a winner.

“Hey, Daddy. I have a surprise for you after the graduation ceremony. Can we meet for an early dinner?”

“A surprise for me?! You’re the one graduating. You should be getting the surprise. Anyway, dinner would be great. Then I can give you my graduation gift. Do you have a favorite restaurant?” After Dani gave him the details he kissed her on the cheek and said, “See you later, graduate. I’m very proud of you.”

After the ceremony Alan went to the restaurant at the time they had agreed on. Dani was already there. The meal was delicious, and Alan enjoyed the company of his beautiful daughter immensely. He gave her the pearl necklace he had purchased for her gift. They had been at the restaurant long enough for the waiter to start giving them the dirty eye adequately for them to know that they were expected to leave so that other diners could take the table. They made their way back to the parking lot and Alan asked where her car was parked.

“Well, that is sort of my surprise to you. I sold the Jeep, Daddy. My ride is right over there.” She pointed across the lot to the motorcycle parking area.

Alan thought she meant that she needed a ride from him. “Oh, baby, I don’t have an extra helmet.”

A big smile came on his daughter’s face. “Don’t worry. I have one.” She started walking to the motorcycles and when she arrived she pulled a keychain out of her purse and walked toward a shiny new BMW adventure motorcycle slightly smaller than his own. When she arrived she inserted the key into the side bag and pulled out a helmet. “This is my ride, Daddy.” Her smile was huge. “Surprised?”

“Uh, yes! How long have you had this? It’s a lot bigger than the dirt bikes we rode when you were in high school.”

“I’ve had it for a few months. I knew where you got your BMW and I called them and was connected to Doug, the salesman who sold you yours. He worked with me to select one. It is a great bike, Daddy.”

“Well, yeah. But won’t you need a car in Denver when you start work there in June?”

“Okay, about that. Here’s the next part of my surprise. I’ve arranged with Brontman and Gibbs to start in mid-September instead of a few weeks from now. I told them I wanted to travel over the summer and then give them 100% in September. They actually thought it was a good idea and I have their blessing.”

Alan was starting to realize what his daughter was going to say next. “Okay. So what’s your plan?”

His daughter smiled brightly and asked him, “No, the better question is what is YOUR plan? Where are we going first?”

Alan couldn’t believe what his daughter was suggesting. He knew in an instant that it really was a great idea. He could spend the summer with his amazing daughter, perhaps the last time he would have in her lifetime to spend a lot of close time with her. He shook his head. And smiled. “Tahoe. Are you sure about this?”

“Daddy, I couldn’t be more certain. This is something we really need. I would love to go to Lake Tahoe with you, and then to whatever destination you want to take me. But first, I just need you to take me to a BMW dealer so that I can get properly outfitted for our adventure. I thought it would be best to hold off getting anything until you could advise me. I’m sure you have a good idea, from experience, what gear works best and what is just extra baggage. I know that I can’t exactly bring my full closet on a motorcycle.”

“You must have gotten your brains from your mother.”

“She would be happy we’re doing this, you know.”

“Yes, I think so, too,” he said. This was going to be an adventure, that was certain.

They purchased all the gear Dani needed and started their journey. The Lake Tahoe area was magnificent. They explored the small back roads on the touring bikes and hiked the trails together. They worked out in the fitness center together every morning before going out for the day. Some days they chose cross-training exercise options like rowing or long runs together. Their life was certainly healthy, for both body and soul.

On a long hike they stopped at the top of a large precipice overlooking a lake. The view was spectacular. Alan sat with his feet dangling over the edge and Dani carefully eased down beside him. She held tightly to his arm. “Daddy, this is amazing. I can’t believe how blessed we are. Thank you, again, for doing this with me.”

“It was your idea, baby. And a good one.” He leaned over and kissed his daughter on the top of her head. He eased his arm around her and pulled her closely to him.

Dani snuggled up to her father. The day was perfect. “Hey, Daddy. Can we work our way up into Canada this summer? I’ve never been to Vancouver and by going north we will avoid the heat of summer.”

“Sure. That was my rough plan anyway. Great minds think alike. Do you want to know what I’d like to do now?”

“Sure, Daddy. What is it?”

“I’d like to take a nap. I want to lie down here on this big warm rock in the sun and take a little snooze.”

“Bet I fall asleep first,” Dani said.

“You’re on.” Both of them stretched out and made themselves comfortable. They made pillows from the fleece outerwear they had brought with them. Another perfect day.

When they awakened and resumed their hike Dani took her father’s hand and they walked that way for a hundred yards or so.

From that day on Dani became more physically affectionate with her father. She frequently snuggled into his embrace, or took his hand when they walked together. Alan certainly didn’t mind. He’d always been very touchy-feely with his wife and loved physical contact. He didn’t think of Dani’s affection as anything more than a daughter’s love for her father. He felt very fortunate.

One morning as they were eating their breakfast Dani said, “Daddy, I think we should stop getting two rooms all the time and just get one with two queens. You’re wasting a lot of money on that extra room.”

“Honey, I can afford the second room.”

“I know, but it’s wasteful. We don’t need it. I’ve had a roommate for the last four years at college, and you had one for a lot longer than that. We won’t be in each other’s hair. Plus, it will eliminate the waiting time each morning when one of us is running a little behind.”

“You mean, when you are running a little behind?”

“Okay, when I am running behind. Then you can be there to urge me on. And we can have coffee together in the room before we go to breakfast.”

“I’ll think about it,” he said.

“Let’s try it one time. We’re going to a new hotel tomorrow, anyway. Let’s change that reservation from two king rooms to one with two queens. If I get on your nerves we can get another room.”

“Sounds good, but anytime you want to change, let me know. You’re not going to hurt my feelings if I’m not a good roommate.”

“Deal!” Dani was very pleased.

The next day they settled into the new room and Dani did everything she could to make the decision a good one for Alan. She unloaded his gear into the dresser drawers, hung his outerwear in the closets. She was very thoughtful to give him his privacy when needed. Alan didn’t expect her to dote on him that way, and he privately doubted it would last, but he enjoyed it nonetheless.

When Dani finished her shower that evening she slipped into her typical lounging clothes; shorts and a t-shirt. The shorts showed a lot of leg, and the t-shirt did little to conceal her breasts. Her nipples stood out prominently. Alan couldn’t miss them, of course. He tried to look away, and started to think that their new arrangement wasn’t going to work out. He couldn’t help but comment. “Honey, can you put something else on?”

“What do you mean, Daddy?”

“Look at your t-shirt. Can you wear a bra, maybe?”

“Daddy! No way! I want to relax at the end of the day. Just don’t look if you’re offended, or better yet, just get used to it. They’re just tits, Daddy.”

Eventually, he did get used to it. Or, maybe he just came to accept it. He was a man, after all, and seeing a gorgeous young, fit woman in her prime years wearing next to nothing is not exactly difficult to take.

The relationship between Alan and Dani continued to improve as their adventure continued. By the time they reached Banff National Park there was no longer any uneasiness about Dani’s scant clothing, or Alan’s either. He was also physically gifted, and the daily physical exercise had him chiseled. Dani noticed. It was Dani who first began to think of their relationship as more than just father-daughter. She was falling in love with her father.

While seated at a restaurant Dani revealed something to her father. “Hey, Daddy. Do you want to know what the waitress told me when you went to the restroom?”

“Yes, what was it?”

“She told me my boyfriend was really hot!”

“Really? What did you say?”

“I told her I agree.” She reached across the table and took her father’s hand. “Don’t disappoint her, Daddy. Or me.” She winked at him. Alan just smiled.

The Canadian Rockies are magnificent, and the perfect place for an adventure motorcycle trip. Each time you round a curve in the road it seems like the view of the mountains is more majestic than the previous one. At one particularly beautiful vista the two riders stopped on the side of the road to admire the view.

Dani once more snuggled up to her father, drawing herself into his arms as they looked at the mountains. “Thanks for this, Daddy. I never dreamed life could be this good.” She then turned to press against him face to face, and lifted her lips to his.

From the very first contact, the kiss was more than a father-daughter kiss. She knew it, and in an instant, he did too. It surprised him. But what surprised him more was that he didn’t stop her. He didn’t break the kiss until it had become obviously inappropriate. “Whoa, baby. Stop, stop, stop. Dani, we can’t do this. What are you doing?” He pushed her away from himself.

“Sorry, Daddy. I got carried away.” She looked down at the ground in a bashful, little girl way.

As he walked back to his motorcycle Alan realized, to his horror, that he had a full hard on pressing tightly against his riding pants. Without a word, he fired up the machine and fitted his helmet and adjusted the two-way radio. After they had traveled 5 or 6 miles he keyed his microphone and said to his daughter, “Dani, please don’t do that again. Okay?”

“Okay, Daddy.” She gave him an unseen wink.

Some say that if you ride motorcycles long enough it isn’t a matter of if you will be involved in a crash, but rather when it will happen to you. It is something that riders accept. For Dani it happened on a scenic side road off the Trans-Canada Highway. She was riding second position behind Alan, about 20 yards behind him and on the left side of their lane. A pickup truck going the opposite direction crossed over the center line at a very direct line right at her. It happened in a millisecond. One second she was smiling, the next she was in the ditch. There was nothing else she could have done. It took considerable alertness and skill to have prevented a head-on collision.

Alan saw what happened in his rear view mirror and screamed in horror as his daughter’s machine went off the road at about 50 mph. He instantly turned around and accelerated hard to where she had come to rest. When he arrived she was sitting up, which gave him a glimmer of hope that she wasn’t hurt. He dropped his own bike and rushed to her. She was already removing her helmet when he knelt down beside her. “Dani, are you okay?!”

It was obvious that she was not okay. She was shaking uncontrollably and she had a distant look on her face that told him that she was close to being in shock. He was afraid to touch her in case she had broken something so he merely offered himself to her when she was recovered enough. “I’m here for you, baby.”

Suddenly, Dani began to cry. Hysterically. Then, her eyes cleared and she reached for her father, throwing herself into his arms. “Oh, Daddy! I’m sorry! I didn’t know what to do!”

“Baby, you did all you could do. You did what you had to do. I watched it all happen and you did exactly the right thing. Are you okay?”

“I think so. When I hit the ditch I did a flip over the handlebars and didn’t hit the ground too hard. Oh, my god! I’m shaking.”

“I know, baby. Don’t try to get up. Just sit there for a while.” After about 5 minutes he asked, “Do you have any injuries?”

“I don’t know. My back hurts some. Can you help me up?”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I think so. I’m okay. Help me up, Daddy. I can move my arms and legs okay.”

Very gingerly, he helped her to her feet. Thank God she seemed to be okay! “Try moving around some,” he said. She walked around for a few minutes and it seemed that she might be okay.

Dani looked over at her BMW lying in the ditch. “Oh, Daddy. I’m so sorry.”

“Dani! I don’t care about some stupid hunk of steel and rubber. I’m only worried about you!”

Dani was physically okay. She had a back ache from it being compressed when she hit the ground, but otherwise she was fine. But she was definitely not okay mentally. They waited there on the side of the road for almost 30 minutes before Alan went to inspect her BMW. It seemed to be fine except for some scratches on the windshield and storage boxes, and a bend on one handlebar.

Dani was in no condition to ride after her crash. Alan suggested she ride with him to the next hotel and that he return to get her motorcycle. He found a motorcycle repair shop nearby and dropped off her bike there before returning to the hotel. Dani was in bed when he arrived.

“Hi baby, how do you feel? Any pain anywhere?”

“No, Daddy. I took three Tylenols. No pain, but I can’t stop shaking.”

He sat on the bed next to her and she sat up to allow him to take her in his arms. She was so warm, but her trembling was very pronounced. He hugged her closely. “You gave me quite a scare today.”

“I’m sorry, Daddy.”

“Honey, don’t be sorry. You were amazing. A lesser rider would have been in big trouble. I’m really proud of you.”

Dani felt a little better from his calming words, and finally gave him a small smile. “Thanks, Daddy. I had a great teacher.”

“Do you want to get something to eat?”

“No thanks. I just want to rest. You go eat.”

“Okay, I’ll be back in less than an hour. See you soon.”

When he returned Dani was still in bed, but still awake. He started his own bedtime preparations and when he came out of the shower Dani said to him, “Daddy, can you lie here with me for a while?”

“Sure, baby.” He lay down on top of the comforter next to his daughter and took her into his arms. After an hour he fell asleep himself and didn’t wake until the morning.

Dani was able to eat that morning and they got on his motorcycle and rode to a diner. She was mostly silent as they ate. When they returned to the hotel Alan called the shop to find out the status of her repairs. He learned that the replacement handlebar wouldn’t arrive until the next day so they extended their reservation. He went for a workout in the fitness center but Dani would only watch TV all day, only coming out from the bed when Alan brought them lunch and dinner.

Once again, Alan completed his bedtime routine and his daughter asked that he lie in bed with her. They watched TV together until he began to get sleepy. He got up to go to his own bed.

“Daddy? Can you stay here, please. I need you close to me tonight.”

“Honey, I think I should sleep in my own bed tonight. I woke up with a stiff neck this morning from sleeping on top of your bed last night.”

“Please, daddy?” He could see tears forming in her eyes.

“Aww! Dani! Honey, of course I will stay with you.” He once again lay down on top of the comforter and put his arms around her.

Silently, they embraced for several minutes before Dani said softly, “Daddy, I almost died.” She was beginning to really cry now and Alan felt helpless to comfort her.