“A grim, competent tale that memorably depicts a world of crime.” –Kirkus Reviews

Nate, a naive, eighteen-year-old misfit, sets off on a hitchhiking trip to escape bad parenting and the Vietnam draft. He yearns for the acceptance and safety of a tribe and finds them both in Cleveland’s branch of the Hells Angels. But they come at a price.

The Angels introduce him to the wonders of drug use and free sex.  Nate instantly takes to speed and cocaine, which mask his fears and inhibitions. Ever craving acceptance, he jumps into ripping off drugs and confronts rival biker gangs. When he accidentally shoots and kills a drug dealer, Nate descends into a spiral of fear and paranoia so strong only heroin brings him relief. Spider, his Hell’s Angel mentor, rescues Nate from an overdose and helps him get clean, but the damage is done.

His lover shuts him out. The Angels run him off. Spider and Nate kidnap a man who had stolen some drugs from them. When they crush his knuckle with pliers as retribution, gang war threatens to erupt and Nate is caught in the crossfire. Life, as he knows it, is over.

The Long Ride: Learning About Life From An Outlaw Biker takes you on a thrilling ride of emotional and physical violence, love and hate, survival and the unbreakable bonds of friendship. In this gritty and sensual tale, Francis Hicks offers a hard look into the darker side of self-discovery.