Riding to New York

Well, I met him in Minnesota He was dark and overcast With long, grey hair and eyes that stared Through me like I was glass I asked "Where are you going to?" He said, "I'm the wind I'm just blowing through." He lit up a cigarette and began to talk Said: "The doctors told me that my body won't hold me My lungs are turning black Been a lucky strike's fool since I was at school and there ain't no turning back They can't tell me how long I've got Maybe months but maybe not So I'm taking this bike and riding to New York Cause I wanna see my grand-daughter one last time Wanna hold her close and feel her tiny heartbeat next to mine Wanna see my son and the man he's become Tell him I'm sorry for the things I've done And I'd do it if I had to walk Oh, I'm taking this bike and riding to New York Through the forests of Wisconsin that I knew as a boy Past the sky line of Chicago Round the lakes of Illinois I lay my head in a motel bed where my back is sore and my eyes turn red Listen to the trucks roll past my door Through the fields of Ohio as the sunshine paints them gold I run just like a river runs, rapid, quick and cold And fly through Pennsylvania and the Jersey turnpike tolls And I won't stop 'till I get to New York Cause I wanna see my grand-son one last time Wanna see his eyes sparkling and stare back into mine Now my time is shorter I wanna see my daughter Tell her I'm sorry for the things I taught her And I'd do it if I had to walk Oh, I'm taking this bike and riding to New York And I'd go up to the churchyard one last time Lay flowers down for the woman who gave me the best years of my life And I'd do it if I had to walk Yeah, I'd do it if I had to walk I'm taking this bike and riding to New York."