I ride with my little dog, Popo, and let me tell you, he’s a star. He’s tiny, only about 10 pounds, but he rides like a pro. I strap him into a harness on me, and he snuggles his head into my jacket, drifting off to sleep like he’s on a luxury tour bus. When we stop at a light, he’ll peek around, look at me like, “Wait…we’re stopping? Oh, never mind, we’re moving again,” and tuck back in.

The real fun comes from watching people’s reactions. Drivers pull out their phones, recording, taking pictures, giving us thumbs up. Popo has probably been in more Facebook posts than most celebrities!

And it’s not just for show. He’s a licensed service dog too, trained to help me when I used to have seizures. He takes care of me, I take care of him, and together, we’re basically an unstoppable tiny duo. The biker community knows him by name. Everyone waves, everyone smiles, everyone loves Popo.

One particular ride really sticks with me. We stopped for lunch, and a little girl spotted Popo. She was thrilled… until he barked at her. Not aggressively, just alert. Turns out, she was prone to seizures, and Popo had picked up on it! The parents were incredibly grateful, and I was so proud of my little guy. He’s always paying attention, always looking out for people, even when he’s snoozing through the ride.

Popo’s getting older now, he’s 15, and I’m trying to squeeze in a few more rides before it’s too cold for him. Riding with him is pure joy: the laughs, the smiles from strangers, the little moments of heroism. Tiny as he is, Popo has made every ride unforgettable. He’s my co-pilot, my protector, and the cutest traffic-stopping companion you’ll ever meet.