A few days ago, I started riding my motorcycle back to work in the afternoons. I live close enough to my job, so it allows me the luxury of going home for lunch. This is important to my sanity. I deal with patients all day that don't like being there in the first place, and then they get to give me their hard earned money for allowing us to inflict some serious pain and suffering on them. Great job, huh? Anyway, since I'm usually in too big a hurry in the mornings, and it's hard to drink my coffee and ride at the same time, it's just easier to take the bike back after lunch.Anyway, I wear scrubs and tennis shoes at work, so this is what I have on when I travel back to work. Now, let me back up a moment and explain something. When I started riding solo, made a commitment to myself that I will always wear blue jeans and boots when on my bike. In the heat of the summer, I may sport around in a t-shirt or tank top, but absolutely NO shorts or sandals for me. Well, I broke my commitment when I decided it was not a big deal to ride to work with my tennis shoes... until yesterday.
We got a nice little thunderstorm right before I was leaving work for the day. I put my rain suit on because, even though it wasn't raining real hard anymore, I would still be pretty drenched within a couple blocks. Also, I thought I would be more visible for everyone to see me with my bright yellow jacket, so off I go.
I know I'm preaching to the choir, because most of you already know this but, tennis shoes and rain on a motorcycle...NOT GOOD! The first time I put my foot down, I thought I was on an ice rink. Woops! While I stood there holding my Glide, I could feel my feet just slide, ever so slowly away from me, I had to keep readjusting. Good grief! Every time I came upon yet another intersection (and there where many!), I prayed, "green, green, green, please!" I came close to spilling it THREE times! WTF! I was so glad to get home without any serious incidents, I almost kissed the garage floor when I pulled my motorcycle into the safety of dryness!
In summary, my boots are my friend! Rain, shine, sleet or snow, they will be like my American Express card, I won't leave home without them. Even if I get really, really brave some day decide to pull a Lady Godiva, and ride down the road bare-ass naked, this girl will have her boots on!
Lady R
16 comments:
Amen to that, LadyR! I had a similar experience last August, but with heat instead of rain. You can read the post here: http://annnelson.blogspot.com/2007/08/charred-foot-anyone.html
I always have my boots handy now!
Geez, and I thought my glide was dirty! lol...I still have you beat though.
Yeah! Nice legs, er, I mean boots...except your post got my imagination going about the whole lady Godiva thing. Harley is going to have to spank you for that one. Where is the rest of that picture!
Ohh..Man I think I'm gonna need a cold shower.
ann...I just went back and read your post about your charred foot. That looks like it hurt! Ouch! It's funny how we sometimes have to learn our lessons the hard way.
Dave...yeah, it's pretty dirty right now. Harley keeps giving me shit about cleaning it. LOL! He thought it was amusing about the spanking too. LOL again!
As far as the rest of the picture? Well, hmmm. Now where did I put that?
Big D...you know Joker can probably fix you up with some hot water!
I am just glad you made it home upright and safe!
I have done the same thing being lazy.. but no more. I had a tennis shoe it a wet spot (probably AC run off) and it scared the crapola out of me!
Yeah, I think many of us have found this out the hard way.
Did you know that when you purchase a pair of "riding" boots, not just boots that look like motorcycle riding boots, that the soles are specially designed to be oil resistant?
When the roads get wet, and it brings out oil, and or you are stopped, and your foot is on an oil slick, these soles are designed to keep traction.
Cool Huh?
I won't ride without mine!
Before the Harley, and before I got real riding boots.
I once had my foot slip on an oil slick while parked in a parking lot with my Wing. I had a really hard time getting the bike back up. luckily it had highway bars to protect it.
Before the riding season began, I was on a quest for boots because my old ones got destroyed when I went down last fall.
One of my issues here was I wanted lug soles, not flat soles. I didn't specifically address the issue of oil on the road in the post, but I did say I felt they were important for traction. I did talk about the oil when I finally found a pair I liked:
We passed through several tolls going back and forth to Maine this past weekend. The spot next to the toll booth is notorious for being oily. My new H-D boots held onto that ground tighter than Dolly Parton's bra straps. I have never, and will never, ride my bike without my boots on.
Lady R, I'm SO glad you didn't lose the Glide on your little rainy adventure. I hope you never test those dangerous waters again. Be a shame to see such a nice, smooth calf all cut up.
Oh, and BTW, when you do Lady Godiva, be sure to give me 36 hours notice. That's about how long it'll take me to get to Alabama with one stopover to sleep and take that cold shower Big D mentioned.
Dammit! Every time I try to put links in with comments I mess them up somehow. I need "HTML for Dummies!"
These are the "missing links"
http://harley-davidson-mystique.blogspot.com/2008/02/getting-boot.html
http://harley-davidson-mystique.blogspot.com/2008/04/zappos-rules.html
The whole time I was reading this I was saying "Oh no!" and waiting for you to say you went down. I'm glad you were able to stay upright!
Oh and by the way, thanks for revving up my man's imagination, it's always a good thing. :)
maggie...yeah, me too, on the crappola part! I can't believe all the riders I see wearing tennis shoe or worse.
mr. m...I knew that about my boots, and I can tell you this. I learn lessons quickly. I don't need to hit my head with a frying pan more than once to know that it hurts!
Joker... LMAO! You ARE a missing link! LOL! Just kidding! I couldn't resist! BTW..I don't think the link thing works in the comments section. I was very proud of myself for not losing it, but damn! I sure was close! 36 hours huh? Can't make any promises, beer bravery usually doesn't last that long!
B.B...glad I could help! You know what they say about the imagination. It's usually more fun than reality!
Wait till I get there. I'll buy you all the beer you want!
Joker...ROTFLMAO! You crack me up! Not only will it require ALOT of beer to coax Lady Godiva out from hiding, but this would also require spectator inebriation. You know that song, "The Girls All Get Prettier At Closing Time". LOL!
I am always amazed at the things I see people wearing on a bike. Sandals, shorts, "not to bright", in my humble opinion.
The best is when I see someone who is wearing a tank top, shorts, flip flops..but then they make sure to wear a full face helmet. It takes all kinds, doesn't it?
nice riding gear in youre pic there R U in some kind of gang
Yeah... Spanky's Gang!
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