RIDIN' WITH RAINBOWS

Dear Diary... a glimpse into the pages of a journal written by a woman rider.

Saturday,
March 26, 2011

Dear Diary,

One of my favorite reasons for riding a motorcycle is when I have the good fortune to experience... a special moment. You know, those moments that only occur when you happen to be in the right place at the right time. A moment when the only evidence of it's existence lingers in the scrapbook of your mind. A moment that usually never happens to you when your driving in your car.

We were riding back from Sylacauga this afternoon, trying to make it home before some terrible weather caught us. H was watching the sky as we were splitting a pair of ferocious storms moving along on either side of us. One minute we were heading south, the next thing I know, we change direction and go west for a few miles. Just when I think we're going to get wet, I see his blinker come on and we're turning south again. The asphalt was wet everywhere we turned, including some golf ball size hail in some places, but sparingly, we weren't getting drop on us.

As we rounded a long sweeping bend and cleared a large patch of trees, I noticed H raise his left arm and point. I looked up in the direction he was pointing and there it was... big and breathtaking... the widest most brilliant rainbow I've ever seen, laid across the stormy sky. In spite of all the darkness around us, the sun was slicing through the clouds, creating a natural spotlight on the highway as if it were trying to lead us in the direction of safety. Where the two elements merged together, the unmistakable colors of orange, yellow, green and pink formed a flawless arch as it went from one side of my panoramic view to the other.

I tried in vain to keep my eyes on the road, but I couldn't help but gaze over to my left as much as my lingering senses would allow. As I continued to process the beauty I was seeing, another rainbow came into view. It was a softer less vibrant mirror reflection of the first and positioned right above it. Twins! I was definitely looking at twin, full arch rainbows!

I wanted to capture this, but there was no safe place for us to pull off. It was in that instant when I realized I was experiencing one of my cherished moments. I seem to get more and more of them lately, and I'm usually riding my Glide when they happen. I could feel my smile widen as my senses went on overload with the smell of newly fallen rain, freshly mowed hay, and looking a palate of color that only God could make.

For the next several miles I pondered many things but mostly, how blessed I really am... to be ridin' with rainbows.

Me

MY RIDE NEVER SMELLED SO GOOD!

Dear Diary... a glimpse into the pages of a journal written by a woman rider.

Sunday
May 2, 2010

Dear Diary,
Friday morning, I found myself riding solo as I rode my Glide to Panama City to meet up with H and several of our friends for the Thunder Beach Rally, and my infamous Derby party. Big Ed was putting his RV down on the beach so we could have a place to stay and be right in the middle of all the festivities for the weekend. Since that can be a pain in the ass sometimes, H decided to ride down on Thursday to help him get it parked and set up.

I intended to take off early so I could get there by lunch, but only got 5 miles down the road before my engine light came on. Since I was riding alone, I found a place to turn around and headed back toward Montgomery and rode straight to the Harley shop. I explained to them that I was loaded up and headed out of town, so they got my ol' girl right on back to see what ailed her. About an hour and a half later I was on the road again! (Thanks, guys!) Just a minor voltage issue that was probably a loose wire. No light... no problem. Let's ride!

As I got past the point of my previous u-turn, I rode about 20 more miles before I felt myself start to relax and settle into my seat. That's when it hit me...

Snifffffff... ahhhhh! I wish you could smell that! My favorite smell in the whole world... honeysuckle!

One of the pluses of riding a motorcycle in the South during Spring... is how wonderful it is to ride through a fragrant cloud of honeysuckle! I kept relishing in the intoxicating aroma as I rode down Hwy. 231 through the gauntlet of short bushy trees laden with the pretty white blossoms. Even when an intruding whiff of something else, recognizable but not necessarily pleasant came into the mix, it would only be a mile or two before the overpowering sweetness of the honeysuckle would take over again.

During a fuel stop in Ozark I met a trio of riders who, when realizing we were all going to the same place, invited themselves to ride along with me. So the three amigos and I took off and rode together for a little while before we came to the shortcut I like to take that bypasses me around the busy Dothan traffic.

A right turn later and a quick wave to the others, and I was off on my own again. Alone... just me and my honeysuckle.

Partnering with the air of sweet sensations, was the clean crisp smell of newly fallen rain (yes, I got wet a few times!), and a tickle in my nose from someone's freshly mowed grass. Cruising across the miles, swathed in sensory stimulation, this was definitely one ride for the books.

When I got to my destination, I met up with H and the gang at Joe's Bar on Bus. 98, where you can eat THE BEST chicken wings in all of Panama City! Yummy!

Flame, greeted me with a hug and asked me how my ride was. I just smiled and said... "My ride never smelled so good!"

Me

RIDING SOLO... BUT NOT ALONE

Dear Diary... a glimpse into the pages of a journal written by a woman rider.

July 5, 2009

Dear Diary,
Once again, I found myself following my fearless leader, Harley, down the road while we took ourselves to Panama City for the 4th of July weekend. Only this time, I rode my own Glide and Harley was in his own truck. A simple back tire replacement earlier in the week, lead to the discovery that his Street Glide had a loose bearing. Warranty work... good. Had to order part... bad. He didn't get his bike out in time for the weekend.

We changed out my seat and put the tour pack back on, so we could ride two up, once we got there. He offered to put my Glide on the trailer so I could ride in the truck with him and our puppies, in the comfort of the A/C. Panama City is a nice 185 miles, and even though it's pretty hot, I still wanted to ride.

So... Harley took the lead, and I followed. With his radar detector on and roaming, we were able to clip along at a nice pace, making my ride even more enjoyable. The sun was high in the sky and the wind felt warm on my face as I relaxed and took it all in. It wasn't long before we settled into our normal riding rhythm as if we were both on two. Anyone following us for any length of time would have noticed the graceful synchronization of the blue Ford truck and the black Electra Glide as we maneuvered together, through holiday traffic.

We came up on a dead possum or something and Harley drifted so far over to the right, his right tires were on the shoulder of the road. He could have easily straddled it, but as my own personal "road captain", he has a habit of kicking his right or left foot out, to warn me of upcoming road kill or other hazards that need to be avoided. Since he couldn't do that, he'd position his truck to the far left or far right of his lane, to signal my warnings. I smiled to myself at the reaction he got from other drivers who no doubt thought he was crazy for swerving so.

We got to Panama City without any problems and had a fabulous 4th of July weekend with our friends. Sunday morning, as we headed back home, we stopped to get gas before we got out of Florida. During our pit stop, Harley revealed to me that I may get wet. The radio was telling of an upcoming storm in the Montgomery area and he was hoping it held off until we got there. We decided to forgo any more stops and just get our butts home.

Traffic was pretty heavy and we did our best to find our comfortable rhythm, but it was like maneuvering through a moving parking lot. It was really hot again today and I was getting pretty thirsty. I was beginning to wonder if my decision not to stop needed to be retracted. As we approached one of the stop lights near Ozark, I noticed Harley had his window down and was dangling a travel mug out the window as if to say, "want some?" I split the lane and pulled up along side of him and said, "hey mister, got something to drink?" I took two long draws on the straw and was rewarded instantly with the cool refreshing taste of sweet tea. I should have known... Harley loves his sweet tea!

At three more lights along the way, he put his mug out there and I would pull up along side and take my drinks. By the time we were about to leave the city limits of Troy, I told him I was good and we can book it the rest of the way home. I wonder what the folks around us thought. "Look at that nice truck driver giving that hot thirsty rider a drink... how sweet."

We were about 15 miles from home when the sky opened up. I noticed Harley tap his brakes as he slowed down. He waved me around him, and as I rode passed, he pointed forward, for me to take the lead. I guess he figured if anyone was going to ride behind me in a hard rain storm, it was going to be him. I had been riding under the blazing sun for three hours now, was hot and tired, and I welcomed the cooling rain on my skin. It felt soooo good!

We pulled into the driveway and I got off the bike and thought... that was great! Riding by myself made me feel a little vulnerable at times because I feel there is safety in numbers, even if it's just the two of us. I crossed paths with a couple other solo riders during our trip down and back, and as I waved I wondered, are they really alone? I'm glad I chose to ride, and with Harley leading the way, I knew I would be fine.

I may have been riding solo... but I was certainly not alone.

Me

THANK YOU FOR THE RIDE... I LOVE YOU!!

Dear Diary... a glimpse into the pages of a journal written by a woman rider.

Sunday, June 14, 2009
Dear Diary,

I'm in love... still. H and I just celebrated another year together, making the grand total 29 years now. Some would say that's a long time, but surprisingly enough, it doesn't always seem that way. After this many years, he still puts a smile on my face keeps me laughing. He knows how to make me happy and today especially, he went out of his way to show me.

It's been about two weeks since I've been able to ride my Glide and I was craving some road therapy. After our road trip to Iowa, we turned around two days later and went to Panama City for the weekend . H rode his Street Glide down after work Friday, but since we had to take the pups, I loaded us all up in the Mazda and went down early. I like to get there in the afternoon so I can go and have Happy Hour with my gal pals.

A ride that was planned for that Saturday pizzled out due to various reasons, so I was a little disappointed about that. Our buddy had a Shovel Head all ready for me to borrow, but since the ride didn't pan out, I hung out with my girlfriends, doing lunch and lazying around.

When we got ready to leave and come home Sunday, H came to me and said, "You better go put your boots on." Not understanding what was up, I asked why and he responded, "If your gonna ride my motorcycle home today... you better put your boots on."

Woo Hoo! He didn't have to tell me twice! We loaded everything up and headed for home... him squished up in my little Mazda with two dogs and a bunch of crap, while I glided home on his beautiful blue Street Glide. With the sun in my face and wind on my knees, I was feeling that old feeling that's been missing the last couple weeks. Finding that feeling on a sweet ride like H's was even better.

I know it was a big deal for H to let me ride his baby. Some would wonder why, but other riders would know. It's a very personal thing. Your motorcycle is not something some can easily share. The fact that he was confident enough in my ability makes me feel very proud, and I love him for showing me that.

I couldn't have asked for a better anniversary present than getting to spend a nice afternoon, rumbling down the highway, rejuvenating the soul.

Thank you for the ride honey... I love you!

Me

HOW DO YOU PLEAD? NOT GUILTY!

Dear Diary... a glimpse into the pages of a journal written by a woman rider.

February 8, 2009
Dear Diary,
I got so lost in my own world today, it's amazing I even found my way back! H and I went riding again with no specific direction in mind. The sky was so blue and bright, it was just way too pretty to pass up! I know I should feel guilty for running off and leaving things undone... but I don't!

I was happy to be in the wind, for the second day in a row. It felt good to wear my half helmet again as the warm air caressed across my face. The roads became our playground and we were like two kids at recess. We rode aimlessly, from one crossroads to another, deciding at each one which direction to take. To me, these are the best kinds of rides.

Every now and then, a nasty little thought would creep into the corner of my mind, reminding me of the laundry piled up on the floor, and dirty dishes still in the sink. Maybe I should be ashamed of myself... but I'm not. I was having too much fun! I giggled out loud as I realized Dr. Suess was dancing around in my head...

I do not care
those dishes are there.
I do not care
they're there, I swear!

Do not fear
I'm in no quandary.
I simply love,
my piles of laundry!

Oh, I was having a blast! I couldn't feel guilty if I tried. The only one that could put me in the dog house for not doing my chores, was in front of me, leading the way, having just as much fun and I was!

The pleasure I get
from riding my Glide,
The joy I feel
I cannot hide!

If given the choice
to work or play,
I'll be riding the roads
again on that day!

Yep, like I said, I was in my own world today.
Me

WHAT'S FOR LUNCH? HOW ABOUT A QUICKIE?!

Here's a new feature I'm considering adding to my blog on a somewhat regular basis. I can't promise how often you'll see it, but this will be the experimental post. Sometimes, there is something that I'd like to share, but it may not be a nice long ride complete with pics, or must see location. There are times I just want to share a nice experience concerning motorcycles. Look for future editions of...

DEAR DIARY... A glimpse into the pages of a journal written by a woman rider.

January 27, 2009
Dear Diary,
Today ended up being a pretty good day. I was having a hard time concentrating at work this morning because I kept hearing the inviting rumble of motorcycles passing by my office. The sun was finally making an appearance again, after remaining absent for a few days, and the temp was warming up nicely. I must have looked out the window a thousand times before lunch, wishing that it was I, running up and down the road.

On my way home for lunch, I took note at how warm it had gotten by this time. It was 77 degrees! I nice break from the overcast, rainy, 30 to 40 degrees we've been having. I crossed paths with two separate riders and they both had big smiles on their faces. That did it! I called H on my cell phone and said, "Can you think of a good reason why I shouldn't take my bike back to work this afternoon?" His response was, "Ahh, no?" I confirmed with him, that after I have my lunch, I'm taking the Glide back to work.

I ate my sandwich with a renewed attitude, checked in on some blogs, and got ready to go back. When I went into the garage, my ol' girl saw me coming with my jacket and chaps on, and I swear, she blinked her headlights at me, just like her four wheeled cousin, Herbie the Love Bug.

On my way back to work, I could feel myself re-energizing in the warm breeze with the sun on my face, and wished I could bypass the office and hit the closest highway and just keep going. I didn't, but it was the best 12 minutes I've had all day!

I took on my afternoon work duties in a better frame of mind, cause I knew what awaited me at the end of the day. Somehow, I managed to find two errands to run after work, just so I could stretch out my short commute for a little while longer. The last few times we've ridden, it's been cold or rainy, and to feel the warm air again made me long for Spring to hurry up and get here.

Tomorrow we're suppose to get another cold front from the north, so it will be back to chilling temps for us thin blooded southerners. Oh well, at least I got to enjoy a little taste of sunshine today. There's nothing better than an afternoon quickie!
Me