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Yesterday the forecast was for a warm afternoon. I fired up in 40ish degree weather and headed toward work. There wasn't a whole lot of traffic on my stretch of Hwy 45 and I made real good time to the foot of the mountain. The down side of this was my back and the arthritis. With the weather changing daily I have been in a constant state of pain. So I got to become well acquainted with every little bump and jiggle. Other than that little draw back it was a great ride. I had decided to ride in and maybe get some welding done on my bike so I was thinking about that and was able to get kind of lost. Funny how I always seem to get found when I get close to work.
The day progressed to a warm one and I saw several bikes go by on the four lane by work. Thinking that I might have made a mistake and should have taken the day off to get in some riding, I sat there and toughed it out till quitting time. Let me tell you that was hard to do. Days like this I'd rather be out on the road. Finally headed home It was just right. cool but not cold and the perfect weather, air mixture for my old bike. It ran like it was new and I just seemed to float along. Even the bumps and jiggles didn't seem to be there. I had an absolute blast on the trip home! Pulling in at the house I rushed around and got the "Republican Quartet" fed and out the door for a little while. I had a dinner planned at the local Pizza place with the son and other assorted rif raf so I hurried and change clothes. Getting those little Republicans rounded back up was a chore in it's self. It was warm out and they wanted to chase something. Finally after lots of bribing the were back in and I took off for town.
The Pizza joint is about eight or nine miles from the house and mostly a straight shot. Everything was clicking along so good that I could just kick back and set the throttle and "look ma, no hands". Think I may have even spooked a couple of drivers as I waved at them with both hands. Ah well, like the song says, "I still feel 25 most of the time."
At the intersection coming into town the light was with me and I laid down into a right turn and headed for the ATM just up the street. A few minutes doing battle with the money box and I was back out zig zaging through traffic. Most of these people are trying to get home on a Friday afternoon and as I split lanes and even white line up to the light, I don't think a few of them were much happy for me and my two wheeled ability. As I approached the light It changed and I down shifted and jumped out in a right hand turn, ahead of the traffic that had been held by the light. man! It was such a great evening for a ride. A couple of blocks and I pulled in to the Pizza place.
Bud and his squeeze showed up and a few minutes my bride showed up and we all chowed on pizza and pickles. After some light visiting and eating, everyone decided that it was time to leave. We had been there about two hours and I figured that the temperature had dropped. Bracing for what I knew would be a cool ride I headed outside. Man, the air was warm and it really felt like early spring. I fired up and as I idled across the parking lot I had one of those intense flashbacks. Back to when I was a teenager and riding the hills of home. I really don't know how to describe it other than I was brought back to something really good.
Pulling out of the lot I got caught up in some poke along traffic and began to think. Thinking back about thirty five or forty years, riding, seemed I was always alone and running through the mountains. (Hills as I called them) Anywhere I went there was a mountain and a decent ride. Harrison 34 miles to the north or Clarksville about 40 miles or so to the east. Russellville, about 40 miles to the south and Fayetteville/Springdale 65 miles to the west. It seemed that I lived in the saddle of my bike. Sleeping bag tied on the back and at that time it seemed, not a care in the world.
The traffic bunched up at the light and when it changed I eased out and even though your not really suppose to, used a wide spot and managed to get ahead of everyone. The moon was full and the clouds were light and I settled into a smooth 65 mph and before I knew it I was pulling into the house. (hate it when that happens)
It was really too bad that I wasn't making a trip someplace. Last night would have been the night to go. Perfect weather for riding. Especially when your on an older air cooled machine.
It was great!!
Hope to run into ya on the road.
The day progressed to a warm one and I saw several bikes go by on the four lane by work. Thinking that I might have made a mistake and should have taken the day off to get in some riding, I sat there and toughed it out till quitting time. Let me tell you that was hard to do. Days like this I'd rather be out on the road. Finally headed home It was just right. cool but not cold and the perfect weather, air mixture for my old bike. It ran like it was new and I just seemed to float along. Even the bumps and jiggles didn't seem to be there. I had an absolute blast on the trip home! Pulling in at the house I rushed around and got the "Republican Quartet" fed and out the door for a little while. I had a dinner planned at the local Pizza place with the son and other assorted rif raf so I hurried and change clothes. Getting those little Republicans rounded back up was a chore in it's self. It was warm out and they wanted to chase something. Finally after lots of bribing the were back in and I took off for town.
The Pizza joint is about eight or nine miles from the house and mostly a straight shot. Everything was clicking along so good that I could just kick back and set the throttle and "look ma, no hands". Think I may have even spooked a couple of drivers as I waved at them with both hands. Ah well, like the song says, "I still feel 25 most of the time."
At the intersection coming into town the light was with me and I laid down into a right turn and headed for the ATM just up the street. A few minutes doing battle with the money box and I was back out zig zaging through traffic. Most of these people are trying to get home on a Friday afternoon and as I split lanes and even white line up to the light, I don't think a few of them were much happy for me and my two wheeled ability. As I approached the light It changed and I down shifted and jumped out in a right hand turn, ahead of the traffic that had been held by the light. man! It was such a great evening for a ride. A couple of blocks and I pulled in to the Pizza place.
Bud and his squeeze showed up and a few minutes my bride showed up and we all chowed on pizza and pickles. After some light visiting and eating, everyone decided that it was time to leave. We had been there about two hours and I figured that the temperature had dropped. Bracing for what I knew would be a cool ride I headed outside. Man, the air was warm and it really felt like early spring. I fired up and as I idled across the parking lot I had one of those intense flashbacks. Back to when I was a teenager and riding the hills of home. I really don't know how to describe it other than I was brought back to something really good.
Pulling out of the lot I got caught up in some poke along traffic and began to think. Thinking back about thirty five or forty years, riding, seemed I was always alone and running through the mountains. (Hills as I called them) Anywhere I went there was a mountain and a decent ride. Harrison 34 miles to the north or Clarksville about 40 miles or so to the east. Russellville, about 40 miles to the south and Fayetteville/Springdale 65 miles to the west. It seemed that I lived in the saddle of my bike. Sleeping bag tied on the back and at that time it seemed, not a care in the world.
The traffic bunched up at the light and when it changed I eased out and even though your not really suppose to, used a wide spot and managed to get ahead of everyone. The moon was full and the clouds were light and I settled into a smooth 65 mph and before I knew it I was pulling into the house. (hate it when that happens)
It was really too bad that I wasn't making a trip someplace. Last night would have been the night to go. Perfect weather for riding. Especially when your on an older air cooled machine.
It was great!!
Hope to run into ya on the road.
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