Saturday’s Ride: The Full Moon Ride

The Mountain Shadow Riders held their chapter meeting Saturday evening instead of Saturday morning! It was great to get together and ride out as a group!! Typical me, I was late in getting to the meeting (hey, I stopped for gas), so I was told to get in line. Great! I get to ride in the back of our pack!! That’s cool…I’m riding in with the big boys…our Rune and Goldwing are sweeping, so I’m rolling with them. Of course, riding next to the Rune, I’m getting all hot and bothered…it’s a purple motorcycle of all things….AND has a really cool purple custom seat. Think they’d miss it if put it on my bike *wink*?

LOL…it was a fun ride, we got out and headed east to Calhan. It is so much fun riding the twisties that sometimes I forget there are other directions to go other than west. Tonight we headed east.

As a group, we have all different riding skills. The Teacher brought along her little pup, which was cool! Hey, at least he didn’t fuss about being on the back (ha ha ha)!!

Saturday was the first time I had spent any saddle time on the bike in a number of weeks, so it was good to get out. Being in the back was good for me too…hey, I’m schmoozing with a purple Rune. The ride out was too short, but I think I wasn’t happy about it because MY lack of saddle time. Heck, if I had it my way, I’d be still out riding….

Where’s Christine? She’s going east, last I heard.

Okay, I’ll stop. I have enough problems with Rumor Central at the moment.

Besides, what does that have to do with this story? Nothing at all!!!

The ride out was fun, and what was really cool was the fact that we picked up our Asst. Chapter Director and she’s on her new red hot trike……okay, I gotta go for a ride on this bad boy…and yeah, it’d be on the back…but who cares? This is one cool machine!!! I’ll have to ask Ms. Chapter Director if she’ll let me post a pic up for ya’ll to see….it’s just that cool!! Actually, I don’t have to ask permission….you can check it out on Biker Betty’s blog page. Betty is one of my fellow Mountain Shadow Riders and sister V-Star rider.

She pulls in behind us and we ride out to our destination. A yummy Chinese restaurant in Calhan. Don’t ask me the name of it…I have no clue. Take Hwy 24 to Calhan is all I know.

Well, I’m still drooling over the Rune and my lovely friend evidently can’t stand it…so he offers me the keys. Nooooooooooo…I COULDN’T ride it…I would be mortified if I dropped it and would never forgive myself….tempting as it was…I declined the offer. I was flattered that he thought enough of my riding skills to offer up the keys.

Once in the restaurant, we settle in and gab amongst ourselves. It’s always fun to catch up with everyone—and we didn’t have much of a chance last month since the meeting was so short—no gabbing allowed at that meeting (we had a run to ride—no talking we NEED to ride!). I once again found myself chatting with our Rune rider and once again, he asked me if I wanted to ride his bike…again, as much as I wanted to, I declined. A few minutes later, the offer came down the pike…the third offer was the charm…I took the keys. No one really knew what was going on…but I grabbed my eye protection and headed out….Jeanne looked at me and asked “where are you going”? Headed out to ride the Rune. The “oh my goodness, I CAN’T believe you are doing this” look followed by the“are you crazy?” question was met by…yeah, I’m doing it—I couldn’t resist the third offer!!

Of course, I get out to this magnificent motorcycle…all chrome and purpley…and the chant is going on in my head “don’t drop it, don’t drop it, don’t drop it”…..I get on the bike and Sweet Cheeks asks me what I’m doing. All nonchalantly I reply “I’m going to ride this motorcycle” like I’m all calm cool and collected.

Yeah, I’m all cool on the outside, we have “don’t drop it don’t drop it, don’t drop it” at a full roar in between my ears.

Alright, I have the key…let’s ride this badboy….

Except……….hey, where’s the blasted key hole?? I have no idea where to put the key…Ah yes, that cool girl factor is rapidly diminishing…..but no worries, my Rune friend comes out and rescues me. My hero! A brief intro over the bike and insert key, press the button…and I’m running.

DON’T DROP IT DON’T DROP IT DON’T DROP IT DON’T DROP IT.

Oh, for the record, we are parked on gravel and dirt….and by now, everyone knows…. I’m riding someone else’s bike. Someone else’s very BIG and EXPENSIVE motorcycle.

Have I lost my mind? Have they for letting me ride it??

I need not worry….I get out of the parking lot unscathed and am ready to pull out on the highway. Check for traffic—it’s all clear. One deep breath and I roll the throttle back, let off the clutch and pull on to the highway. Of course, the ones out in the parking lot hear my wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo as I pull off.

Thanks, Scooter Gurl--for the great pic!!!

This was such a great ride…As far as weight and handling, it was really no problem. And yeah, I opened it up on the highway!! I’m thinking…hey, I could get used to this!!! I rode for a dozen miles and I knew I needed to turn back…..my trip was only half done. Besides, I didn’t want the owner of this machine to get worried…so I turned back around. Good thing that the ride back was as sweet as the ride out!! It was just too cool!!!

Pulling back into the parking lot, I parked and dismounted. I’m just buzzing with excitement…it was a wonderful experience!! I walk into the restaurant and everyone looks at me…and I have three words: OH MY GOODNESS!!! I reluctantly relinquished the key to the rightful owner and thanked him….not only for allowing me to ride a wonderful machine, but for trusting me to do so. That meant more to me than anything. Well, I know the stamp of approval as far as riding went was a team effort…as I had to not only pass mustard with my Rune riding friend…but his wife as well.. To get the green light from both of them since they are both wonderfully experienced riders and great people—really touched my heart. I really am glad I have such wonderful friends!

Meeting was super, we got a lot of input from everyone! Every meeting we have amazes me—we have such a wonderful group of members. It’s amazing how diverse we are, yet can get together and have great fellowship. It’s all about the motorcycle, ya know?? Of course it is!! We got to the end of the meeting, geared up and headed out.

What a great night!!!

I was talking to another riding friend of mine this evening—we rehashed the weekend out and caught up on the latest news of our lives and I sat back and grinned. I’m so happy that I have such wonderful friends! It’s funny….we put on our leathers and do-rags. Mount colorful and shiny rumbly machines…..yeah we look like a bunch of misfits and underneath it all, we are all quite normal people with careers and professions. Heck we even have a couple of engineers and geeky folks in our group *wink*…..

I’m glad I made my way back to this little world and am even happier that the folks there are open and willing to welcome me into their group as they have. They have opened their lives and hearts to me and even trust me to ride their bikes (well, maybe not all of them….HAH!). I hope they know how much that it means to me as well. They are all truly special people and I mean that from the bottom of little piggy toe to the tips of my hair when it stands on end when I go screaming down the highway! Thank you all for being in my world and allowing me into yours.

Keep the Shiny Side Up!

~The Rainbow Wahine

Oh, for the record….it was a full moon. We fit right on in with the rest of the crazy folks in the world!!!