Monday 7 July 2014

Hello Clarice....

Hi there...

     A couple weeks ago I insured my bike, and Murphy's law being what it is, it rained for three days straight.  Thankfully I had spent my day off the weekend before cleaning and polishing...and nursing the god awful tramp stamp sunburn I got cause I was humped over like a dog humping a football doing magic circles, polishing chrome.  Lots and lots of chrome.  As a result, when the rain finally stopped, I was able to get right to the business of getting Clarice (She's my 1991 Harley Davidson Sportster 1200) on the road and working out the kinks we had both developed over the winter.

     We stuck to town our first time out, going through the gears the way a pianist goes through the scales when she puts her hands on the keys.  I just.. went,  letting Clarice take me where she wanted to go, like giving a horse her head and letting her go.  I stopped to have a smoke and a visit with my sister.  Want to know the quickest way to clear out a cemetery?  All I did through and around so my bike would be facing the right way when I left.  When I entered the cemetery there were a couple of cars and a smattering of people and by the time I parked after circling the cemetery, the people were gone and there was a convoy of cars leaving and they're all staring at me one eyed like a flock of nervous birds.  I laughed, and I'm sure my sister did too. 

     In the last week I've ridden to work and found four different versions of the long way home and only pulled a couple of rookie mistakes.  Once I slipped her into neutral when I was trying to gear up into second, and there was that one time when I may have popped the clutch...

     The last time I went out before the rains started, I stumbled on the perfect city ride so far.  I had the intention of riding out the Barnet, because its a lovely stretch of road, turning around at the gas station after the refinery and heading back.  After turning off the highway I realised I couldn't get into the gas station, so I carried on up the hill and found the turnoff for Burnaby Mountain.  You know, its amazing what you find when you're not looking for it.  A nice winding road brought me to the look out so I stopped for a smoke, took pictures like a tourist and just hung out with the world for awhile. 

     The weather was looking kind of iffy, so I decided to throw my chaps on, then realised I wasn't wearing a belt which meant the chaps would just slide off my hips.  So they went back into my saddlebag.  #skinnygirlproblem. 

     Leaving the mountain, I decided to go left and carry on up the hill which was another nice winding road.  When I got to the top, I remembered something....I'm not big on going downhill.  It's like night riding, I can do it no problem, it just freaks me out a little. Before I knew it I was in Coquitlam.  Totally didn't expect that and it was awesome.

      At a leisurely pace...ok, I may have switched lanes a time or four to get around slow cars...I made my way home, circling town a couple of times the long way before calling it a day.  It was an awesome ride which I plan on doing again before the summers over.

     Learning to ride is a huge personal accomplishment, something I never in a million years thought I could achieve and I am so grateful to have been given the oppourtunity to learn this skill.  My bike has taken me to so many beautiful places, on countless adventures, and given me memories to treasure for the rest of my life.  I can honestly say that it is the one passion in my life and I wouldn't give it up for anything.

     Find your passion my friends and ride with it...That Is All.