Was Absolutely Everyone Out Riding On Sunday?
Monday, February 3rd, 2020
Just a generic motorcycle shot for an illustration.
I kissed my wallet the moment I laid hands on it. This was when I got back from a ride on Sunday. More on that as it comes.
The forecast called for a high of 70 or 71 on Sunday so of course the RMMRC had a ride planned. So what if the plans were a little confused.
The last message I had seen said meet at the Circle K at Hess and Parker Road, so that was where I went. When I got there I was the only motorcycle in sight so I pulled out my phone and opened the most recent email. How odd–this said to meet at Performance Cycles.
OK, no big deal, I know the objective is to head to Rosie’s diner in Monument for lunch. I’ll just go there.
Navigationally this was not my best day. I must have made three wrong turns on my way over there. Plus, there was construction work going on along I-25 north of Larkspur. I managed to get there OK but it persuaded me I ought to take a day this summer and just ride all over the area between I-25 and CO 105 from Castle Rock down to Monument, exploring every road. It’s on my list now.
I got there before the others so I was sitting outside waiting when a group of a dozen bikes pulled in. This can’t be them, I thought, I’ve never been on an RMMRC ride with that many bikes. But as helmets came off I recognized faces. Wow, everybody wants to ride today.
It was true. I had already seen several hundred motorcycles out on the road. I would see several hundred more before I got home. I decided to declare Sturgis rules and stop waving.
So we ate and headed out, this time going north on CO 105. But before leaving I experienced that sinking feeling many of you have experienced at least once: my wallet was missing. Back I went into the diner and looked around our table. I asked the cashier and she checked with the manager. No wallet had been turned in. They took my contact info in case it showed up.
I was a bit distressed as we headed out, but I told myself that worrying would accomplish nothing and as long as I was out on my bike on this beautiful February day I ought to enjoy it. That did actually help and I was reasonably successful in focusing my attention on more pleasant things than calling to cancel all my credit cards, getting new Medicare and Social Security and all those other cards.
The last time I was out with an RMMRC group we had gone to Daniels Park and gone a short way north and then turned south again. Robert said at the time that the road ahead to the north was unpaved but I assured him it was paved now. So on this next ride it was his intent to go that way. I cannot overstate my befuddlement when we came to where the road turned to gravel. I’ve been on this road numerous times. How could I think it was paved when clearly it is not? At least it has clearly been heavily treated with magnesium chloride and was almost as good as paved.
And then we got to a place where it was not obvious which way to go and I had no idea. So Robert led us into, and then out of, a neighborhood. I’m sure he was getting a bit disgusted with me at this point. I told you, this was a navigationally distressed day for me.
Anyway, we eventually reached University, which became Lincoln Avenue as we headed east, and we reached I-25, turned north and split up to go home. And when I came in the door I was hoping fervently that I would find my wallet on the kitchen table, but it wasn’t there. With sinking heart I checked the pocket of my regular jacket and it was there!!!
Now I will do what I know you should do periodically, which is to take everything out of my wallet and photograph it all, both sides, and then store those photos in the cloud. If you haven’t already done this I recommend you do it, too. That way you’ll know exactly what cards to cancel and all those other sad details that you are faced with if you do actually lose your wallet.
Meanwhile, I’m so glad I had a good ride and the day ended well.
Biker Quote for Today
Why bikes are better than women: If you say bad things to your motorcycle, you don’t have to apologize before you can ride it again.
