| Author | Message | ||
     Djkaplan |
Just another day really, but for some reason I decided to take an hour or two and ride the bike out to some old back roads this morning. The weather was uncharacteristically cool for mid-west Georgia this time of year and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. As I rode out of town I was a little surprised at how clear the air was - haven't had visibility like this in the summer for a long time. The cool felt good as I started riding down roads with names like Old River and Lickskillet. These old roads must have been layed down long before it was important to make them as straight as possible. They meandered around old ponds and along little tributaries on their way to the Chattahoochie River. As I got further out, the gas stations turned from little minimarts into old garage/bait shops with rusty signs and beat up trucks with fishing poles parked out front. I stopped in one and was pleasantly greeted by not just by the people working there, but by the customers too. I fought off the temptation to sample the pickled pigs feet and eggs displayed on the counter - still a little too early in the morning. I left keeping the exhaust note respectful; no sense waking the sleeping dogs. The roads got even more empty as I continued on. No reason for anyone to be way out here I guess. The only structures on the sides of the roads now are old farmhouses long abandon by their residents. Only the brick chimneys are left standing and some of these look like they might not be long for this world either. The roads are getting challenging at the speed I'm going. My mind stays focused on handling the bike, but it's almost effortless. After 16,000 miles riding this bike, I can almost think it through the corners. I marvel at the contrast of the smooth, mellow power and the sharp handling. These are the perfect roads for this machine. I sweep around a perfectly cambered corner and shoot down the first long straight in miles. I can actually enjoy the scenery and what a sight it is. The deep, lush greens of the forest are vivid against the blue sky. These forests are actually filled with hardwoods and not the pine trees so common on reforested land that borders Georgia's highways. I see a huge bird catching the thermals above me. I want to think it's an eagle or hawk, but it's probably a buzzard. Oh well; it's beautiful anyway. The old road finally intersects the interstate back into town. I figure I've used enough of the day to wander, so I take the straight road back. Since it's the last real corner, I rail the onramp to the highway and barrel down the road going much too fast. You know; it's fun to go too fast sometimes. Even the highway holds a little magic today; I see another motorcycle ahead of me. It's a dapper gent on an FLH and he waves at me before I even pass him. He speeds up a little to catch up, so I slow down a little to let him. I never really wanted an Electra Glide before, but the older I get, the better they look. I wonder if the dapper guy was like me when he was younger? I start wondering if I'm going to be like him when I get older. I realize that it would be kind of cool if I did. We ride back into the haze of the city and wave each other off at his exit. Maybe I'll bump into him again. I turn into my part of town and a thought enters my mind as I start downshifting for the first traffic light. It's a thought I haven't had for a very long time and it makes me smile a big smile in my helmet. "It's a good day to be me..." | ||
| Rempss |
Why isn't this in the advertising? Indeed, a good day to be you. Jeff | ||
| Dueller |
DJ... Sounds like you were rambling around my old back road haunts outside of Columbus, Ga. Brought back memories of days at age 16 riding my hippy chick bump buddy (oooh...dating myself here) in the morning hours before classes started on an old Turnip 650....then saying "WTF...let's skip English Comp today." Ahhhh, those were the days. Thanks for triggering the memories....now I wonder what happened to Lisa Pedicord....last I heard she moved to a commune in Oregon in the early '70's. jim | ||
| Blake |
DJ, Thanks for taking the rest of us along on your most excellent country road ride in SW Georgia. Very nice. This one will need to be preserved in the Tail Section. | ||
| X1glider |
Shouldn't the "Tail" section be a sub-topic under NC-17/R-rated stuff? hehe Just picking on your spelling! | ||
| Blacksix |
Very Shweet ride. (I need a fix...errrr bike.) | ||
| Ferris |
geez DJ, nicely done. every now and then i get lucky and am able to put into words why i ride, and your most excellent piece above nailed it right on the head. thanks, man :-) Ferris | ||
| Turnagain |
very cool! thanks for the imagination visualizations. pics would be nice. Wish Ferris would come up with some too -- still like to see that waitress.  twisted, Steve(2) | ||
| Blake |
X1G, All my bikes have had "tail" sections.  |
