Essential Fuel...

DDT (12)

Member

Posts: 4112

Sometimes ya just gotta go...

Winter Springs, FL - Occasionally...

Essential Fuel...

« on: January 18, 2023, 01:26:09 PM »

Essential Fuel...

Nothing moves without some form of fuel involvement in the process somewhere along the way. Even celestial bodies hurling through the vast nothingness of space each had some form of fuel (heat energy, direct or indirect) and kinetic energy transfer that initiated movement, then gravitational pull and/or inertia in a weightless environment kept the 'balls' rolling. Our miraculous steeds require gasoline (fuel) to produce their energy in concert with inputs from their riders. Even those riders themselves absolutely require nutrition (fuel) in various forms... Not a hard concept to understand and accept...

How these rider energy transfers are accomplished can take on an inexhaustible number of forms, but for our purposes here some specific methods are of particular interest: 'The Great Florida Que Quest' is an example. In the early days of the Valks' first appearance in the Sunshine State, one 'motivation' devised to incentivize Valk riders to congregate was to announce a lunch gathering at some BBQ restaurant around the region on a particular day and time. The prospect of an exploratory day ride to some new location combined with a pleasant social event greatly enhanced the taking-on of 'people fuel' by attendees.

Even visits to seafood or other types of non-BBQ restaurants back then were still variously called 'Fishy Ques' or other similar fabricated description. In time the 'Que' reference to gatherings was dropped, though, in favor of the more accurate 'RTE' or Ride-To-Eat designation. While the names for those events were modestly altered, the original intent was not. It's still analogous to our mothers tying a pork chop around our neck to induce the family dog to play with us. Crude, but it did prove quite successful.

Our girl and her SO regularly participated in those gatherings early-on, as they proved easy to attend for nearly all including those who had otherwise complicated, busy lives with many varied requirements. In time this rider's life became almost completely uncomplicated, however, so interests and habits changed significantly as the opportunity to pursue things only dreamt of before became possible.

Most of the people fuel intake for this long-rider following those heady early years became a solitary undertaking, while the exploratory nature of 'riding for fuel' took on an entirely new and astonishing dimension! This theme has not changed in many, many years now, so... I suppose one could speculate that, "It took..."

We do still stumble upon occasional opportunities for group human fuel intake sessions! As described in recent posts, I found myself slap-dab in the middle of two spur-of-the-moment meal events in Florida's panhandle with some great friends who also ride Valks... I even enjoyed a couple of Margaritas and a downright tasty Burrito Supremo at the first meal get-together! {Note: Beef & bean burrito fuel intake can produce embarrassing 'exhaust' issues at social functions. Margaritas won't prevent that, but they will relieve feelings of anxiety and guilt.}

An escorted ride north from Baker, FL, for fifty miles or so into Alabama by a few of the breakfast gathering attendees including Sweet Cheeks, then just SC and our girl along with her SO, finally just our girl and her rider back in their natural state... The long-delayed plan was simply to glide through southern Georgia into South Carolina, then veer northeastward into North Carolina... Our first destination target towards that end was Statesboro, GA. We didn't make it.

In fact, we didn't even make it out of Alabama... close but not quite. Eufaula, AL, sits on the western bank of the Chattahoochee River, which also serves as the state line in that area separating Bama from Jawja. For my personal evening fuel replenishment, I settled for the people 'fuel' of an Italian BMT 'meal' from a nearby Subway.

While there, I studied the weather, pondered our next move, and first began to notice a creeping lack of enthusiasm for our contemplated ride... Nowhere else to wander just now, though, with the ‘short tether’ of another round of doctor visits looming in a couple of weeks... Complicating matters were the ever-present rounds of precip forecasted. What to do? Staying the course for now was the eventual outcome of half-hearted deliberations...

The following morning, we departed headed for Statesboro again... We didn't make it again...Was I missing something here? Was fate purposefully leading us away from that otherwise OK town deep in 'you all' country? We rode on... Then, I missed a turn, and we went a hundred miles out of the way all totaled, including the lengthy highway detour and yet another missed turn also along that 'modified' route... "Something is definitely going on here," I thought to myself!

As the late afternoon shadows lengthened and produced in increasing intensity the 'strobe' effect of rapidly alternating flashes of brilliant sunlight and dark tree shade producing that hypnotic drowsy effect while impairing our vigil for critters and other hazards as we cruised along... thoughts quickly drifted towards another early end to the day's ride. Why not? We approached Vidalia, GA, as our need for bike fuel coincided with the rider's growing limited bladder capacity issue, so... A break and a reevaluation of our status were combined...

Statesboro had only been a target of convenience anyway, as it was the place I'd figured to change our course from due east to more northeast. We'd also paused there in years past, so the availability of motels was well known to us. Vidalia was also a smallish town we'd visited on previous occasions, so... as good as any, I'd concluded. We found a motel with a Shoney's restaurant right next door; there was even a short breezeway connecting the two... How nice!

Although the weather forecasts were by no means atypical for this time of year, they were also by no means particularly inviting! Continued cool to cold temperatures interspersed with rounds of showers, some even predicted to have the potential for severe weather including tornados. The result of that was the certainty of us finding ourselves periodically hunkered down for a night or three waiting in some motel room for the nasty stuff to pass... I then had an inspiration: Shoot let's just see if we can get another Airbnb and loaf for a few days!

We found a house available barely ten miles or so from where we were, so... Coddiewomple-interruptus was set in motion. The eastern Carolinas still haven't gone anywhere, so we can surely take our time. Besides, delaying gratification has a way of elevating the appeal of ideas and ambitions... sort of like what foreplay does for us, I suppose...

All of this has reminded me of an old axiom shared by a late uncle of mine way back when: "Son, if you find women ain't meeting your standards, you need to lower your standards!" I've come to the opinion that that truism can also apply to riding, as well... 'If weather conditions aren't meeting your desires, you need to alter your tolerable weather desirability range!' We'll see... In the meantime, cooking for personal fuel consumption has become the new focus for the next few days...

DDT (12)


	Logged

Don't just dream it... LIVE IT!

See ya down the road...

Rams

Member

Posts: 16176

So many colors to choose from yet so few stand out

Covington, TN