Sorry it's so long. Damn, I've always wanted to say that.
My riding skills had been feeling a little rusty lately. I’ve been riding to work most everyday of course. Not even sure when the last time I drove a four wheeled vehicle was. Probably last Tuesday morning but I’m not sure.
But commuting ain’t the same as “RIDING”. Commuting may even somehow suck some of my riding skills right out through my skull. Least, it feels that way sometimes. So, today was a day for “RIDING”.
I’d seen on the web that the Medora covered bridge rebuild had been completed.
http://www.medoracoveredbridge.com/The Medora covered bridge is the longest bridge of it’s kind in the United States. It had been closed since around 1979 and had been falling apart since then. Last year when I was there it was being rebuilt and couldn’t be walked through without risk to life and limb.
By my favorite route it’s about 115 miles one way. About 55 miles from home the route begins to get interesting as Indiana 45 takes me out of Bloomington and into the rolling hills of the Brown County area. Much to my delight, 45 is in great shape with fewer and fewer “cagers” hindering my progress as I get farther from Bloomington.
And now, the brainrust is starting to loosen as my Valk and I enjoy the blind curves, hills and randomly scattered gravel on this wonderful road. I pass the corner where a riding bud in front of me a few years ago ran out of ground clearance and levered up the rear wheel of his HD which shot him out across the double yellow. No crash that day luckily though. Then I pass the corner where I found a crashed HD with rider stumbling around and passenger still on the ground a few years ago. They said 7 cagers and three bikers had ridden right on by them before I stopped. May those asshats on the scooters roast for riding on by that day.
Still feeling a little awkward as I hit Beanblossom and turn South on the best of roads, Indiana 135. More cagers here to impede my progress but I’m not feeling at the top of my game anyway so the “parade like corner speeds” aren’t killing me.
On though the suffocating humanity of Little Nashville and left, then right and back on 135. Oh yeah, it gets good here. Blind corners, decreasing radius corners, lots of agricultural equipment on the roads, lots of hay being hauled so a riders gotta stay sane but what a good time is to be had here.
Finally the GPS says the turn off onto 235 is just ahead. I gladly pull in to the parking lot and get off the scooter. Wow, feels good to give the boys a break!
It’s hot and humid, and the sweat stops evaporating and starts running down my back and staining my shirt as soon as I get off the bike. As I’m walking up to the bridge a early 20’s local comes up and starts talking about the bridge. He has been helping to raise money to keep it up now that it’s rebuilt and is selling T shirts and other bridge mementos. No T’s in my size so I give him $4 extra with his promise to mail me one when he gets them made. Four other riders who had just pulled up and I walk across the bridge (No driving here) to check out the workmanship. A dangerous job done right, you got to respect that. I take the riders pic for them with their camera and they do the same for me. Five good people I would have never met otherwise so far today.
The riders have never seen a Valkyrie which leads to the usual questions and amazement concerning the motor and the bike. So we kick tires, talk and sweat for a few before I light up the valk.
I elect to take the same route back, and enjoy it even more this time although a 6 point buck in velvet reminds me I have more to watch for now that deer thirty is upon us.
Ah, now I’m back on Indiana 45, I’ve found small, semi legal places to pass a succession of cagers and I’m riding behind a cager in a BMW who knows how to drive this road. Wow, finally I’m in that zone where your brain is totally focused on the here and now. No side thoughts, no thinking about anything but riding. Motorcycle Zen, oh yeah. Haven't been here much since the broken leg incident. I’m riding at 8/10 which is as hard as I like to ride and I suddenly notice there is an old BMW motorcycle in my mirror close behind. Damn, makes me jump and flutter my throttle which he notices and gives me a little more room. Wow, he must have come up on me fast. I’m riding hard, following the car which is driving hard. No point in letting the bike by, he can’t go anywhere anyway and he doesn’t seem to want around. I focus back on my riding. The cage has picked up the pace and we are indeed living in a sweet world. Then, a few moments later I look in my mirror again and the BMW rider is gone. He’s turned off on one of the many side roads. Must have been the local rider I’ve heard about. That story is for another time I think.
Home now, and all is again in order with my world. Motorcycles in general, and Valkyries in particular rock.
