Hey Joe,
Yep, and I'm even thawed out now!!! The ride up there was really nice... veeery cool, but not too cold for the gear I had on, so it was just what I needed to clear some of the cobwebs from my noggin' and maybe wipe off a wee bit of accumulated skill rust. Shoot, traffic was moderate to light the whole way... even through Chattanooga and Knoxville!
Dinner that evening was also very enjoyable, even though the brake light episode threatened to put a damper on things... Good to have friends like Gordon close-by, huh... I even managed to watch the last part of one of the bowl games once I got back to the room... and the 'right' team won, too. Yep, by the time my headbone hit the pillow Sat'dy night, things were really perkin' along nicely fer this ol' pest control specialist!!!
The ride Sunday, the so-called 'Kiss My Ice Ride', was extra special in many, many ways!!! I had a for real hoot, and I thank you and all the other riders for letting me tag along... Britman and Coot really know those roads well, so the route selection offered me some new rides, even though I've been riding that area for thirty years or so... And lunch!!! I was pleasantely suprised to see a BBQ place open on a Sunday, let alone a holiday, but that was a doggone good pig parts meal, and I will dine there again!!!
And those roads!!! Awesome curvitude sufficient to sate the appetite of any adreneline junky!!! Our ride leader set a perfect pace for this modest rider, so it was an absolutely glorious day for yours truly!!! Even the wet spots and occassional drizzle couldn't dampen my spirits!!! Every rider in our group of a dozen or so riders impressed me with their ability to maintain group discipline and spacing, while operating their rides skillfully and safely.
It was a huge day for this long-in-the-tooth gypsy, so I was plumb tuckered out by the time we finished that excellent Mexican fare, and I found my way back to the room at last. Naturally, the gal that had checked me in the day before had not programmed my key/card for two nights, so back to the desk for that little dance, then finally settling in for the obligatory 'call home' and some much needed sleep.
I'd kept a keen eye on the weather the entire weekend, and Monday continually looked to be extra special... Couldn't hang around an additional night, though, because the next day (today) looked to be even colder!!! So, I got up, loaded up, and hit the trail before the predicted 30mph+ winds arrived. It was 32 degrees when I departed, but the wind was still quite light. I stopped to top off just before Chattanooga, then got after it again. Funny thing, though... it seemed colder on that stretch than it had before... It took a minute, but then I figured out that I'd forgotten to plug in my Widder vest when I'd remounted... Oh well... yet another area of skill rust from not ridin' much any more...
I made it about sixty miles or so before it was time to refuel the rider... so I stopped fer some gritz 'n eggs... and to hook up my vest before this departure!!! It was truly a cold scoot home for this ol' boy who's lived the majority of his life in Florida... and for fifteen years in towns SOUTH of a place named Frostproof!!! Still, it was tolerable and the entire ride all three days was really, really fabulous! I'm glad ya extended the invitaion, Joe - I appreciate ya, dude!!!
DDT
You my friend are alot better rider than you let on . I'd ride with you anyday
Thanks for putting in the miles to come join us I know it was a very cold ride home.I look forward to the next time we share the wind
