Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club
July 11, 2025, 12:09:17 AM *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Ultimate Seats Link VRCC Store
Homepage : Photostash : JustPics : Shoptalk : Old Tech Archive : Classifieds : Contact Staff
News: If you're new to this message board, read THIS!
 
VRCC Calendar Ad
Pages: [1]   Go Down
Print
Author Topic: A short ride to Walmart  (Read 765 times)
Willow
Administrator
Member
*****
Posts: 16631


Excessive comfort breeds weakness. PttP

Olathe, KS


WWW
« on: June 15, 2020, 12:59:06 PM »

It was getting late in the day.  Over the past several days when lacing my boots I'd noticed that one of the laces was beginning to fray.  I'd told myself that I needed to get new strings, maybe this time two pair so I'd have one in reserve.  I had put it off and I had put it off.

Well it was late in the day, I was alone and nothing was holding me down.  Perhaps it was a good time to run up to Walmart and get the needed boot laces.  The bike was already sitting outside the garage door awaiting its being put away for the night.  It was a nice evening.  Temperatures were falling off a bit, the air was refreshing, and traffic was light.  I do love to hear the pipes sing.  On the way to the store I was thinking of my bragging recently that I couldn't take this bike anywhere without someone wanting to talk about her.  Perhaps I overstated but there were times.

I rolled into the Walmart parking lot and was surprised at how empty it seemed.  Normally I would turn across the front of the store and ride back out one of the rows to see where the right parking spot was available.  I did anyway but the lot was wide open.  The Walmart has two entryways.  The near leads into the old style Walmart fare and the further one into the grocery half.  I always tend to park near the first entrance and did again, nothing much was around my space. 

As I was removing gear and preparing to dismount I noticed two young ladies (I'm sixty-nine.  They're all young.) walking toward the door.  They were addressed by a man walking with his wife obviously from the far doors.  "That one's closed.  The other one is open.  Better hurry.  They close at eight thirty."  Eight thirty!?  What has this panic done to us?  How does closing the Walmart, normally twenty-four hour, at eight thirty make any sense?  The two girls broke into a run toward the far doors.

I checked my watch.  Yep, it was indeed closing on eight thirty.  I began my trek across the parking lot to the grocery doors.  I approached the doors where they had the near side taped off encouraging people to walk on past some twenty-five feet to line up for entrance.  No one was in line but there was a Walmart lady with a watch just outside the door.  "You've got one minute," and she passed me through.

Once inside I could hear the announcements for "Get your stuff and proceed to the checkouts."  I hurried back to the shoe section.  On the laces rack the pickings were slim.  Apparently lots of folks were wearing out their laces.  The last pair I had settled for were yellow and red sixty-six inches against the black boots.  I hadn't liked them but they grew on me.  I was looking for the same to replace.  There were no yellow and red laces among the sparsely hung racks.  I'd have to settle for black.  There were none of sixty-six inches.  Maybe that much wasn't needed.  I normally loop the laces large and tuck the excess in around my boots.  There was a black set of sixty inches.  I had to search a bit to find a second sixty inch set but I found them.  I took both sets and headed for the register.  I took the direct route through the bras and panties.  I was in a hurry so I didn't buy any this time.

I exited the doors as the store began to look more and more like a deserted place.  I began the long walk across the lot.  My bike, Daisy Mae, was all alone by now and there was a tall young man walking around her.  He held his smart phone up high and occasionally paused to look more closely at something on the bike.  As I approached he spoke to me. 

"It's a very nice bike."

"Yes, I like her a bit."

"Is it alright that I record?"  His English was broken but he spoke with a heavy accent revealing that English was not his native tongue.

"Sure. No problem." (Yes, I know it should have been surely but sometimes it appears that English is not my native tongue.)

"What is it?"

"It's a Honda, a Valkyrie."

"That's a big engine."

"It's the same as you'd see on a Goldwing but with six carbs instead of two."

"Wow! Six carburetors!"   

"It has less plastic to show off the engine.  It's sort of a hot rod version of the Goldwing.  They made them from nineteen ninety-seven until two thousand three."

"I used to have a motorcycle but not as big as that one."  He sorted through pictures on his phone to show me a bare v-twin in black.

"I like it.  It's stripped down and looks agile.  I like that.  That what I like about this one.  I have bikes with bags and fairings but I tend to like this one best."

I was mounting up now.  He asked if he could hear it run.  I agreed.   

"Can I record?"

"Certainly."

I pulled the bike off the side stand and started it.  He motioned for me to rev the engine holding up his phone.  I did and was greeted by an approving smile.

He walked on toward his car and I rolled out of the parking lot.  I guess it is true.  I can't take her anywhere without someone wanting to talk about her.  That's alright with me.  I'm a bit of an attention whore anyway. 
Logged
The emperor has no clothes
Member
*****
Posts: 29945


« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2020, 01:13:10 PM »

You paint a story well !  cooldude
Logged
rocketray
Member
*****
Posts: 1024


« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2020, 01:58:57 PM »

Willow you write well..I was going back on stuff you wrote in 2008 last week....my Grandfather in the Ozarks wrote some too......it's a gift I missed out on...I have had a few shoe laces get tangled up before nearly causing a crushed hip or worse 'cause my foot was caught up and unable to be planted...I like motorcycle specific boots with zippers cooldude
Logged
John Schmidt
Member
*****
Posts: 15224


a/k/a Stuffy. '99 I/S Valk Roadsmith Trike

De Pere, WI (Green Bay)


« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2020, 02:11:45 PM »

Willow you write well..I was going back on stuff you wrote in 2008 last week....my Grandfather in the Ozarks wrote some too......it's a gift I missed out on...I have had a few shoe laces get tangled up before nearly causing a crushed hip or worse 'cause my foot was caught up and unable to be planted...I like motorcycle specific boots with zippers cooldude
That's exactly why I never double knot the laces when riding. If the lace gets caught you can pull your foot away and the shoe/boot will come untied.

Willow....good story, it's kinda a fun watching the attention the bike gets. One guy was looking at mine a while back and asked why I added all that chrome. Told him only a couple extra pcs were added, the rest was factory. His answer was "BS, I know Valkyries and none of that stuff is stock." I then told him he apparently doesn't know Valks as well as he thinks he does and rode off. Not the usual interaction when someone is checking it out.
Logged

baldo
Member
*****
Posts: 6960


Youbetcha

Cape Cod, MA


« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2020, 02:20:53 PM »

  I took the direct route through the bras and panties.  I was in a hurry so I didn't buy any this time.


Thanks for that image.
Logged

Jess from VA
Member
*****
Posts: 30447


No VA


« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2020, 02:31:11 PM »

The part of your story that appeals to me (besides our bikes attracting attention as they all do), is how this obvious foreign man was so polite and proper, asking permission to do what he could have done without.

It is always refreshing to meet polite and proper people.  And more and more rare.   
Logged
shadowsoftime
Member
*****
Posts: 550


mannsville,ok


« Reply #6 on: June 15, 2020, 04:19:08 PM »

I liked the part where you missed out on panties and bra, maybe next time. LOL.
Logged
John Schmidt
Member
*****
Posts: 15224


a/k/a Stuffy. '99 I/S Valk Roadsmith Trike

De Pere, WI (Green Bay)


« Reply #7 on: June 15, 2020, 08:45:41 PM »

I liked the part where you missed out on panties and bra, maybe next time. LOL.
There have been a few times when I've taken a shortcut through that section. Once a clerk kinda grinned at me and asked if it didn't make me feel a little strange walking through all that. I just chuckled and told her I raised four daughters, she laughed and said "say no more."  Wink
Logged

G-Man
Member
*****
Posts: 7851


White Plains, NY


« Reply #8 on: June 16, 2020, 06:17:12 AM »


 Eight thirty!?  What has this panic done to us?  How does closing the Walmart, normally twenty-four hour, at eight thirty make any sense?  The two girls broke into a run toward the far doors.


A lot of places are working short staffed.  Walmart hires a lot of seniors and handicapped (or whatever the PC term is this morning) as well.

Logged
old2soon
Member
*****
Posts: 23402

Willow Springs mo


« Reply #9 on: June 16, 2020, 06:46:42 AM »


 Eight thirty!?  What has this panic done to us?  How does closing the Walmart, normally twenty-four hour, at eight thirty make any sense?  The two girls broke into a run toward the far doors.


A lot of places are working short staffed.  Walmart hires a lot of seniors and handicapped (or whatever the PC term is this morning) as well.


     
                  I have the little blue interior mirror dangly that allows me to park in the handicapped parking spots and the wheel chair thingy on the tag on Phatt Ghurl. I Do consider myself slowed down a bit but NOT handicapped. No offense taken Gary and I also can NOT and no longer even attempt to keep up on current "p c" crapola. Try splainin a "handicapped" tag on a M/C to Anyone with a closed mind! Again-I no longer even attempt to anymore. Gary-tell yer lovely Lady I said hey and hope she felt that long distance hug!  2funny RIDE SAFE.
Logged

Today is the tommorow you worried about yesterday. If at first you don't succeed screw it-save it for nite check.  1964  1968 U S Navy. Two cruises off Nam.
VRCCDS0240  2012 GL1800 Gold Wing Motor Trike conversion
Bret SD
Member
*****
Posts: 4306


***

San Diego, Ca.


« Reply #10 on: June 16, 2020, 07:59:12 AM »

It was getting late in the day.  Over the past several days when lacing my boots I'd noticed that one of the laces was beginning to fray.  I'd told myself that I needed to get new strings, maybe this time two pair so I'd have one in reserve.  I had put it off and I had put it off.

Well it was late in the day, I was alone and nothing was holding me down.  Perhaps it was a good time to run up to Walmart and get the needed boot laces.  The bike was already sitting outside the garage door awaiting its being put away for the night.  It was a nice evening.  Temperatures were falling off a bit, the air was refreshing, and traffic was light.  I do love to hear the pipes sing.  On the way to the store I was thinking of my bragging recently that I couldn't take this bike anywhere without someone wanting to talk about her.  Perhaps I overstated but there were times.

I rolled into the Walmart parking lot and was surprised at how empty it seemed.  Normally I would turn across the front of the store and ride back out one of the rows to see where the right parking spot was available.  I did anyway but the lot was wide open.  The Walmart has two entryways.  The near leads into the old style Walmart fare and the further one into the grocery half.  I always tend to park near the first entrance and did again, nothing much was around my space. 

As I was removing gear and preparing to dismount I noticed two young ladies (I'm sixty-nine.  They're all young.) walking toward the door.  They were addressed by a man walking with his wife obviously from the far doors.  "That one's closed.  The other one is open.  Better hurry.  They close at eight thirty."  Eight thirty!?  What has this panic done to us?  How does closing the Walmart, normally twenty-four hour, at eight thirty make any sense?  The two girls broke into a run toward the far doors.

I checked my watch.  Yep, it was indeed closing on eight thirty.  I began my trek across the parking lot to the grocery doors.  I approached the doors where they had the near side taped off encouraging people to walk on past some twenty-five feet to line up for entrance.  No one was in line but there was a Walmart lady with a watch just outside the door.  "You've got one minute," and she passed me through.

Once inside I could hear the announcements for "Get your stuff and proceed to the checkouts."  I hurried back to the shoe section.  On the laces rack the pickings were slim.  Apparently lots of folks were wearing out their laces.  The last pair I had settled for were yellow and red sixty-six inches against the black boots.  I hadn't liked them but they grew on me.  I was looking for the same to replace.  There were no yellow and red laces among the sparsely hung racks.  I'd have to settle for black.  There were none of sixty-six inches.  Maybe that much wasn't needed.  I normally loop the laces large and tuck the excess in around my boots.  There was a black set of sixty inches.  I had to search a bit to find a second sixty inch set but I found them.  I took both sets and headed for the register.  I took the direct route through the bras and panties.  I was in a hurry so I didn't buy any this time.

I exited the doors as the store began to look more and more like a deserted place.  I began the long walk across the lot.  My bike, Daisy Mae, was all alone by now and there was a tall young man walking around her.  He held his smart phone up high and occasionally paused to look more closely at something on the bike.  As I approached he spoke to me. 

"It's a very nice bike."

"Yes, I like her a bit."

"Is it alright that I record?"  His English was broken but he spoke with a heavy accent revealing that English was not his native tongue.

"Sure. No problem." (Yes, I know it should have been surely but sometimes it appears that English is not my native tongue.)

"What is it?"

"It's a Honda, a Valkyrie."

"That's a big engine."

"It's the same as you'd see on a Goldwing but with six carbs instead of two."

"Wow! Six carburetors!"   

"It has less plastic to show off the engine.  It's sort of a hot rod version of the Goldwing.  They made them from nineteen ninety-seven until two thousand three."

"I used to have a motorcycle but not as big as that one."  He sorted through pictures on his phone to show me a bare v-twin in black.

"I like it.  It's stripped down and looks agile.  I like that.  That what I like about this one.  I have bikes with bags and fairings but I tend to like this one best."

I was mounting up now.  He asked if he could hear it run.  I agreed.   

"Can I record?"

"Certainly."

I pulled the bike off the side stand and started it.  He motioned for me to rev the engine holding up his phone.  I did and was greeted by an approving smile.

He walked on toward his car and I rolled out of the parking lot.  I guess it is true.  I can't take her anywhere without someone wanting to talk about her.  That's alright with me.  I'm a bit of an attention whore anyway. 
Willow, that was a great story, the panty isle remark really cracked me up. I've been reading this forum now for around 1-1/2 years and really like it, full of great people..
My big regret is that I hadn't found this place and the Valkyrie 20 years ago,  back then I was working all the time and raising a family, so my motorcycle fantasy was put on indefinite hold. I understand that this forum is tied heavily to the Valk for obvious reasons, and that most here are passionate about the older Valks, as am I.
I'm 61 now, so no spring chicken, and understand a lot of folks here are older than I am. You mentioned VRCC is in decline on another thread, and that saddens me.. living in San Diego I'm not in a financial or time position to trek cross country and attend Inzane or other events as much as I'd like to. I've been trying to train my girl up for some longer road trips but she's already indicated I'm on my own for long trips.. which is fine, I'm happy she likes to take day trips into the mountains with me.
Anyway, thought I would just say a few words about this forum, and those few words are.. "I like it!"  cooldude
Logged

Bret

02 Standard -- Blue & White
82 Aspencade -- Red
“No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” Socrates
shortleg
Member
*****
Posts: 1816


maryland


« Reply #11 on: June 17, 2020, 02:27:38 AM »

   As has been said Never make a pretty woman your wife.
But we know thats not true, I know all my wives have been pretty.
Logged
G-Man
Member
*****
Posts: 7851


White Plains, NY


« Reply #12 on: June 17, 2020, 06:25:03 AM »


 Eight thirty!?  What has this panic done to us?  How does closing the Walmart, normally twenty-four hour, at eight thirty make any sense?  The two girls broke into a run toward the far doors.


A lot of places are working short staffed.  Walmart hires a lot of seniors and handicapped (or whatever the PC term is this morning) as well.


     
                  I have the little blue interior mirror dangly that allows me to park in the handicapped parking spots and the wheel chair thingy on the tag on Phatt Ghurl. I Do consider myself slowed down a bit but NOT handicapped. No offense taken Gary and I also can NOT and no longer even attempt to keep up on current "p c" crapola. Try splainin a "handicapped" tag on a M/C to Anyone with a closed mind! Again-I no longer even attempt to anymore. Gary-tell yer lovely Lady I said hey and hope she felt that long distance hug!  2funny RIDE SAFE.

What my post meant was that Seniors and the Handicapped (Down's syndrome, Autism, etc) are susceptible to getting the virus so these folks aren't working.  Maybe Walmart is using their 2nd shift workers to fill in during 1st shift when most seniors and others usually work, and due to this shift, there are no employees available to work the later shifts.


Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
Print
Jump to: