The Rest of the Story…

My last post was about the world-record-setting-ride that I participated in last weekend. Just in case you didn’t see it, 1433 women motorcyclists riding together in a group. It was the ultimate high to be a part of that. But there’s so much more.

This was the first time I undertook a long ride on my own.  I’ve done a lot of weekend and week-long rides with friends and my husband for the last 45 years.  I’ve done a lot of business travel on my own in my career as well.  This time I was on my own on my motorcycle for the first time.  It was a totally awesome experience in every way.

When I left, I was hit with the realization that I was going to be riding on my own for 380 miles (that’s what google said).  Wow, I’m really doing this by myself.  A moment of “OMG, what am I doing?” Then a moment of “I got this, I’m going.”  I had decided I didn’t want to do the freeway and just get there.  I wanted to do the back roads and enjoy the ride.  Bombing down the freeway just to get there is for when I’m driving my truck.  On the bike, it’s not just the destination, it’s the journey.  So, I programmed google to avoid highways and tolls.  Even leaving from the north side of the Cities and heading south and east, google took me on the back roads.  It took a lot longer to get out of the metro area, but the ride was worth it.  I rode 107 miles before my first stop.  My ride took me down one side, then the other of the Mississippi River between Minnesota and Wisconsin.  A beautiful ride I’ve taken before and thoroughly enjoyed it again.

At my second stop, I had logged 189 miles, 199 to go (I thought).  I could see the storm clouds coming, so I put on my rain gear.  The rain started as I left town, I kept riding.  It wasn’t long though before I was riding along a ridge as the storm came barreling through.  It was very difficult to see through my face shield and windshield, so I pulled over for a bit to contemplate my options. There was no place to stop with shelter.  I was alone on the road in farm country in southern Wisconsin.  I figured, well I guess I’ll just keep going.  It wasn’t long though before the winds were blowing the rain across the road in sheets.  I pulled off the road before I got pushed off the road and just sat on my bike in the rain, hoping we would both stay upright.  Fortunately, the wind was blowing towards my kickstand, so the bike stayed upright.  My new rain gear kept me dry mostly, but had creeped up my legs, so the bottom foot or so of my jeans were soaked along with the fact that the rain was going straight into my right boot (on the windy side).  I didn’t have rain protection for my feet.  I’ve had it in the past, but I didn’t like them, felt they presented a safety hazard for me, but man, my boots were full of water.  Eventually the winds died down and although it was still raining, I headed back out.  I rode for about 70 miles in the rain with one brief stop to check my route.  I had been using my phone GPS mounted on my bike, but after 4 hours of riding back roads, my battery was shot.  Of course, gas stations don’t carry maps anymore.  So, I got my tablet out and checked out the route.  I could stay on the road I was on and would eventually get to the freeway and get there.  I just couldn’t stand the thought of that.  I’ve driven I94/I39 into Rockford in a vehicle many times and it is just fucking nuts!  I didn’t want to be there by myself on a bike.  So I put my original route into my tablet.  Only problem was, is that I could only remember one or two turns at a time, so had to keep stopping and checking my route.  Eventually the rain stopped and I kept riding, stopping to check my route, riding some more.

I came into a small town and if I remembered the route correctly, the road circled into the town and back out instead of going straight.  Oh, and construction.  Through the entire town, my side of the road had been ground down for repaving.  The other side of the road was freshly paved and about 3-4 inches higher than the side I was riding on.  It was full of muddy potholes and uneven pavement.  I dodged what I could and did ok until I came to a T in the road and stopped. I was contemplating which direction to go, I think I was supposed to go left.  But, while I was stopped (on uneven ground), I lost my balance on the bike and it tipped over.  Not my first rodeo.  I know what to do.  I’ve got long legs, so the bike just tips over and I hop off.  No big deal, right?

Right.  First of all, when the bike fell, it fell against the ridge between the two lanes and scratched the hell out of the top of my saddle bag.  FUCK!  I’ve dropped my bike several times, but this was the first time I scratched my bags.  Then I just stood there.  In the past, I was capable of picking up my bike, but after back and SI joint fusion surgery, it just wasn’t going to happen.  I would have to wait for someone to stop and help me.  I don’t like that, but it is what it is.  The first car just drove on by.  OK, whatever.  But the next two cars stopped and two guys (both bikers) helped me get my bike back up on its wheels.  I thanked them profusely.  One of them suggested the other should ride my bike around the corner for me.  I didn’t say what I thought “Fuck No, I can ride my own bike around the corner!”  I just said “I got this,” thanked them again and drove off.  As I rounded the next corner, still in the construction, there is a muddy lake across my whole lane.  No way was I riding through that.  I chose my moment carefully and switched over to the newly paved side.  I could see it was wide enough for oncoming traffic to move over and avoid me while I was in their lane.  They did.  Finally, out of town, construction over and I was back on the road.

I was still doing the back roads and since the storm had gone through, there was a lot of debris on those roads.  It took some careful navigating, but I did ok.  I had to slow down quite a bit, so it kept getting later.  With about an hour or so left, I noticed big black clouds in my rear view mirror.  I better get moving before it caught up to me.  Oops, a wrong turn, going the wrong direction.  Stopped at a gas station in a small town and asked how to get where I was going.  I was completely turned around.  They pointed me in the right direction and said I would run into Hwy. 20 which went straight into Rockford.  I eventually found it and the clouds were getting really close.  I opened it up and barreled down the highway at  80 mph.  Damn, I need gas.  Quick gas stop and back out 80 mph.  A couple more wrong turns in town trying to get to the hotel and rode in underneath the overhead in front of the hotel just as the first rain drops hit.  What a relief.  I was so glad to get there.  425 miles.  A few more miles than google told me, but I think some of the wrong turns and detours just added up.  But I learned a few things.  First of all, there’s a snap on the bottom of my rain gear.  If I would have snapped that, my pants would have stayed dryer.  I determined I needed waterproof boots and started asking questions about what boots others were wearing.

That night and the next three days were filled with meeting other women who were all there for the same reason I was. Everyone was excited to be there and be a part of this, as was I.  I don’t know that I’ve ever been to any kind of gathering where it was so easy to network.  Everyone was eager to meet everyone they could. Sure, there were the groups of women who had rode in together and were still hanging out together in their little groups, but they weren’t acting “cliquey” and closed off from interacting with others.  A very different experience from other gatherings I’ve attended where people tend to hang with people they know and are comfortable with and it is sometimes hard to move in and meet them.  Not here. Everyone was so approachable and welcoming.

The first night I met a woman outside having a smoke.  We instantly bonded and actually buddied up for the next three days.  Having gone by myself it was really great to have someone to hang out with and a new friend made for life.  Through her, I met a lot of other really cool women riders.  I want to be like them when I grow up.  There were women my age who had ridden hundreds of thousands of miles and I was just in awe.  I felt like a rookie, even though I’ve been riding for years and I learned a lot from them in those few days.  There were women of all ages, new riders and experienced riders, all excited to be a part of this event, as I was.

One interesting thing happened Friday evening after we had gone back to our hotel and were sitting outside, smoking, of course.  All of a sudden the local chapter of the Hells Angels and another club (couldn’t read their colors in the dark) rode up, came through the turnaround entrance where we were and started parking their bikes everywhere in between the bikes already there and headed into the bar/restaurant connected to the hotel.  It was clearly a stand of intimidation and I was mildly amused.  Most of them went inside, some stayed outside and pretty soon more came back outside.  Then, I decided I no longer needed to be there and headed up to my room.  I didn’t hear anybody reports of anything actually happening that night, but I figured I just didn’t need to be around if it did.  I wasn’t scared, it was more about situational awareness.  It was late, people were drinking and I just didn’t need to be a part of the “fun” anymore.

I think the biggest challenge for me on this ride was my physical condition and stamina.  I’m still working on getting gaining weight and getting physically healthy.  I was hurting in a lot of different places.  But I just kept on going and doing, getting my rest, ibuprofen and Tylenol, eating and drinking water.

The ride home was long and tiring, and again, more miles than google said.  415 miles.  The hardest part was stop and go (mostly stopped) traffic heading downhill into Galena.  Road construction, one lane road through part of town.  I spent about 45 minutes in that traffic.  Actually turned my bike off several times, got my Diet Coke out and had a smoke from time to time.  By the time I got to Dubuque, I was more than ready to get off the bike so I gassed up, got lunch and rested.  I got off my route and ended up taking the long way out of town.  Beautiful ride, but not exactly getting me there quickly.  I realized I was getting anxious about getting back on the highway and making some time.  I was sore and tired and still had a lot of miles to go.  So I had a little talk with myself.  “If you’re out here for the ride, you gotta stay in the moment, ride like you’re loving it, cuz you do.  Okay, so your right leg is cramping, your left hip hurts and you’ve got a hot poker stabbing you in-between your shoulder blades.  Forget about it.  You’ve gotta a lot of miles to put on, you want to be home before dark and you want to enjoy what you’re doing.”   So, I settled into the ride, actually quit focusing on what hurt and focused on the ride.  The pain actually faded into the background and I started to enjoy the ride again.  I may have to endure, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy.  I made a brief stop at a gas station for a smoke and walked around the parking lot to stretch out my legs.  I was going to lay down in the grass and rest for a bit, but it was so fucking windy, I decided to just head back out on the road.  But, I made a decision.  When I got to Rochester, there has got to be a Caribou (haven’t had one in 5 days) and I’m going to stop for an energy drink and sandwich for dinner.  That kept me going.  The first Caribou was closed, but I found another one.  I took a half-hour break, ate and drank my drink.  By the time I got back on the bike I felt refreshed and things didn’t hurt quite so bad.  Two hours left, mostly 4-lane highway, not much traffic.  Again, with the 80 mph and one brief smoke break and I made it home (probably in record time).  When I got off the bike, I remembered the pain.  It was still there.  But I made it and enjoyed it.  Yesterday I did absolutely nothing, just hung out, rested my body and my mind.  Today, I’m still not being very physically active, but got busy writing my networking report for Clearview Works and my blog which is due tomorrow.

I had so many great (and a few not so great) experiences on this ride and learned a whole lot about gear, riding, what I should have packed, and what to do different next time.  All of which will apply when Alice and I hit the road together.  It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been riding or whatever.  There are still things I can learn, just need to set that ego aside and soak up whatever knowledge I can.  I soaked up a lot this weekend and I’m looking forward to a lot more riding.  I’ve got a lot of work to do to get ready physically and mentally for our 50-state ride, but I’m excited for the challenge.

Love and Peace,

Chick