The First Ride

Check out Aunt Susan's first ride on her hog! She is so not afraid to take risks, and I love that about her! She recently took a Motorcycle Education Class and was valedictorian (naturally!). Then a couple weeks later - she bought the hog. Read her story of the first ride home - it's hysterical!!

So, we start out (Ray following in the car) turning right out of the H-D place onto Siegen, and making an immediate right onto Airline. So far, so good. Then, once I start picking up speed on Airline (about 35 mph at first), I start experiencing the SHOCK of how much air is flowing around me, and exactly how vulnerable I am out here. OK, so I continue on Airline past Industriplex and take a right onto Pecue. (Almost forgot to put the brakes on to slow down before turning here.) I go down Pecue, cross over the Interstate and the railroad tracks and pass up an oncoming firetruck. Then I take a right onto Perkins and an immediate left onto the next part of Pecue. No stalls yet, and I'm kind of starting to remember that those brake thingies are important before you turn. As I'm approaching Highland Road, I start to see a few tiny drops of water appear on my face shield. Luckily, I have great skills when it comes to talking to myself, so I tell myself that it will be OK. As I'm making my way down Highland toward Burbank, the rain picks up a bit, and so does my self reassurance. When I get to the light at Burbank/Siegen, the streets are pretty much wet. So, I make the turn, and as I approach the soccer fields on Burbank, I look at the cars coming toward me, and notice that they all have their wipers on at a fairly high speed. But, in for a penny, in for a pound... So I get to Bluebonnet, and I can feel that the front part of my jeans is wet, but I'm still ok. The rain starts picking up. By the time I pass the two subdivisions on Bluebonnet, and get into that stretch of fields on either side, it's coming down pretty hard (or at least it feels pretty hard at 35-40 mph). It's like God was throwing tiny needles down on my legs. Ouch! I get to Nicholson, and it's still coming down, and then I get to experience the wind bursts from passing cars (and 2 18 Wheelers) on a two laned road at about 50 mph (I'm sure they were going faster than wimpy me.) The one interesting (and semi pleasurable thing that happens here, is that, as my crotch is the lowest part of my seated body right now, the (cold) water starts running up my thighs into my womanhood. Actually a bit refreshing! As I finally (it's been about 20 minutes now) get to UCP, the rain starts letting up, and I don't bother to stop at the Guard House (yeah, right!). At this point, I'm telling myself that I'm almost there, and that I am the Shit. I'm my ultimate hero and Evel Knievel all rolled into one. I'm approaching the house now, and everything is looking good...until...oh, shit...the driveway. I'm so concentrating on what angle to take the driveway at, that I almost overshoot it. I make it, but almost go into the flowerbed/grass. A little panic sets in, and I stall the bike. Damn, I almost made it all the way without killing it. Oh well! So, I pull into the garage (Ray's car will be spending the night outside, of course), and my only thought is, "Holy s***! Thank God that's over!"