I did not, however, cry "Wee, wee, wee!" all the way home.
Joan wanted to go to the local farmers market this morning. Rapid City has a nice facility that works well for this event (twice a week, during the summer and early fall). And, this one is a real farmers market, with all kinds of produce... where some of them we've been to are as much trinket sales as produce. A look around...
From there, we went out for breakfast. Then grocery shopping... in a store... where things come in a package. ;-)
Joan asked if I had a plan for the day... "No, what do you have in mind?"
She said, "Well, I want to do some caulking around the kitchen sink and the shower... maybe you'd like to go for a ride while I do that?" That was a very nice way of saying: "Go somewhere so you aren't under foot." ;-) I do not have to be invited twice to go for a ride.
On my way to Sheridan Lake Road, I stopped by friends Steve and Jan's house. They were talking about going for a ride once they were done having lunch. Steve said, "You go ride and we'll give you a call to find out where you are and catch up with you." Yes, another invite to go (away) ride.
I rode out Sheridan Lake Road, to the lake, and was on my way back when Steve called. We agreed to meet "somewhere along the road"... that narrows it down. Yeah, we rode past each other, and both turned around... and rode past each other once again. LOL. One more U-turn and the three of us were together. Jan said she'd like to ride Neck Yoke Road (one of our favorites)... I'm in!
Steve is on a BMW, Jan is on a Honda Rebel 500, and I am on the Vespa... couldn't find 3 more dis-similar bikes, but we did fine riding together. Riding out Spring Creek Road, I asked if they'd like to swing into Hart Ranch and say "Hi" to Joan. Jan asked, "Won't she be in the middle of caulking - I don't want to interrupt her."
I said, "It's a small kitchen and a small bathroom - I'm guessing she's done by now."
When we got there, Joan and Rufus were sitting out on the patio. We all visited for a bit, then Jan suggested, once again, that I take her Rebel out for a ride (yes, invited to go away again, but I had told her the we gone to the Honda dealer to see if they had one, before we had supper with our former sailing group last week). I took her up on it. Steve had never ridden a Vespa and asked if he could come along and try it out... "Absolutely!"
So, Steve on the Vespa and me on the Rebel took off for a short ride. The ride was probably shorter than Steve had in mind... the Rebel was comfortable to sit on, but it was quite a bend for my hips once in riding position. Achy muscles; both hips. But, for that short time, it was fun - and the first time I have ridden a motorcycle in about 6 years... yeah, you have to use a clutch and manually shift with your foot, and all that other motorcycle-y stuff. ;-) I was impressed with the torque on that Rebel 500... ran it up to 55 - 60 mph. Maybe with some more exercises to get a bit more flexibility in those hip joints?
Steve was impressed with the Vespa - he told Jan, "You would love that - no shifting and it really moves out!" She didn't want to take it for a ride.
Some more visiting out on the patio, until it was time for Steve and Jan to head home. Nice seeing our friends again, and I had a great time riding with them.
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