Journey to the Center

I’ve been avoiding this entry for long enough, it’s time to write about our first trip on the freeway. Over a week ago, March 25th to be precise, my husband and I were headed up to Mom and Dad’s to help celebrate Dad’s birthday. We decided to ride up on our motorcycles and maybe get a trip in with Dad before the festivities started. My husband and I had never been on the freeway and we didn’t want to try it on our second real ride. So we took the long route.

When I say long route, I’m not kidding. A 45 minute freeway trip turned into 2 and a half hours on the side streets. It was beautiful - the perfect temperature and just sunny enough to be bright but not blinding. If we hadn’t been hungry to start it would have been perfect. As it was, we were tired and a little sore by the time we’d finished. We even jumped on the freeway for the last few miles to speed the trip up a bit. I’ll post a picture of the map sooner or later.

The trip home was a little different. We left our bikes with Mom and Dad since it was late, dark and cold by the time we were leaving. So I went up the next day with Melleny to pick up my bike and ride it back. She was nice enough to drive me and follow me back on the side streets.

The first disaster was about a mile from the house. I ran straight into a ditch. I know exaclty why I did it and how to avoid it in the future, but I hate that corner. I was turning left in exactly the same manner that I was when I was hit by a car in seventh grade. I couldn’t stop focusing on that and the ditch on the other side of the road. So of course I drove straight into it.

Luckily, a gentleman who was also a biker stopped his car and helped me get the bike out of the bramles and ditch and back onto the road. The only injuries were a huge bruise that I still have on the inside of my left knee and a sore arm. But I got right back on that bike and drove it into Bothell where Mell and I stopped for lunch.

After lunch, we came out to discover that it had rained and was still sort of raining. We rode on the freeway for a while, but the water and wind made me nervous, so we took a different long route back home.

Overall, I think I’m comfortable riding, but I’ve got stuff to work on. Like turning from a stopped position.

Who’s riding which motorcycle:
Hubby - Marauder
Me - Rebel

Alex and I went for a ride today, my first trip on my own bike above 25 mph. It was terrifying and thrilling all at the same time. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Yes, I’m addicted. Totally.

The only problem is that its a little chilly to be running around on a bike at 45mph. We got so cold we had to cut the ride short. But it was the greatest thing ever. There were downhill curves which scared me - I was convinced I was going to die! But I didn’t. So I claim that as a major victory.

We went down East down 4th Street and headed out on SE May Valley Road through all the pasture land. Then we went South and East on Issaquah-Hobart to just past the junction with 18. Back up to turn right on SE Tiger Mtn Rd and over the loop there through those curves. Down and curvy is fun! Back to Issaquah-Hobart and back West on May Valley. Followed that all the way up to 900 and back home.

I’m almost thawed out - still a bit more to go. I think I’ll be popping vitamins for the next couple of days to make sure I don’t get a cold.

Who’s riding which motorcycle:
My ride - my Honda Rebel. Red. With flames.
Bro - Suzuki Intruder. Plus video camera. Sssh, it’s a secret.

Dad, Bro and I went riding last June, the last sunny day that all three of us had to go before the big wedding would take up all of Bro’s time. It always takes an hour or so to get out the door, mostly because we have no idea where we want to go. So Dad whips out his book of maps and we try to pick a route.

We decided to go up the coast of the Puget Sound, taking back roads past Kayak Point. Of course, we had to stop at the golf course for a beer.

In fact, we followe the dangerous and windy Chuckanut Drive up to Bellingham where we stopped to fix one of the passenger footpegs so I could actually use it and not worry about it falling off. Good thing the Intruder has a built in toolkit because Dad doesn’t carry one in his gear yet.

From Bellingham, we headed east to Bear Lake. We managed to get a bit lost on the back roads, but ended up on mostly the right track. Of course, by then we were pretty silly. Waking up the entire neighborhood is a fun way to spend the afternoon.

Eventually, we had to take the quick way home, since it was getting dark and cold. We jumped on the freeway just north of Smokey Point and beelined back in to meet Mom and Hubby at Girardi’s in Everett. Hot food and coffee were the perfect end to this ride.

Who’s riding which motorcycle:
Bro: Suzuki Marauder
Dad: Harley Dyna Wide Glide
Me: back of both

The whole family seems to have decided that motorcycles are the thing. This is pretty funny, particularly since there are so many of us in varying stages of comfort on the things. Dad and Alex have been riding the longest, and I’m a very comfortable passenger now. I’ve even got my license. My husband and sister-in-law are looking at taking courses to get driving. Here’s the breakdown:

Dad’s ride: Harley Davidson Dyna Wide Glide
Bro’s ride: Suzuki Intruder
My ride: Suzuki Marauder