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Wet Motorcycles

Another of my better late than never posts. Back on November 21 members of the excellent Texas motorcycling forum Two Wheeled Texans saddled up and rode from all corners of Texas for a monthly event that revolves around two things: motorcycling and pie. Though I have been a member of TWT for quite some time, I have only managed to make it to two such events. Hurricane Ike was kind enough to be very near landfall for the first, and cut my enjoyment short. This time was not without its trials either.

The morning started bright and early, with the group from Katy intending to be kick-stands up no later than 0800. As the meeting place is but a few short miles from my house, I figured leaving around 0740 would make for plenty of time. I fed my dog and let him out to handle his business before heading out to the garage to get the FJR on the road. I would be riding on to Arlington after the pie run, to enjoy a Dallas Cowboys game at the new stadium, so my cases were loaded down appropriately.

As I always do, I thumbed the starter while I finished getting my gear on and the FJR buzzed to life. All was well so far. A lunge forward from the rider’s seat brought the warp-drive powered beast down off its center stand, and I started to walk the bike out of the garage. Something was not right. At more than 600 pounds wet, the FJR requires more effort to move than my old SV – but not so much I ever had to strain. I was straining. Back up on the center stand she went, and I discovered the reason for my struggle – a flat rear tire. My inspection revealed no nails, or obvious holes so I inflated the tire and went about my merry way.

My arrival to the meeting place was a few minutes late, but the rainfall made everyone want to wait a little longer. After maybe half an hour, we decided the pie was getting no closer and the rain did not seem to want to go away. Off we went. It rained basically the entire way. Where there was no rain, there was still plenty of road spray. Cold and wet, every motorcyclist’s dream ride.

When we finally arrived in Hutto, most of the other TWT folk had consumed their main course and moved on to the pie. Cold and hungry, the Katy group sat down for some good, hot, food. We were not disappointed. One of the Dallas area TWT members (Chuck), whom I met when I flew home on R&R in 2007, picked up my tab and offered to hold up the Dallas group so I wouldn’t have to ride alone on a suspect tire all the way to Arlington.

The ride to Arlington was longer than I’d anticipated, but the backroads proved fun. This ride, while colder, was dry. No more problems graced me that day, and I made it to my friend’s hotel room in Arlington just in time for a late dinner and some pre-game drinking of the official beer of the Dallas Cowboys (one I generally never consume, Miller Lite).

A good day, all in all, for some pie.