Pauline, that was beautiful.

Pauline, I loved this. Is there a biker in your family?

Very well said. Thank you!!

To all bikers out there: keep the rubber side down.

(1995 Road king, 50,000 miles and counting...)

I agree, Bill!

Yes Luna, DH is a biker from way back. Currently he's riding a '02 Fat Boy ~ it's his baby!

Celticmoon, the Road King is an awesome bike! Do you have pictures, bac?

Pauline, thank you for posting this. I had never heard that poem. I almost lost my sister and nephew in cycle accidents. And I've spent many, many hours as a passenger, so I know how unobservant most drivers are.

We all need a reminder to be careful.

Paulines, here's a pic.

DH's favorite part: lit turn signals in the side mirrors.

My favorite part: the hog on the nose and the skirt.

And I'll answer before anyone asks. No, I ride along on back, I don't drive it. We used to have two, but, well, I shouldn't drive a car most days. I just don't have the balance, coordination, focus, reaction time, etc. And I've learned over many years, riding along is the one place/time in my life when I do nothing. Nothing. Just go along. Takes hours, sometimes days for me to dial it down, but then, ahhhhh. Nothing.

And being physically that close with DH hour after hour, it's nice.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Very nice bike, Celticmoon - I love the curve of the fender! Thanks for the picture. DH is thinking of upgrading to a Road King down the line. I don't ride either, although DH's buddies try to bribe me to get on the bike (fancy dinner in Boston, etc) - fat chance my fat behind will get on that fat boy-lol

Here's a pic of his Fat Boy:

pauline-- My bike was pretty much a miniature of your husband's! (mine was only a 1200 Sporty)

Bill... "only a 1200 Sporty"??!!

Our other bike was a red 1200 Sporty. Great city bike. Little tough on the kidneys long haul though, hey?

No bike in your life now?

Bill ~ great bike!

Nope-- when my ex and I split, she got the bike, and I got the boat. :-)

(on the water, there's no speed limit!)

You are baaad! - lol

Celticmoon-- I never tried riding it long haul. I only took it out in the area for fun. :-) I can imagine it could get rough, though.

Celticmoon,

Your post made me smile. And unfortunately riding on the back just isn't the same once you've been riding your own (but I agree with you wholeheartedly on the doing nothing & being close to your better half part).

When I was pregnant my OB told me that I had to stop riding & I told her that I'd ride until my leathers didn't fit anymore. And that's exactly what I did. When the pants got to tight I switched to chaps but by the time I started my 6th month I was pressing too hard against the tank. I ride a Triumph Speed Triple & the sportbike riding position is definitely an issue. I know women that ride cruisers that kept on riding through their 8th month. I would always take mental inventory before I'd contemplate a ride & if I felt like I had the least bit of cotton headed pregnancy brain I'd skip it.

We went to the International Motorcycle Show about a week before the baby was due & my husband got some pictures of me sitting on the bikes. It was hysterical, trying to reach around the belly to get to the handlebars.

Since the baby was born (healthy, happy & none the worse for his prenatal bike rides) our riding has been curtailed drastically & I miss it so much. All of our vacations were motorcycle oriented, the majority of the time simply loading camping gear onto the back of the bikes & riding for a few hundred miles. The Speed Triple is a great bike but it's not a touring bike so I came up with numerous ways to stay comfortable (corrective underwear) for hours upon days in the saddle.

My husband and I are obsessed with vintage British motorcycles so ours is a whole different level of insanity :-).

Nina

Nina, that's not too insane. We almost got a Russian made Ural with a sidecar last year. *That* would have been crazy!

AFter Nina's description, I'm trying to picture a woman out like a baloon, trying to ride a cafe racer. OMG!! LOL

The baby'd have every RIGHT to kick you!!

I gotta tell ya, though-- I DO miss it. This summer there's too much on my plate-- I'm looking to get a 1 ton dually truck to add to the truck I have, and I want to upgrade my boat, if I can, after that. Maybe next summer it'll be another bike. Days like today-- all I've seen since we got back home is bikes going by. I miss the RUMBLE!!

Bill-

LOL! I was like a weeble. The baby didn't have to kick, he just squashed up against my bladder & I was off the bike like a shot :-).

I suspect that with gas prices the way that they are you'll be seeing more & more bikes on the road, making the call of the rumble even worse. My husband has been kind enough to ride my bike to work in the morning (since I drop the little guy off at daycare) so that I can ride it home in the afternoon and in spite of getting stuck in traffic on the bridge yesterday it has been bliss.

We have a few bikes to spare, maybe we can barter some tile work for a loaner bike? ;-).

Nina

Nina, LOL re the baby squishing on your bladder. That'll work!

Nina-- If you've got a V-twin to barter, we can talk!!