Fair weather rider

My husband rides his motorcycle all year long, and the only thing that keeps him off the road is snow & ice and the occasional rain storm. I, on the other hand, prefer to accompany him only on days when the temperature is above 60º F. I’m what you call a “fair weather rider.”

Lately, I’ve been on several rides….trying to toughen, my you know what up, and build my stamina up for the long rides. Jimmy takes me on daily rides, 100 – 200 miles….sometimes heading down to Tennessee for lunch or supper and then back home again….and sometimes just 300 miles of beautiful country roads. Of, course….I have to stop and rest about every 50 to 60 miles or so….and get off and stretch my legs.

The reason I have to get in shape to ride is because when we head out this summer, we will be traveling about 10,000 miles, give or take a 1,000. We’ll head out one morning, look at the sky, and head in the direction where there are no rain clouds. Everyday on our trip we follow the sunshine….not the map….And we’ll eventually end up somewhere out West.

We zigzag quite a bit, as we stop to take in the sights, and we also ask the locals about interesting things to see in their area….They are always very helpful and eager to direct us to little known beautiful spots and to the best places to eat & sleep for the night. We stay on country roads and avoid interstates, during our trips. Sometimes there are no motels for miles, so we must resort to looking for the closest big city or interstate highway, as there are always motels near one.

It’s a wonderful experience to travel cross-country with the wind blowing in your face, the rain beating down on your brow, the aroma of sweet smelling flowers in the air….the occasional hailstorm…..And lets not forget how cold you get at 10,000 feet or above, where you see mountain glaciers and have to stop to put on everything you have to keep you warm….Then as you come back down to sea level, you have to start shedding those hot clothes that you put on earlier….because, you are now in the desert, where the temperature is 110º+…..

By the end of the trip I am no longer a, “fair weather rider.” At least not until the cold winter winds start howling and the temperature drops below 60º again.

The picture above was taken in July along Beartooth Highway in Montana.