I got a pleasant surprise yesterday as my friend Rocky lent me his bike to go ride in the Poker Run for the OMRA. My International Female Ride Day ended up being such a positive!
As I geared up to go for a ride the weather in OK Falls was a balmy 18 and sunny. I rode in to Penticton and by the time I got there I was feeling pretty comfy on Rocky's Deluxe. I parked at Slack's and went on to see who all was there and ran in to Duncan from Calgary and Paul from Toefield - I got to see Mike Whittaker from OK Falls and a host of other familiar and friendly faces!
I went out with a group of a half dozen or so, by the time we left Penticton the skies had turned black and the wind had kicked up.
I was wearing fingerless gloves and as I was soon to find out, Okanagan riding in the spring can be just as cold hearted and just as iffy as northern Alberta riding. We weren't 10 minutes into the ride when the rain started - you know the kind the feels like pins hitting your face...half way to Keremeos half formed hail was coming down and while it didn't hurt as much as hail can - on the unseasoned hide it was hitting it still didn't feel so good.
By the time we got to Keremeos my hands were frozen and not one person I talked to had an extra set of gloves (Like a dumb ass I had left my winter riding gloves in the car). OH Well, suck it up princess. Off to Osoyoos. Sorry to the guy on the black and silver anniversary HD bike - the guy wearing the full face. (I had changed lane position like three times in a short span - I could not see in those mirrors much at all and with the cold and no windshield well I had limited range of turning my head to the right - so if you thought I was a bit erratic - you are right - I was.) More rain, high winds, more hail like slush...Hot coffee and popcorn was the order of the day at the pub we stopped at. I ran into Cindy from Princeton and we had a good gab... then off to OK Falls - I had rummaged around in the little tool pouch on the front of Rocky's bike and found a face mask - man am I glad because the rain was coming down in buckets!
By the time I got to OK Falls I was one cold and miserable human being but oddly enough I still had a smile on my face. Some sausage, cheese and veggies, a couple of cups of coffee and I was ready to head back to Rocky and Diana's place (Biker Barbie's B & B)
My theory or motto in life is simple - even a bad day of riding is better than a good day of working...yesterday's ride was cold hearted and miserable but filled with good friends and I WAS RIDING!
Not a ton in the regular news feeds today - a few sports stories and an update on Tom Bregg - Motorcycle Instructor and ETS bus drive who had been savagely beaten - and his 25 year old attacker and what is happening with him. (Glad to hear that Tom is doing better but the road to recovery is far from over)
And a 64 year old Kitchen ON man is dead after riding a motorcycle with no helmet and striking a fence.
The Deeley H-D Precious Metal Gala is coming up on the 11th of May
If you are fortunate enough to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and out to get you and ride proud, not loud!
As I geared up to go for a ride the weather in OK Falls was a balmy 18 and sunny. I rode in to Penticton and by the time I got there I was feeling pretty comfy on Rocky's Deluxe. I parked at Slack's and went on to see who all was there and ran in to Duncan from Calgary and Paul from Toefield - I got to see Mike Whittaker from OK Falls and a host of other familiar and friendly faces!
I went out with a group of a half dozen or so, by the time we left Penticton the skies had turned black and the wind had kicked up.
I was wearing fingerless gloves and as I was soon to find out, Okanagan riding in the spring can be just as cold hearted and just as iffy as northern Alberta riding. We weren't 10 minutes into the ride when the rain started - you know the kind the feels like pins hitting your face...half way to Keremeos half formed hail was coming down and while it didn't hurt as much as hail can - on the unseasoned hide it was hitting it still didn't feel so good.
By the time we got to Keremeos my hands were frozen and not one person I talked to had an extra set of gloves (Like a dumb ass I had left my winter riding gloves in the car). OH Well, suck it up princess. Off to Osoyoos. Sorry to the guy on the black and silver anniversary HD bike - the guy wearing the full face. (I had changed lane position like three times in a short span - I could not see in those mirrors much at all and with the cold and no windshield well I had limited range of turning my head to the right - so if you thought I was a bit erratic - you are right - I was.) More rain, high winds, more hail like slush...Hot coffee and popcorn was the order of the day at the pub we stopped at. I ran into Cindy from Princeton and we had a good gab... then off to OK Falls - I had rummaged around in the little tool pouch on the front of Rocky's bike and found a face mask - man am I glad because the rain was coming down in buckets!
By the time I got to OK Falls I was one cold and miserable human being but oddly enough I still had a smile on my face. Some sausage, cheese and veggies, a couple of cups of coffee and I was ready to head back to Rocky and Diana's place (Biker Barbie's B & B)
My theory or motto in life is simple - even a bad day of riding is better than a good day of working...yesterday's ride was cold hearted and miserable but filled with good friends and I WAS RIDING!
Not a ton in the regular news feeds today - a few sports stories and an update on Tom Bregg - Motorcycle Instructor and ETS bus drive who had been savagely beaten - and his 25 year old attacker and what is happening with him. (Glad to hear that Tom is doing better but the road to recovery is far from over)
And a 64 year old Kitchen ON man is dead after riding a motorcycle with no helmet and striking a fence.
The Deeley H-D Precious Metal Gala is coming up on the 11th of May
If you are fortunate enough to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and out to get you and ride proud, not loud!
Belt Drive Betty
www.beltdrivebetty.com
A MAX Award Winning Web Site
National VP F.I.R.R.E.
www.firre.ca
Western Canadian MotoRescue Representative
www.motorescue.ca
YOU, make it a great day!
Lord, please keep Your arm around my shoulders
and your hand over my mouth! Amen
www.beltdrivebetty.com
A MAX Award Winning Web Site
National VP F.I.R.R.E.
www.firre.ca
Western Canadian MotoRescue Representative
www.motorescue.ca
YOU, make it a great day!
Lord, please keep Your arm around my shoulders
and your hand over my mouth! Amen
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Thats awesome! Too bad about the weather, but it sounds like you had a great time. It's amazing how much we put up with on the road (IE: non-optimal weather / missing gear) and still arrive at our destinations with big grins. My non rider friends don't get it, but my ride mates know the instant you walk in with a smile. Good job for sticking it out!! :)
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