E
Erich Z
Guest
I finally got my bike from storage and took my first ride, riding it about 50 miles home. I had tried to take it home the night before but darkness was approaching and, truth be told, I didn't yet feel comfortable enough for the hour and a half journey home. I returned the next day with the intention of putting the windshield back on the bike and riding home, but 25 minutes of messing with the windshield proved fruitless, so I left that behind for now.
A friend of mine called me up and asked what I was planning, and we decided it would be a good idea to meet me so I wouldn't have to ride solo the whole way back, seeing as darkness was approaching once again. I felt much less nervous now, and traffic was light as I took the highway towards home. My friend and I played phone tag for a while trying to find each other - first he couldn't find the Big Boy I was at, then later he wanted to meet at a gas station that I predictably couldn't find.
We eventually gave up trying and went our separate ways home, and I rode down Grand River, the old highway that connects Lansing with outlying areas. I passed a few cars as the sun set, and started to really enjoy the peaceful night highway, the wind blowing around the bike, and the smooth undulations of the road. Bugs started to hit my jacket and helmet, and I couldn't help laughing. Most of the small towns I passed through on the way home were ones I had known previously only by the signs on the interstate that runs a few miles from them. I'm sure I'll find myself exploring them a little more thoroughly now that I have a reason.
I got home safely, riding through Michigan State University's campus to see the incoming students moving in. I think I'm hooked - there's nothing quite like riding cross country on the old highways like this.
A friend of mine called me up and asked what I was planning, and we decided it would be a good idea to meet me so I wouldn't have to ride solo the whole way back, seeing as darkness was approaching once again. I felt much less nervous now, and traffic was light as I took the highway towards home. My friend and I played phone tag for a while trying to find each other - first he couldn't find the Big Boy I was at, then later he wanted to meet at a gas station that I predictably couldn't find.
We eventually gave up trying and went our separate ways home, and I rode down Grand River, the old highway that connects Lansing with outlying areas. I passed a few cars as the sun set, and started to really enjoy the peaceful night highway, the wind blowing around the bike, and the smooth undulations of the road. Bugs started to hit my jacket and helmet, and I couldn't help laughing. Most of the small towns I passed through on the way home were ones I had known previously only by the signs on the interstate that runs a few miles from them. I'm sure I'll find myself exploring them a little more thoroughly now that I have a reason.
I got home safely, riding through Michigan State University's campus to see the incoming students moving in. I think I'm hooked - there's nothing quite like riding cross country on the old highways like this.
