What a great two days. My honey and me rode about 120 miles on Friday, and then another 215 miles on Saturday, all to find a feeding trough. We found a good place right off of RT 33 outside of Saluda on Friday called Briscoe’s Grill. I had a great soft shell crab sandwich. Route 33 is a great road to ride through the tidewater region of Virginia and the wife really enjoyed it as well. When we were on our way back we came into West Point and I had been pacing a State Policeman a few car lengths back. As we came into town the speed limit dropped to 45 mph. We were in the inside lane of the four-lane and I was more than enough car-lengths behind the State Police. There was a redneck pickup, you know, the ones that set way up high, coming in on me from behind, so I slide over to the outside lane and he passed me and was fairly close to the State Police following tight. I guess he figured he had enough room and he eased over into the outside lane right in front of me. Now mind you I was going maybe 45-46 mph pacing the State Police. When the pick-up came over in front of me, I eased back over to the inside lane to get some distance on him. He rolls on pass the State Police probably doing about 50 or so. The wife was a little concerned that he came over in front of us like that. Well, as he goes passed the State Police, you guessed it, he rolls in behind in the redneck and hits the blue lights. I could only laugh and give one up to the LEO.

So day two, I get up early for my Prayer Breakfast on Saturday and on the road at 7:00am. It’s just a few minutes to the restaurant and I have my time of fellowship with the other men and leave. I get home and asked the wife if she would like to ride again today and get lunch. Sure, let’s go. We’re on the road again my 11:00 am and head out to a nice restaurant in White Stone, Va. pass Saluda a few miles. It is at a little place called Willoby’s and it is a nice little restaurant. I have the Oyster Sandwich with a few extra on the side. We get done eating and the waitress complements me on my bike and says it’s really pretty. We head on out and keep going up Rt 3 to Warsaw which is a great gentle road to ride on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Once we get to Warsaw we take Rt 360 back but I want to cut across back down to 33 and go home that way. We come to Route 14 and as I pull onto it there is a Virginia ByWay sign. I find that Rt 14 is a great twisty road that is banked in the curves. I forget the wife unit is on the back (so I say) and roll through the twisties. We make a stop and get a soda and she tells me she really enjoyed that ride. YES! Typically she is gripping me until I hurt but I think I’ve finally got her broke in.

After our soda break we head on out and I come to a curve and there are two Harleys on the side of the road, so me being a nice guy I want to stop to see if they need help. Well, as I pull off into the wide spot on the shoulder, I ‘m heading for one of the bikes and I’m try to avoid any disasters at this point, so I come to a stop, and the shoulder is uneven at this point. Rear wheel is still on the asphalt shoulder of the road, the front wheel is pointing toward one of the Harleys and the left side is lower but I got my foot down. The weight shifts to the left as I’ve got my foot on the ground and I feel it going down. Now time freezes at this moment. I have a flash back to 1997 where I was assigned to a desk job in the Army at Fort McCoy, WI. We’re trainers for the Reserve and spend a lot a time telling, but not so much doing. But we still do what we have to do to stay in shape. Annually there is a post picnic where there are macho activities like tug-a-war. There is also a Marine unit at Fort McCoy who is the Army’s competition. So all the years previous the Army has been beaten by the Marine’s in Tug-a-war as long as anyone could remember. So as we prepare ourselves for the days event, one guy says, “Let’s hold them until they are tired and then we’ll pull them across. I’m selected as the anchor man. I’ve got the rope around me and about 5 guys in front of me. I put in a lean and dig in my feet. At the start, the Marines begin to heave ho, but we don’t go. We are holding fast like a brick wall. After a quite a few heave ho’s by the Marines we feel them giving out, I begin to take one step at a time backwards. The guys finally feel their giving in and in one steady pull the Marines are faced down across the line. So back to the side of the road, I decide to hold out until one of the Harley riders come to my rescue. However, before he even touches the bike I finally got it on the high side leaning. All I could think about was this Vision guy came in a wreck his bike and ours too.  And on top of that the wife would never ride with me again. So I finally get situated and pulled off the side and parked. We talked for awhile. They only stopped to rest, because that had too. They can only put up with riding for so long. They ask about the Vision and Victory and the thoughts were crossing their minds to check into riding one. We finally get on our way and as I pull out, it’s going up a hill. I thought I would impress them but getting down on it as we head up the hill and let them hear the rumble of my stock pipes. As I pull out and get to the end of 1^st gear, I shift and FIND NEUTRAL! For those who have trouble finding neutral, that’s where it is, it’s right there in front of trying to impress Harley riders with your really cool, comfortable riding Victory and you’re getting down on it hard so that the tac rev’s to about four grand as you FIND NEUTRAL. So I let off of it, shake my head a few times in shame, shift to second and continue our journey.

All in all it was a great day for an impromptu ride into the Tidewater area of Virginia. If you’re out this way, check out Route 14 east of Richmond off of 360 south to 33.

Thanks for all the replies and assuring me as well as others we are not alone in the world of motorcycle gaffes. Definetly those moments are "Ego Neutralizers" without a doubt. On many of the times my wife rides with me I tell her she challenges my riding skills. She'll ask if that is bad, and I say, no it is good. She's never put us in danger, but it has been interesting, especially on the Wing, to pull to a sandy or oil soaked stop light and she takes the unannounce opportunity to shift.

I had to take a work related ride yesterday to Newport News, about 140 mile round trip. All in all I put in over 500 miles from Friday afternoon through Sunday. Clicked over 19,000 this morning on the way to work. Every mile gets better and better. I passed by Busch Gardens yesterday  and thought to myself about how much it cost to get in there for a daily "thrill". I count every mile as a day at the park so, with that equation my Victory will have paid for itself in another 6,000 miles.

racershawn - 2008-08-11 8:55 AM did you ride down 64? and is your bike black?

I personally try to avoid 64 if all possible. However, both Friday and Saturday we traveled 64 between Rt 106 and Rt 33 exits both East and West and on Sunday I took I64 from 199 to Fort Eustis. I ride a Midnight Cherry, which is the fastest bike between the colors, with the exception of the 10thAE, that bike makes the Vision look FASTER.