Ride of recovery - both health and photo tags

[Guidedawg]

It wasn't an epic distance ride, nor a particularly exciting trip, and this report is almost completely devoid of pictures.  Nevertheless, it was a great day on motorcycles and I thought I'd share.

I have a friend in Montgomery who I used to attend church with.  He is a real salt-of-the-earth kind of guy and has helped me with more home projects than I can count.  We no longer attend the same church but when my wife and I were there, it seems the majority of the Sunday School class we attended were motorcycle riders, so that was the inspiration for me to get a bike in the first place.

In fact, he was with me each of the 3 times I purchased a motorcycle.  My only motorcycle experience was an MSF class a few years back when I decided I wanted to try riding.  He went with me to purchase the used bike I found on Craigslist, and even rode it in the rain to take back to my house since I was too inexperienced to be comfortable.  Then he rode with me to purchase a bike after I totaled and replaced that one.  I was still on crutches, so he delivered again.  At least my current bike he only went to see because I asked his opinion!

He's on the board for the Trail of Tears ride done annually in north Alabama.  However, due to recent back surgery and other illnesses he didn't know if he would be strong enough to handle the ride this year.  So, when he told me he wanted to ride a bit over the weekend to see how he would do and wanted another rider to follow, I was only too happy to schedule time for it.

Due to conflicts we didn't leave until Sunday afternoon and the day was quite hot.  The pavement was hotter still as I grabbed a compressor and lay on my back to put air in my slowly-leaking back tire.  But it only took a minute and we set off underway, heading north to Wetumpka and then along 170 and 63 into Eclectic for a ride around the lake.

We cut across E Cotton and were briefly on 229 before beginning our run from the beginning of Highway 50.  It's no tail of the lizard, but it has enough curves and little traffic to make for an enjoyable afternoon ride and a nice view of the dam when crossing the Tallapoosa River.

Walnut Hill grocery is a common stopping point in the area, and we took a break though we never left our seats as we each grabbed the cool refreshing beverages we had in our bags.  In my case, that would be ice water, and tea for him.  He assured me he was handling his Victory Vision with no problems and we turned north on Stillwaters Highway into Dadeville.

From there, we hopped onto Highway 280 and opened the throttles a bit as we made our way to Alexander City.  There was a very brief shower, but it didn't last long enough to even get wet.  Fortunately, the humidity was not nearly as bad as it's been in recent weeks and we both felt comfortable moving at speed.

We turned south on Highway 9 which took us back into Wetumpka and then 231 into Montgomery.



It was just two friends riding in companionable silence, but I realized that for as many years as we've been around each other it was the first time that we rode as just the two of us.  I was pleased that he asked, and even more so to see him back in the saddle and riding again.  There were fears it would not happen, so I suspect he and his wife still have much riding to do, including this year's Trail of Tears.

We separated in Montgomery, where he stopped for gas and a return to home but I had just a few errands to run before going home myself...

[Guidedawg]

I participate in photo scavenger hunts on two other forums besides this one (both are VTX related) and all 3 had been sitting dormant for some time.  Although I had hoped to get some while away from home, I ended up waiting until I returned to Montgomery and knew where some were to fit the bill.  In other words, I drove 140 miles to take photos of things in my own city.

The first on my list was for our own forum here.  The challenge of a building or structure with an animal name had been sitting out for 2 ½ months, and I am as guilty as the other players of not moving it along.  As I was thinking of this upcoming ride and plotting how to get some themes along the way, I suddenly recalled an elementary school in south Montgomery.



So, when we parted ways I continued along the bypass and found my way to the school.    You can see from the map that my route was not as direct as it could have been, but I was going from a recollection of it being near a few street names I could remember and I wasn't sure of the exact location so I just rode along them.  Since I was out riding a motorcycle, that is not a bad thing.



I followed a slightly meandering course to the elementary school and, being Sunday afternoon, the sight of an overweight biker with a windswept beard did not raise eyebrows or calls to the police.

The other items on my list were a (non-DQ) ice cream shop, and a place to purchase BBQ wings.  I had the wing location in mind and decided to take a chance on finding an ice cream shop along the way.  I recalled a yogurt shop I had once taken my daughter and a friend to along the commercial area of Zelda Road.  Although I did not spot it, I did find this shop.



I did not go inside, so I still have no idea of the distinctiveness of Thai ice cream, but I did accomplish the task for that forum.

The wing location I had in mind could be easily accessed from a neighborhood adjacent to a large cemetery.  We buried my wife's grandmother there (which was appropriate as she was dead at the time) so I drove through the twisting and occasionally rutted paths to check on her headstone and some artificial flowers we had placed in the spring – both were in good shape.

A straight shot through the Forest Hills neighborhood deposited me in front of a wing joint (in a former Checker's building)



The theme of the tag was to take a pic of your bike at your favorite BBQ wing spot.  I posted that although I have never eaten there it was my favorite because it was available on the day I needed to find one.

Unlike BamaR..err, MotorcycleAlabama..those forums do not require a pic of the next theme so it is expected to name one immediately upon posting.  Since many VTX riders are members of both forums, I prefer to name 2 different themes if I pick up both on the same day.  I decided since school and football were just starting I would choose a school building for one, and football field for the other.

So, on the way home I was inspired to drive past a small football field and take a pic to name as the next theme here as well.  Since I am likely the only one playing along here as well as there, there is no harm in a little duplication.



I returned home satisfied with time spent riding with a friend and pleased to see his strength returned, and also pleased with a few extra miles spent moving along some photo tags.  It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

[lazeebum]

Nice ride report and pictures. Glad your friend is able to ride again.

Sent from my LG-M150 using Tapatalk