***What I would like commentary on is organization/how to segment it, and what the heck is the point of telling this story?***
The time I hung out with Harley dudes.
Early June. Warm. Heat and hills. Rodeo's. McKinley and I stopped for the day in Cambridge, Idaho, to get my chain fixed - it had been rattling through the front derailleur and it was driving me crazy. The only joint in town to get food was a dimly lit, smoky, dive bar. As we sat there drinking our beers and talking about our day, two surly-looking Harley dudes smoking cigarettes and swearing like sailors asked us what the hell we were doing.
"Biking across the country," we said.
They thought we were insane, and said they wouldn't even want to do that on their motorcycles. I thought that was insane, because at that moment I could have killed for an engine.
Many conversations and inappropriate jokes later, we realized some things that cyclists and motorcyclists have in common. I learned that a motorcyclist knows all the contours of the road, just like a cyclist; motorists never know the roads well, thought they think they might.
Bob and Bob, or "The Bob's" invited us to their 25th annual Harley picnic, which was on our route and an appropriate distance away to not have to bike epic long days.
McKinley and I said we'd see them in three days, wondering if it would be safe to go to this picnic full of Harley dudes. The next day as we crossed a bridge, we stopped because we heard music. Down in the valley on a huge piece of land was a rodeo! Neither of us had ever been to one, so we decided to cut the day short to be spectators. Barrel racing and cow-milking were some of the events. We cheered. The crowd started at the only two girls in spandex. We felt so out of place while everyone was in full cowboy and cowgirl attire.
The next day we headed for the Harley picnic. After cutting the previous day short for the rodeo, we now had 80 miles to get there, with a steep 10 mile climb. Exhaustion. Hunger. Hills. Heat. Headwinds. We were going to be damned if we didn't make it to the picnic, the promise land. We knew there'd be so much food.
We climbed and climbed and climbed and fought the heat and headwinds. McKinley and I were incredibly exhausted by the time we reached the turn-off to the campground where the picnic was. Five more miles, off route, and we'd be there.
As we rolled in, someone yelled, "Hey Bob, your girls are here!" And a crowd of 100 cheered. This was the first time in 25 years they ever had someone other than Harley friends at their picnic. We were honored to be their guests.
Were they scary people? Nope. It was a bunch of people in leather, smoking pot, drinking beer, and talking about their grandkids and families. They fed us to death and were some of the most generous people I spent time with on that trip.
The next morning we rolled out of there with a little extra oomph, probably from all of the food we ate to fuel us up those big hills.
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ReplyDeleteLike holly you have a sort of life adventurous story. Nothing from a James Bond movie but still and adventure. I actually know an amazingly adventurous JAG lawyer who rode his motor bike clear across Latin America. I could give you his facebook if you want to pick at his brain. He is actually living in Germany now. He would tell me how life is meant to be lived and explored. The only meaning to life is to explore it completely because the everyday routine is safe but not exciting.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could go back and forth between your thought and what you were actively doing or compare what you would be doing at home vs. the adventure you were currently experience.
Hope this helps :)
GOOD LUCK
As we rolled in, someone yelled, "Hey Bob, your girls are here!" And a crowd of 100 cheered. This was the first time in 25 years they ever had someone other than Harley friends at their picnic. We were honored to be their guests.
ReplyDeleteI loved how this was and I think you should start off with it. it just reminds me of something in the movie. This seems so exciting and a crazy adventure. I think you should leave us in suspense as to where you are or how you ended up with the The Bobs for the picnic and then have us like ohhh she traveled around the world.LOL I could just be weird though. This is going to be a great story and I can't wait to read it.
The point of the story could be not to judge a book by its cover just thinking in terms most people would have considered the Bobs to be the complete opposite of who they actually was.
ReplyDeleteWere they scary people? Nope. It was a bunch of people in leather, smoking pot, drinking beer, and talking about their grandkids and families. They fed us to death and were some of the most generous people I spent time with on that trip.
Maybe you can segment it by your prior opinions of bikers or even your internal monologue like what the heck is going on! Also! I'm so excited for this story lol. I think it falls under the category of having a great story just to tell it. I know this is better meaning in this though, something like don't judge a book by its cover like Osza said, but deeper!
ReplyDelete