Polar Brrrr Ride De-Brief

MTR's 2009 inaugural ride lived up to its name yesterday as far as temperatures go. Hildia and I were up at six AM sipping coffee when Tim Van Horn announced that it was 24 degrees and even though our home was a comfortable seventy degrees we began to shiver in anticipation of this cold, cold morning ride...

We layered on the clothing beginning with two pairs of heavy cotton socks pulled over the legs of Long John's and finishing off with electric vests and quilted cotton lined leather motorcycle Jackets. Headgear was the latest in terrorist fashion, skull caps and black silk head socks. As we waddled out to the bike I couldn't help but think of the little kid in A Christmas Story after his Mom dressed him for a day of play in the snow. 

I really didn't expect a very good turnout and was surprised to find seven motorcycles waiting at the Kroger store. One bike came in from Southaven, Mississippi and another all the way from Crawfordsville, Arkansas. You might laugh at Crawfordsville being called far away, but when you figure in a thirty degree temp and a motorcycle going 60 MPH, the wind chill factor calculates out to seven below zero. Frostbite could be in your future if you fool around to long in this kind of environment.

Just as we were about to pull out of the Kroger parking lot, our fearless leader pulls in driving a Buick! Vas' ist los mein furer we asked. Turned out Stan was transporting supercargo, listed on the manifest as Nina and he claimed that it was his responsibility to prevent any harm coming to this potential new member. We backed off and grudgingly agreed that he had a moderately tolerable excuse. 

By the time we left the Kroger store the temp had risen to a balmy 35 degrees. We took these great back roads to Kerrville, some 29 miles away. Hildia and I led the group with Buck and Donna right behind bestraddle Ol' Yeller, then Danny and Lori Parker on their Harley, Floyd on a Wing, Rick Totty also on a Wing, Chat Lofton on his coal black Venture and guests Richard and Donna Hightower on a Harley. Stan and Nina followed in the Buick and Terry Taylor and Gwen met us at the Pig-N-Whistle giving us a total of fifteen. Not bad for such a raw day.

The Pig-N-Whistle specializes in Bar-B-Q so that's what most of us had along with some fried pickles. Six dollars for thirty cents worth of pickles! They were good, but not that good. After lunch, the group scattered like a covey of startled quail. By the time Hildia and I got all our gear back on and boarded the motorcycle, everybody, with the exception of Rick who was going our way, had disappeared into the noonday sun. So, MTR's first ride of the year is in the books. Another safe and fun ride and that's all that matters.

I should have the '09 ride schedule out by the February meeting. If you have an interesting restaurant or unique out of the way landmark that you think might make a fun ride, e-mail me the specifics and I'll try and work it in.

Happy Trails