I'm not so old after all..
I finally went out on a Thursday night for the first time in goodness knows how long. Reason? New friends and rediscovered old friends that ride! One of the main reasons I love riding is that it instantly brings people together. I struggle to find any other hobby where people smile, wave, spark up conversation and are generally fucking nice human beings to each other. The closest I've come in the past is with skateboarding growing up - it used to be such a niche sport, now it's top of the fucking pops. Regardless though wherever you skated, meeting new folk and sessioning with unknown people was always pretty sweet.
Old friends, recovered: In the last week or so I've got back in touch with Sean Steele, who I used to work with and who is just an all round awesome, funny, solid guy. Work wasn't the same without his wit and great attitude. Randy (groomsman at my wedding) mentioned to me the other week that Sean had taken up riding so I figured that was a good excuse as any to get back in touch with him through email. Funny how sometimes people change over time but yet some folk, even though you've not seen them in 5 years, when you get back together ain't nothing changed and thats just cool. Sure, new job, new woman, but same good times. He introduced me to the local rider mailing list, DC Cycles, where you find your usual mixture of extremely eye opening, interesting, technically savvy, flamebait, weird stuff that goes on every mailing list I've ever been on. Overall seems like a great group though.
New friends, discovered: I met up with several of the riders from the list last Sunday at a Bike Night at Carpool in Ballston. To be honest I've always hated Carpool since my bootcamp days in my company as that's where everyone seemed to hang out. Yuppysville, teenage trash and random other annoying folk. Or so I thought - maybe it's just because the bikers had taken it over but I met several new and interesting people. Julian in particular stood out - probably because that motherfucker's about 10 feet tall and ripped like Arnold. He rides an R6 just about everywhere it seems, and mentioned that he works in Gua-Rapo on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, so Sean, Dallas and I decided to go and see him this Thursday.
Brother hooked us UP! Free drinks here there and everwhere, free shisha, and some kick-fucking-ass shots that are apparently their house drinks. One was orange juice and some kind of flavoured Rum. Tasted like slightly sweet candy. The other was dark and I'll be fucked if I can remember what was in it but it tasted like alcoholic Raspberry (the only fruit I like) so naturally I dug it. In the back of the club was a duo playing Gypsy Kings favourites which lended to the atmosphere while still making it possible to hold down a conversation. Gua-Rapo is cool - most of the nights I go it's jam packed and impossible to sit down (Friday/Saturday) but on Thursday it was nice and busy, the kind of busy which gave it a lively atmosphere without being overbearing. We managed to smoke most of the people away from the bar and had a few seats to ourselves. I really did have a great time, good think Kim was out at her girlies place because traditionally Thursday night is date night for us. I'll definitely be trying to hook up with the boys again at that place.
Ended up leaving at a wholly respectable 11:30pm at night after digesting my couple of drinks fully (dont like to drink and ride) and promptly rode into the biggest fuck-off thunderstorm on the way back on I-66. Clouded visor, heavy water on the road and those fucking AWFUL grooves that they cut in the highway to let rainwater run off. Motorbike front tyres weave all over these things like weavy things on a particularly weavy day. No fun at all - though the lightning over the west horizon was particularly spectacular at times. Unfortunately I didn't get much of a chance to enjoy it as I was too intent upon trying to stay alive..
This brings us to a 3 day weekend, woohoo! Mostly it's a time for chilling and trying to recover the tan at the pool which will finally be open. Tomorrow Dallas, Jay and a selection of unknown riders (Jay's posse) are going to get up and ride to Summit Point Raceway to check out some Formula USA racing. As I've never seen live racing before, naturally I'm excited by this prospect and hope it spurs me on to getting some track training down, and begin the quest for trackdays on my bike. According to Jay the FormulaUSA riders are on the cusp of getting into AMA so it should be good. I'll take my leetle snapper and try to grab some of the action.
Sunday also brings up Rolling Thunder. For those of you not aware what this is about, here's their mission statement:
Now I'm not American (yet), but I think that's a fucking good cause. It's not really a motorcycle club, but every year on Memorial Day weekend there's about 5 billion bikes cruising around together with a police escort on DC's roads. It sounds absolutely fucking amazing. I think it's all cruisers, but Sean and I were wondering if we could squeak our sportbikes in there somewhere among all the Vrods :) Let's see if I'm recovered from Saturday first. Gotta go and shine up the bike, check the weather forecast, shave the head and all that good stuff.
Old friends, recovered: In the last week or so I've got back in touch with Sean Steele, who I used to work with and who is just an all round awesome, funny, solid guy. Work wasn't the same without his wit and great attitude. Randy (groomsman at my wedding) mentioned to me the other week that Sean had taken up riding so I figured that was a good excuse as any to get back in touch with him through email. Funny how sometimes people change over time but yet some folk, even though you've not seen them in 5 years, when you get back together ain't nothing changed and thats just cool. Sure, new job, new woman, but same good times. He introduced me to the local rider mailing list, DC Cycles, where you find your usual mixture of extremely eye opening, interesting, technically savvy, flamebait, weird stuff that goes on every mailing list I've ever been on. Overall seems like a great group though.
New friends, discovered: I met up with several of the riders from the list last Sunday at a Bike Night at Carpool in Ballston. To be honest I've always hated Carpool since my bootcamp days in my company as that's where everyone seemed to hang out. Yuppysville, teenage trash and random other annoying folk. Or so I thought - maybe it's just because the bikers had taken it over but I met several new and interesting people. Julian in particular stood out - probably because that motherfucker's about 10 feet tall and ripped like Arnold. He rides an R6 just about everywhere it seems, and mentioned that he works in Gua-Rapo on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, so Sean, Dallas and I decided to go and see him this Thursday.
Brother hooked us UP! Free drinks here there and everwhere, free shisha, and some kick-fucking-ass shots that are apparently their house drinks. One was orange juice and some kind of flavoured Rum. Tasted like slightly sweet candy. The other was dark and I'll be fucked if I can remember what was in it but it tasted like alcoholic Raspberry (the only fruit I like) so naturally I dug it. In the back of the club was a duo playing Gypsy Kings favourites which lended to the atmosphere while still making it possible to hold down a conversation. Gua-Rapo is cool - most of the nights I go it's jam packed and impossible to sit down (Friday/Saturday) but on Thursday it was nice and busy, the kind of busy which gave it a lively atmosphere without being overbearing. We managed to smoke most of the people away from the bar and had a few seats to ourselves. I really did have a great time, good think Kim was out at her girlies place because traditionally Thursday night is date night for us. I'll definitely be trying to hook up with the boys again at that place.
Ended up leaving at a wholly respectable 11:30pm at night after digesting my couple of drinks fully (dont like to drink and ride) and promptly rode into the biggest fuck-off thunderstorm on the way back on I-66. Clouded visor, heavy water on the road and those fucking AWFUL grooves that they cut in the highway to let rainwater run off. Motorbike front tyres weave all over these things like weavy things on a particularly weavy day. No fun at all - though the lightning over the west horizon was particularly spectacular at times. Unfortunately I didn't get much of a chance to enjoy it as I was too intent upon trying to stay alive..
This brings us to a 3 day weekend, woohoo! Mostly it's a time for chilling and trying to recover the tan at the pool which will finally be open. Tomorrow Dallas, Jay and a selection of unknown riders (Jay's posse) are going to get up and ride to Summit Point Raceway to check out some Formula USA racing. As I've never seen live racing before, naturally I'm excited by this prospect and hope it spurs me on to getting some track training down, and begin the quest for trackdays on my bike. According to Jay the FormulaUSA riders are on the cusp of getting into AMA so it should be good. I'll take my leetle snapper and try to grab some of the action.
Sunday also brings up Rolling Thunder. For those of you not aware what this is about, here's their mission statement:
Rolling Thunder®, Inc.'s major function is to publicize the POW-MIA issue. To educate the public of the fact that many American prisoners of war were left behind after all past wars. To help correct the past and to protect the future veterans from being left behind should they become prisoners of war-missing in action. We are committed to helping American veterans from all wars!
Now I'm not American (yet), but I think that's a fucking good cause. It's not really a motorcycle club, but every year on Memorial Day weekend there's about 5 billion bikes cruising around together with a police escort on DC's roads. It sounds absolutely fucking amazing. I think it's all cruisers, but Sean and I were wondering if we could squeak our sportbikes in there somewhere among all the Vrods :) Let's see if I'm recovered from Saturday first. Gotta go and shine up the bike, check the weather forecast, shave the head and all that good stuff.
posted by CatSpit at
6:13 PM
