When You Ride 200 Miles for Lunch, You Are Bound to get Wet!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
As you may have read, if you have read any of my past posts, sometime I take a little journey to get a bite to eat. I'll take an even longer journey if I can break a little bread with a friend. This trip kills both those birds with one stone.
I got up, ready to hit the road, as I postponed the trip because of weather yesterday. I looked at the weather radar, and it looked similar to yesterday at this time, but, the storm was moving east and south. I thought I might get a little rain on me, but nothing major.
I headed down Washington Street to Post Road, fearing the entrance to I-70 was closed from 465 because of the construction. I took the ramp to I-70 and I was off heading east, with a full tank of fuel. The skies were a dark blue, but I could see light ahead. Twenty miles into the trip, and I was basking in sunlight? I was almost ready to take off the rain pants, and change to my tinted shield. I still had a 150 miles to burn, so I pushed on.
Dayton was were I figured I would hit rain, and sure enough, it started to sprinkle. The roads had looked wet, especially the shoulders for quite a few miles. I stopped to get gas, about 130 miles from Indy, and I could see rare drops bouncing into puddles.
I took back off east with the tank full, and drove into darker clouds, and eventually heavier rain. Heavier is not really a good term, it never really did what I would call rain. I entered Columbus, and took the ramp north to I-670, headed toward Ohio State University. I knew of no place good to eat, I was there to meet someone.
I have met several people online, and then face to face. It is an interesting experience, as you develop a friendship without knowing one's voice, facial expressions, or even knowing what they look like! You develop a relationship in nearly its purest form.
The woman I was going to meet is named Michelle, she is a Mayor and a Library Director. She was in town for a conference relating to the latter of those two jobs. I found her interesting right off the bat as a mayor of the small town she grew up in. Plus the fact the library is an historic building, and one that I passed in my travel, and didn't know it until we had discussed it online. We have talked nearly everyday since we began.
I pulled up to the hotel, and parked the bike under the overhang, and out of the water still falling from the sky. I packed away things from the bike, CB, GPS, MP-3 Player, and my helmet. I placed my wet gloves in a different saddle bag. I left my rain pants on, as I felt like I was going to be riding in rain on the way home anyway.
The session had not yet let out, so I sued the restroom, and cleaned up a little bit. When I walked out, I was lone fish in black leather surround by business attired librarians. So much for being able to sneak up on Michelle. I stepped into the lobby, and once I saw someone dress in purple, I knew exactly who it was. It was odd not be nervous, it was like I was meeting one of my friends I had known for years.
Neither one of knew where to go to eat, and I found out that Michelle is picking and indecisive about food. How do you do that? I guess you know where you don't want to eat? As we walked around the campus's offerings, we both got soaked, and decided to head back to place that was the second one we had gone past, and was near the hotel.
Lunch was lackluster at best, I got a Cajun Chicken that would make any New Orleans Chef turn in his grave! I could barely tastes the chicken, let alone the "cajun" spices. I think they must have left them off?
We chatted around bites, but didn't really have a good conversation, not enough time. We did laugh, and I thought I cried, but that was just the rain running off of my wet hair.
We returned to the hotel, and went up to her room, and I dried out a little, and used the bathroom. We were two adults in a hotel room together, but I had barely the time to get to the PUD for dinner.
She walked me out, and we had nice hug after I suited up myself and the bike. The rain had stopped, but the roads were still soaked. Michelle disappeared into the lobby as I rode off, headed back the way I came.
I spent most of the day under sunny skies on the way back. I made it to Richmond, Indiana before I needed to fill up. About 25 miles shy of that, I had gotten passed by two fast moving Ohio State Police Officers. Ten miles later I would see many cars, lights flashing, staking out a rest stop. Lots of uniforms moving around, talking to people at the stop. The trooper at the exit was brandishing his shotgun on his hip. Something serious was going down!
After gassing up, I ran into a traffic slowdown. Eventually, we passed more police cars with a car and truck pulling a camper off to the side of the road. We were passing very slowly, as I was stuck behind an 18 wheeler. I was afraid traffic was really backed up, as slow as we were moving. When the semi pulled over to the right lane, there was at least a mile of empty space in front of him. What the hell? Did he take it upon himself to moves us this slow? I could understand a few hundred feet of safe distance, but the other traffic was nearly gone from my site!! If there had not been uniforms around, I would have given this guy a nice lecture and heavy dose of middle finger!!
I quickly got up to speed, and dashed across the eastern part of Indiana, joining 465, and then taking it around the northeast corner of Indianapolis to Keystone Avenue. I then took 99th Street west, and on to Westfield Boulevard and to my parents house.
The evening meal was much tastier, and shortly after dark, I headed for home. I returned to 465, and took it past I-70 to Washington Street, and back home. It was a quick lunch, but worth the trip. Not sure if we will meet again, so you have to take the opportunity when you can.
As you may have read, if you have read any of my past posts, sometime I take a little journey to get a bite to eat. I'll take an even longer journey if I can break a little bread with a friend. This trip kills both those birds with one stone.
I got up, ready to hit the road, as I postponed the trip because of weather yesterday. I looked at the weather radar, and it looked similar to yesterday at this time, but, the storm was moving east and south. I thought I might get a little rain on me, but nothing major.
I headed down Washington Street to Post Road, fearing the entrance to I-70 was closed from 465 because of the construction. I took the ramp to I-70 and I was off heading east, with a full tank of fuel. The skies were a dark blue, but I could see light ahead. Twenty miles into the trip, and I was basking in sunlight? I was almost ready to take off the rain pants, and change to my tinted shield. I still had a 150 miles to burn, so I pushed on.
Dayton was were I figured I would hit rain, and sure enough, it started to sprinkle. The roads had looked wet, especially the shoulders for quite a few miles. I stopped to get gas, about 130 miles from Indy, and I could see rare drops bouncing into puddles.
I took back off east with the tank full, and drove into darker clouds, and eventually heavier rain. Heavier is not really a good term, it never really did what I would call rain. I entered Columbus, and took the ramp north to I-670, headed toward Ohio State University. I knew of no place good to eat, I was there to meet someone.
I have met several people online, and then face to face. It is an interesting experience, as you develop a friendship without knowing one's voice, facial expressions, or even knowing what they look like! You develop a relationship in nearly its purest form.
The woman I was going to meet is named Michelle, she is a Mayor and a Library Director. She was in town for a conference relating to the latter of those two jobs. I found her interesting right off the bat as a mayor of the small town she grew up in. Plus the fact the library is an historic building, and one that I passed in my travel, and didn't know it until we had discussed it online. We have talked nearly everyday since we began.
I pulled up to the hotel, and parked the bike under the overhang, and out of the water still falling from the sky. I packed away things from the bike, CB, GPS, MP-3 Player, and my helmet. I placed my wet gloves in a different saddle bag. I left my rain pants on, as I felt like I was going to be riding in rain on the way home anyway.
The session had not yet let out, so I sued the restroom, and cleaned up a little bit. When I walked out, I was lone fish in black leather surround by business attired librarians. So much for being able to sneak up on Michelle. I stepped into the lobby, and once I saw someone dress in purple, I knew exactly who it was. It was odd not be nervous, it was like I was meeting one of my friends I had known for years.
Neither one of knew where to go to eat, and I found out that Michelle is picking and indecisive about food. How do you do that? I guess you know where you don't want to eat? As we walked around the campus's offerings, we both got soaked, and decided to head back to place that was the second one we had gone past, and was near the hotel.
Lunch was lackluster at best, I got a Cajun Chicken that would make any New Orleans Chef turn in his grave! I could barely tastes the chicken, let alone the "cajun" spices. I think they must have left them off?
We chatted around bites, but didn't really have a good conversation, not enough time. We did laugh, and I thought I cried, but that was just the rain running off of my wet hair.
We returned to the hotel, and went up to her room, and I dried out a little, and used the bathroom. We were two adults in a hotel room together, but I had barely the time to get to the PUD for dinner.
She walked me out, and we had nice hug after I suited up myself and the bike. The rain had stopped, but the roads were still soaked. Michelle disappeared into the lobby as I rode off, headed back the way I came.
I spent most of the day under sunny skies on the way back. I made it to Richmond, Indiana before I needed to fill up. About 25 miles shy of that, I had gotten passed by two fast moving Ohio State Police Officers. Ten miles later I would see many cars, lights flashing, staking out a rest stop. Lots of uniforms moving around, talking to people at the stop. The trooper at the exit was brandishing his shotgun on his hip. Something serious was going down!
After gassing up, I ran into a traffic slowdown. Eventually, we passed more police cars with a car and truck pulling a camper off to the side of the road. We were passing very slowly, as I was stuck behind an 18 wheeler. I was afraid traffic was really backed up, as slow as we were moving. When the semi pulled over to the right lane, there was at least a mile of empty space in front of him. What the hell? Did he take it upon himself to moves us this slow? I could understand a few hundred feet of safe distance, but the other traffic was nearly gone from my site!! If there had not been uniforms around, I would have given this guy a nice lecture and heavy dose of middle finger!!
I quickly got up to speed, and dashed across the eastern part of Indiana, joining 465, and then taking it around the northeast corner of Indianapolis to Keystone Avenue. I then took 99th Street west, and on to Westfield Boulevard and to my parents house.
The evening meal was much tastier, and shortly after dark, I headed for home. I returned to 465, and took it past I-70 to Washington Street, and back home. It was a quick lunch, but worth the trip. Not sure if we will meet again, so you have to take the opportunity when you can.
Comments