Put the damn cell phone DOWN!!

*** continued from previous post  ***


And with a quick kiss before putting on our helmets, I started the engine, brought the bike up off the kickstand, (much more stable after yesterday's mishap), and gave your Mom the signal that it would be alright to climb into the back seat.

There are certain rules you follow when riding 2-up. Waiting for the driver, (or Pilot as we are referred to in the Victory Vision community), to tell you it's okay to climb on board is primary, you don't want your Pilot to be caught unawares. That's how broken arms happen. And yelling.

I hadn't told your Mother, but I was a smidge nervous about putting a twist to the throttle and riding away. The Vision is hands-down the best bike I've ever owned, she has the comfort of a big touring machine coupled with the speed and agility of a sports bike. But we were seriously testing her load capabilities. So I eased off the clutch and slowly cruised down the driveway. The real test would be pulling out on the road. I would get a good feel, very quickly, for how this trip was going to proceed.

With a bit of a catch in my throat I cruised down our driveway, eased out onto the arterial, and gave her a bit more throttle. She pulled straight and true. I was actually amazed to find that the bike handled very, very well. Once again I marveled at this machine, this blending of artistry and petrochemical explosions all rolled into a ballerina of the blacktop. I couldn't tell a difference between loaded and unloaded as we hit the curves that led from our house to the main highway. Yay! This was going to be fun!

One more test to go. I eased up to the stop sign at the intersection and signaled right. Would the bike be top-heavy? Would it be hard to handle at stop lights and low speed maneuvers? The quick answer was no - once again I could tell little difference. Good! My last hesitation put to rest, I looked both ways, and with a gentle pull of torque put the tires on the path that we would follow for the next 120 miles or so. It felt good.

Our trip was now properly underway.

Whereupon, as if on cue, a young girl on a cell phone and in a truck big enough to have Mini-Coopers stuck in its grill without noticing, materialized out of nowhere, roared up on us, and proceeded to tailgate. I mean really tailgate. Damn, that is not the way I wanted to start this trip. Young ladies on cellphones, or anyone on a cellphone for that matter, is a major hazard. Sight all the statistics you want, but 9 out of 10 times if we have a problem with a car, it will be someone yakking on a phone.

*** the journey continues tomorrow