Let the Ride Begin

Let the Ride Begin

June 5, 2013.  We set out on our 4^th Civil War Harley tour early this morning under bright blue skies and the promise of another adventure. As I settled in my seat and zipped up mu jacket against an unexpectedly brisk breeze, I realized that for the first time in 4 years, I had no idea where we were going or when we would get there. The agenda for each of the first three years was carefully planned and executed, from the start time each morning, to the stops along the way, to the time we expected to be at the hotel each night. We talked about where we wanted to go and what we wanted to see, and then Jason mapped the route, careful to include regular stops at Harley dealers along the way. 

In addition to not knowing where we’re landing each day (today we stopped in Hillsville, VA), there are two other key differences this year – the “ride” is only 5 days and other than an overnight to see Courtney, Joey and the munchkins, there are no stops. No battlefields. No museums. No riverfront bars or plantations. Not one Civil War stop on this Civil War Harley Tour.

It’s a compromise.  Last year, I got two significant stops – Charleston and Savannah. Not that Jason didn’t enjoy visiting those bastions of the South, but as I’ve noted before – for him , the experience is the ride, and for me, the ride is the experience (see June 13, 2012 entry for an explanation). He loves navigating the roads – the twists, the turns, the switchbacks and sweepers. For me, it’s the scenery, both what I can see on the back of the bike and what I can visit when it’s parked.  So, this year, since we wanted to spend some time in Virginia, meandering around Williamsburg and golfing, the “Ride” is just that, a ride.

Once we’re off, it’s easy to remember why we love this – whether we stop or sail – it is the ride, the rush, the feel of the sun on your face and the landscape careening past you like a live-action movie. It’s sunny skies and seventy-degree temperatures, the old barns, the hillsides, the friendly waves from front porch rockers. It’s the unadulterated and unobstructed view of everything that makes this great country what it is, and the tired satisfaction at night, exhausted from an experience like no other.


Click here for more pictures from today's ride.