Riding with the Amherst group is interesting in that they are a much smaller and more loosely organized club than the New England Riders. With the NER, the time specified for kick stands up, is adhered to and we file out of the parking area typically right on time. With the Amherst group, kick stands up is an approximate; so we are discovering. This doesn’t bother us; please don’t interpret things that way, not at all. In fact I like days when there is no rush about anything. You have time to enjoy the people you are with, and the places you are going.
On this day, there is a delay as we wait for a few stragglers. The stragglers arrive, and we all mount and the leader files us out of the lot. I notice behind me there are fewer bikes than I thought there should be. Yet, the lead bike continues on, so I think I’m mistaken in the number. We are halfway to our lunch destination, when we pull over and in the discussion that follows, we learn that we did indeed leave two behind. One rider relays that we were waved ahead and two of them will catch up at the lunch stop. While we chat, the stragglers pull up behind and we are all together again.
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| From Sept 25 with AMC |
It’s at this stop that one realizes he’s lost his oil cap. There’s a Harley dealer in the general area, and he and another rider drop out to head there for a replacement cap. We continue on to the lunch stop where we hope they will meet up with us later. Yet, once we are in the lot of the restaurant, one club member says he’s heading back home. This is an oddity that I’ve noticed with the AMC. With the NER, once on the ride, the group sticks together like glue, and you couldn’t shake one loose if you tried.
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| From Sept 25 with AMC |
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| From Sept 25 with AMC |
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| From Sept 25 with AMC |
The day continues in this disjointed fashion, but the ride itself is great. The fall foliage has begun, and the color is in places I least expect. While we enjoyed lunch on a deck overlooking the Connecticut River, there was no color here as one would expect by the water. Yet, along some quiet sweeps back on the New Hampshire side, the color pops unexpectedly ahead.
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| From Sept 25 with AMC |
Back home early enough to enjoy our evening, I realize my purse is still sitting on the deck at the lunch stop and Andy and I head back to Vermont. While some things seem like inconveniences, we enjoy the unseasonably warm day, the color while daylight lasts, and recounting our day,s ride. In the week since this ride, we have endured high wind and torrential rain which leaves me wondering how much foliage is left. We often don’t realize our blessing until we look behind.
Tomorrow I’m off on a photographic adventure with my riding/photography friend Dave. I’ll be assisting with equipment during an outdoor photo shoot. I’m looking ahead to that, and will post about the experience. In the meantime, take a look at this older post where there is a hint of where we will be. With the people involved tomorrow, I expect to enjoy my fly-on-the wall adventure.
Enjoy the slide show below.
2 comments:
Pat,
I was looking for this last week even though I had seen the pictures on the AMC site. Had you called the Riverview about leaving your purse? It's good that you got it back. Was everything in it that should have been?
Rich
Pat,
I chided Jay about his leadership skills. He left before I was ready but I didn't want to hold anyone up. I incorrectly assumed the group would have waited at the first major route change. That put a damper on the whole ride for me. It also confirmed my feelings about riding in groups. I'm long past that and am enjoying solo rides or just out with the missus. Have a great fall riding season.
Rocket
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