What a wonderful day for an estrogen ride!
Ashley and I got ready and headed to the garage - we found Jamey checking tire pressure and prepping the bikes (he mumbled something about making sure his women came home in one piece).
I handed the camera to the eight year-old photog. After that, I was lucky to just get my hands on it for a quick pic or two for the remainder of the day.
We were offered our choice of the Strom or the Tiger, but opted for my bike with panniers and a tail bag to keep Ashley snug on the back.
I don't think she knows why it looks like that, but she thought my "dirty" license plate was pic-worthy.
We mounted up and headed half a mile down the road to the gas station for the Katy meet-up.
The gum exchange:
The "I might break into your house while you're out riding" cap:
About 20 minutes into the ride we had to stop for a few adjustments - the lowest common denominator was having issues - then made our way west towards lunch. I reminded Ashley she was allowed to let go if she wanted to take pictures along the way, so we got a few of these:
After getting buzzed through some curves, we stopped in Fayetteville to readjust.
Nadya:
Cindy and Daryn:
We arrived in La Grange shortly before the "high noon" lunch call and found a few bikes already there.
After signing the log book and introducing ourselves to the many-named RASZ, we wandered inside to the table they'd set up for us. Having the back of the restaurant all to ourselves, we could be as loud as we wanted/needed to be.
Major kudos for the raffle prizes - Ashley won the bike shine and I won the Burt's Bees collection, so you know there was a quick swap before I could even open the lip balm and get my cooties on it
Have I mentioned the perfect weather? Wow, we really couldn't have asked for better "stand around the parking lot after lunch to talk bikes" temps! We stood in the shade of an big, old tree and just had a grand 'ol time telling our tales.
After lunch we headed over to Monument Hill as a group to get a look at the view and keep chatting it up. Heck, we're women - we like talking!
We had planned for a good, long break about half-way home, but about 20 miles shy of our intended destination I stopped getting responses from my passenger. Tickle attempts weren't working, so we made a necessary pit stop in Industry for some sugar. She was so zonked out, I had to hold onto her as I put the bike on the side stand to prevent her from falling off.
After some soda and candy corn, she said she was ok and would stay awake until we got to our next stop - the DQ in Bellville.
Ice cream!
By the time she was half-way through her Blizzard, she was all giggles.
We checked the clock and ske-daddled as the shadows grew longer.
Nadya and Daryn split off to head for 10 while Deb and Cindy followed us towards Katy. Deb spent the night, but after filling up on pizza we tried to watch a movie and I'm not sure any of us stayed awake all the way through to the end. Long day, but great memories stored in the "vault".
Can't wait until next time!