First Rides

I was talking to my friend, Apple, about when we first start riding as passengers on motorcycles with our husbands. We both agreed that at first it is really scary! It is especially scary depending on what that first ride is. Granted, my first ride was as a 3 year old from my cousin, I think. Come on, I was three. I don't remember anything about it. So it does not count. My next ride was with my husband. We were just dating at the time. We had come back from Japan and were on the "Whirlwind Tour to Meet the Future In-Laws." That was not what we called it at the time. Then, we were just on leave and I went with him to Iowa 'cause he was going to take me to my truck in Texas. Seemed more fun to go on leave together and drive than it would be to fly home separately. So there we were you see, in Backwoodsville, Iowa, and I was fortunate enough to meet his best friend and Nick's wife. I don't remember her name; they got divorced the following Christmas. So anyways, my Darling Husband, Nick, Nick's wife, and Silo Jim all decided it would be fun to take Nick's farm equipment out and go riding. Nick's equipment was along the lines of two four-wheelers and two dirt bikes. Let's talk about the dirt bikes. Dirt bikes are not designed for passengers. At all. They do not have "sissy bars." They do not have foot pegs for the passengers. They look like this:

Again, note the total lack of anything for a passenger. You are not supposed to have a passenger on these. So anyways, they all thought it would be a good idea to go out and check the fences of the property on two of these and the four wheelers. My Darling Husband wanted one of the dirt bikes, of course. So, being that you "go with the one that brung ya," I took a ride with him. Now, where Nick lives is out in the country. He is a farmer. There aren't paved roads to Nick's house. Once you turn off the highway, it is all gravel all the way out to his place. We get on the dirt bikes and four wheelers. No helmets. No eye protection. I can hear it now. Yes, we were stupid! With a capital STUPID! I tell Darling Husband that this is my first real time on a bike. Okay, he says. So we get on a dirt bike and go down the gravel road. He is driving, and I am holding on to him for dear life. Did I mention that there were no foot pegs for the passenger? Well, there aren't. So I am sitting on the back of this thing with my legs flopping in the wind. I looked like an upside down Y. He feels the need. Not the need for speed, mind you, the need to do a wheelie going 60 miles an hour down a gravel road with me on the bike with him. Front wheel goes up in the air, we are riding that wheelie down the road. It was probably only fifty or so feet, but I was scared. I was so freaked out that my feet were going to get caught in the rear wheel, that we were going to go over backwards, or that I was just going to fall off.

I was madder than a wet hen. So mad, that when we came to a stop, I told him that I had no intention of getting back on, he can ride by himself. I am a terrible person, I got on the four wheeler with Silo Jim. That was in July of 1999. I did not get back on a motorcycle with Darling Husband until November of 2009. Now we both ride. Kind of crazy, huh?

Thanks for stopping by!

Jen