I broke ten thousand! but who is counting?

Well, the sky opened up and Sunlight blinded us for a bit, then the Blue warmed us and Friday ended so well, riding the trusty Triumph home through the busy roads with other cyclists and cars and cellphone addicts. On Saturday I went for my second social event of the week - aside from church I am a recluse and they hardly notice me there.

I met the other motorcyclists at Denny's, some I work with on McNeil Island but most I didn't know. Some girl friends, wives, one young son and bikers in leather and personal colors riding a Gold Wing, Harley's, Honda Shadows, and one trusty Triumph. Off we went around Mount Rainier. Until we got to the Eastside of the ride it was cool and gray but as we climbed the clouds burned off and lifted and that Sunlight hit us. We got into the snow line - yes, there is still snow up there. Actually, there are earlier seasons and the potential of Polar Bear habitat, don't even think about swimming in mountain water. The sights were awesome, the ride thunderous (some of the riders don't believe in quiet throbbing) and fast, and the roads really mean it when the sign says rough - was that a six inch or nine inch drop and where did those holes come from? When it freezes at night the roads crack so well under pressure, like the rock face the road was cut into.

The National Park has signs against carrying guns, the bars along the way had announcements against guns and under age people wandering inside. I wasn't drinking anything but coffee and wasn't interested in carrying guns to make someone nervous - but I watched to see what was going on. I got an oatmeal cookie with the coffee at a tourist stop, and later potato salad and a big hamburger in a tavern with service away from the liquor for minors. I had a root beer there. My luck in gambling hasn't changed, I had a pair of tens, a queen, a deuce, and a five, couldn't beat three of a kind by two other riders.

We ended the ride at the sponsor's home and a barbeque, it was my first group ride and aside from spending my time concentrating on keeping up and more or less (much less) in formation I really enjoyed it. On my own I would have gone slower, stopped more for beauty - both natural and enhanced female types, and taken more pictures of same. I do think I might drag my wife along on something like this again, or on solo jaunts into the great Northwest, on Sunny Days, because there is so much to see and do out there.

The ten thousand I broke? the mileage on my trusty Triumph, it was 10,235.4 miles when I parked it in the garage last evening. Need to clean and maintain it today, it has done a fine job.