Sherry, Ready to Ride |
Shortly after I returned from the HOG meeting, Sherry and I geared-up and headed out the door. It was slightly overcast with temperatures in the mid-60s…all in all, not a bad day. We got about ½ mile from home when she told me she might be too cool in her textile jacket and wanted to change into her leather one. We turned around. She quickly put on her leather jacket and we were off, again. We had gone 2 miles when she asked, “Why can’t I hear my music?” I told her I had no idea and to check her phone. Problem solved. She had left her phone in the other jacket. I made a quick U-turn on FM 3009 and headed back to the house. After retrieving her phone, pairing it with her headset, and doing a quick music check, we were finally on our way to Austin.
With a couple of false starts under our belts, it was good to be on the road and making progress towards our destination. It had been almost a year since we’d eaten at an In-n-Out Burger and we were excited that one had opened a little closer to home. The ride on the super-slab was uneventful but enjoyable. Unlike many riders, I actually like eating-up miles on the Interstate. I like rolling the throttle back and the sense of sustained speed you get while blasting down the highway. Riding the Interstate has a rhythm of its own. It may not be as relaxing or as scenic as other roads but it’s fun. Maybe too fun. Sherry caught me exceeding the speed limit a few times and asked me to slow down. I reluctantly obliged. We made good time until we hit Austin and then crawled along for the last six miles. I would have never guessed there’d be a traffic jam at 1:30 in the afternoon on Saturday. It took us almost an hour and half to cover the 67 miles from our house to In-n-Out Burger.
Don't Let The Peaceful Exterior Fool You |
never seen so many people at a burger joint. The drive-thru line was easily an eighth of a mile long and the parking lot was overflowing. After circling a few times we found a spot, parked, and made a beeline to the door. The place was packed liked sardines but I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly we made it through the line. We ordered our burgers animal style and then vultured for a table. Just as our number was called, two people vacated seats next to a window. We quickly sat down. The burgers were fantastic, just as we remembered them. We took our time and savored their juicy goodness but were mindful of the growing crowd. Just as we finished, a young couple asked for our seats.
Our ride home went smoothly and was even more enjoyable than the ride-up because we didn’t have to fight traffic. We stopped to check-out a few shopping areas on the way back and even picked-up a movie. At the end of our little adventure, Sherry and I both agreed that fighting the Austin traffic and the crowd in the restaurant was well worth the effort. In-n-Out Burgers are delicious.
Pass on the ride to Luckenbach? You bet I did. My wife doesn’t love riding like I do, so I’m always excited when she rides with me. I hope one day she’ll come to love it as much as I do, but until that day comes…I’ll cherish our rides together. You can’t get much better than riding two-up with a beautiful woman with her arms and legs wrapped around you. Just thinking about it makes me want to Live Free, Ride Hard, and Be Happy!
Remember, adventure is what you make it.
Curt,
ReplyDeleteI giggled through most of the article because I can relate with Sherry in a couple of ways. I've never asked my hubs to turn around, but I probably would if I brought the wrong jacket. But I'm a real pain in the butt to actually get ON the damn bike and GET RIDING! Seriously, Highway is so incredibly patient with me as I fix my bandanna, put in my earbuds, set my music, warm up my bike, put on my gloves, put on my helmet, take my helmet off to fix the earbuds, etc. . . I get so frustrated with myself that I can't get ready as fast as he does, so now I set out the door 5 minutes before he does just to get the jump on him!
I grew up in So Cal, so In-n-Out was part of our regular diet. I forget how lucky we are to have them. Most people who move away really pine for a Double-Double after they move away.
Sounds like a nice ride and a good reason to go for a burger!
Smooches,
Sash
SashMouth
Tina, it was pretty comical. I have to admit at the time I started to get a little aggravated but then thought about the fact that we didn't have to be anywhere at a certain time and that it wasn't a big deal...then it was just funny.
DeleteI know I'm incredibly slow when it comes to putting on my gear...seems like I'm always the last one in the group to be "ready", so I can relate to how you feel. I guess in the end, we should just take our time and not worry about it.
Take care!
Y'all achieved the Luckenbach experience that Waylon sings about, so that's pretty much the point. Plus, I'll choose Austin over Luckenbach any day. (I would have been filtering through that traffic, though)
ReplyDeleteI am the king of slow when it comes to getting ready to ride. Even my wife makes fun of me. Once, we rode out to a pub for lunch and as soon as we sat down she said: "You'd better start putting your gear on now, so we can get home on time."
Chris, yea I've been to Luckenbach before and it's an interesting place to visit but I don't feel the need to visit very often. Austin with my wife was the right place to go.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty slow too...but my wife makes me look fast. Based on your wife's comment, she sounds like she'd be a great person to ride with. You have to have a sense of humor to enjoy life. :-)
Thanks for the smiles. I wish I had your story telling talent.
ReplyDelete