BIKERS------------ 'JUST CRUISIN'

SOMEWHERE IN NORTHEASTERN CT.

                                                                  

LAST WEEKEND WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE OUTSTANDING ONES, MADE ALL THE MORE SPECIAL BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE WON’T BE TOO MANY MORE LIKE IT COMING OUR WAY..WELL, AT LEAST NOT IN THE NORTHEAST..EARLIER IN THE WEEK I HAD UNWRAPPED MY WINDSHIELD, DUG UP MY COLD WEATHER RIDING GEAR-GLOVES, VEST, CHAPS, HEAT PACKS AND MY FULL-FACE HELMET  AND ACCEPTED THE REALITY THAT COLD WEATHER RIDING WAS JUST A MATTER OF A FEW DAYS AWAY..



BACK TO BARKHAMPSTED--HOOKED UP WITH OTHERS WHO WERE 'JUST CRUISIN'



I’M NOT ONE OF THOSE WHO CAN PUT THE BIKE AWAY FOR FIVE OR SIX MONTHS..SO AS LONG AS THE ROADS ARE PRETTY CLEAR, I’LL GET OUT AND PUT A FEW MILES ON THE BIKE JUST TO GET MY MIND RIGHT..OF COURSE I DON’T ENJOY THE SAME LEVEL OF COMFORT THAT SUMMER RIDING BRINGS, BUT LIKE I SAID, IT’S BETTER THAN NOT RIDING FOR FIVE OR SIX MONTHS, AND I HAVE FOUND SOME PLACES THAT MAKE GREAT HOT CHOCOLATES..



SOME FRIENDS FROM BACK IN BRISTOL-LEFT TO RIGHT-JOHN AND SALLY MONGILLO, JOHN HAS BEEN A LIFE LONG BIKER AND IS THE OWNER OF J&M TIRES IN WOLCOTT CT..I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF KNOWING SALLY SINCE SHE WAS ABOUT 12 YEARS OLD..DON ASHMORE IS ALSO A LIFE LONG BIKER AND IF YOUR EVER IN BRISTOL CT. STOP AT HIS 'MOBILE ON THE RUN,' ACROSS FROM ESPN ON MIDDLE STREET..GOOD PEOPLE  

  I WAS MUCH MORE THAN HAPPY TO FIND THAT ALL MY PREPARATIONS WERE UNNECESSARY (FOR NOW)..GAVE THE BIKE A ONCE OVER SAFETY CHECK-SAID MY USUAL PRAYER FOR DIVINE      PROTECTION-AND I WAS IN THE WIND,, FLYING LOW AND ENJOYING A SERIOUS CASE OF   MOTORCYCLE ECSTASY.




ANDREW AND SARAH BENNETT FROM GRANBY--MET THEM IN NEW HARTFORD..ANDREW HAS BEEN ON
BIKES FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND SERVED IN THE ARMY AS AN INFANTRY-MAN..(THANKS ANDREW)
SARAH--REAL SPECIAL GIRL HERE..STRAIGHT 'A' STUDENT--10 YEARS OLD AND SHE LOVES MOTORCYCLES..
SARAH EVEN HAS HER OWN BIKE, A YAMAHA 110..
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK SARAH



GOOD PEOPLE ALL OVER THE PLACE SATURDAY-LEFT TO RIGHT GARY MOTT,BEEN ON BIKES FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS WITH HIS ELECTRA-GLIDE CLASSIC..SCOTT AND CINDY PAGGZIOLI, GOT BACK UP ON MOTORCYCLES FOUR YEARS AGO.THEIR DAUGHTER GRADUATED  ON A TUESDAY
AND ON WEDNESDAY A 'ROAD KING CLASSIC' MOVED IN..






HERE IS THE GUY THAT WON THE BIKE WHICH WAS RAFFLED OFF FOR THE 'DREAM RIDE'
MEET TODD-SOLD THE BIKE AND KEPT HIS TRUSTY 'DUECE'. TODD IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE LONG TIME RIDERS THAT WE CALL  'LIFERS'
TODD'S PRETTY LADY, KATE, HAS BEEN ON BIKES FOR FOUR YEARS..
GREAT MEETING YOU TWO



I HAVE MET THESE GUYS BEFORE--MADE A STOP ON THE WAY HOME AND WE TALKED FOR A WHILE
(REMEMBER-MUTUAL INTEREST, CONVERSATION FLOWS FREELY)
LIKE ME, THEY WERE HEADED HOME, RETURNING FROM A NICE LONG CRUISE INTO VERMONT.
GOOD SEEING YOU GUYS AGAIN..

THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE GOOD PEOPLE I MET ON THE ROAD,, LIKE ME, THEY COULDN'T LET THE DAY GO BY AND NOT CATCH SOME TIME ON TWO WHEELS..THESE LAST FEW GASPS OF THE RIDING SEASON ARE SPECIAL..THE FIRST GOOD RIDING DAYS THAT COME OUR WAY IN THE SPRING BRING THE PROMISE OF WARM MONTHS TO COME..WE KNOW THAT WE'RE ON THE 'RIGHT' SIDE OF SUMMER,,WE CAN AFFORD TO 'LOSE' A DAY OR TWO TO GET A FEW CHORES DONE.. A WONDERFUL WEEKEND LIKE WE JUST HAD IS LIKE A FAREWELL KISS FROM SUMMER,,AND IF YOUR A BIKER, NOT TOO MANY THINGS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN 'JUST CRUISIN'..
                                 
                         ***************STAY WELL--STAY SAFE**************
                                                           SEE YOU NEXT WEEK
                                                                         JIM

P.S.===AS ALWAYS,, CLICK ON THE PHOTOS TO ENLARGE