It’s around 6pm and we are heading for our last destination of the day, Nantasket Beach Reservation, for a Massachusetts Passport Stamp. We have captured a total of 10 state park stamps today.
We are following this truck in the left lane on RT 228. Both of us are in the left lane moving slowly as cars are zipping past us on the right. Traffic light turns red and the truck slows to a stop. We do as well, I take my left foot off the peg to plant on the ground. The FJR just being a bit tall, I have become accustom to placing the left foot first and then use the right foot to shift some of the weight to the right. The FJR weighs around 640 pounds by itself, add me, MeAsWe and the tank bag and some other stuff, it is easily over a ½ ton. The plant takes a hair bit longer than usual, and I then realize we are on a slanted road and I am overcome by a lightness that does not belong in this scenario. The bike is preparing for a swan dive to the ground. My foot bearly touches and the bike is gong to be listing like a boat that is ready to capsize. I shift my weight and tug right on the handle bars as I feel my shoulder muscles bulge like those guys in the Mr Olympia contests. The bike begins it climb back up to the right to the neutral position, but doesn’t quite make and begins a second descent to the left. Another tug and the momentum shifts again to the right.
I don’t have a clue how I kept that 1000 pounds up and as soon as were even keeled again I said to MeAsWe, Phew that was close. She saw it coming. She recognized the road dropped away on the left versus being level. She felt the same lightness feeling and reacted by shifting her weight to the right.
If it were not for her observation of the situation, understanding of what needed to counter the movement, we would have been on the ground picking up the bike and most likely plastic as well.
We are following this truck in the left lane on RT 228. Both of us are in the left lane moving slowly as cars are zipping past us on the right. Traffic light turns red and the truck slows to a stop. We do as well, I take my left foot off the peg to plant on the ground. The FJR just being a bit tall, I have become accustom to placing the left foot first and then use the right foot to shift some of the weight to the right. The FJR weighs around 640 pounds by itself, add me, MeAsWe and the tank bag and some other stuff, it is easily over a ½ ton. The plant takes a hair bit longer than usual, and I then realize we are on a slanted road and I am overcome by a lightness that does not belong in this scenario. The bike is preparing for a swan dive to the ground. My foot bearly touches and the bike is gong to be listing like a boat that is ready to capsize. I shift my weight and tug right on the handle bars as I feel my shoulder muscles bulge like those guys in the Mr Olympia contests. The bike begins it climb back up to the right to the neutral position, but doesn’t quite make and begins a second descent to the left. Another tug and the momentum shifts again to the right.
I don’t have a clue how I kept that 1000 pounds up and as soon as were even keeled again I said to MeAsWe, Phew that was close. She saw it coming. She recognized the road dropped away on the left versus being level. She felt the same lightness feeling and reacted by shifting her weight to the right.
If it were not for her observation of the situation, understanding of what needed to counter the movement, we would have been on the ground picking up the bike and most likely plastic as well.
NOW THAT’S a GREAT RIDING PARTNER !!
1 comment:
Thank you my love for such sweet words.
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