Evening Rides Are Cool

by: Ralph Lemongelli III

Evening Rides Are Cool

What a ride! Our kickstands were up at 6:00 p.m. on Friday and Jamie and his wife Lesley led Don, Gary, Patty, and Ralph north out of Jefferson City on Highway 179 up through Cooper County then over to Boone County. There were a few first time events for the group. Lesley rode with Jamie for the first time and Jamie reported that she was a great rider and she felt very relaxed behind him. Hopefully we’ll see more of Lesley this riding season. Patty and I experienced riding on Interstate 70 for the first time as the group crossed over the Missouri River Bridge at Rocheport to start the southern leg of our trip. Patty, being the good highway department employee that she is, commented that she was very pleased at how smooth the road surface of I-70 was and I, being at the back of the pack, was very pleased that we did not get run over by a semi-truck as we traveled 60 miles per hour along the busy interstate.

The sensations of riding in the evening air were unlike the middle of the day rides. One minute you would feel the warm air rushing past you then as your bike descended in a beautiful Missouri holler the air temperature would instantly drop ten degrees, like someone just handed you a glass of cold lemonade on a warm summer day. At least that’s what I was thinking of, that and buffalo wings. As we rode along enjoying the mid Missouri sunset our senses were filled again and again with the smell of newly mowed grass, fresh cut hay, the fragrant smells of the flowers in peoples yards, and the always overwhelming aroma of two day old road kill. I learned to keep my mouth closed as I passed by the upset swarm of flies partaking in dinner at the road kill café. We saw a deer running away from us across a plowed field, obviously scared of our two wheeled thunder machines invading his world. And about forty feet of the road in someone’s yard I saw what appeared to be a black kitty hunting for a mouse, but on closer observation the kitty was a little pudgy and had a big white stripe running down its back. As we rode by I was hoping that whoever lived in that house didn’t want to go out and play with that kitty. What a surprise they would get, pee you.

We ended up at Summit Lake Winery in Hartsburg a little after 8:00 p.m. to find out that the kitchen was closed, but we were able to enjoy some fellowship over some fruit, chips and salsa, and chips and spinach dip. Gary and I ended our fellowship time like all bad boy bikers do with a piece of cheesecake drizzled with chocolate syrup, yum yum.

A little after 8:30 p.m. we departed Hartsburg with headlights on and as we climbed up from the river bottom town the evening air felt cool and the smell of the honeysuckle blossoms along the roadway excited our senses. An evening ride has so much more to offer a rider and this rider for one is looking forward to his next one with great anticipation.

Joy,

Ralph Lemongelli III