We rode the bike 125 miles Saturday and it was such a beautiful day. We headed toward Lancaster to the Willow St. Harley Davidson because we hadn’t been there since last year. We had to make a detour around downtown York because Hilliary was visiting and they had the roads blocked off. I think Hilliary is fine, but I really didn’t wont to see or meet her.
I wish I had taken my camera along because after Willow St we headed up around the Buck and that’s Amish country. They were out plowing the fields with a team of horses unlike regular farmers that use electricity and tractors and all kinds of modern machinery. Their life is more like the way things were before any modern convieniences.
I saw Amish women mowing their lawn, not with riding mowers, but with those little push mowers that has the rotating blades. My brother use to have one of those, but he has a small yard also. These people had huge lawns and I thought about just how much we have and take for granted. Of course they choose this way of life, but it made me feel more grateful for the things in my life.
We passed many horse and buggy’s and I never get tired of seeing that sight. They may not get somewhere as fast as we do, but they don’t spend money on gas and pollute the air either. They also have clothes lines on a pully that goes up at an angle. Most of us wouldn’t know what to do without our washer and dryers.
I don’t envy this way of life, but I would love to live out in the country, it’s beautiful and the Amish have their own way of doing things that outsiders simply don’t comprehend. Last year when that man killed those little Amish school children was horrible and how do you recover from such a blow as that. Those people bother no one and to have someone vilify their life was heartbreaking.
Next time we head up that way I’ll take some pictures so you can see how beautiful the country is. I’m glad we rode Friday and Saturday because Sunday was gloomy and rainy, today doesn’t look much brighter. The rain is doing wonders for my burning bush and shrubs though. Have a great day I have somethings I need to get done.
When we took a ride last Saturday we didn’t realize that one of Bill’s foot pegs dropped off while we were riding, so we have to find another one this week. I can’t wait till it gets warm so we can ride more. Last year when we went to Gettysburg Bike week we had a fun time, but we do every year and we really love going to all the different bike events.
Below is a picture of a bike that we took that someone had turned into a buffalo which was fun, but I do think it would be very uncomfortable to ride, but it’s very unique. This year I’ll be taking a lot more pictures to share of all the fantastic bikes and all the fun that goes on. It’s almost like a carnival atmosphere for adults.
Every year when we had the Softtail we would get something painted on freehand, man that guy was good and it was really hard to give up that bike. There is nothing like seeing those roads taken over by thousands of bikes. People come from all over and also for Bike Night in York, we always make the trip downtown and watch the parade because it’s fun and we really enjoy checking out everyone else’s bike.
During bike week in Gettysburg they also have a man that makes sand art. I had never seen anyone actually do it before, but I have seen pictures of some great sculptures on the beach. This guy really does a fantastic job and you can see the bike he is sculpting in the back ground. I wish we had gone back the next day so I could have gotten a look at the finished sculpture. Below is a picture so you can see the great work he does.
The older I get the faster my time speeds away except when I’m anticipating something then it never gets here, but that’s the way it goes. I’ll be very happy when spring gets here and Bill and I can start riding again on a regular bases. I know some day we will have to get a trike and that will be fine with me and I know it will probably be safer. I wouldn’t mind having one of those Boss Hoss Trikes like this one.
Of course it would have to be in a different color because I don’t like that shade of yellow, but I can see myself and Bill on one of these. I have seen several around our area and they are just too cool, I’d really think I was a cool old broad on one of these. I see a lot of young people riding trikes, they aren’t just for seniors and handicap riders.
Bill and Billy went up to the Harrisburg swap meet today. I stopped going to those because it’s a waste of money for me to go in and look at all the same stuff I’ve seen before and this one was 15 dollars a person what a waste, I could buy a 5th of vodka for that. However Bill likes to have something to be able to do with his son and that’s good that they share their love of bikes.
We use to ride with Billy and Chris on the weekends before they had the 2 little girls, now we never get the opportunity unless it’s Bike night in York and that’s in Sept. or something else that’s special like Gettysburg bike week. Maybe when the girls get older when can all ride together again. I know Bill would like that, he also likes riding in a group.
Bill made a low profile windshield last year out of an old one he had and he really likes it and he did a really good job of cutting it down and it looks like he bought it that way, but he’s been talking about getting a tinted windshield like on a street glide, so he found a brand new 4 1/2 inch tinted one today for 50 bucks, which he was all excited about. We both like good deals. So now we have 3 different looks for our bike.
Bill is 60 and I’ll soon be 55 and we love to ride the Harley. We rode through town last weekend, but it was so cold we didn’t stay out long. I can’t wait for good riding weather and it’s just around the corner. I think when Bill retires we should join a motorcycle group. No, not a gang, now that really conjurs up some weird images of old people terrorizing the town.
A nice group that rides together. I think that would be fun since we enjoy riding so much and I see just as many older people still riding their bikes as the young ones. Bill is a very good rider and I trust my life with him. I was going to learn, but have decided that I might have a hard time learning to use the clutch and you have to know that to pass the safety course test.
If I could use one of the new automatic Ridleys that would be great, I think I could learn then. That would be my only hang up I think other than learning to control my bike. Of course I would want a small one to start out on and definitely not a new one because I’m quite sure it would be dropped a few times.
I’ve always wanted to ride myself, but I do love riding behind Bill and just enjoying the ride without having to be in control. You feel so free. We use to have a Harley Softtail and we loved it, but it really started taking a toll on my back so we traded it in on a Harley Ultra Classic and I could ride on that forever.
I would love to take a road trip for a couple days and just stop where ever we please without having a planned itinerary and a destination in mind, I’m all about the ride, but Bill has to have some place to ride to. He likes to know where he’s going and I don’t. I was also happy when they changed the helmet law. I think everyone should be able to make their own decision if they’re old enough. Bill wears a helmet and I do not.
