Jeremy decided to meet at Scootopia's old lot for our Gasoline Rally gathering point. I got there a little later than I had planned, and there was already one person there. His name was Steve. He had a yellow Vespa, blue hair, and had ridden up from Tennessee! He found us out on some board or another and just showed up to ride up with us. That was really cool. The rest showed up shortly thereafter: Joan (who has been to all three rallies I've been to), Jeremy, and also Steve (our local Steve) and his wife Jan. Steve just got a new Burg4. Jan and Steve also got matching pin stripes on their scooter. Joan is really cool--she has ridden motorcycles for years and has a ton of riding experience. Steve and Jan are good people, and have been married a long time. I like hanging out with them sometimes just to watch how they treat each other. It's really adorable. Except for New Steve, I've known everyone here for over a year, and ridden some really good miles with them, so I'm very happy about the ride up.
We saddle up to go, and Jeremy's SR50 is giving him a few fits, sort of like the test night. I am thinking the problem is all the stop and go. He has worked the bike into a real technological marvel, but towards performance on the high end of things. The thing runs like a scalded cat once you get it up to top speed--and can hold there all day if needed. Once we get out of town though, its problem is not 100% cured. We stop in Indiana to pick up Nathan who rides a Honda Big Ruckus. This thing looks like something from the set of M*A*S*H! It's all flat black and army green...really a cool machine. At Nathan's, Jeremy gets out the tools and changes his plug. This has his SR50 running much better. We hit the trails in Indiana. Some of them ARE trails...gravel ones. It really wasn't that bad as some might have you think. I look at gravel as something to avoid if possible, but if its necessary...it can only broaden my experience and I am all for it. I always start slow and easy until I get comfortable, then speed up. I was lucky to have stayed in the back. To me, it's like a wild animal....just...make....no....sudden....moves...
We got to Story, Indiana at lunchtime. There is the Story Inn in Story, IN (cracks me up!) and as far as I could see, that is the ONLY thing there. Seems like it might be a hotspot of the town. We decide this is ok for lunch. I get inside and see the menu and it's the kind of place I hate...home of the $12 hamburger. Ah well, it's the only place around, but to make up for it I have awesome company and we've been on some really kick-ass roads thanks to Jeremy and his hours of planning. And yes...I even mean WITH the gravel. Jeremy goes out to fiddle with the SR50 and I went back out to get my glasses (had my sunglasses on). I give him a hand with the fine tuning, telling him what his gauge is reading. It seems like it will be easier for him to read the gauge while I twist the throttle on the SR50, so we switch. That was cool...always wanted to do that for some reason...
We go back inside, eat, talk, etc. Afterwards we get the shot in front of the place. The lady who is at the register is kind enough to take our picture then tells us "you need to move your motorcycles before the lady across the street calls the police" so we head out. Now I would not have you believe the rest of the ride was uneventful. Some of the roads were amazingly beautiful, it gave me a sense of belonging to be out with these few friends on a perfect day (though a little hot) and riding toward a cool event. I'm getting to know New Steve a little, and Nathan moreso--since he is so outgoing. Both seem like really good guys, though Nathan has a tendency to threaten me with a knife for some reason... We get up to Indianapolis and I veer off for my hotel room. I think i'm the first to do so. I will admit from last year, it's more fun to be near all your friends, but I was on a budget so used Priceline and got a deal Pretty much just a clean safe Motel 6 to sleep is all I needed. I was satisfied. I did note that one back worked loose from it's bunjie and was dragging the ground when I pulled in!!!
I checked in to the room and chilled out. I was also waiting for my friend Kat who was joining me for the weekend. She had never been to a scooter rally before, and I had never ridden with a passenger, so it was a little experimental for both of us.
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