If you remember, a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I had a bad case of cabin fever and decided to ride the Harley out to see my mother and sister in Charlotte, North Carolina in a couple of weeks. Well…I’ve got help at the shop up lined out and our house sitter is going to feed the gold fish for us while we are away…so we are gone, gone, gone.

The anticipation of the ride has been fun and has helped pass the time. Heck if it had been up to me, I’d have left when I first got the idea. Only problem was that the weather wasn’t real good, what with it still snowing in Colorado and tornados across the rest of the country.

I’ve ridden in some pretty sorry weather before and it’s no fun. I can do it but it makes for a long day. I remember a time, a couple of years ago, along the Lochsa River between Lewiston, Idaho and Lolo Pass just west of Missoula, Montana. Rained the whole way…some 150 miles of it anyway. A good steady, cold rain. Crossed over the summit of Lolo Pass with one gloved hand brushing the snow off of the windshield…and that was in the middle of June. I’d like to do that ride again as I’m pretty sure it is beautiful country. It was just a little hard to tell at the time.

Another time we were up in Canada and we started our day in the rain. This time it was combined with high winds and came down in sheets. Lasted all day too. Oh! I can’t forget just last summer when we got caught in a hail storm in the Snowy Mountains between Laramie and Saratoga, Wyoming on the way back from Sturgis. That might have been the worst I’ve been in on a motorcycle. We got literally pounded with that one.

I know. You are probably asking yourselves why we just don’t pull over and find shelter. That’s a good idea but it always seems we are out in the middle of nowhere when we run into bad weather. There is literally no place to get out of it so we just keep riding on. Besides, it makes for some pretty good tales to tell later.

There have been many more miles when the weather was just absolutely beautiful however and that’s what makes it all worthwhile. Just as in life or doing a painting, sometimes it works out just fine and other times…well you think it should have. Life should be an adventure to be lived…not a problem to be solved. I’ll be in touch, posting daily updates at www.facebook.com/simpsongallery and I’ll try to do the same here. Stay tuned.