They're not all perfect!

Riding a motorcycle is relaxing and fun and renews the spirit. Most of the time. The times that go south though are so stressful that it makes me want to put my bike away for a few days and take a deep breath.

This weekend Ray had to work and instead of wasting what was the first really gorgeous weekend here on the West Coast, I chose to go on a group ride with some of the members of a bike club that we're associated with. We've been members for 2 years but this would be my first ride with them....it's just never worked out time-wise in the past to go on a ride. This would also be my first group ride without Ray.

It did not go well.

I guess maybe I've been spoiled by following Ray all this time, and following our good friends when I'm not following him. Also I've followed the Harley guys from time to time. Maybe I'm spoiled that I expect the leader to exhibit some form of safe riding. Spoiled by expecting people to use their signal lights when leading a group. By expecting the leader to notice when he loses half his group at a traffic light as soon as it happens, not 8 kilometers later (and then being pissed off at them). By expecting the leader to not exceed the speed limit by more than 20km/hour. By expecting the leader to respect playground signs that are as big as my freaking car. By expecting the leader to actually stop at stop signs and 4-ways. To wait either until the light turns green to turn right or until there is a gap large enough for the entire group to get through, not just yourself. Maybe I expect too much. All I know is that by the time I got to Ray in Horseshoe Bay (he had to work in the morning and rode up to meet me there for lunch), I was so stressed out and worked up I couldn't even begin to start talking to him for a good 5 minutes for fear that I would cry out of shear pissed-off-ed-ness.

I guess I've also been spoiled by the folks that we've been riding with because I have NEVER been tailgated as closely by a bike in my own group as I was today. I could see the guy's front tire out of the corner of my eye and we were doing 100km/h down the freeway. I've also never been passed by the entire group of 13 bikes when I was already doing 25km/h over the speed limit. I was so offended that had I had a clue where I was, I would have turned around and gone to Horseshoe Bay myself. Once I got passed by every single bike, I had no idea where we were going and by shear luck made the correct guess on turning to finally meet up with them.

All the safety issues aside, I was also dealing with the fact that my feelings were hurt. The leader is a friend of mine and I explained to him that I am still a little hesitant/nervous when riding without Ray or with strangers and I really expected that he would lead a ride that was reasonable and safe and enjoyable for everyone there, if only for the fact that I bared my vulnerability and told him I was nervous.

Whatever, I guess I expected too much.

Crappy day, I'm exhausted.