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- Joined
- Feb 28, 2003
- Messages
- 51,243
- Reaction score
- 8,245
- Location
- Huntsville
- First Name
- Scott
- Last Name
- Friday
Howdy,
The weather was so nice the last few days, I decided to head out and look for some wildflowers on some of our local roads. Beth and I took off with her friend Debbie from work. Beth and Deb decided they were going to ride two up together. This always makes me a bit nervous as Beth has very little two up experience. I guess the only way to get any is to do it 
We head South on FM 1791 from Hwy 30 on the West side of Huntsville. There are lots of bright yellow flowers carpeting both shoulders along the road. As we get near the South end of FM 1791, we enter an area where the Forestry Service has recently done a controlled burn. It is still smoldering, the ground and tree trunks charred black. We've been running a nice moderate pace and Beth seems to be doing great.
Upon reaching FM 149 we head West towards Richards. Most of the trees that bloom have finished and are now sporting lush green foliage. This stretch is is mixture of green rolling pastures and thick piney woods. We stop in Richards so I can get a few pics of two favorite stopping places for riders that come through here: Richard's Grocery and PT's Pit Stop. Both serve food, but only PT's sells fuel. Although, you can get gas at either place 
As we head West out of town towards Anderson, I see a sight I cannot resist, a beautiful lawn with brilliant Azaleas scattered under the pine trees. Beth doesn't like stopping anymore than she has too when she's carrying a passenger so they zip on by me as I take my pictures. I'll catch up.
When I'm done with the pictures, I zip up the tank bag and take off after Beth and Debbie. Despite a brisk pace, I never see them. Of course, I don't see them in a ditch so I don't worry about them. A few miles before reaching Anderson, I come upon several pastures that are totally carpeted with thick Blue Bonnets. Well, of course I have to stop and take more pictures. The only problem is that a huge wall of clouds on the horizon has just started blocking the late evening sun. I don't have my tripod and I am having to really work at holding the camera steady enough for the long exposure times. When I try to hold my breath to stay still, my pulse starts making my arms pump in time with it. :| Here are the results:
I probably take way too many pictures and take so long the girls have to be worrying by now. Beth is used to me stopping like this though. When I reach Anderson, they are waiting for me patiently and then we take off again. We run FM 2819 back East to FM 149. There are not as many Blue Bonnets, but there are nice patches along the shoulders. It is starting to get dark so we stop back in Richards and swap out our visors. At this point, Debbie is ready to get back on my bike. It is not that Beth has scared her, it is just that I have the comfy Sargent seat
We backtrack East on FM 149 and then run it all the way down to Montgomery. Apparently, Debbie got used to riding with Beth and not leaning so much in the corners. After we reach King's Cafe she informs me that the last few miles scared her a little more than usual because of some of the lean angles, hehe. The funny thing is that we rode much more agressively on the East Texas Hodges Gardens Ride. Go figure 
We have a nice dinner at King's and enjoy a good visit with the owners. They are quite friendly and enthusiastic about bike customers. While here I finally decide that we are going to do a bike night because they have an ideal location and facility. The owners wholeheartedly agree. After dinner, we load up and head home. Deb is riding with me and has her dark visor on still hehe. That just spooks her even more. The ride back is brisk and cool. The bugs are pretty thick. By the time we get home thirty minutes later, my visor is caked in them. :x
Before she went home, I managed to get Debbie to look at some pictures of several different bikes that would make excellent learner bikes for her :wink: She can feel the pull of the force... calling her...
The weather was so nice the last few days, I decided to head out and look for some wildflowers on some of our local roads. Beth and I took off with her friend Debbie from work. Beth and Deb decided they were going to ride two up together. This always makes me a bit nervous as Beth has very little two up experience. I guess the only way to get any is to do it We head South on FM 1791 from Hwy 30 on the West side of Huntsville. There are lots of bright yellow flowers carpeting both shoulders along the road. As we get near the South end of FM 1791, we enter an area where the Forestry Service has recently done a controlled burn. It is still smoldering, the ground and tree trunks charred black. We've been running a nice moderate pace and Beth seems to be doing great. Upon reaching FM 149 we head West towards Richards. Most of the trees that bloom have finished and are now sporting lush green foliage. This stretch is is mixture of green rolling pastures and thick piney woods. We stop in Richards so I can get a few pics of two favorite stopping places for riders that come through here: Richard's Grocery and PT's Pit Stop. Both serve food, but only PT's sells fuel. Although, you can get gas at either place As we head West out of town towards Anderson, I see a sight I cannot resist, a beautiful lawn with brilliant Azaleas scattered under the pine trees. Beth doesn't like stopping anymore than she has too when she's carrying a passenger so they zip on by me as I take my pictures. I'll catch up. When I'm done with the pictures, I zip up the tank bag and take off after Beth and Debbie. Despite a brisk pace, I never see them. Of course, I don't see them in a ditch so I don't worry about them. A few miles before reaching Anderson, I come upon several pastures that are totally carpeted with thick Blue Bonnets. Well, of course I have to stop and take more pictures. The only problem is that a huge wall of clouds on the horizon has just started blocking the late evening sun. I don't have my tripod and I am having to really work at holding the camera steady enough for the long exposure times. When I try to hold my breath to stay still, my pulse starts making my arms pump in time with it. :| Here are the results: I probably take way too many pictures and take so long the girls have to be worrying by now. Beth is used to me stopping like this though. When I reach Anderson, they are waiting for me patiently and then we take off again. We run FM 2819 back East to FM 149. There are not as many Blue Bonnets, but there are nice patches along the shoulders. It is starting to get dark so we stop back in Richards and swap out our visors. At this point, Debbie is ready to get back on my bike. It is not that Beth has scared her, it is just that I have the comfy Sargent seat We backtrack East on FM 149 and then run it all the way down to Montgomery. Apparently, Debbie got used to riding with Beth and not leaning so much in the corners. After we reach King's Cafe she informs me that the last few miles scared her a little more than usual because of some of the lean angles, hehe. The funny thing is that we rode much more agressively on the East Texas Hodges Gardens Ride. Go figure We have a nice dinner at King's and enjoy a good visit with the owners. They are quite friendly and enthusiastic about bike customers. While here I finally decide that we are going to do a bike night because they have an ideal location and facility. The owners wholeheartedly agree. After dinner, we load up and head home. Deb is riding with me and has her dark visor on still hehe. That just spooks her even more. The ride back is brisk and cool. The bugs are pretty thick. By the time we get home thirty minutes later, my visor is caked in them. :x Before she went home, I managed to get Debbie to look at some pictures of several different bikes that would make excellent learner bikes for her :wink: She can feel the pull of the force... calling her...