I stumbled across the website when i was looking at rentals for something to do, i think it was because i had recieved the money from selling my statesman and the money was burning a hole in my pocket, that and i'm still in holiday mode, and i don't have to justify my actions so give me a break. Point of the matter is i got the idea of riding a harley in my head, then i couldn't shake it, it was haunting me like a stain on my brain. The only option was to fulfill the desire and go and hire one.
After 2 or 3 phone calls getting diverted to other people finally i got into contact with someone that was at the office, i organised to hire the bike for the weekend, which meant i could pick it up at 4 o'clock that day (friday) and drop it back at 10am monday. Waiting for 4pm to arrive was so hard the time was standing still. At one point i could swear it was going backwards.
Eventually the time came to go and find the promised harley, i was excited and nervous, a similar feeling to when you go for a licence test. I was nervous because the biggest bike i had ridden previous to this was my gpx250 which is a learner legal bike with a 250cc engine the harley had a 1600cc engine . Quite the difference. And after signing over $2500 in case i crashed the magestic steed i was given an introduction.
"it likes to be ridden hard, this is how you start it, i'm sure you know you've risdden before". With that the keeper of the steed handed me the keys and went back inside. I jumped on and started it, the gurgle of the engine was awesome, makes you feel like you're sitting on an angry monster, turns out that feeling is correct. I started off down the road and was immediatley greeted with an excess of power under my control. After some gentle riding to get to know it i started to relax and enjoy myself. That afternoon i picked Mikyla up from her work, she was excited to see her night in shining armour ready to go for a ride on the noble steed, i was thinking more like a bogan on a big bike but whatev's we went for a ride into the city and got some supplies and went the long way home, pretty sure we were both sporting goofy grins, something will need to be done about that you can't look like you're having fun on a bike like that. Anyways after some fun overtaking and taking off from the lights quickly we went home. That night i dreamt about riding the harley and when i woke up it was still there, gotta love that. (i hate those dreams where you dream of having something awesome and look for it when you wake up only to be dissapointed.) i was definently not dissapointed upon waking up i got straight up and dresses and went for another ride. I rode to the dam at townsville and had a look it was ok but not as cool as the hog so i got back on it and went for a fang on a back accesss road around the dam wooohoo. I got back home and Heather and Nelson were awake Mik had gone to work. Heather was all but ready to go for a ride. So we saddled up and decided we would go for a ride up mt stuart.... We rode for about 20mins in the opposite direction, Heather told me to go that way, pretty sure she just wanted to be an exhaust babe for as long as possible. We stopped and had a look around for mt stuart (which is hard to miss because its huge and has reception towers on top of it) it was behind us in the opposite direction so we spent half an hour driving back through the city, a few squeals from Heather later and we were at the base of mt stuart, it is an awesome windy road up the back of the mountain, rewarded by an amazing view of townsville and magnetic island. A little parched we headed of back down the mountain, stopped at a servo, read the news headline that backpackers are being condemmed for gettin naked on the strand, had a drink and headed back home. Later that arvo i went to get some fuel and Heather insisted she come with me, we found the furthest servo possible and topped up the tank ready for my big ride on sunday. When we got home we went for a swim in the pool garden paradise and then veged for the evening.
Sunday morning i set off for ayr to meet my uncle at a rest stop called sandy corner. By this time i was donning a bandana to cover my goofy grin and keep bugs out of my teeth and beard, there were lots of bikers on the road i think there must have been a ulysees ride on, when i pulled into the rest stop my uncle was not sure it was me, so i played on it a bit. After i revealed myself i was greeted with a handshake and a hug and a brief conversation, then we set off for my uncles house. We went on the back roads which was cool, got to open up the bike a bit, the power was awesome. We had a drink at his house and fixed the blinker on the harley which had vibrated itslef loose. We then went for a scenic ride along the backroads between sugar cane fields, that was cool the smell of sugar cane burning off is intoxicating i loved it. We rode around the western side of the mountain range near Ayr and made our way back to the higway leading to townsville. We had a kebab on the strand and chatted and caught up for a while, then my unc decided we should check out rollingstone beach which is about 70kms north of townsville. It was an awesome spot and i took the wolfpack (albeit speparatly) later. After checking that out unc escorted me back to my house and we bid our farewells. It was an excellent day of riding i did over 500kms and had numb hands and a numb bum. Mik finished work at 9pm and we decided we'd go for a ride back to rollingstone beach in the early morning and watch the sun come up.
Monday morning with a refreshing 4hrs sleep i picked mik up despite the sprinkling rain. We set off in the dark in search for a rising sun, once we hit the highway i was having difficulty seeing due to the open face helmet rain and lack of light, i pulled over and put my sunnies on to stop the rain stabbing my eyes, it helped somewhat but all i could see was the lines on the road and the lights of oncoming and cars in front. But we pushed on, by this time we were pretty wet (from the now quite heavy) and it didn't matter. We got to the beach just as the sun was coming up just in time to watch the clouds light up, but not the epic sunrise we had hoped for.
The ride home was better and worse, i could see at least but it was pissing down, by the time we got home we were drenched to the bone, i had water leaking into my boots through my pants. But it was still a good experience and as Mik said " things don't have to be perfect to be good". Awesome quote Mikki. :) we had showers and stuffed around for a bit and the time had come to take back my new love. I enjoyed the ride back to the hire place and dropped it back to them with a heavy heart. But at least i can now say i've ridden a harley and was king of the road (for a brief time).
Please donate to the Craig wants a harley fund, everyone who donates i'll take for a ride. :) thats a good deal yeah?
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| Is this right? |
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| An ill fitting helmet could not ruin the experience |
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| off we go |
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| Mutherf*cker on a motorcycle |
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| Total Badass |
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| awwww :) |
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