Wisconsin

Spring? No way, really???

Took my first ride of the year today. Not because my bike was torn down or I was modifying it, but because in 2004 I did something fairly dumb, moved from SoCal to Wisconsin. I had called SoCal home for over 16 years when I made that move—having spent the 25 years prior in Philadelphia. I knew about winter, but the 16 years in LA LA land clouded my memory—I forgot that winter—real winter—meant tucking the bike away for a while.

So for the last couple weeks the temps here in La Crosse had been eeking there way up past 40 degrees, warm enough to sneak out at noon if you can pull it off. Well I have a job and a little common sense, so I resisted. Not because I am a pussy about the temperature, I have the right gear for cold weather, but because I was waiting for some rain to wash the streets down. My new Kawasaki Concours 1400 has 150-plus horsepower at the wheel and that power, my penchant for twisting the throttle hard and the sand they put on the roads all winter couldn’t add up to be anything good. So I waited, cursing under my breath at the few bikes I saw cruising by my office during the day, and checking every last thing on my bike to make sure it’s ready. I was in Nashville this past week attending a trade show for the company I work for now, Multistack (a very cool place by the way) and guess what it did while I was gone? Rained for like three days! So when this Sunday morning rolled around and the sun was beating through the blinds and reflecting off the lake—yeah it was finally melting—I woke the wife up and said we needed to go for a ride. For Nelson’s benefit we decided to head south to the our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine for their amazing brunch—no pics of the food, but it was good comfort food. Eggs, bacon, a few different kinds of potatoes, fruit, veggies, sliced ham, fresh made waffles, a dessert table and fresh hot bread pudding with homemade whip cream. Unlimited coffe and a view of the surrounding hills—brunch for two was 24 bucks plus the tip, worth it if you are going to be out here.

Marcia and I live by Lake Onalaska so the ride out of the neighborhood is filled with beautiful sights every day, but since the lake was melting the eagles were returning. Imagine rolling down a winding two-lane, along a lake, with eagles soaring over your head and that is how my ride started. We rode out into the main drag and saw the last few people out on the ice fishing, which I think is crazy. As I started riding towards La Crosse I felt a familiar feeling coming back. I was on a bike, it felt right, natural and like an extension of me. It is my favorite thing about riding, that sensation of man and machine melding into one being, the bike just knowing what I want it to do and doing it well. I nabbed a nice second gear roll-on to red line and I started giggling in my helmet. When you go almost four months without riding that first corner, first pull at red line, first wheelie and that first wave at a guy on a bike going the other way are sensations that bring all of your senses together and send them banging against the I-am-happier-than-I-have-been-in-months rev limiter. Living in SoCal I forgot about that first ride and the life that it brings back into your spirit. While I don’t recommend anyone in SoCal or Florida take four months off from riding, but those first couple hours back on a bike are amazing and a sensation not be ignored.

Of course I did squeeze in a little fun on the ride, as we were turning onto Highway 16 to head to the shrine some import car kid squealed his tires and rocketed off ahead of me mid-turn. Marcia, having ridden with me for over five years immediately held on, and I dropped the hammer mid-corner. Pulled up next to him, looked over at him and rolled the throttle just a bit further and slipped away so quickly I thought he might have hit his brakes. I do love 150-ish horsepower and a 60-degree day.

We left the restaurant, cruised along the Mississippi river for a while checking out more eagles and then head for home. While the first ride of the year was an amazing, unexpected treat—we had other plans that needed to be handled. Funny thing, as I was running said errands in my Challenger, I didn’t curse at the bikes passing me. I smiled thinking they might be out on their first spring ride and feeling as good as I did earlier today. Howard Kelly