Road to Roswell, Day 2 Part 2 (It's a Good day to Ride in the Rain)

At first the rain was light and as the sun was beginning to set a great huge rainbow appeared in the sky. It was a magnificent full arched bow from one end to another. We rode right underneath it and as we passed under it it disappeared. After that the road got a little windy and the deer were strolling across the street.

I dropped from 80/85mph closer to 65/70. Then as we got on a bigger uphill road the wind really kicked up and the 650cc I was on was being pushed around. The fast group behind me passed me up as they were on heavier and more powerful bikes. The rain got more fierce and I was having trouble seeing anything. The chatter of my own teeth due to the cold and dampness kept me alert.

I was drenched. In a few miles I saw the group of riders that passed me and they had pulled over to the only rest stop that seemed to exist. They were putting on their helmets and getting a little shelter but I couldn’t stop to jpin them. My body wouldn’t allow me to stop. There was no reason. I was so wet and cold that stopping would only prolong the discomfort. I thought to myself if one of those ladies were in trouble I had nothing to offer that they weren’t already getting from the others that stopped with them. So, I pressed on.

I hate riding at night in a place I am not familiar with. I hate riding in the rain anytime. I can’t stand being cold and was really missing my heated grips that I have on my Indian. Then I remembered what Lance Armstrong wrote in his book about when he would be racing and encounter a tough hill while already exhausted, He would tell himself that nothing compared to fighting cancer and since he did that he could push through anything . I realized that my suffering the scary winds and heavy water relentlessly hitting me like bullets wasn’t so bad and would only be temporary. I realized that given the choice of having chemo or riding through tough conditions, I made my choice and was happy to be on that road under those circumstances.

I rolled into Roswell and looked for the Best Western. After a bunch of blocks I stopped at a convenience store and through chattering teeth asked the clerk if he knew where the hotel was, He said it was just a couple blocks more, turn left and just before the Denny's.

When I walked out of the store there was a car sitting in the parking lot waiting for me ! A man and his little girl. The father called out to me “excuse me, could you come over here, my daughter doesn’t believe you’re a girl” ! I approached the car and was tempted to say “are you kidding me, you don’t think I’m a girl with this ass?” Instead I was playing it G rated
(after all I was at that moment representing all women riders to some extent), I pulled down my mask and looked at the little darling in the car as I exclaimed “ I am a girl”. The dad said then “you see honey, she’s not only riding a motorcycle but she’s riding in the rain”. To which I further exclaimed “I rode from San Diego, CA...and you can you do anything you want to, being a girl shouldn’t stop you, in fact you might even do things better !”.

After my brief yet nonetheless spontaneous sisterhood civic duty, I hopped on my wet chariot and sailed to Best Western. I swaggered my soaked body into the lobby to check in but the front desk person was occupied. After 15 minutes of standing and shivering, I spotted the bar. I made a beeline for the bar and peeled off my helmet, bandanas, jacket, and gloves. I sat on a barstool and asked the bartender for some hot water ( I often carry a pocket knife and ginger root with me). I made friends with some guys who asked “did you ride a motorcycle in this rain” ? Geez, nothing gets past these folks. I reframed from being sarcastic and once again did my best to represent women bikers in a positive and politiically correct light.

Debbie came in after awhile and said that the front desk had no record of us staying there !
She came in and out and then informed me we were at the wrong hotel ! She discovered the right hotel was down the street, I bid her adieu and let he know that I wasn’t budging. I found a hotel with a bar, jacuzzi, washer & dryer. I was staying put. When I checked in they even let me park my bike by the front door, on the sidewalk where it could dry off under the overhang, It was a good day to ride.