The first 45 miles were in traffic, the next 55 miles were slowly rolled over on Florida's Turnpike ( and very boring they were too). The rest were unrolled on the magic carpet of the Overseas Highway; they were the best miles.
"You're going to ride away?" they looked, as the English would say in horrible jargon, gobsmacked. "Most people put them in their pick up trucks."
"Why?" I asked,more than a little taken aback. Why wouldn't brand new owner want to ride as soon as possible?
"Nerves," they said, shrugging. Well, on that count I'm no superman, I've already learned the Bonneville is a smooth easy ride. It was no problem at all to engage with the relatively genteel mid week traffic on Fort Lauderdale's urban boulevards. Miami, the Latin half of the bi-city equation prefers to drive fast and take no prisoners, which is also okay if you know your machine and aren't hampered by running in requirements.
The ride home involved some mainland shopping for the patient wife, who was driving the Maxima home after dropping me off at Pure Triumph. We stopped by Whole Foods and Target and putzed around the malls and set our sights on home an hour before darkness was to descend.
We separated on Card Sound Road, my wife pulled away as she was not trying to baby a brand new engine and shortly after I passed the toll booth marking the northern edge of the Florida Keys the rain started. And the rain didn't stop, so I did, and I started the mighty struggle to swathe myself in nylon. Unfortunately I was in a lonely wooded stretch of the roadway and there were no unoccupied overhangs to lurk under while doing the huffing and puffing and zipping to get encased in the rain suit and over boots and over gloves. Eventually I was done and I took to the road again in that snug muffled world of protection against the elements.
The Bonneville ran perfectly of course, thrumming along at 55 or 60 miles per hour where possible and gently floating in fifth at 50 where the lower speed limit was in effect. I loved the ability to open the throttle just a bit and watch the cars disappear behind me as I zipped past them. By the time I reached Marathon it was ten pm, the rain had stopped and I was 155 miles into my tankful of gas and estimated I had another 12 to go before the reserve tank was drained. I stopped and pirouetted in reverse unwinding the layers of nylon and breathing the warm night air through every unfettered pore. I felt 23 again and "on the road."
Today its sunny and bright and clear and I took a quick run past my chores on Big Pine Key, after I opened a package that arrived yesterday, loaded with a luggage rack and thermometer and clock which I bolted on this morning.
It was a good morning to enjoy a few modest "twisties" on a side road I happen to like. The bike takes turns as smoothly as it pulls past traffic and it's fun all round. As it should be.
It was a good morning to enjoy a few modest "twisties" on a side road I happen to like. The bike takes turns as smoothly as it pulls past traffic and it's fun all round. As it should be.