I'm writing this blog entry from a hotel in Las Vegas. Since I'm heading out next Sunday on a 5-day road trip with my buddy Brian, I decided to make it up to my wife by taking her out to Las Vegas for a night.
She was actually pretty cool about me leaving her behind for 5 days. She knows how much I love to ride and do these road trips. And because she was cool about it, it just made me want to make it up to her. (roll your eyes here).
Meanwhile, Brian gave me a call yesterday to say that he's taking his wife to dinner on Friday night, and then spending the whole day with her Saturday, as a way to appease the woman. So it looks like paying your dues to the wife is a common occurrence.
Actually, a while back I said to several of us in our club, that the reason why we're able to ride so often together, is because we all have wives that understand our riding habits, and support us 100%. I suppose if my wife always gave me crap about riding, I'd still go riding anyways, but we'd have a pretty sorry marriage. So knowing that she's making a sacrifice in this regards, I try to make a sacrifice too.
I know some wives would want to ride along, but my wife doesn't like riding for the enjoyment of riding. She likes the social aspects of hanging out with others. Anytime we do more than 300 miles a day, she just doesn't want to go.
On the other hand, taking an overnighter to Las Vegas is not exactly a sacrifice for me. While I'm not much of a gambler, I do like the buffets, and I do like to slip a $20 into a video poker machine, and try to make it last for a couple of hours. I have fun in Vegas too.
I guess if I truly had to make a sacrifice, I'd take her to a Barry Manilow concert (which I have had to do before), or a Faith Hill concert. I'm planning to do a 14-day ride this coming August, and I imagine I'll have to look into that.
A vagabond who hauls a motorcycle around the country in a toy hauler, earning a living as a website developer. Can often be found where there's free Wi-Fi, craft beer, and/or public nudity. 
Point, TX - TT
2 hours ago
Yep, wives of bikers put up with a lot. They know that going in, but still, we do need to remember that just because we are gone, life does not stop for them. still things to look after, kids to deal with etc, all without us there.
ReplyDeleteMine quibbled not a bit last year when I wanted to take a two week trip from Oregon to Texas and back. Encouraged it, talked to me every day on the road, was excited for me and glad to have me home when I got there.
Special lady that can tolerate life with a biker, very special indeed.
I am a wife of a biker, or so a self proclaimed biker. I tried not to quibble when he and 2 of his friends planned a trip this past summer to Sturgis for 12 days, leaving me home with the 4 kids and pregnant with the 5th. It is hard not to get to go when he leaves, I do like to ride just for the fun of the ride too. I wish he would read this blog & pay a little dues to the wife as well.
ReplyDeleteI'm eternally grateful to a wife that let's me ride with the guys for days at a time and who likes to ride with me on our own getaways. She rocks!
ReplyDeleteWA GL Biker
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