Monday, May 5, 2014

Riding Home From the Steel Horse Sisterhood Summit, Day 15

obies fillin station colorado city
Lunch at Obie's Fillin' Station, Colorado City, CO
After being subjected to four days of love, empowerment, and "you go girl" at the Steel Horse Sisterhood Summit, Sash and I have taken to the road once again on our way back to San Diego.

And like how the 3-week road trip originally started by jumping on to the slab, we do that again by heading south on I-25, ending up in Raton, NM.

Being a guy, perhaps I can't fully describe the experience of being at the Summit. All I can see are women laughing, giggling and hugging, without really understanding what lies underneath the surface of all that.  That's why you can view Sash's photo collection of the weekend.

For the most part, I spent the time with my brother who lives in South Denver.  But it's not to say that I didn't spend any time at the Summit, I did.  I was there to sit at the bar and drink down a few beers, and while doing so I got to talk to several of the female riding attendees.  For the most part, it was about as wild as a college sorority party, complete with half-naked firefighters washing bikes, and some severe booby-squashing-hugs of the circular motion kind.

And many of the women there were over 6 feet tall, with long legs, muscles, and take-charge attitude enough to bring out the little boy in me.  If next year they have a session on how to turn a Honda rider into a sex slave, I may volunteer as the subject.

And speaking of Hondas, I didn't see many.  I saw a Goldwing, and I saw the new 2014 Valkyrie, but otherwise it was 95% Harleys.  There was a couple of sportbikes, at least one Suzuki V-Strom, and one BMW 1200 RT, and a spattering of metric cruisers.


The ride back home always feels different than the ride out.  Somehow, I find myself wanting to do more miles, wanting to ride at faster speeds.  Home is like a magnet pulling me back.  The closer I get, the more I seem focused on it.

Yeah, Home.

The whole weekend at the Summit, Sash met several other women who practically earn a living on the road, selling their wares, from one event to another.

"We can do this!" she said, referring to our marketing business, convinced that we have just as much opportunity to build a client base on the road than we've been able to do in San Diego thus far.  And how can I argue against living on the road, on our motorcycles?

So, we're heading back to San Diego now.  But how long we'll be there, I don't know.

i-25 colorado
I-25 Southbound, south of Pueblo, CO
obies fillin station colorado city
Rack of ribs and Odell Porter, at Obie's Fillin' Station, Colorado City, CO
i-25 colorado motorcycle
Sash rides south on I-25 Colorado
I-25 raton pass
Sash raises her hand as she nears the New Mexico border, happy to get out of Colorado
i-25 raton pass
Whenever I ride across Raton Pass, I hear that song, "Snowing on Raton".

9 comments:

  1. Happy to hear y'all cleared snow country! Heading home is like horses heading to the barn for me. I fully understand the getting closer, speed rising factor. Leaving is good, getting back seems better somehow.

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  2. That picture of the ribs and the porter looks amazing. I just licked my computer monitor so thanks for that :-)

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  3. Glad your return trip seems less eventful, weatherwise, than the first leg.

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  4. So glad to see the weather looks a lot better in those pics. The Universe knows you are heading home and making it sunny skies for you.

    I don't know how Sash handled the show, but I know she did and she enjoyed it. I don't think I could handle all the hugging, giggling, and girl power. Yes, I am female, but I swear all I have in common with a large group of riding women is that I ride a bike and have lady parts. Put my in a room of burping, scratching men talking about bike specs and I'll feel more comfortable every time. Of course if one of those men was a firefighter without his shirt, I suppose that would be okay too. :-)

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    1. Trobairitz,
      That's the beauty of all of the women in attendance. They are just like you and me! They usually DO sit with men, burping and scratching! These women, as amazing as it sounds, were as gruff, abrasive, tough and non-chick-like as you and me. I've not had much luck with "girlfriends" before I started riding. Now when I meet other riders, I am shocked that there really is a place where there are women like me.
      It took the common interest in riding to attract a very specific kind of women to each other. Sounds to me like you'd fit right in!!
      Sash

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  5. I miss the open road, feeling nostalgic just seeing your pictures. Glad you guys had good weather. I miss the west, I need to jump on my horse and ride west again.

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    1. Let us know when you're out west, we'll try to see you.

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  6. Steve, here's wishing you safe travels as you make your way back to San Diego. Sounds like your life is about to change again...and it sounds fun! Hope you guys are able to make it to Texas, I'd love to ride with you.

    Cheers,
    Curt

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  7. The road gives us plenty of time to think....but it sounds like you'll have plenty to think about when you get home!

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