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Hard Left and me disgraced!

Date:
By Wom Battle
Category: Rides

Today was the local HOG® Chapters' first official ride for the year, a mystery ride. Heffy, formerly known as JP, his new bide Kritty and my almost now ever present pillion Zanderhar(d) planned to go. With a phone call to the Road Captain my mate Dave was also organised to join us for the day on his BMWeull. Dave has been thinking of getting a Harley-Davidson® in the future and was interested in seeing what HOG was all about.

We met up first at my house and then left to join the rest of the group at Beresfield.  We weren't sure how many might turn up and we were very pleased to see a group of around 30 bikes, many with pillions itching for a ride and ready for a great day out. After a chat, introducing Dave to a bunch of the other members and a ride briefing we all left Bero headed towards Kurri where we turned south towards Freemans Waterhole and then right to go the back way to Cessnock. 

After a loudish ride through the main street of Cessnock we took a left and rode out to Wollombi and stopped at the pub for refreshments and a chat. The Dr Jurds Jungle Juice samples on the bar given a wide berth.

Leaving Wollombi though,  I heartily disgraced myself as a result of a miscommunication between me and my son Zanderhar(d).  Generally he taps me on the shouder before getting on the motorcycle to give me warning to have the Road King® braced.  I nod and he gets on.  This time I got the tap and was distracted by the bikes around me and didn't nod.  The bikes in front left and I followed, completely oblivious to the fact that he was still waiting for the nod.  As reported by others in the group, he apparently did a fair job of keeping up for the first 20 metres. 

To his credit, he's such a good pillion I didn't even realise he wasn't on the bike until a few k's later when one of our number, with a rather wicked smile, rode up next to me and said "Where's your passenger?"  I though he was joking until I reached back and found air where Zander should have been.

I was uncertain what to do, clearly I needed to know where he was but I didn't know if he'd jumped on the back of one of the motorcycles behind me.  So I turned right into a lane and watched the bikes go past hoping to see him.  You can believe that the laughter outrumbled the Harleys as they passed.  The rear road captain slowed enough to tell me that Zander was waiting for me back at Wollombi.

So around I went to retrieve Zander and apologise to him, he responded by letting me know he'd already called his mum to let her know he was stranded.  This time he tapped, I nodded and he got on.  The thought of the upcoming ridicule I was to face when we rejoined the group was somewhat lessened by the opportunity to play catchup on the winding road towards Yarramalong.  What a great stretch of fun that is! We caught the rear Road Captain a roadworks control point and soon after were back on the end of the main group.

We wound our way past the Wisemans Ferry turnoff and had a brief opportunity to practice our slow riding and U-turns just after the Pottery Rd turnoff.  As happens sometimes, some of us tail enders got held up by traffic on the way back to civilisation and lost sight of the main group again. Fortunately one of our diminished number knew the way.

The final destination was the Long Jetty Hotel and we made it there not too long after everyone else had had some time to order lunch and refreshments.  I guess most of us stayed there for an hour and a half or more, the food was good, company was great.  The HOG member's general advice to Zander to take my keys off me so he wouldn't be left again was well received.  I also received some well deserved good parenting tips and there were some suggestions that Zanderhar(d) should now be called Hard Left.

My mate Dave reported that he had a great time being part of the HOG experience.  I heard him later that evening suggesting to his wife that having a Harley-Davidson and his BMWeull might be a good option until he was ready to relinquish the sports bike. He was impressed with the fun of the day and the mateship and acceptance the local Chapter showed him.  He didn't give me any leeway either for my inexcusable oversight that I paid for in spades when I got home to my dearest wife.

 

Disclaimer: This non commercial website and its content is not affiliated with or associated in any way with the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Harley-Davidson Australia, the Harley-Davidson Owners Group® or any Harley-Davidson® Dealers in Australia.  The use of the terms Harley-Davidson, and Road King® are unavoidable because that's what I own and ride.  This website,  called "My Harley Davidson" , and any opinions or comments expressed herein are purely about my Harley-Davidson Road King ownership experience, a truly great experience at that. I have no intention whatsoever to infringe on any trademarks or copyright ownership of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company or anyone else.


March 2024
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