The alarm jangled and Nick reached to turn it off. 7 am. It was Sunday morning and they were going riding today. He jumped out of the bed and went to the bathroom, closing the door quietly so as not to disturb the sleeping Julie. He shaved and showered, then returned to the bed and sat on the edge, leaning down to kiss her awake.
"Good morning, princess, time to rise and shine."
"Good morning, Nick, what time is it? Oh, I forgot, we're going riding today, aren't we."
"Yep, sure are. I'll start the coffee while you shower and dress. Today you need to wear jeans and your sunglasses at least, OK? Take your time, we don't have to leave for about an hour yet. By the way, where did you put my clothes?"
"You have the second drawer of the dresser and some of your shirts are hanging in the closet. Could you make some of your delicious toast this morning along with the coffee?"
"Sure. But it will cost you a kiss."
"What a deal. Come here, you, and I'll pay for a double order of toast."
They kissed warmly, then he extracted himself to attend to his kitchen duties. When she arrived, dressed as indicated, she immediately bit into a piece of toast and declared it wonderful. He explained the procedure for a passenger on a long ride and indicated that they would be stopping several places along the way for rest periods. He asked her what she wanted to take along to drink, pointing out that they had saddlebags for carrying a small amount of drinks and/or snacks.
At 8am, they loaded the saddlebags with drinks and snacks, then he climbed onto the bike and kicked back the kickstand. She climbed on behind him and adjusted her visor, then placed her hands on his hips and indicated she was ready to go. He started the bike and they were off for a day long adventure.
They moved thru the side streets and ended up on the highway heading north from the suburbs. Nick rode easily at 100 km an hour and Julie settled back to enjoy the view. Thirty minutes later, he slowed to exit the highway at a gas station where she noticed a number of bikes were already parked. He pulled up to the gas pump and killed the engine.
"Stretch your legs, princess, while I gas up. Then I'll introduce you to some of the gang."
She took her helmet off and her red hair immediately drew the attention of some of the assembled riders. When he was thru gassing up the bike, he moved it to a covered area where a group of others were standing besides their bikes. She followed and was promptly introduced to the group.
At 9am, the word was given to "mount up" and several bikes roared to life. Nick and Julie donned their helmets and mounted his bike in preparation for the day's ride. They were near the front of the pack as they moved onto the highway. Julie looked back over her shoulder and was amazed to see more than 85 motorcycles following behind them, most with a passenger in addition to the driver. She felt an exhilaration that couldn't be explained.
After about 15 miles of highway riding, the leader slowed to exit the freeway and lead them onto a two lane paved road. There were trees on both sides of the road with occasional open fields. Ahead of them was the mountain group known as the Three Sisters. The road leading up the mountain was just beyond. At the Maleny turnoff, one of the riders stopped by the side of the road to insure that everyone actually turned off and they didn't lose anyone.
At this point, the road led uphill and began to curve left and right. As the trees and eventually the mountain itself began to close in on the road, Julie began to feel the movement of the bike, following the road at highway speeds. Nick was very good at handling the curves and Julie wasn't scared at all. As they climbed, the road curved more sharply and he slowed at some curves then speeded up on the short straight parts.
Finally they broke out on top of the plateau. Here the road twisted and turned to conform to the side of the mountain but the views across the valley were breathtaking. Julie saw the buildings in the distance announcing the town of Maleny where many of Nick's friends lived and watched intently as they drew near.
The group leader slowed dramatically as they neared the entrance to the town, not wanting any accidents due to speed. Nick dropped his speed and raised the visor on his helmet. Julie took the hint and raised her visor as well, marveling at the rush of fresh air that bathed her face. As they crawled down the main street, Nick waved to many of the residents who stepped out of their businesses to greet the passing parade of cyclists. They all knew this was coming and were prepared for the interruption to their day.
Once outside the town limits, the speed was once again raised and he dropped his visor as he fed more fuel to his engine. She noticed the faster pace and dropped her visor as well. A few miles down the road, which was as winding as a mountain track should be, they began to descend to the valley floor.
Here there were cattle herds grazing in the fields on either side of the road. The valley was surrounded by mountains and extended nearly 150 kms in either direction. Twenty kms up the road, the leader again slowed as they entered another small town. This time, Nick pulled to the side of the road to pass along instructions to the riders as they passed.
He slowed them down and indicated they should park on the west side of the street. Twenty minutes later, the last of the stragglers made it into town and Nick and Julie rode down main street. It as a sight to behold. Eighty five motorcycles parked side by side, back wheels to the curb, front wheels turned to the left for stability, gleaming brightly in the mid-day sun. Julie was amazed and elated to be part of such an elegant happening.
Nick found the spot at the curb that had been saved for him and stopped the bike. Julie got off and he backed the bike into the curb and rested it on the kickstand like all the others.
He placed his helmet on the handlebar and unzipped his jacket. She followed suit and then they reached into the saddlebags for a cold drink and a snack.
They were parked next to the town square, a park with trees and benches that some of the group took advantage of, while Nick and Julie sat on the grass behind his bike and drank their cokes. In a few minutes, the townspeople began to come closer to inspect the bikes, many of them with cameras to record this spectacle. One young mother with two little kids in tow asked Nick if there was some way she could get a picture of her kids actually sitting on one of the bikes.
He grinned and quickly stood up, asking her which bike she would like them to sit on. She pointed to his and Julie quickly rose to assist. They placed the little girl on the bike with her brother seated behind her, both of them being supported by Nick and Julie, while the mother clicked away taking several pictures. This apparently started an epidemic as Nick noticed the same thing was beginning to happen all up and down the row of bikes.
Finally, the group leader started his Harley and rode down the line, indicating that the group should mount up for the next section of the ride. As they prepared to leave, Julie waved good-bye to the mother and her children, almost with a tear in her eye. She hugged Nick very tight as she climbed aboard.
The ride continued north up the valley, then climbed back to the level of the plateau. At this northern point, another small town existed where the bike rally was being held. There was a small entry fee which was donated to charity and the bikers were ushered in. Julie was again amazed at the parking area full of more that 1,000 bikes of all makes and models. Nick parked with his group then they strolled the grounds, looking at the displays. They had two hours to enjoy the fair before leaving for a group lunch just down the road.
The highlight of the day was the mountain bike event. In the center of the area, an old pickup truck was parked behind an old car in the form of a T, with the pickups cabin next to the cars trunk. A ramp of sorts led up to a six foot by six foot platform at the back of the pickup. The tailgate on the pickup was down and a second box was set up in the bed of the pickup right behind the cabin.
The object was to ride a conventional mountain bike, the pedal powered kind, up the ramp, stop and turn 90 degrees, jump to the back of the pickup, stop and turn 90 degrees, jump to the top of the box in the pickup bed, stop and turn 90 degrees, jump to the roof of the pickup, stop and turn 90 degrees.
From there, the rider had to drop to the roof of the car, stop for a minimum of 2 seconds, then descend to the floor of the arena, all without touching a foot to the ground. Three young men in their early twenties were lined up to attempt the feat. In a matter of minutes, each of them successfully completed the mountain-style course to the applause of the assembled crowd. Five minutes later, they were lined up to complete the course a second time, this time riding Kawasaki off-road motorcycles.
The crowd held its collective breath as the first rider navigated the course. Although it took a little longer than it did on the regular bikes, he managed to finish the course with no errors. An error was called if a foot touched the ground at any point. The other two riders also completed the course error free. The crowd loudly applauded all three riders.
Nick noticed it was time to leave for their lunch appointment and began moving back towards the parking area, signaling to others in the club that it was time to move out. Julie walked by his side, grinning and laughing the whole time. Just before they put their helmets on, she leaned into him and kissed him warmly.
"Thank you for a most wonderful day, Nick Nelson. I haven't had this much fun in a very long time."
"You're quite welcome, Julie Ward, but the day is not over yet. Put your helmet on and let's go to lunch."
Nick started his bike and as he pulled out of his parking space, he noticed a great many others mounting up to follow. He rode easily down the mountain, along a very pretty two lane twisting road, to a small pub on the valley floor a few short miles from the freeway entrance. Here he parked and they walked into a small bar with a few tables. The bartender waved them out the back door to an outdoor seating area large enough for several hundred patrons.
The food was good, the drinks were cold, and the music was loud. The lunch was a success and thoroughly enjoyed by all. About three o'clock, Nick felt a nudge in his ribs and looked to his left. One of his friends was seated on his left and was indicating they were about to leave. He leaned over and whispered to Julie who readily agreed. The six of them rose and made their way out the door amid handshakes and shouts of "see ya next time" from the others in the group.
They mounted their bikes and headed out, traveling the two lane road for about two miles before entering the freeway. They were 30 miles north of town now and it was freeway riding all the way. Nick took the lead and the three bikes formed a line, each of them watching the other two for any potential trouble. The ride was without incident and Nick and the other two headed in the direction of Manly once they left the freeway.
The other bikes turned off at Wynnum, a small town just before Manly, and Nick and Julie waved goodbye as they continued on. Nick pulled up to the front door of his apartment and shut of the bike, removing his helmet and setting the bike on the kickstand while Julie dismounted and removed her helmet.
"Oh, Nick, what a marvelous day. I've never had such a wonderful time. When can we do this again? It's fantastic!"
"I'm sure glad you liked it. We have a ride like this once a month along with organization meetings once a month on Thursday nights. We'll have to get you a membership of your own at the next meeting, if I can make it down from Toowoomba. Come on, let's go inside and relax for a while. I have to check my messages. Then we'll go back to your place."
