Yeah, I know it’s Wednesday, but I didn’t get around to doing this write-up until yesterday evening.

What started out as a quick, two motorcycle get-together for coffee turned into five bikes, six hours of riding and jabberjawing, and about two hundred miles of riding.

I rolled out of bed at around eleven Sunday morning to meet Donut for coffee at his favorite shop downtown. As I left the house he buzzed back and said three friends of his wanted to join us. They were also motorcyclists, and we would just sort of hang out there for a bit. I put my earplugs in and rolled Cylon out onto the highway.

It was pretty warm by the time I got there. The place was PACKED. Donut rolled in with his friends: Tomax and Xamot (twins), and The Third (he was riding a Triumph Triple). It was all we could do to sit together … outside. I was wearing full perforated leather, and even the guys with just jeans, racing boots, and jackets were complaining about how hot it was.

We decided to ride around, starting with Route 5 with the plan to “turn around whenever.” We wound up going almost sixty miles past Williamsburg, and jumped on the ferry to Surry.

Tomax and The Third talking with one of the ferry security guys about how fucking badass my FZ6 is.

From left to right: Xamot’s new 2008 Honda CBR 600, Donut’s 1996 BMW 1100 GS, some dude’s Honda Goldwing trike, my 2004 Yamaha FZ6 and Tomax’s Honda RC51. Not pictured: The Third’s orange Triumph Triple.

I talked with some other motorcyclists on the ferry, including an older couple who owned the Goldwing tricycle and a really awesome couple who have been riding together for fifteen years. They bought a Honda Valkyrie with 12,000 miles on it six years ago. They’ve put 46,000 more on it. I really hope to do that type of touring with someone special someday.

Anyway, after we got off of the ferry we rode for a bit and stopped in Surry to get some directions. An older fella with a pimp shirt, do-rag and straw hat entertained us with riddles. How many seconds are in a standard year? One of the twins busted out his mobile phone and calculated a hojillion seconds or something.

“Wrong!! Twelve. The second of January, the second of February ….”

It was a good time, and after a few more gems we got onto route 31, then route 10, and eventually I split away from the group to come home via I-895.

That wasn’t enough riding for me for one day, and I rocketed up 288 and back for a nice dinner at the Cheesecake Factory.

Here’s the whole route:

I had a great time. It was the first time that I rode with more than one other rider aside from the “processional” style rides for Ghost Rider last year. All of the guys had multiple years of riding under their belts. I was the least experienced rider according to years spent in the saddle, but I was happy to have kept up a good performance. I am not sure if I have ridden more total miles than anyone else there, but I am guessing I have ridden more than everyone except possibly Donut.

Anyway, a good time was had by all, and I look forward to doing more riding with them this fall.