Chance encounter

February 11, 2008 - Monday

Yesterday was one of those days where nothing really goes according to plan and everything goes well anyway. It started late, for me at least. The cuckoo called eight times before I finally rolled out of bed. There was no reason for me to sleep that late. I got back from Kevin's around 2200 hours the night before, said good night to Selim (the three of us had spent the afternoon driving), and went to bed. It wasn't late. I guess I was catching up on sleep for the rest of the nights I was up until 2300 hours... Everybody got up late that morning, it seems. We usually have church at 1000 hours so I can be in Birmensdorf at midday. This time we started at 1030 hours, which gave me time to clean off all the salt that had accumulated on the Beastie the day before in Schwyz, but cut time short for getting ready after church. That is to say, I was ready. But Selim only arrived at quarter till twelve, Florian insisted he was unaware that we were supposed to be anywhere by midday (he'd agreed to go driving; but the meeting time evidently got lost en route), and Kristin wavered between coming with us and staying before finally deciding he'd rather work on Joshua's 50. That ended up being fine, as later events will show. I called Kevin, said we'd be late, and then Selim and I took off. Florian said he'd have to refuel along the way. Kev was waiting for us in Birmensdorf, and Florian showed up about 10 minutes later. We decided to head to Muri and take it from there, which left us with the question of who would lead. Selim's Hyosung's brakes are used down to the metal, so he relies on his back brake and needs plenty of distance. I'd led the past few times and said I didn't want to, Florian didn't want to either... Kevin reluctantly agreed to lead, and we headed for Muri. There Selim and I refueled. I tanked up on 100 octane V-Power. It'll be itneresting to see how far that gets me, considering I can get at least 30 km more off 98 octane than 95. From Muri, we decided to head west, toward Basel, and I took over the lead. We drove a lot of the stretches that Kevin and I had driven last Sunday, and Florian complained at me once at a stoplight that the main roads were flat and boring and we should do something else. I invited him to start leading, but he didn't want to do that either. Figures. We were driving up to a stoplight in Oftringen when I saw a black monobike ahead of me, swinging S-curves in the road behind a car. Every time we drive through Aargau, I wonder if we'll run into Roy and Dario. That driving style, the gear, and the new exhaust... It was Roy all right. We had to stop at a red light and he turned around on his bike. Kevin rolled forward, they clasped hands, the light turned green, and I turned off my right blinker. We weren't going to Basel after all. We followed Roy to a parking lot across from a bar where Dario was, killed the engines and exchanged hellos. Roy was normal, or at least acting normal, and greeted Kevin as if we'd all been driving together for the past four weekends, like it was in the beginning. I was relieved there was no hint of rivalry in the air. I was also relieved that Selim and Florian were along. If it had only been Kevin and me, Roy might have reacted differently. We took off, a convoy of six bikes, and picked up a seventh along the way. A Bernese friend of Roy and Dario, who also rides a Duke 2, passed us in the street. He turned, met up with us, and we took to the hills together. That morning Mom had insisted we be back by 1700 for supper. She wanted me to type out a letter for her afterwards. Of course, with this meeting, I wasn't at all happy to have to head home at 1600, but Mom insisted. Still, Roy, Dario and we provisorily agreed to go driving next Saturday if the weather was good. Kevin decided to go back with us since Roy and Dario didn't have a plan. Both he and Selim were invited over for dinner, and they accepted. We ended up traipsing into the house an hour late, but the food was still good and warm and I got the typing done. I hate it when Sunday ends, even though this week will be full of fun stuff. On Thursday I can see Babs again and finally give her her birthday present, and Friday Ski should be showing up, and Saturday the driving starts all over again. In the mean time, the sun is shining, and I'm sitting here at this computer taking telephone calls. Two hours to go. It sure makes me appreciate Friday evening.