best riding partners in the world
“You’re not coming out of the house to say hi?” It was Jacques on the phone.
“No,” I replied. “I’m not in the house.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m walking on the OVRT.” I was headed home, but wasn’t quite there yet. “Where are you?”
“In your garage.” Jacques laughed.
“I see.” I laughed back. “And what are you doing in my garage?”
“Bleeding my brakes.”
James, who lives a couple of blocks away from me, keeps one of his bikes in my garage. He had recently acquired a new made-in-China tool to easily drain the brake fluid in his FJR. Jacques had experienced brake issues while riding his FJR the night before. So, it made perfect sense that he (along with James) should be in my garage.
“We’re going out for a ride when we’re done. Wanna’ come?”
Is the sky blue?
“Sure,” I replied. “But I’m still a few blocks away. I’ll need to have breakfast, gear up, put on my lipstick…I might be awhile.”
Everything takes me twice as long since the stroke. I walk slower, talk slower, bump into things, forget stuff – all of which is both frustrating and challenging. Also, I can’t ride either of my motorcycles, which makes me despair on beautiful days such as that Saturday was.
“No problem. We’re not in a rush.” Jacques is pretty chill and James is accustomed to waiting because he arrives everywhere early and I’m always late.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While we were sitting out on my front deck – me making short shrift of a bowl of shredded wheat, raisin bran, bananas and vanilla soy milk and the guys keeping me company after having finished the brake work – Helder pulled up on his Triumph Trophy.
“I thought you would be gone already.” He called from the street.
“Nope,” James replied.
Helder backed up his bike, got off, removed his helmet and joined us on the deck. Now we were a foursome instead of a trio.
They waited patiently while I geared up, then Jacques and Helder helped me get on the back of Jacques bike – it’s a none-too-graceful process! – and we were off.
I chose the route and Jacques and I led our little group (Crazies waving): back road to Pakenham, 29 to the 417, west on the 417 to the second Arnprior exit, Braeside via Usborne Street (past the beautiful cemetery with the sky-scraping scotch pines), up River Road and stop at corner of Storyland Road to eat Pringles and enjoy the view.
Turn right and take Storyland to Chenaux Road, 417 East to Pinnacle Road, Pinnacle Road to Renfrew (great valley view on the way in), nice detour back to 417 east to avoid downtown Renfrew and get to Timmies on O’Brien Road.
That’s where Keite (music teacher and Helder’s niece) and Adam (train engineer and Harley rider) joined us). Now we were a quintet.
It’s also where Jacques bought me lipstick at the nearby Dollarama when he walked over to get some Advil because he forgot to bring pain relief and I forgot to bring lip repair LOL. Aging sucks.
On the plus side, it’s the first time in my life a guy has bought me lipstick. Not only that, it was the perfect shade of #PINK. Shocking 😛
On the way home (Renfrew/Burnstown/White Lake/Arnprior/Pakenham/Blakeney/Almonte), much to James’ amusement and delight I got confused between left and right (I will never live that slip down) and we paused at Antrim Truck Stop for a bite to eat. Yummy.
After they dropped me off, the gang headed back to Ottawa…
I have the best riding partners in the world.
The only way it could have been a better day is if I had been able to be on Blue.
© 2025 Susan Macaulay. I invite you to share my poetry and posts widely, but please do not reprint, reblog or copy and paste them in their entirety without my permission. Thank you.
