As if a pregnant chick on a bike isn’t funny enough, I had to wear my maternity capri pants because I don’t have any jeans that fit right now. A total no-no in Max’s biker rule book but I didn’t have a choice. Unfortunately, it was chilly that morning, like 60 degrees chilly, so Max made me wear his tall black sports socks with my capri pants. I was a sight to behold! They kept me warm for the ride down but I promptly took them off as soon as I could. Luckily, it was an absolutely beautiful day with warm sunshine and not a cloud in the sky. Perfect riding weather!
Thousands of bikers participated in this ride, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for Riley Children’s Hospital. Whether it is a group of hardcore bikers, or the quilters club of America, it is amazing to see that many people come together for one common cause. A good cause. A very worthy cause.
We were able to ride past Riley Hospital, the true highlight of the day. Several children and their families were waiting for us along the hospital sidewalks, thanking us for our support with waves, smiles, and posters. It was heartbreaking to know that they were sick, but was such a realization as to how much they needed our support. Thousands of bikers from all walks of life, from all areas of the surrounding states, pulled together to help these kids in need. What a moving experience!
Our ride continued on and we headed to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a lap around the track. I have no idea what our top speed was, and I probably don’t want to know, but it felt fast. It was a cool feeling to be on the opposite side of that fence, to see the rubber hit the track as the professionals do. And to see so many bikers in front of and behind us, enjoying the same experience.
Here is a slide show of pictures I took during the event:
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| Make a Smilebox slideshow |
So we had a great day with great weather, great company, all for a great cause! But there was one little thing that turned out not so great. That beautiful sun… We all applied our sun screen while waiting in the staging area before taking off, as we know how easily you can get burnt while riding. Except I forgot about the small portion of my legs that were exposed and I failed to apply protection to that area. (Never mind that I have paper white legs that haven’t seen a lick of sunshine yet this year.) By that evening I noticed that they were a little “pinkish”. The next morning I could hardly walk, and by the end of the day, my legs and ankles were swollen. For two days, my ankles were invisible, my toes looked like little sausages, and wearing heels to work quickly proved to be a very bad idea. Tylenol, cold wash cloths, and elevation have certainly helped and things are starting to look a little bit more normal now. Though Im sure to have a freaky tan for quite some time. Lesson learned? Check!
