Dad's Day Ride

Skip, ogling some chrome in Metamora.


I spent my Father's Day on a 275-mile ride through eastern and southeastern Indiana with my Indianapolis News compadre Skip and his wife Gloria.
The occasion was a Yamaha Star club ride that started at the McDonald's on Ind. 32 in Noblesville and stopped for lunch at the historic canal town of Metamora, Ind.
The temperature was crowding 90 degrees when the 13 bikes rolled out of the McParking lot and headed east, eventually taking U.S. 36 east to Lynn, thence south through Richmond to Metamora.
It was an interesting experience, compared with what I'm used to in BMW circles.
I was one of three BMW riders present - the other two were on BMW cruisers - and there was at least one Harley-Davidson.
Several of the folks rode without helmets. I was startled to look into my rearview mirror early in the ride to see a guy wearing shorts and smoking a cigarette as he rode.
One of the BMW guys rode helmetless and had a little white miniature poodle seated in his tankbag, its ears flapping in the wind.
I was the only one there in full protective gear: boots, gloves, riding pants and jacket with knee, elbow and shoulder armor and fullface helmet. Even though the temperature soared into the mid-90s, I was reasonably comfortable in my BMW AirFlow jacket and gloves and Summer pants.
In contrast, the guy in shorts offered that he "roasts" when he rides. Well, I suppose I would too if I just rode in shorts and a t-shirt. A t-shirt under a jacket wicks and evaporates the perspiration, creating a cooling effect. All you get with just a t-shirt is dehydrated.
I also stayed hydrated with my Camelbak.
Anyhow, it was an agreeable crowd, but hardly a spirited romp. We got up to 65 mph twice.
The ride plan called for a circuitous route back to Indianapolis, via Greensburg and Columbus, but Skip and Gloria and I had pressing business at home, so we broke away when the route crossed I-74 at Batesville and ran home via the interstate.
I-65 on Indy's northwestside was a parking lot because of the heavy traffic exiting the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from the U.S. Grand Prix, so I exited onto Lafayette Road and took it all the way to Lebanon, stopping just north of Ind. 334 to pull on my rainsuit for a small thunderstorm.
Maria took advantage of my absence to sleep late and do some grocery and shoe shopping.
Father's Day calls from both sons and from my stepdaughter made the day complete.