But is it beginning or continuing? Everything depends upon one’s perspective, I suppose. On the one hand, it began a couple of months ago, when I finally decided to just uproot ALI and me and radically overhaul our lives. Of course, it could also be logically argued that this journey actually began ‘way back when’ at some other choice-point intersection, when I made a critical decision to go one way or the other.

On the other hand, I didn’t actually begin ‘this ride’ until last Thursday, when I finally strapped the last bag aboard ALI and put her kickstand in the ‘proper’ position. Naturally I stroked her and informed her of what was up… she already knew. But, oh what a sensation I felt!

I pushed her out of Sam’s shed, put the kickstand down again, turned the fuel petcock on, pushed the choke lever all the way down, turned on the key, hit the starter button… and you know what came next!!! Yep, she roared to life… first time, no missing, sputtering, coughing, wheezing, or gauging… and my heart lept for joy!!!

I’d been hoping for precisely this! She’d been setting up quite a bit lately due to all the house selling and moving chores, so I was concerned some gummy-goo might have set up in the carbs… NOT SO!!! There sure was an opportunity for that to happen, but we dodged a bullet this time…

No worries now, as you can bet the farm we’ll be turning over that engine with much greater regularity over the next few months! Months of anxiety, second-guessing, worrying, fretting, stewing, jumping through hoops, and tackling loads of unpleasant chores had all finally come to an end, and it was now time to relish the moment. So, I did…

I stepped back and just gazed at my girl… our girl. I love her so much, and my life has been enriched far beyond my ability to explain because of our association. A flood of memories all passed before my mind’s eye of how the incalculable good things we’ve shared have shaped me into who I’ve become.

How even the supposedly bad things have all had silver linings to them, and how much they, too, have enriched my life… our lives. I can’t help but believe she’s rather happy with the outcome of things, too, because I’m certain I can detect satisfaction in her behavior and responses to me and the life together we share. I know, dogs and spouses can be great, too, but frankly nothing else can compare to my beloved partner!

I listened to her as she warmed up… easing the choke lever as her ‘ques’ indicated I should. She’s so good at giving me clues and gentle nudges when she needs something from me. In time, I tickled her a bit by twisting the throttle and letting her really catch her breath. All of this, I suppose, is our form of foreplay… how we get ready for the main event!

Oh yeah!!! She’s ready for sure, but what about her rider? Hmmm, I hadn’t ridden more than eight miles or so since returning from InZane, and that was when I’d ridden her from my old house over to Sam’s place. Nope, all of this time I’d been consumed with other things, and the skill rust had been piling up.

I decided I needed to take it very easy that first day. I did. Yes, she was feeling spry and spirited, but she also seemed to understand. She’s had her share of close calls before, and she is plenty wise enough to know not to allow unbridled enthusiasm and foolish whims to put us at unnecessary risk. It did get better with each passing mile, though, and by the end of the day we were back in tune with one another and enjoying all that goes with back road cruising…

A word about plans and planning… Perhaps Willow and 3fan, plus a couple of others, are right after all… I did seem to be making this harder than it needed to be, as even I couldn’t help but look ahead and consider what I was doing and where I was going… taking aim at a target… It helped considerably that I could and did change anything resembling a ‘plan’ several times daily while on the fly, however, so I could at least take comfort in that…

My first order of business had been to drop by CF Penn Hamburgers for a nostalgic dietary tribute to another era in my life. Didn’t happen. Nope, I’d been fretting about which route to take. The most efficient route would have been to take I-65 North… But, that meant riding through Birmingham. Dang, that also meant having to consider the timing of when to go through there due to traffic. Nah…

I then decided to take US 231 North, but that would take me a bit out of the way for the burger stop, and it would definitely upset any time schedule I might be considering… I wasn’t thrilled about this option, but it did offer a more pleasant ride prospect, and it would allow me to decide not to go for another burger after all, should that inclination strike me…

As I was headed up US 231, it occurred to me that the turn-off for AL 9 was just up ahead, and that is one of the better long rides through Alabama I think, and my GF thinks it is the best. Hmmm… OK, forget the burger, and we’ll just take that route… I asked ALI what she thought, and she replied the same way she always does, “Whatever, dude, it’s all good!” Yep, a whim took over and my ‘plan’ was changed yet again right then… less than five miles from Sam’s house, where I’d spent the night before.

I then figured I’d just ride to a motel in north Georgia where I’ve stayed a couple of times before and get a room for the night. I was taking it very easy for a couple of reasons… First there was the skill rust issue I’ve mentioned before. There was also a big head issue, due to the send-off the evening before down at a local watering hole… Friends just won’t tolerate us denying them a reason to party, so I had done my duty.

A very real and major issue was rain. The forecast had called for something less than what our unfortunate brothers and sisters are experiencing down in bayou country, but still enough to potentially scuttle any plans for a pleasant cruise through a scenic area I’ve grown to really appreciate. Accordingly, I needed to take care of business, so I didn’t allow myself to dawdle… too much.