The Campbell River Toy Run, July 5th

This was it, my first truly long ride alone! I got up early on Saturday morning, just praying the rain would hold off. I had to ride to Courtenay to meet up with Carl and Lolis, and we planned to ride to Campbell River together from there. As I started off, the skies were gray, but looked like they might hold off on that crappy rain thing. But NO, I was no sooner on the Nanaimo Bypass then it started. I knew I'd better slow down a little, and quickly regretted the fact that I wasn't wearing the Darth Vader helmet (Flo's nickname for my full-face helmet). I was also wishing that I owned raingear that fit. Before long the cages started passing me... they don't have to worry as much about oil slick on the road when it first starts raining. It infuriates me though how totally ignorant most of the drivers are. Cripes, they obviously see me because they do pass, but they cut in front as quickly as possible and splash me and my poor bike with an incredible amount of water spray in doing that. GRrrrr!

After a while the rain stopped and I started smiling again and got some speed up. I pulled into a gas station just north of Nanoose and filled up... running into one of the secretaries from Stu"ate Lelum and her daughter who were also on their way to Campbell River for a soccer match. So nice to have been recognized by my bike! And off I went again, really happy. Got onto the highway and where you're allowed 110 km per hour, well let's just say I'm glad the police weren't anywhere around because I wanted to make some time. Dang it all, though, as I started getting closer to Courtenay it started raining again. My face felt like it was being punctured by a thousand tiny needles... reminded me of getting that tattoo on my back! My feet were remarkably dry, proof that I'd done a good job of spraying for that reason the night before. But I'd forgotten to spray my gloves, and my fingers were beginning to ache from the cold wet gloves. I could also feel the cold and wet of my lower legs... probably mostly thanks to the cars that didn't seem to mind cutting in front of me! The chaps weren't able to resist those drenchings happening over and over. Yes, I'd sprayed them and my jacket (which kept me really dry), but like I said, the trucks and cars... GRRRRRrrrrr.

When I got into Courtenay I called Carl and he came to meet me at a gas station. He and Lolis took excellent care of me. My gloves and jeans were quickly put in the dryer. I was given coffee and had a chance to fall in love with and be totally adored in return by their dog Riley. They were amazed at how he took to me saying they'd never seen him behave that way with anyone. He even followed me into the bathroom when I went to get out of my jeans and temporarily into a pair of dry and warm jogging pants. Once I was dry, and wearing some of Carl's raingear over my own riding gear, we headed off to Campbell River.

Holy Mackerel! I found out later that there were 86 or so motorcycles in the ride. Apparently it was disappointing because many folks decided not to risk the rain. Well, I did it! But anyway, it felt to me like we were in the hundreds... the thrumming noise from all those bikes was absolutely amazing. We had police escorts and there were RCMP officers at all the intersections holding back traffic for us and letting us proceed through intersections regardless of red or green lights. What a thrill to be in the middle of such a pack of riders. I felt so deeply emotional about it, kept having to take deep breaths and thank God. We raised over $5000 and filled a huge cube van with toys for the local hospital. It was truly an amazing thrill to be part of this event, and though I thought the ride to Victoria was one of the best days of my life, I have to admit this ride beat it. I can hardly wait to do the Port Alberni Toy Run in September... I've heard they get as many as 1000 riders.

As if the ride itself wasn't enough, we headed out to Qualicum Bay to the Ocean Bay Resort for our Camporee. I've come to know a number of the riders through having gone to the Malahat Mountain Mixer, and from a few rides with folks that are on my forum. Of course I've become great friends with Flo and her brothers and Jenn. Flo and I shared a top bunk while her brother Eric and Jenn shared the bottom bunk in our very small cabin. Oh my goodness... I may not have slept all that much, but I haven't laughed that hard for so many hours in ages.

We had a huge pig roast, but before dinner, we also got to listen to some of the officers from riding clubs. There were many riders from different chapters of the Southern Cruisers Riding Clubs present, and Mark (Spyderman) who has become a Regional Officer for SCRC, talked about the SCRC and other riding organizations. He specifically mentioned our forum and called us a riding club. Jenn said, "we're a forum, not a club." But then Mark made it clear that we get together to ride... and that we support each other through the forum and through practicing with new riders like me... and well, he's right, we are a club. Mark even joked that the Vancouver Island Lady Riders get better turnouts on some of our rides than the SCRC chapters do. Well, ja, especially since they have joined our forum, some as Cabana Boys, and they ride with us.

Of course a Camporee isn't very serious... it's about partying with other riders. After all, once the bikes are parked, the booze can come out. Oh my goodness... it sure flowed. Jenn brought along a blender and we enjoyed the most delicious slushies: of course they contained pineapple rum too. By evening it seemed everyone was tipsy and full of great humour. We even sang a few songs around the campfire, led by Zeek who is one of the SCRC officers as well as a choir master. There was much teasing and laughing around some double entendres, but it was truly all in good clean fun. The cabin I shared with friends was also filled with laughter. Eric snores! Man if that's not an understatement... he sounds like a freight train. His sister Flo snores too--not near as loud, but still quite audible. Jenn claims to snore, but I never heard her at all, and I doubt anyone heard me: we were surely drowned out.

Our top bunk was incredibly close to the ceiling, causing Flo to retrieve some childhood memories when she and 4 siblings (they eventually got to 9 kids in her home) shared a bed. She said: "Eric, do you remember when you were about seven, and we lived in that little two-bedroom house in Alberta?" And so it began, the story of the ceiling falling down and the kids all in fear. It was just wallpaper, but it had us laughing. And then Eric started snoring and Flo yelled "Eric" and he yelled "What?" and that continued for some time, so now we look at one another and say: WHAAAAT? and the laughter starts.

Sunday morning's pancake breakfast was another friendly gathering and then it was time to hug a bunch of folks and get back on our bikes and head on home. It's hard to say goodbye when you've had such fun, but it was time. I felt so proud of the way I'd handled my bike all weekend, and really understand that these long rides are helping me to become a better rider. But the instruction and help I'm getting from Jenn and Flo is also totally invaluable. They rock.