Jump to content
IGNORED

Why I had to postpone my 1st trip to Torrey! (Craig & Terri get hitched))

TyTass

By TyTass
in Riders Discuss Other Topics

Recommended Posts

TyTass

TyTass

Posted
Posted

The simple answer is ... we just couldn't find any other time to get hitched!

 

Since we're going to do a wedding at our house it needed to be in cooler fall weather. That said, September 25th here in Maryland ended up pushing 90 and unseasonably humid too for that time of year. Oh well, it could have been worse ... could have been raining cats & dogs, a hurricane or tropical storm could have shown up, or whatever ... so no complaints here.

 

For our Honeymoon, we had to keep it somewhat sane and short ... no two week trip to Italy like last year, no long cruise to the Caribean, or anything else exotic. Doing a home wedding took a lot of time to prepare for, so we headed to one of our favorite spots ... the mountains of western North Carolina.

 

Though we go there often with the BMWST folks for Blue Ridge Rendezvous (BRR), we don't get to really explore the area much aside from spending our time riding the fabulous roads. So we reserved a B&B close to fall BRR (and met up with and raode with a few of the usual BRR crowd). Then we then spent a week out in a beautiful cabin in the mountains - or should I say ... on top of a mountain - out near Fontana Lake (in Almond, NC).

 

I will say, trailering the bike up the mountain to the cabin was more of an adventure than I bargained for. Especially when I missed our turn. Suffice it to say, turning around on a little mountain road with a trailer to me quite some time (picture Austim Powers turning that cart around in that tunnel). Sure we rode the roads, but we did lots of other things, too ... and even relaxed some!

 

In the next 2 posts, I'll post some wedding pics and a link to a video I made as a momento of things we did and places we visited during our honeymoon in western North Carolina.

Link to comment
TyTass

TyTass

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Wedding Pics ...

 

 

The backyard and deck were transformed:

 

1129713151_mzqCB-M.jpg

 

1129712815_7eFSs-M.jpg

 

 

 

Living at a beach, we just had to go with a beach themed cake (lemon chiffon & Chambord creme filled ... absolutely delicious!):

 

1129714376_XtUby-M.jpg

 

1129714678_xuv4m-M.jpg

 

 

 

Terri leads the entourage to the spot on the beach:

 

1129707812_RrnEe-M.jpg

 

 

 

Ceremony at our little beach on the Chesapeake Bay:

 

1129732902_Raveg-M.jpg

 

1129710791_Ebcmj-M.jpg

 

1129722031_zMWeS-M.jpg

 

 

 

And we're hitched!

 

1129732908_Z9wfE-M.jpg

 

 

Matt (Matts_VSTROM) & Dianne (

 

1129707512_fDdT3-M.jpg

 

 

My Mom toasts us ...

 

1129711642_WUipt-M.jpg

 

 

We toast our guests.

 

 

1129732670_WBsnU-M.jpg

 

 

 

My aunt looking fabulous at 80.

 

1129703651_WWNrH-M.jpg

 

Family and friends enjoying themselves.

 

1129732356_CRzzJ-M.jpg

 

 

1129727971_Kpme5-M.jpg

 

 

Cooling down inside later in the evening ... Matt (our distinguished photographer) and Dianne

 

1129706019_XX32x-M.jpg

 

Terri and her closest friends!

 

1129732559_MUTi2-M.jpg

 

 

The happy, but very hot, couple!

 

1129706776_fH53t-M.jpg

 

 

 

Link to comment
TyTass

TyTass

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Honeymoon Ride Video ...

 

I put this together as a video keepsake - of the various pics and video we took during our honeymoon. The majority of the video is of our second ride on the Tail of the Dragon. It's not meant to impress anyone, just serve to let us remember the great time we had - especially in our later years, should we be riding no longer.

 

For you fast riders, this will probably seem agonizingly slow. This is as fast as I could ride this 2up, remain somewhat smooth, have both of us enjoy ourselves.

 

For all you folks coming to UNRally X, this road is a treat to ride ... a MUST RIDE road. However, in order to enjoy it, you must ride it on a weekday ... it was especially clear on a Wednesday in the fall, as you'll see.

 

I hope you enjoy it. (Please to not save it or post it anywhere else. Thank you.)

 

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

Link to comment
Glenn Reed

Glenn Reed

Posted
Posted

Craig, nice to meet both of you (however briefly) at the BRR Saturday night dinner. I hope to see you again at other events.

 

Congrats on the wedding!

 

 

Link to comment
Matts_12GS

Matts_12GS

Posted
Posted
Your aunt is really 80? I think she must be the youngest looking 80 year old I've ever seen.

 

Sorry that Matt had to be there :rofl:

 

Someone had to be the curmudgeon Bob and since you don't want to go east any more... :dopeslap:

 

Was a nice ceremony and a real treat to be there with good friends on a special day.

Link to comment
APDDave

APDDave

Posted
Posted

Congratulations Craig & Terri! That was a great video of the Dragon and surrounding area. It reminds me of a lot of the same places that I have been to. I am still working on my wife trying to get her on the bike for more than a few minutes to check out some of the cool places in North Carolina. You are a very lucky guy to have found someone to share the bike with. I have a room booked for the UN in August and I am trying to talk it up to her, we will see?

Link to comment
TyTass

TyTass

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Dave,

 

Yes, there are so many great roads and sites in western NC. Asheville itself is a treat.

 

I know I'm fortunate to have found someone who enjoys riding so much, though she's certain she'll never want a bike of her own. In fact, if it weren't for her support as well as me quiting the band 4 years ago, I might not have a bike even now. However, 4 years and 48K miles on the bike, we continue to have one fantastic experience after another riding together.

 

While she wasn't a reluctant rider, she wasn't what I'd call a natural rider either - in that it wasn't immediately a comfortable activity for her. Aside from that, I was a re-entry rider with little experience riding 2up. So, we both had a lot to learn.

 

We didn't ride all that much together the first year I had the bike. Naturally, at first Terri was somewhat apprehensive and pretty uncomfortable. I worked at getting the bike comfortable (which included a bit of trial and error). I also slowed down some, continued to read m/c training books, took several courses, and then taught her as much as I could. We continued to experiment with riding gear and bike ergs to make her comfortable. All the while we continued to practice together a lot - if only short day rides. Heck, we talk about riding a lot in the car!

 

We now have about 25K miles together. The Russell seat was the last change I made for her comfort and I wish it had been the first thing I bought for her comfort. She now is suggesting we ride long distances rather than trailering. And from all the practice and patience, she now can handle us going faster than I care for us to go generally.

 

I think the key to having a passenger enjoy themselves and letting go of the fear is to educate, communicate, cooperate, and be patient.

 

Teach her where to look, where to rest her eyes ... out as far as possible - not constantly looking down or at close objects, especially in curves. She probably won't always be able to see the VP but just not focusing in close will help dramatically with orientation, any possible motion issues, fear of speed, etc.

 

Bike intercoms were crucial in her enjoyment of riding. Learn to get in the habit of letting her know what's coming (she can't see thru your head). Chat to put her at ease. Get her to take in the scenery. Describe your enjoyment. All those together will help her enjoy it all.

 

Do what you gotta do to make her comfortable. Get her seat right. Ride in a manner that she's comfortable. Get her physically comfortable (and safe) gear. Let her in on the ride planning. Stop and let her stretch if her legs get numb or ache. Cooperate in all these and it will make you both happier. It'll perhaps lessen your own experience for a while but it pays off big in fairly short order if you actively pursue all these issues.

Link to comment
TyTass

TyTass

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Your aunt is really 80? I think she must be the youngest looking 80 year old I've ever seen.

 

Sorry that Matt had to be there :rofl:

Thanks. Yeah, my Aunt Lyn really is 80. And what a lovely person she is, too. Her husband is a decorated WWII vet of the Battle of the Bulge. Great people!

 

But why are you talking bad about Matt? He's my buddy! He keeps me free from believing my own BS! (Though I will say he does so largely by loading me up with his own! :/ But what are friends for? :grin: )

 

See you at the UN!

Link to comment
tallman

tallman

Posted
Posted

Congratulations, thanks for sharing this.

 

Riding with your best friend as a passenger is a different game than going solo.

Best thing Beth and I did, looks like y'all are doing fine.

:clap:

Link to comment
Matts_12GS

Matts_12GS

Posted
Posted
Bike intercoms were crucial in her enjoyment of riding. Learn to get in the habit of letting her know what's coming (she can't see thru your head). Chat to put her at ease. Get her to take in the scenery. Describe your enjoyment. All those together will help her enjoy it all.

 

That was pretty much the key for us as well. Dianne never much liked riding behind me mostly because she is smart enough to know I have enough problems riding on my own!

 

Seriously though, when she decided she was ready to ride on her own (and to stop riding for a while when she needed to refocus herself) we discussed and put safety first and set things up accordingly. communication is paramount to both awareness and gaining comfort and confidence. I have put an intercom in my 8 year old's helmet now so that when he and I ride I know he's awake and engaged in what's going on, but it's also an amazing little "cone of silence" where he and I discuss things he might not otherwise discuss. And besides, getting whacked in the shoulder as he plays "Punch Buggy" in the intercom still makes me grin.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...