Stupid Thing I Did

that i usually only mention when i'm drunk.

phin tagged me with this one, and he answered mine, so i guess i have to answer his.

it has nothing to do with alcohol, but i usually don't talk about stupid stuff i've done unless i'm drunk.

so, one day, about 15 years ago, when i was still young and reckless, i had a motorcycle. nice bike, a '82 Yamaha Maxim 750, inline 4 with shaft drive, customized before i bought it for a good price.

Vetter fairing, already set up to put a stereo in. custom seat, driver's seat with elevated passenger seat and a backrest for the passenger.

put a stereo in, was a great bike to ride.

oh yeah....it also had a Cruise Control. not high-tech, just a little wedge-like device that would stop the throttle wherever it was when the wedge-thingie was snapped into place. and when it was in place, the bike was heavy and stable enough that you could take your hands off the grips and lean back with arms crossed over your chest and just ride, let your body weight control the curves in the road.

no helmet laws here in CA in those days....

oh yeah... the stupid story meme...i was getting lost in the Good Old Days....

so one day, i was riding home from Santa Rosa, CA after i got done visiting friends that lived there. it was a fine day to ride, and Highway 101 has a lot of nice straight stretches on it. on one of those straight parts of the road, i put the cruise control on, and high on youth, the thrill of danger from being up on two wheels, and the feeling of invulnerabilty that comes with youth, i decided to ride on the bitch seat. i stood up on the pegs, shifted my center of gravity slowly backwards, sat on the back seat, then lifted my feet from the driving pegs to the passenger pegs.

i rode that way for almost two miles, sitting on the passenger seat with nobody driving the bike, flying down 101 at 65 MPH, waving at cars and other motorcyclists that were in the oncoming lane. got more than one surprised look, and a group of Harley riders gave me a thumbs-up as i passed them.

then, i thought to myself, WHAT THE F**K ARE YOU DOING? the high of youth gave way to sensibility, and i carefully slid back down to the driver's seat.

never tried that again, but i have bragging rights for having been that stupid.