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nice tim, sums it up perfectly.Originally posted by Ducrappy
From the moment I pulled up to the meeting spot in Nashua, I knew that I wasn't going to ride with at least a few of the people that showed up. As soon as I turned the key off on the bike, all I could hear was laughing from the guys wearing shorts, and right away, I knew they were laughing at me because I was wearing full leather.
Also, about a minute after arriving, I realized that I knew one of the Busa guys from the gym, Chris. When I used to see him there (at the gym) on a regular basis, he would always tell me stories of how he and his buddies would always do triple digit rides to the beach with no gear, and I don't do that kind of riding, so this was also a factor in my decision to not ride with the rest of the group.
Mike was very cool about how he approached the small handful of guys in shorts to say that he makes it a point to stay away from group rides where people aren't wearing adequate gear. But one of the guys (Chris) got very defensive and had quite an attitude about what Mike said. Chris' response was quite combative, and I half expected the disagreement to turn physical based on the tone of his voice and what was said to Mike. Chris seemed to get quite angry and took Mike's statement as a suggestion that he was a poor rider, when that clearly was not what Mike was trying to say.
They could have been great guys to ride with, but my taste for them was soured from the get-go because of their obvious disrespect and their lack of understanding of other people's ideals pertaining to riding.
I will say that it was my idea to keep riding past the gas station that you guys were pulling into. I believe nothing good would have come of us pulling in with you guys. It likely would have turned into a big argument resulting in, at the very least, a few pissed off riders, and at most, a physical altercation based on the apparent egos that were displayed at the meeting spot in Nashua from the guys wearing beach attire.
For the record, I would have loved to ride with all of you except the two on the Busas. I could tell based on their remarks and actions in Nashua that I would have had a terrible time on the ride if we stuck with the big group. Everyone else seemed very cool, and I apologize for making the decision to not tell the rest of you that we were not comfortable riding with a select few in your group, but I thought that the argument in Nashua was loud enough for everyone in the group to have heard, so I figured that everyone understood that we would break away at some point.
I don't do group rides to have gear/no-gear arguments and listen to ego trips. I ride to meet cool new people and to get out for the day on some nice roads.
i figured as soon as i said somthing about not riding with people that don't gear up atleast a little i'd be squaring off with somebody. as tim said it could have got ugly but i bit my tounge said what i said and left it at that.
i do/did feel like a dick for bailing on the group at the gas station but as others have pointed out what good would have come of it.
the day turned out pretty good despite traffic. awesome to meet rob (again) oxx and amanda. tim as always good times