Pull up a chair and help yourself to a cold one.

It seems there's a lot of slime going around lately. Its taken me awhile to notice, but since we finally hit 32 degrees the other day, the slime apparently thawed, reaching a gooey state, infecting me finally.

As I think back, I'm trying to recall how I got into this situation.

I kinda thought it might have been a local HOG chapter ride to a dealership in Waukon, IA, but I think I escaped unscathed, leaving the ride early to make it home in time for something important I'm sure.

Then there was the Buck-N-Gator gathering last August in Rapid City. I didn't know many folks and kinda flew under the radar. I did meet Sparky, though months later she couldn't remember me. (Note to self: leave lasting impression next time.)

Of course it may have been a late October lunch ride last fall. A group of us at work try to ride somewhere for lunch each Wednesday - as you might expect, with work sometimes getting in the way, we don't end up getting the ride in as often as we should. During the school year, I can't ride to work as often because I'm doing 1 end or the other of the daycare drill (via cage). So I end up driving home before the lunch, get my bike, and ride back to work to meet everyone. As I drove home to get my bike this particular Wednesday when just 2 of us were doing the lunch ride, I thought "It looks like rain, but it should hold off". Of course, shortly after pulling out of the driveway, the rain began.

As usual, I'm running a little late. As I rode to the pre-arranged meeting spot (parking lot at work), I thought "I better not be late or I'll be shamed for life because he will assumed I bailed". You see, I was going to lunch with none other than our very own Steve Liggett, local setter of standards for riding in all weather conditions, year round, in Minnesota I might add. As I pulled into the parking lot, Steve was just about to leave. Whew, I made it just in time.

So we did the 15 mile ride to our usual lunch spot (A&W) and rode back to work. A little wet, but a nice way to break up the workday.

Here I sit, long since dry from the ride, wet from the slime.

It just goes to show you, things eventually catch up to you, even slugs.

Dave Meyer

'99 FLHRCI BS# 145