FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Millennium Motorcycle Ride (Well, almost)
I can't believe it. It's raining! It's pouring! My god, it's not Y2K problems - it's rain problems!
Los Angeles, California—Dec, 1999
The Millennium Ride was organized by a local Norton riders club. But, as the photographs show (goto photo page), there were many different brands for all to see.
On Thursday, the night before the big ride, after confirming the time and place to meet, I could not sleep very well at all. I was . . . in a word . . . excited. I mean, I just bought my new Ducati and this is my first group ride.
At about 9am Friday the 31st, nearly 180 riders descended onto the streets of Pasadena. They came from all over California.
In our group, The Ducati Riders Club, there were about six of us madmen. According to the E-mail, we are to meet at Pro Italia Motorcycles. The shop was easy to locate as I printed out a Yahoo map. I was the last to arrive and was greeted by the other riders in our group. We found one of the riders lost a pair of front disc brake pads and his rear pads were completely worn! Break out the tools! He shall remain nameless.
Once his bike was mended, we rode of to the meeting place for the Norton owners Millennium Ride of 1999. The weather: Slight overcast, not too cold - but very cool. This is after all Southern California and the dead of Winter. The Freeways: minimal traffic and for the most part courteous drivers. More than adequate conditions for my first big ride!
In just several short miles we reached our destination. It was a real sight to see. Both sides of the street were lined with hundreds of bikes. Hundreds of leather clad men and women. Some with serious rider looks on their faces, most with smiles showing contentment in the knowledge that they are with a special group of friends - motorcycle riders.
However, . . . not minutes after we arrived at the meeting place . . . the first drops of rain came. Then they got bigger and more plentiful. Soon it was coming down pretty hard. But, cyclists are a hardy bunch and they kept coming to the ride.
The local coffee shop was very busy as many riders had breakfast and many more wanted that java fix. Those who were not eating were out meeting with old and new friends. Some were trading "big fish" stories, some were showing their "pride and joy" to admirers and helping each other get the most out of their experience on this last day of 1999.
A call came out to all the riders to meet on the corner. The organizer of the ride gave last minute instructions and assurances that the rain would stop somewhere along the route. Still pouring, many of the riders mounted up and began to finish what they came here to accomplish - "The last ride of 1999."
Alas, I (as did a number of other riders) opted to call it a day. Err, ahh, "a wet day." The rain and cold was just too much to take and with some 380 traffic accidents by the end of the day (due to locals not knowing how to drive in the rain), I think we made a good personal decision.
Yet, with all this, you really could not help but feel a sense of accomplishment. You got a real sense of brotherhood and good cheer. And I guess that is what these rides are all about. Come rain or shine. At least I was able to ride home not feeling too bad.
Thanks to Mike (Aprilia), Terry and Marlene (906 Paso), Andy (996), Tim (Monster), Walter (900ss), and Bruce.
Victor Osaka
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