Chadds Ford, PA: Rainy Day Motorcycling

Sash and I had been looking forward to hooking up with several motorcycle riders who have been following our travels on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and our respective blogs.  We finally scheduled the date, Sunday, July 28.

Well, we had originally planned it for Saturday, July 27, but a couple of folks couldn't make it that day, so we changed it to Sunday.

Sash and Rania Madanat had been following each other on their respective blogs and social media channels for quite some time.  Meanwhile, George Ferreira and I had been following each other as well.  The two of them living in the PA/NJ area, followed us here on Road Pickle as we rode closer and closer to their neighborhood, until we finally decided to get serious about getting together for a ride.

Both and Rania and George are already seasoned veterans of riding across the continent, living on the road, and living for the moment, which perhaps was only a fitting fate that we would meet them for a ride.

Several other riders had expressed interest in riding with us that day as well, but the threat of rain seemed to thin out the numbers.  In the end, Todd was the only other rider who showed up.

With skies looking more ugly as the minutes ticked by, we mounted up from Chadds Ford, PA, and took a maze of backroads lead us to Four Dogs Tavern in Marshallton, PA.

The afternoon's conversation over beer and lunch shed some light on subjects ranging from photography to motorcycles to long distance riding.  We got to know about each other's backgrounds, where we've been and where we'd like to be.

Somehow for me, following someone online via their social media or blog creates a fictional persona in my mind, where I fill in the blanks and create an image of someone greater than I.  The photos of their travels, their huge numbers of followers, all seem inspiring and humbling, that rushes in a sense of excitement when I get a chance to meet them in person.  Yet when meeting them in person, something in my brain recognizes that they're as human as I, as fallible, as potential, as kind and as humble.  It's as if our brains contain a mysterious sensory lobe that identifies in person how human we are than compared to the words and photos we post on our pages and profiles.

It makes me wonder how people envision Sash and I as they read Road Pickle.  And when they finally meet us in person, are they let down?  Do they feel better?  Do they feel inspired?  Do they feel disappointed?

After lunch, the rain started to fall.

George had a longer ride back to New Jersey and needed to get going.

We all donned our rain gain, except for Todd who came with only minimal weather protection.  

Sash wanted to get to Newark, DE to return a dress that didn't fit.  Rania offered to lead us there, figuring she could always hang out for another brew.  The rain poured down on us on the way, but by the time we got to Newark, the clouds lightened up.

We really appreciated having Rania, George and Todd come out under the threat of rain to ride with us.  It makes a Road Pickle more sweet to convert online friends into real life riding buddies, even if separated by thousands of miles.

Todd & Rania, and Sash & George, meet up at Chadds Ford, PA

Sash telling George about the one that got away.

Rania's big air intake

George's collection of stickers on his top box

George follows Highway

Todd following Sash, who's following Rania

Photographing food at Four Dogs Tavern, West Chester, PA

Cobb Salad at Four Dogs Tavern

George, Todd, Rania, Sash, and Highway, Four Dogs Tavern

Sash follows Rania in the Rain

Rania in her rain gear

Saw this guy doing a wheelie on our way back

Rain drops on Sash's motorcycle helmet

Highway reviews photographs on his camera while waiting for Sash

Sunset over the Susquehanna River