50 cc scooters are pretty much the smallest things that can be road registered.
Underpowered and generally seen as road menaces that are dangerously slow, the only things that cop more flak on the roads are people on push bikes.
(that's a whole different can of worms there. The short version, you want to use the roads that cars use? Pay road tax / rego on that there push bike and we'll talk...)
So what happens when an army of bikes is gathered for a good cause?
Its like something out of a fantasy novel.
Where (in David Eddings stories anyway) the good guys, facing a terrible foe with an endless army, will put aside their differences for the common good.
~~~
I had seen armies muster before, a full gun battalion, a brigade of armor, even seen part of a division level infantry moblisation. But nothing like this.
thousands of them, in a multitude of shapes, sizes and colors, gathered in orderly disorder.
The Chrome covered Harley Davidsons, gleaming like knights. The grizzled dirt bikes, looking like ranger scouts. And the sports bikes with their flared fairings, reminding me of the fleet footed elves. And last but not least, scooters, fitting the description of a hobbit to a tee, small and harmless looking.
Far far ahead, a flag is raised. Then the wave begins to spread down the massive column as engines fired up and octane fills the air.
The ride of the Valkyries had began.
~~~
The crowds gathered on the footpaths in droves, cheering the column on as it passed.
Pillion riders flung sweet treats for the children in the crowd, and hands were stuck out to give high fives to the riders.
I had pulled over to make a quick call (sister flying off to NY see?) and gotten back into the ride when I realized that the column had been broken by a passing train.
The head of the pack was far down the road whilst everyone behind me was behind the train tracks.
I rev the engine and pulled into the middle of the empty lanes.
The crowd realizes that the road isn't empty anymore and see the lone scooter buzzing up the street.
A man spots the flapping santa's hat on the helmet and starts to cheer.
Suddenly they're all cheering, I stick my hand out and high five them as I pass.
Boy that felt great.
~~~
We had hit the highway portion of the ride and the column had well and truly broken up into a large string of individual riders.
then in the distance, I spot a growing bottle neck.
As I pass it I can make out the wreckage of the grey sports bike being slowly wenched onto a truck, it looks very broken... and I can't see any sign of the rider.
Nods of respect and sympathy by all before they all rev past.
I do hope the rider is ok
*its for the kids.*
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