June 1974.
It was the close of my junior year of high school. State Regents exams were mandatory in every subject I was taking. Passing everything was my key to Early Admissions as a full time college student the coming fall. Exam week began the day after Father's Day; the day after the Laconia Rally!
My boyfriend and I both worked at the local motorcycle shop, our boss raced. We had driven to Laconia to watch him compete in '72. Through the interceding two years, we had been building a chopper out of a wrecked basket case. It was finally done, and I had permission to go for the weekend!
Six of us on four bikes rode north to Albany NY and east through Vermont into New Hampshire. Five hours on that hard, little passenger pad was a breeze, my feet forward on my bf's mid pegs while he had his feet up on his road pegs. With our pack as my back rest, it was like sitting in an easy chair! A light tap on my leg was a signal to move my feet so he could shift and/or brake. As I became more in tune with him and the bike, the signal became unnecessary.
It was a party weekend! We had two cabins on the edge of the lake and we never saw the races! Sunday in Weir's Beach. It's almost midnight. Time to go. I have exams in the morning. Rain. More rain. Rain so hard its difficult to see your hands in front of your face! Two bikes pull off to get a motel room somewhere in Massachusetts. I have state scheduled exams in the morning. The third bike stays with us so we are all at least in pairs.
It was the close of my junior year of high school. State Regents exams were mandatory in every subject I was taking. Passing everything was my key to Early Admissions as a full time college student the coming fall. Exam week began the day after Father's Day; the day after the Laconia Rally!
My boyfriend and I both worked at the local motorcycle shop, our boss raced. We had driven to Laconia to watch him compete in '72. Through the interceding two years, we had been building a chopper out of a wrecked basket case. It was finally done, and I had permission to go for the weekend!
Six of us on four bikes rode north to Albany NY and east through Vermont into New Hampshire. Five hours on that hard, little passenger pad was a breeze, my feet forward on my bf's mid pegs while he had his feet up on his road pegs. With our pack as my back rest, it was like sitting in an easy chair! A light tap on my leg was a signal to move my feet so he could shift and/or brake. As I became more in tune with him and the bike, the signal became unnecessary.
It was a party weekend! We had two cabins on the edge of the lake and we never saw the races! Sunday in Weir's Beach. It's almost midnight. Time to go. I have exams in the morning. Rain. More rain. Rain so hard its difficult to see your hands in front of your face! Two bikes pull off to get a motel room somewhere in Massachusetts. I have state scheduled exams in the morning. The third bike stays with us so we are all at least in pairs.
We pulled into my driveway at 6 am. Rain gear, leather, sweater, sweat shirt, tshirt ... all the layers were dripping wet! My boots squished. I poured water out of my pack. I have just enough time to take a hot shower, grab a cup of coffee and get on the school bus for an 8 am exam.
My mother calls out as I enter the house, to make sure it's me, I thought. "I was hoping you would call before you left up there." She continues, "The exams have been cancelled."
"No." I reply, "They don't cancel Regents Exams. It must be some of the other finals."
"Yes. Your Guidance Counselor called, copies of the exams were stolen, so all the exams are cancelled!" Well, not all. Whoever stole the exams must have been taking French since I still had to take my Spanish exam ... on Wednesday!
As we slept that Monday, the rest of our crew that had stayed in Massachusetts, rode home through a beautiful, warm, sunny day!
Growing up with bikers taught me the best about people. There was no whining. We just did what we needed to do and our friends were right there with us to make sure we were ok!
My mother calls out as I enter the house, to make sure it's me, I thought. "I was hoping you would call before you left up there." She continues, "The exams have been cancelled."
"No." I reply, "They don't cancel Regents Exams. It must be some of the other finals."
"Yes. Your Guidance Counselor called, copies of the exams were stolen, so all the exams are cancelled!" Well, not all. Whoever stole the exams must have been taking French since I still had to take my Spanish exam ... on Wednesday!
As we slept that Monday, the rest of our crew that had stayed in Massachusetts, rode home through a beautiful, warm, sunny day!
Growing up with bikers taught me the best about people. There was no whining. We just did what we needed to do and our friends were right there with us to make sure we were ok!