Rumble on the River

Pyran and I at the rally/staging point

Just when I thought the weekend couldn't get any better, we woke up to a beautiful sky and great riding weather.  The 4th of July started off with two carloads of family and friends following me on my bike to the rally point for Rumble on the River.  My original intention was to host a second party at my house on the 4th for my CVMA biker family.  But, as it turned out, one of my CVMA brothers, Chief, and his wife Babycakes, traditionally  hold a big Independence Day blow out at their house on the Guadalupe River every year.  Chief decided that combining the two parties would make it twice as fun and invited my blood family and out-of-town guests to join our CVMA family to celebrate our country's independence.  I hope that some day I figure out what it is that I am doing that continually puts me in the company of some  genuinely good folk so that I can keep doing it!

Around 20 bikes and 5 cages rolled out of the staging area headed in the direction of Chief's house.  We had to roll through a couple of little towns in the Texas Hill Country to get there, so we spent some time stopped on the asphalt waiting for Independence Day parades to pass.  No worries, we just got off the bikes and started visiting :-)

I've ridden with a lot of different groups over the years, so I know what it's like to ride with not-so-experienced and unfamiliar riders.  With that knowledge under my belt, I marveled at how effortlessly it is to ride with my CVMA family.  We roll with a lot of the same people, so it's easy to fall into a familiar rhythm.  Like Raven and Sapper, L.F. and Big Bird  use headsets to talk to each other during the rides, so they usually put me between them.  I'm not sure if it's for safety or for them to keep me from doing something stupid, but as a third wheel, they always make me feel like I'm exactly where I belong.  We had members jump in and peel off of our ride while we were rolling without even changing the group's speed...simply fluid.

Chief reciting his original poem about a bayou sister :-)

Once we got to Chief and Babycake's house, they were in full on host and hostess mode!  After everyone got settled in, we got down to the business of toasting our brothers and sisters who have left this earth and those who are still in harm's way.  We stood as a family and pledged our allegiance to the United States of America with hands over our hearts in the direction of Old Glory.  I suspect that if you are reading this blog, then that last sentence caused you to tear up as opposed to rolling your eyes.  If you had the least inclination that this small, grounding act is one to be ridiculed, then you obviously don't understand what this group of people and their families believe.  Our service to our country has not been easy, and certainly has not been without questioning authority, but at the end of the day, we each believe that we stand for something bigger than ourselves.  And in that belief, we are united.

Overlooking the Guadalupe River

I spent the entire day with my blood and CVMA families hanging out and enjoying each other's company.  The weather was perfect, the company dynamic and entertaining, the food delicious (but overwhelming!) and camaraderie easy.  The river water temperature was pretty chilly, but we took turns going for rounds in the tubes, kayaks and boats.  It was great to see everyone sharing this brotherhood with children, spouses, friends and parents.  Like any family, we don't always see eye-to-eye, but it seems as though we do see the value in this tribe and so we continue to participate in its existence.  Chief and Babycakes certainly know how to throw a party and I hope they know how appreciative we are for the amazing hospitality they provided!

This cake looked so much better before the 90+ degree heat got to it!
 

Over the last couple of days, the party favors have all been picked up, the left over food frozen for another day, and all the out-of-town guests have returned to their places of origin.  I may have returned to work today with a higher rank, but I am still the same bayou girl basking in the glow of family and friendships made along the way.  I couldn't have asked for a better transition and celebration...I am truly thankful!