Things I Learned at the Inaugural IMBC

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I like to think of life as one big learning opportunity. There are some things we learn after just one time and others take a little longer. I do believe on our road trip to Bend and back for the International Moto-Blogger Convention I learned more than a few things.

* I learned that when you head out on an adventure with expected temperatures in the high 80's to low 90's always arrive bright eyed and ready to go...

.... because you won't look and feel that way after arriving at your destination....

* I learned that no amount of planning or OCD will guarantee a group ride leaves on time.

* I learned that to conquer your fears (in my case riding over the pass) one must face them head on and give them a swift poke in the eye to show them who's boss.

* I learned that a Suzuki TU 250 will pass a Toyota Prius uphill on the Santiam Pass provided you downshift a gear or two and "give it all she's got captain", also known as WFO. I learned to pass where there is a passing lane and that it can take two tries. The TU does not however, have enough power to 'click click bang' as Troubadour would say.

* I learned that even if you only have a piece of toast for breakfast at 7 am it is possible to pace yourself and not inhale your food at 3:30 in the afternoon. The questions is...was the food so incredibly good because we were starving or was it just that good? I'm thinking it was just that good. Kudos to Stacy and Stacey for the restaurant suggestion.

* I learned that if two bloggers are texting by the water there is a good chance they are texting each other....

* I learned that when it is over 90˚ outside and you are not on the bike, it is a good idea to take the liner out of your mesh jacket and pants. Doh!

* I learned that if you are eating dinner late into the evening it is okay to have breakfast instead....mmmm cinnamon buns sliced and made into french toast.

* I learned that no matter how exhausted you are..... the sleep you get in a hotel bed is not as restful as at home.

* I learned that you will wake up earlier than planned or desired when sleeping in a hotel.

* I learned that decaf coffee and a fresh waffle cooked by your hubby from the hotel continental breakfast are pretty good at 6:30 am even when eaten in the hotel lobby.

* I also learned to vacate said lobby prior to 7 am before the rest of the guests with their petri dishes wake up and want grub.

* I learned that if you set up a meeting time for breakfast at 10 am, chances are everyone is up and around early and are thinking of ways to pass the time wishing we had set an earlier time.

* I learned that if you are right handed you should always pull up at the gas station with the pump on your right side. And in the event you spill a little gas and there is no garbage can do not put the paper towel in your pocket.

* I learned that if some of the petrol dribbles on your gloves because of where you placed them when when fueling up - do not put them in your helmet while having breakfast.

* I learned that if you only order a side of hash browns for breakfast the waitress will look at you funny and think you are odd. How un-American of me.

* I learned that I can ride over the Santiam Pass without issues or problems if I believe in my abilities and use the skills I've learned.

* I learned that heated grips are still enjoyable even on the 18th of July when one forgets to put the liner back in their mesh jacket.

* I learned that moto bloggers are a friendly lot with a great sense of humor.

* I learned how enjoyable it is to visit with old friends and make new ones too.

* I learned that if I don't ever take the camera away from Troubadour I'll never get any photos of him.

* I learned that you meet the nicest people on a Triumph, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha and/or BMW. You probably meet nice people riding on other brands too, there just didn't happen to be any in our group.

A big thank you to each and every one of you who took the time to meet up and hang out in Bend or even just come along for the ride. We enjoyed meeting those bloggers we'd never met before and also catching up with those we had. We look forward to another meet up. I do believe Bobskoot mentioned something about 2 years from now in Hawaii to take over the island on scooters. Intriguing.

All in all I'd have to say it was a 'Croctacular' success!!

On a side note the TU now has 999.8 miles on the odometer. Time to ride it around the neighborhood to get it to 1,000. If nothing else - heading to coffee Saturday morning will do the trick.

Yesterday we had the pleasure of my mom visiting for an overnight. She and I went organic blueberry picking (30 lbs) in the afternoon and then just visited and took a few silly pictures in the evening. It was getting a little too dark so they turned out grainy but you get the idea.

-Au Revoir

"Cooperation is the thorough conviction that nobody can get there unless everybody gets there." ~ Virginia Burden

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