The Battle

[reg71]

Ages come and go. Wars rage. Battles fill the time between. This is the story of one such confrontation. No, not a knight of old covered in shining mail mounted on a hooved steed. This challenge will be met by a modern knight on a modern steed. Many tales such as this have been told in times past, I will tell of one.


"Sol, I feel your call. It echoes throughout my being. The black serpent challenges your reign again. It is time to call out your knights to battle. My steed, my faitful red dragon, she heeds your call. We shall answer." He felt the stirring within his soul. The time, he knew, had come.

A tickle behind the ear, and Scratch awakens with a purr. A little time and air and her purr grows into a growl. She is ready. The black serpent has challenged the reign of Sol. Time and time again the serpent, she trumpets her domination over all. Her permanence she bellows to the heavens. Ah, but Sol, his dominance reigns over all.


Scratch calls him to action. He is no knight of old. He wears an armor not of iron but of leather. He carries no weapon other than righteousness. She will be all the weapon needed for today's action.

The fray begins. Right then left, the black serpent throws the curves at them. The knight is ready. Trusting in his steed, he follows through. Up an down, through the hills, the fight begins. In the lands known as Peachy Canyon, the fight rages. He cannot give Scratch full reign because the young rider sits behind. For him, this is training.




In the city dedicated to St. Michael, the youngling stays. To the north the rider continues. Across the hills of Cholame on the road known as Indian Valley. The crafty serpent tries using gravel to dislodge the marauding dragon with no luck. She has been here before. She knows that ruse.




On to Peachtree Road through the scorched lands the challenge continues. The serpent tries buckles in the road and quick feints to the right with curves back to the left. Nearly she had them, but not quite. It continues. The day wore on, Sol's rays beating down on the two, inspiring but also testing them. The heat, their element, bringing their mutual purpose to a focus. They see the carrion eaters devouring the serpents leavings. Foreshadowing? I think not!




He breaks his fast in the city of King's. The road she waits writhing, daring, calling them back to the strife. They wait, relax, recharge. Back to the fray, across the bridge. The asphalt becomes rougher. Buckles, putholes, she throws everything at them. The rider he takes a hit to the tender parts from a hard bump but the ride continues. He catches his breath, never missing a beat.




On to Fort Hunter-Ligget, ride slow, let her think it is going to be easy now. The conquerors can wait. They will unleash the fury on the other side. Another element enters the picture here to roll easily across the serpent and continue off into the distance. The soft trickle echoes in contrast to the steady rumble of the V4.




On the other side to Fergusen-Nacimiento Road, the struggle rages. The base lies in the rear-view, the soldiers training for their eventual destination. Good luck calls the rider. His battle is today.


The ride continues, the revs increasing steadily. His heartbeat becoming synchronous once again to the rumble of the steed. Again, the serpent throws gravel. Crafty serpent! Not this time. They have been on this road before. The red dragon is ready. One hundred and eighty degrees back and up fifty feet in a few seconds, and still they continue on. They will not be denied this day. They climb and climb. Up, ever up.




At the top, they survey their dominion. Sol has chosen well. In the distance, the serpent winds back down through the clouds to Hwy 1 calling them to action. Do they dare continue on?




Down on Hwy 1, Neptune's domain comes into view. The rider continues. Sol can no longer be seen or felt. The battles rages. The others on the road, mindless to the struggle, nonetheless sense his urgency and allow the rider by. Down and around, across the bumps, across the bridges, the dragon roars and claws at the serpent. Neptune perhaps has chosen to be a participant by casting panoramic vistas at the rider as he focuses on the challenge. The rider will not succumb this day to Neptune's temptation.



Through the gloom the fight continues until Sol once again breaks through. The rider and steed once again feel their element. They will win this day. Down past the castle of Hearst, past the sunning seals of San Simeon to the village of Cambria. They slow for the natives, biding their time through the town to find yet another path in need of taming. On to Santa Rosa Creek Road they go. The serpent has saved some of her roughest surface for this fray. The shocks sometimes jarring the teeth of the rider and upsetting the chassis of his steed, but on they journey.



Finally, at the top again, the rider pauses. Today's engagement lasting for more than 250 miles. He is tired. Scratch sits ready to continue on. Today's battle is finished, but this war of permanence shall continue.

[mello dude]

Kudos Reg - great read.. how many Coronas does it take? I found myself just shit eating grinning my ass off. Cool.

I was in your fine state once before - the weather and roads were great. Someday I'm coming back.

MD

[grinder]

Reg, I think you have missed your calling. I finally got a good ride in this weekend myself, 200 miles of all twisties in the sun. I am still smiling.

[SLOav8r]

Sorry to hear about the tender parts.

Wish I could have joined up to ride yesterday, I was watching the weather and it looked amazing...

Glad we didn't hit the 58 though, was a bad bike accident...

[reg71]

Originally Posted by mello dude

Kudos Reg - great read.. how many Coronas does it take? I found myself just shit eating grinning my ass off. Cool.

I was in your fine state once before - the weather and roads were great. Someday I'm coming back.

MD

No coronas on that one. I actually had been playing around with some of the ideas for a bit and decided to try something different. I thought maybe it was a little much for most, but I knew a few would dig it.

[reg71]

Originally Posted by grinder

Reg, I think you have missed your calling. I finally got a good ride in this weekend myself, 200 miles of all twisties in the sun. I am still smiling.

well, you know what they say, ' I still haven't decided what I'm going to do when I grow up. '

[SFPA]

Reg, what kind of pipe is your noble steed wearing?

[Jaymz]

Originally Posted by reg71

No coronas on that one. I actually had been playing around with some of the ideas for a bit and decided to try something different. I thought maybe it was a little much for most, but I knew a few would dig it.

Consider it Dug! that was a great post.

[keet]

.........good pics.....compelling story......in a world..where dragons breathe fire......lol,,,,

[keet]

.....O..by the way....i took my first ride today for the season....it was pretty decent...but very chilly....this am was actually 17 degrees,,,frost everywhere....i long for my santa cruz days..or was it daze?

[ChrisPaegelow]

frickin awesome

[NeverlosT]

Sweet post, that flooded road looked wild! I cant wait for the weekend to get out for a good long ride....
And great creativity in the story!

[R.W.]

Originally Posted by reg71

I actually had been playing around with some of the ideas for a bit and decided to try something different. I thought maybe it was a little much for most, but I knew a few would dig it.

Originally Posted by reg71

The crafty serpent tries using gravel to dislodge the marauding dragon with no luck. She has been here before. She knows that ruse.

Damn, that was a good read, really liked the gravel descriptions, I've been working my ass off lately around the house and just now got time to really get into it. Very entertaining and hope to get more stories like that in the future, thanks for not being afraid to take a chance on a story like that and BTW, Fck that serpent

[reg71]

Originally Posted by SFPA

Reg, what kind of pipe is your noble steed wearing?

that's a two brothers. it was on there when I got her and I like it well enough. it's a little scratched where the footpeg hits it and kinda hard to keep shiny, but she sounds like a mean little bitch.

Originally Posted by Jaymz

Consider it Dug! that was a great post.

thanks.

Originally Posted by keet

.........good pics.....compelling story......in a world..where dragons breathe fire......lol,,,,

hehe. Okay, so maybe I have read a little too much sci-fi/fantasy. maybe mext time we'll take a star journey. ;)

Originally Posted by ChrisPaegelow

frickin awesome

thanks, Chris.

Originally Posted by NeverlosT

Sweet post, that flooded road looked wild! I cant wait for the weekend to get out for a good long ride....
And great creativity in the story!

thanks. glad you like it.

Originally Posted by R.W.

Damn, that was a good read, really liked the gravel descriptions, I've been working my ass off lately around the house and just now got time to really get into it. Very entertaining and hope to get more stories like that in the future, thanks for not being afraid to take a chance on a story like that and BTW, Fck that serpent

hehe. consider the serpent warned. she mocks me since she pulled me down last year, but she'll never beat me.

[MrDe]

Your post "rocks" ....

[swoop45acp]

Kudos to you Reg. I was just enjoying your story sippin' on some beer. Very poetic.