🏍️ Our Heroes will be reduced by 2 when foreign exchange students Sanjay Rampersad and Lionel Odunsi get dropped off at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Although UNC is an NCAA Division I school, it is best known-- by far-- for its illustrious college basketball program. Among the numerous legendary players to call UNC their alma mater is Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Michael Jordan.
"How's the Victory?" Rhonda asked Lindsay.
"It's bigger than what I'm used to riding," Lindsay replied.
"If you need help with it, let me know. Finding parts is trickier for Victory bikes than for Harley-Davidson."
"Will do." |
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🏍️ Rhonda Bella Guardia is a taller-than-average woman who is well-proportioned; knock off 1 foot of height and the corresponding mass, and she would look like many attractive thick women. I mention this in comparision to Lindsay Etxeberria, whose far-left activist lifestyle had left her on the thinner side of the spectrum; it would be fair to describe her as a skinny woman. These descriptions of the two women explain why Lindsay found the Victory motorcycle bigger than what she was used to riding. First, I had envisioned Lindsay as someone whose motorcycle experience came in the form of BMX riding; BMX motorcycles are thin compared to road cruisers from Harley-Davidson and even Honda. Second, Lindsay was given a motorcycle customized to accommodate the needs of a very tall person.
🏍️ Victory Motorcycles was a manufacturer of motorcycles based in Spirit Lake, Iowa, US. The company was founded in 1997, and motorcycles were first sold in 1998. Polaris Industries is the parent company of Victory Motorcycles. Polaris is also owner of the Indian brand of motorcycles. The Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company stopped making Indian motorcycles in 1953, but manufacturing resumed in 1999. The Indian brand was sold to Polaris in 2011, and in 2017 it replaced Victory as Polaris' entry into the American motorcycle market dominated by Harley-Davidson.
Although the last Victory motorcycle was made in 2017, Polaris guaranteed parts availability for ten more years. In terms of GHAWG, this means that spare parts are no longer available by the time Rhonda meets David Guardia at the bar in Davenport, Iowa, US in Summer 2028. |
"How long did you have that Victory motorcycle, Rhonda?"
"10 years, David, why?"
"Now I know what to get you on our wedding anniversary." We smiled. "I hope you don't mind sharing rides on my trike."
"Where you go, I go." |
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🏍️ David Guardia, the main character of Rat Bike (what began as simply "GHAWG"), rides a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Before he began his Epic Ride to STURGIS and beyond, he was owner of a Honda motorcycle so beat up it was known as a rat bike.
Harley-Davidson and Honda are the most important motorcycle brands on either side of the Pacific Ocean. Victory Motorcycles began in the late 1990s in part as a way to capitalize on the emotional and lifestyle aspects established by Harley-Davidson, and the Victory brand only lasted 20 years. I didn't know about Victory Motorcycles until I began writing GHAWG, and it is very likely that he didn't know about it, either, until he met Rhonda Bella.
🏍️ Rhonda is all-in on riding with David. After she learned of his miraculous recovery in Le Claire, Iowa, US, she put her independent trucking business on hold to join David on his Epic Ride. During the course of the Epic Ride, she told David this ride was the most fulfilling experience of her life. David's Epic Ride (and what would result from it in the future) had become so important to her that accepted David's marriage proposal. She's as ready to sacrifice herself for him as David is to sacrifice himself for her. |
"Speaking of where we're going," began Lindsay, "We came up with the idea of following Route 66, like in that song but in reverse. We mapped it out, found sites, even lodging."
"So that's what you guys have been up to." I said. |
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| 🏍️ Lindsay Etxeberria quickly summarized the second story which took place in later December 2023 ("The Kids & The Twins"). Even though Our Heroes were all in San Diego, California, US, David Guardia and Rhonda Bella Guardia-- as "The Newlyweds"-- were so focused on each other they may as well have been in Jamaica, the Canary Islands, or the Marquesas Islands during that time. |
"Before we ride it," said Hank, "we need to return to L.A. to pick it up at Santa Monica Pier."
"Then we head north to Santa Monica," I said.
"100 miles," added Rhonda.
"Traffic's a mess in Southern California," said Frank. |
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| 🏍️ The next phase of David Guardia's Epic Ride is about to begin, but Our Heroes need to tie up loose ends regarding Old Route 66 first. They need to backtrack about 100 miles north in order to begin where they need to begin. 100 miles is a long ride under the best of circumstances. Under the infamous conditions of Los Angeles and Southern California traffic, it's not pleasant. |
"Halfway is Dana Point," began Sanjay. "That's where PCH begins."
"We can take Interstate 5 to Dana Point, then we can switch to PCH," said Lionel.
"So we spend the night at Dana Point before going to Santa Monica," I said. |
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| 🏍️ Knowing how enervating and soul-sucking traffic can be in Southern California, Lionel Odunsi offers Our Heroes an option for rest and recovery (not relaxation). Even after they reach Santa Monica, they have to ride the vast expanse of asphalt and concrete sprawl which make up the City of Los Angeles as they ride east. |
Lindsay needed to speak with Rhonda for a bit.
"Since Sanjay will be returning to UNC, is it OK if I ride with him until then?"
"Of course it is, Lindsay. I know what that's like, so spend whatever time you can with him." |
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🏍️ The relationship between David Guardia and Rhonda Bella Guardia is a major part of The GHAWG Saga. To a lesser degree, there is a relationship growing between Lindsay Etxeberria and Sanjay Rampersad. Their relationship will take time to develop, and there will be a surprise or two between them as they ride east. The Old Route 66 storyline will incorporate this relationship as part of the zapfic serial.
🏍️ As different as Rhonda and Lindsay are from each other, they have enough in common that Lindsay begins to see Rhonda as a big sister figure. Rhonda treats Lindsay like a regular person, not some NPC we encounter from news stories featuring cultural or political turmoil. Although they talk about the men in their lives (David and Sanjay), most of their discussions are about everything else. The bond between them grew when Rhonda asked her to be her maid of honor at her impromptu wedding to David. |
Next Week (2024-February-10)
Zapfic Entries 320-327
Our Heroes spend a night at Dana Point, halfway between San Diego and Los Angeles. Next day they return to Santa Monica in Los Angeles to begin their ride east along the path they determined to be the Route 66 of legend and song. The crew splits up to handle personal errands. During a break David and Rhonda Bella Guardia discuss life after the Epic Ride, namely employment for David.
At LeoThreads
Our Heroes ride Old Route 66 east. Still in California but out of the massive Los Angeles area, they make a stop in Victorville, 40 miles east of San Bernardino. While in Victorville, David and Rhonda Bella Guardia take time to visit a church so they can give thanks.
NOW AVAILABLE! -- GHAWG, Uninterrupted for those who want to binge-read the daily zapfic serial one Act (or Interlude) at a time.
ALSO AVAILABLE! -- The GHAWG Diaries for those who want to witness the formation of The GHAWG Universe and how it's taking place. Published on Mondays when there is no GHAWG, Uninterrupted post (or, for that matter, any other post).
PLUS! -- GHAWG Behind the Scenes to see how elements of The GHAWG Universe take shape, from graphics to spreadsheets and other research. Included is a subseries called "Fun with Maps" showing the interesting things I find as I map out the David Guardia's ride. Curently "Fun with Maps" is at South Bend, Indiana, US.
Catch the latest zapfic entries for GHAWG at LeoThreads. Get caught up with GHAWG with these weekly summaries at InLeo.
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GHAWG Navigation
To find other weekly summary posts such as this one-- or to read the serial without annotated commentary-- use the post GHAWGnav: Navigating The GHAWG Universe.
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That's it for this Weekly Summary. I'm  [!!]
Thanks for your time and for reading #GHAWG, LeoThreads at InLeo's first daily zapfic serial. Give the post an upvote or a reblog if you liked it. Feedback is welcome. Until next time!
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