Often when my husband Mark and I are at rallies, I talk to men that wish there significant other would ride two up with them. Before I came into Mark's life, he was quite content riding across the country on his own. His travels included riding the coast of California on Highway 1 and to Maine to eat lobster. All was well in Mark's life. He was comfortable riding by himself. Always at the end of his trips and rallies, he felt that something was missing.

            I popped into his life quite by accident (or destiny if you prefer), seven years ago. My hobby at that time was work. Mark's life was working to ride, and did a great job of filling his life with riding.

            He used to stop in at my office and tell me of his grand adventures while I was still in Milwaukee working. He'd pop in after a ride for the weekend down to the Falling Leaf Rally or Labor Day weekend at Finger Lakes. I really couldn't fathom the lifestyle that he had. It sounded rather magical though. I usually traveled such distances by plane, but a motorcycle trip sounded more romantic.

            Our first outing on the bike was a ride to Holy Hill in Delafield, Wisconsin. Many of you probably rode past here during the 2007 BMW MOA National in West Bend, Wisconsin. Holy Hill is the site of a beautiful Catholic church on top of a hill. The scenery is breathtaking. Honestly, I sat on the back of the bike and held on for dear life. I was seriously out of my comfort zone. But, I'll never forget the smell of the pine trees and the feeling that all my cares were washing away while on the back of his bike.

            Mark took me riding a few more times that autumn, but my first big trip was with BMW MOA Ambassadors Brian and Sue Rihn-Manke to Memphis, Tennessee the following spring. In retrospect, I realize that Brian, Sue and Mark were really quite accommodating in regard to my comfort as this was my first trip on a motorcycle. They decided to break the ride into a two-day trip. We put down a couple hundred miles after work on a Thursday and completed the rest of the ride on Friday.

            I absolutely couldn't believe that I could have the experience of riding down to Memphis, arriving there so quickly and really taking in all the sights around me. It also surprised me how many people will talk to you if you're on a motorcycle. This was the beginning of my conversion to being a motorcycle enthusiast.

            That same year I remember a trip when Mark and I left at 2 a.m. and rode to Niagara Falls. We were there by 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I was truly out of my mind with the thrill of it all. In the morning I was in Wisconsin and by afternoon I was in Niagara Falls, New York experiencing the excitement of that area.

            I can now say that I am a two-up motorcycle junkie. Mark will attest to the fact that I go through the BMW MOA magazine and look for rallies, destinations and places to visit for the following year. I plan our journeys to encompass as many rallies and sites as possible. Seven years ago I had a conversation with Mark, early in our relationship. I told him that I would walk away from our relationship if motorcycling wasn't for me. I couldn't imagine taking away his passion for riding. I guess we all know how that worked out.

            Do you want your significant other to ride two-up? Here are a few tips from my perspective. These may not suit all your situations, but you can tailor it for your lifestyle.

• Start out with short trips. You may be comfortable doing 750 miles in one day, but your new passenger may not. Be sure to stop before they have reached their limit; they may not know what it is yet.
• Make sure your passenger has proper gear to make him or her comfortable in any temperature, including good rain gear.
• Be prepared to make more frequent stops. There are two of you now, and neither of you will have fun if one of you is miserable.
• Packing for riding two up takes practice. Be patient. My very first rally was the National in West Virginia. We were packed to ride home when I noticed my gas charge card was missing. Mark tore the entire bike down; which included all our camping gear, tent and clothing. We found the card in my jacket. Mark didn't get angry, which I certainly appreciated since I was at fault.
• Learn to pack light. You will theoretically have half the space if you carry a passenger. Share your packing list with a new passenger to show them how you do it.
• Roll with the punches. Those stifling hot days, windstorms and rain are the basis of some of your best stories when you're sitting around the campfires.
• Laugh often and enjoy the moment. These will be the "good ole days" much sooner than you think.
• Let them know that your experience is enhanced by them being with you. Stop to discuss what is working, and what isn't. Praise them when they are being a good passenger. A few words of kindness can go a long way during a tough ride.

Mark and I have now been married for nearly four years. I am thrilled to be on the back of either our 1999 RT or 2005 RT and hugging my best friend as we ride off on a new adventure. We've been riding about 20,000 miles each year. I have more than 100,000 miles on the back of our bikes.

            We've traveled to Napa Valley for a wedding, Banff and Lake Louise, Memphis, New Orleans and the East Coast; to name a few places. Along the way, we've met a lot of wonderful friends. Plans are already in the making for this summer's National in Tennessee.

            Last fall, Mark had hip surgery that required us to be off the bike for eight weeks. The day after Mark got approval from his doctor, we were back on the bike. We rode out to Brian and Sue Rihn-Manke's "Beemer Hill," which is where this all started; and I felt all my cares and stress go away in the breeze.

            Yep, I love riding two-up! I wouldn't have missed this experience for the world.