I started riding the touge, and wherever I got to a turnout or overlook or wherever guys would stop, I would stop too. I found that MC guys are happy to talk while we both look at the bike and not each other, which made it easier for my autistic self. Also, I made an effort to look people in the face an remember faces and names, which was the hardest as I have some form of mild face-blindness.
Anyway, after some practice, I got to where I could have a conversation.
Back then (this was 12 years ago) there was an online dating site that was known for artsy girls. I figured artsy grills would be more accepting. I guess now it would be tindr or something.
So for about a year I was writing women on the site, and my social life was weekend "hey you like them shorty levers?" kind of conversations.
I learned that the best thing with the dating was to get to a first meet, like for coffee, as soon as possible. I went on a LOT of first dates with no second. I didn't want to try and push for someone to like me if they just didn't.
Eventually I met a sweet, very well educated writer who was perfectly OK with my weird self. She says now that she thought the motorcycle thing was manly, so I guess that worked.
It literally went like: We agreed to meet in the afternoon at a bar, we met, neither one ran away, we had a second date (dinner! Woo!), then a third, etc. I was just my weird self the whole time. This was like the fiftieth grill I met, I was used to endless first dates and not worried.
Now we have a kid, and he's getting all the help and services I didn't get when I was growing up, lucky little guy