I bought my first motorcycle in 1967. It was shortly after my sister's boyfriend showed up at our house on a brand new Triumph Bonneville. My bike was not quite as spectacular. The used Allstate 59 scooter had a 3 speed shift on the left side of the handlebar and that classic 2 stroke whine. That bike set the hook though, and since then it has been followed by 31 more bikes. I have ridden through most of the eastern states and provinces. I have continued on in rain, snow, heat and cold. I tend to fall often in the woods and have memories and scars from some of the better ones. Why do we do it?
More than 95% of my riding has been alone. I like to go where I want to and stop when I want to. I feel I do some of my best thinking while riding. I am relaxed and focused on riding conditions. I tend to let my mind go where it wants to rather than force it in any particular direction. This is the opposite of what happens most of the time. We are conditioned to think about our challenges and possible solutions. The mind actually works better if you give it a problem to solve and go on to something else. When I take off on Saturday morning, I have already spent the week thinking about the various challenges in my life. It is amazing how often some type of solution pops into my head when I am two hours from home and thinking about lunch.
How many times have you sat on the curb in the parking lot of a distant gas station having a cool drink and watching the world go by? In the normal course of your like, would you do that? Maybe we put up with the discomfort and inconvenience of riding long distances because it allows us to slow down and ponder. If that is all there is to it then it is enough for me. I think there is more. Let me know what you think.
