Today I met up with a non-riding girlfriend and we had coffee and when I was done I just felt the need for some helmet time with nothing but the whine and hum of the engine. It was a beautiful sunny day & not too cold. Off I went into the sunshine and it felt as if Scarlet and I were meshing and riding was smoothing out.
I love the feel of the road, the purr of the engine, the technical areas of riding smoothly. My favorite part is when I am going up to a stop and my foot slides down and the pavement meets the sole of my boot. To me it almost feels balletic and graceful. I love watching other riders shift and ride, there is an art to motorcycling and scootering and only those in the club truly understand our feelings of joy and the flush of excitement at the merest thought of adventuring out on the asphalt ribbon.
After two hours out on the bike, my soul felt still and calm.
12 comments:
Nice! I'd hate to have to lock the bikes away like you guys have to.
Glad you had the chance to get out for a pootle!
An accurate and very eloquent description of that first, long awaited ride of the season.
I am very jealous!!
Make it a safe, sound and long season Princess.
I agree. There is such deep joy in the poise and skill of riding well. Balletic is a good description for how we operate our motorcycles after getting experience.
I'm shocked, however, at your insurance cost! Here, I pay only $200 for a year of insurance. (Perhaps the difference is that our insurance covers only liability for harm we cause to others, not any harm that happens to us.)
The rush of joy and the thrill of anticipation...FULFILLED!
Sounds like an awesome ride and what a poetic description of the sensations of riding...YES, it is a blast, isn't it?
I've had non-riding people ask me if I am going to quit riding now that I live in the burbs.
I just look at them like they're clueless, which they are!
Glad you had an awesome outing on Scarlet!
Well said ... "After two hours out on the bike, my soul felt still and calm." I am so looking forward to riding again.
Ah, the call of the season. Can't wait to be back on the road again.
Hooray for the bike being insured again. Glad you got out for a scoot!!
Andrew I generally don't park it, but was getting tired of swamping through the rain. The Island and lower mainland pretty much has riding weather when the rest of Canada doesn't , albeit in the rain.
Coop - thanks very much! Safety is my middle name, unfortunately when you start out riding older you can't really afford to have too many owies because my middle aged bones don't heal as well as they used too. Hope you get some riding in soon!
Shy - Ally I knew you would appreciate the grace and art of riding. My insurance carries $3million in liability for myself and others, I also have underinsured mototorist and there is a component to replace my gear and replacement value of my bike. The standard fire and theft as well. With my insurance I get a 43% safer driver's discount for driving got so long and for having taken a motorcycle training course. So without that I would have been paying another $500 bucks.
Deb - I am glad you stopped by, I've been a worrying about you. Hang in there sweet ScooterDiva you will be feeling the call of the road soon. The other day when I was doing the bit about distracted driving on the radio a fellow wrote in saying "Motorcycling is dangerous, why not ban motorcycling?" Well I went to town on that one and talked about risk mitigation , etc, this person obviously has never ridden a scooter or motorcycle and will never understand the song of the road.
Pam - as soggy as I get sometimes I think I would rather ride through the drudge of a rainy winter than watch my bike sitting in the garage. I don't know how you do it and how it doesn't drive you crazy. Here's hoping spring chases away Old Man Winter soon!
Sonya - you getting any decent weather over on the mainland to pullout Rover or the scoots? It has warmed up considerably the last 2 weeks. The trees are in full blossom and things are getting green again.
Trobairitz - it was the best 2 hours I have had in a long time. I aimlessly wandered all by myself, I really don't mind solitary riding, don't get me wrong, I like riding in small groups, but I like being able to stop when I want, take pics or just chill looking at the scenery.
Dar:
I know what you mean about the rain but our traffic over here is unforgiving and aggressive. So I just decided not to ride if I didn't feel like it.
One time I was in torrential rain in Port Moody. The water was like a river on the streets, with lots of pooling water and I thought to myself "why am I doing this?". It's not like you have to prove anything to anyone and I already had cars insured and just sitting at home, so I mostly just take the car when the weather gets bad. Of course, when you are on a trip, the weather is what it is.
I also had a good riding day on Saturday. I also got to walk in the sand
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
Bob
I tried to post a comment on your blog and again blogspot was giving me issues, I think I am going to switch back to a laptop for blogging adventures.
Loved the pictures, Saturday was a stunning day and I had to go for a rip too, because it was just too nice not to! Aren't your toes cold in that sand?
I feel the same about riding in the rain, I have nothing to prove and for me I just have to take 1 bus to work and it is practically outside my front door, so why not take the easy route. We have some pretty aggressive drivers here too and they make me nuts.
Can you have a talk with my wife and explain the feeling of being on a motorcycle? ;-)
I don't think she understands why sometimes I JUST have to get on the bike even if it's for a short ride. She says "but you have been there how many times?" non riders will never understand.
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