Why do you ride? - Page 3

 



Good one!

I don't think anybody else rides in the miserable conditions of heat
and bad roads
that I endure here in central California.

This situation makes riding a sportbike 200 miles in one day
positively heroic
for me, as I have to stop every 50 miles or so to take three Ibuprofen
for my back pain.

Today's ride was particularly fatiguing.

I started out with 34 pounds of air in my rear tire when the ambient
temperature was around 60 degrees F.

Today's 100 mile ride wasn't as much affected by temperature rise as
it was by elevation gain as I climbed from 500 feet above sea level to
7200 feet ASL.

That turned my little GSXR750 into a torture rack as the air pressure
in my rear tire rose to 38 pounds.

Duallie pickups and stakebed trucks and cattle trailers carrying
livestock to the high pastures have torn up the road, just as frost
heaves and tree roots undermining the pavement have ruined it.

I only rode 100 miles today, but I'm totally exhausted...

But riding motorcycles is fun, right?

 

I think their theory is partially correct.

On a bike, you are connected to the ride and the road in a much more
profound way than being isolated with by the creature comforts in a
car. The only way you could probably be more connected to the ride and
road in on a horse.

With that connection comes an awareness of your surroundings - odors
in the air, sounds, sights, the feeling of wind/air rushing against
you, acceleration, etc - even if you aren't consciously aware of it
100%. All senses are much more alive and in touch when riding and yet,
there is something meditative and soothing about riding, especially on
the open road.

In-town with heavy traffic isn't very meditative; it's bothersome as
the ride becomes secondary and surviving becomes primary. On the open
ride, those priorities switch.

When I rode to TX recently and it was 100F with the sun was beating
down, I did feel a twinge of jealousy now and then, especially on day
one, seeing cars go by with folks hair blowing around due to a/c and
people eating and drinking while remaining blissfully unaware of the
heat and sun.

But after awhile that passed, especially as the scenery and topography
changed. It was at that point that it became clear that I would have
never noticed much, if any, of the surroundings in a car - and what a
loss that would have been.

So, riding is somewhat meditative mixed with exhilaration and fun.
Three things, I don't usually experience behind the wheel of a car.

 


Plus at 54, I needed to be able to know i can do it ;)

 



We're still talking about motorcycle riding, right?  (Just checking!)