Motorcycles and Memories

I recently took a weekend trip to my mother’s house on the outer banks of NC. What made this trip unique was that I rode my motorcycle down.

I have been riding for about 2 years. Not a lot, and not as much as I would like, but I try to get out when the weather is good and I have some time to relax. Due to the increase in gas prices, I have started riding to work now. I drive about 100 miles a day round trip, and it is really helping to bring down the cost of my commute.

But back to the trip…

It is generally a 6 hour trip from my home to my mom’s. I rode into work on Friday morning, (about an hour), and then left from work to head on down, (about another 5 hours). I did have my doubts about the trip. Was I going to be able to ride a bike that far, would I get run over by a truck, would it rain on me…stuff like that.

Even though I have been riding for a couple of years, I still lacked confidence on the bike. I took the riding classes and all, so I am up on the basics. But I am still a newby. The last time I had ridden a motorcycle, (before buying the one I have now), was in Mexico in 1981.

I was 18 years old and some friends at the Holiday Inn in Puerto Vallarta had a little beater tucked in a closet. The chain was hanging off of it and no one knew how to fix or ride it. Truth be known, neither did I. But I convinced them to let me fix it and ride it around town.

I got it running. But I had no idea what I was doing. No helmet. I never got it out of first gear, (maybe second). But I would run up and down the cobblestone streets of the town with the motor just a whining. Every now and then I would end up at the bottom of a hill and I would be forced to push the bike up the hill because of the weak engine and my lack of experience. I even carried a few tools with me to repair the chain when it fell off, (every day).

So here I am now, 45 years old, and running down I-95 on a 700 lbs motorcycle at between 75 and 80 miles an hour. Either I am a complete idiot, or I have to stand on this bike because of the size of my balls. Actually, I am an idiot. But I love riding that bike.

After the ride to NC, (no rain, no run ins with trucks, and only minor cramping), I now have an acceptable amount of confidence. I feel more certain as to what to do in different situations. So I am thinking of selling the car, getting some rain and cold weather gear, and riding the bike all the time. Hell, I’m not rich, and $4 - $5 per gallon gas is not going to suddenly fit into my budget.

I have decided that the only car with acceptable gas mileage, it the car that is paid off. So I think I will be riding the bike for awhile. There may even be a trip down to Florida in my future…we shall see.

-P