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'Tis the Season - A Cornucopia
 By
Dave Preston
Here’s a three course “feast” of “food for thought” that comes to
mind at this time of year.
SALAD COURSE: Consider the joy of truly sucky weather. Don’t
you wonder if people who live in “perfect” weather conditions
occasionally get… bored? The recent tragic fires in Southern
California have put a dent in their riding perfection, but still – I
do enjoy the occasional ride on a really crummy day.
Caveat #1 This may not apply to people who have a motorcycle
as their only form of transportation. I spent a number of years
where I had to ride every day to work as the price of being able to
afford a motorcycle – a price I did not mind paying for sure, but
there were days and days of endless rain and cold and it did get old
at times.
Caveat #2 The following only applies if you have gear to stay
warm and dry.
So why enjoy? As long as I have time for a long ride, I do not
really mind donning the necessary gear and the inevitable trashing
of the bike. After all, what is more relaxing than washing a bike in
the driveway? You need to get the bike dirty once in awhile to
“earn” the downtime of cleaning it.
Most of the bikes many of us ride these days have more performance
than you can use on most public roads. So, you might invest in a
track day. Or – go for a ride on back roads covered with wet leaves,
with gravel in some of the corners – same thing! There is no
challenge in the state, to my way of thinking, to equal Mosquito
Lake Road on a cold and wet day in the fall! There is no easier road
to crash on that I know of. Riding it well in the rain does not
require a lot of speed – you can thrill yourself by sticking pretty
much to the
speed limit. I have to admit that I focus so intently on
this road that I do not know off hand what the speed limit is. The
last time I took this one on I remained “pumped” for two days.
I had the occasion last winter to go for a back road blast on a
Triumph Bonneville Scrambler. Perfect. You could see where de-icer
compound had been laid down recently, and you had a “safe” line
through each corner that was about 18 inches wide. I did not need
160hp or a lot of speed to have an excellent time.
MAIN COURSE: You’re welcome to borrow any of the sample
responses provided to the comments of extended family during the
holidays. Season to taste.
Uncle Bob: “Aren’t you getting too old for motorcycles?”
You: “I don’t know, Uncle Bob. How old is too old? And what shall I
do instead? Sit around and complain about politicians when I choose
not to vote? Watch crap shows on TV? Tell stories about “the good
old days”?
What is it that old people do?”
Aunt Fay: “Motorcycles are so dangerous, aren’t they?”
You: “Did you know that more people die while walking across the
street every year than are killed on motorcycles? It’s true! How
about skiing? Mountain climbing? Hunting? Everyone likes to talk
about how dangerous the hobbies of other people are – but not their
own. And how do we define dangerous? Auntie, your husband Bob is out
on the porch starting into his second pack of cigarettes today, he
just polished off his third scotch, and he’s 75 pounds overweight.
How do you define ‘dangerous’?
Cousin Lou: “Aren’t you concerned with using precious oil for a toy?
You: “Well, Louie – I look at my motorcycle and I look at your SUV
Whaleapus, or whatever one you have this year. Your SUV left a huge
carbon footprint merely by being manufactured – far more damaging to
the atmosphere than my motorcycle will be throughout its lifetime.
That’s not counting the daily damage you cause with your 12mpg while
my bike is consistently in the 40s. Since I ride mine to work
almost every day, the miles I put on for pleasure still do not get
me anywhere near the ecological holocaust your SUV leaves in its
wake. Since I have been riding bikes, and saving fuel, for 40 years
now, ever since Al Gore and I both rode, I think he owes me a trophy
now.
Niece Jane: “Yes, but I drive a hybrid.”
You: “Nice try, Jane, but the jury is still out. Do you know how
your hybrid actually operates? Didn’t think so. In a few years, when
you need to replace the batteries and/or the conversion units,
you’ll learn what materials are discarded in the process, and what
it costs, and you might begin to feel that the manufacturers took
advantage of your enthusiasm for the environment. Of course, that is
exactly what they did.
Caveat: Use of any of the above responses will probably ensure you
are never invited to a family gathering again. Only you can decide
if that is a good thing or a bad thing.
DESSERT COURSE: Happy times to reflect upon while the turkey
you just stuffed yourself with sends you off to a nice nap.
It was last summer. You were on a ride with friends. At a long
stoplight you glanced in the mirror and you could see three of your
friends in an animated story of some sort. The helmets were bobbing
and hands gesticulating, and you could both hear and sense the
laughter. These are good friends. That was a good time. Motorcycles
are great. And you are grateful.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you and yours!
Dave Preston is the author of Motorcycle 101, a sensible book
for the new and returning rider. |
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