“In a car you're always in a compartment, and because you're
used to it you don't realize that through that car window everything you see is
just more TV. You're a passive observer and it is all moving by you boringly in
a frame. On a cycle the frame is gone.
You're completely in contact with it all. You're in the scene, not just
watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming.”
― Robert M.
Pirsig from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
In 48 hours I’ll be on this journey, so it’s time to look at
the map and really get a sense for what I am doing over the next three
weeks. I plugged in my stops and came up
with a whopping 4,600 miles total!! Let
me put that in perspective…
23 states
135 gallons of gas
30 gas stops
70 hours of riding
All I can say is wow… that’s a lot of time in the saddle!
So what does a person do with all that time?
There is an ongoing debate in the motorcycle community. On one side are those who take their music
and such with them with onboard radios, satellite receivers, and Bluetooth connectivity
to stay connected (to those they choose to connect with). On the other side are those who look at their
motorcycle as an escape from all that… no smartphone, no radio, just the sound
of the wind and your engine.
I’m in the later camp.
I really enjoy being unplugged while I ride. I work in an environment where I have a
requirement to be connected all the time.
I get e-mails all day, every day, I’m connected to my computer
constantly. The need to unplug is so
strong that it is almost overwhelming.
I look forward to being unplugged on the road. I want to be able to just SEE and experience what
is around me, not just speed to the next destination. Even though I’ll have some long days, I want
to be able to take the time to stop and enjoy some of the greatness and
weirdness that our magnificent country has to offer.
No agenda… there are people who would embark on a trip like
this with something in their head to figure out. I just want to use this time to clear my mind
of the clutter, maybe find myself again.
I know that sounds a bit melodramatic for a US Army Infantry officer,
but I can absolutely say that over the years I have lost myself in the lunacy
of life.
My day seems to start and end in an absolute sprint. I am not sure that I have been the best
husband and father that I could be because it seems that I am always running
from something. I know this sounds cliché,
but I have been running ever since my Mom died many years ago, and I have been
reluctant to slow down for fear that something might catch up with me.
For a motorcycle rider, motorcycles have that unique ability
to ground us to where we are and help give perspective to what is around us.
What will I find in those 4,600 miles? Bugs, rain, and, I hope, a bit of humanity
lost.
Very moving thoughts Jeff. I'm with you on the approach to, and psychology of, riding. When I test drove the Ultra Classic the other day that's what I felt. I would never use the high dollar stereo, the navigation system, and everything else it had to offer. It was a nice bike, but I felt as though I had left the world of motorcycling at that point. I don't judge anyone for their particular style or approach. It just wasn't me.
ReplyDeleteI'm so jazzed that we are now in count down mode. I truly believe this will be a trip of personal discovery for all three of us.
Just you, the wind, and your thoughts. THAT is the way to travel on a motorcycle :-)
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