I had the distinct pleasure of having dinner with a great friend of mine and his family this evening, taking pity on my geo-bachelor self, ensuring, as he put it, that I was not turning feral in my new found habitat. He is a very interesting person to talk to, we come from different sort of worlds as far as the Army is concerned (did I mention I am in the Army? More on that in a later post). We worked together for some time last year and hit it off, and I thoroughly enjoy our conversations about anything and everything.
Quick plug for him, his website is a great trove of military and political opinion. If you are so inclined, please check it out at the link below:
http://www.havokjournal.com/
Anyway, as we caught up a bit I mentioned this upcoming trip to Sturgis and the fact I was riding, and expected to cover about 4,000 miles in the few weeks that I will be gone. I was discussing my route, NY to Asheville, NC, through Tail of the Dragon, to Alabama where I'll link up with my wife and kids. From there to Texas to meet my Dad and brother, then the three of us will head north to Sturgis, SD. After the rally it'll be the most direct route back to NY for me to get back to work.
The sheer amount of traveling always seems to beg the question, "Why are you riding all that, why don't you trailer your motorcycle or something like that?"
That is a great question, and one that I have discussed with my Dad, my wife, many others, and was again posed to me this evening by this friend of mine.
I think for many men (maybe women as well... I don't know) that there is an urge to explore and be out in "the world". It is this desire and feeling that brings many of us to motorcycling. This is often described as "freedom" or even escapism, but I think it is something different. We desire to experience the romance of the frontier horseman. These are the men that explored west from our original states and laid the foundation for our country. They headed west in search of new opportunity and a new life. Freedom from the bonds that may have been holding them back in the "New World" which was quickly resembling what had been left behind in England (except for the whole monarchy thing 'cause 'Merica!).
A trip like this one to Sturgis is part of that imprint in my brain. I have spent my entire adult life in the Army where I have been humbled to serve alongside and lead some of the greatest men and women that America has to offer in my generation. There is something to be said for having served my country as long as I have, but to not have experienced it at the almost granular level.
There is also the simple challenge of doing it. Riding that much is a task, it's difficult and challenging. There is some form of bragging rights that go along with being able to say that you rode to Sturgis. It's about really being a "biker" not just a person who flys in and flys out for the event. I have nothing against the people who chose that route, I cannot speak to their time constraints, their vehicle constraints, or their basic level of desire. However, in some area of their core, they WANT to ride to Sturgis.
Riding the route I am is not anything special, many people ride from far away places to attend the Sturgis Rally. This trip is merely special to me, and the time spent with my brother and Dad will be a memory that I will carry forever.
So, why ride? Because it's there to do and to be able to say I did it.
Quick plug for him, his website is a great trove of military and political opinion. If you are so inclined, please check it out at the link below:
http://www.havokjournal.com/
Anyway, as we caught up a bit I mentioned this upcoming trip to Sturgis and the fact I was riding, and expected to cover about 4,000 miles in the few weeks that I will be gone. I was discussing my route, NY to Asheville, NC, through Tail of the Dragon, to Alabama where I'll link up with my wife and kids. From there to Texas to meet my Dad and brother, then the three of us will head north to Sturgis, SD. After the rally it'll be the most direct route back to NY for me to get back to work.
The sheer amount of traveling always seems to beg the question, "Why are you riding all that, why don't you trailer your motorcycle or something like that?"
That is a great question, and one that I have discussed with my Dad, my wife, many others, and was again posed to me this evening by this friend of mine.
I think for many men (maybe women as well... I don't know) that there is an urge to explore and be out in "the world". It is this desire and feeling that brings many of us to motorcycling. This is often described as "freedom" or even escapism, but I think it is something different. We desire to experience the romance of the frontier horseman. These are the men that explored west from our original states and laid the foundation for our country. They headed west in search of new opportunity and a new life. Freedom from the bonds that may have been holding them back in the "New World" which was quickly resembling what had been left behind in England (except for the whole monarchy thing 'cause 'Merica!).
A trip like this one to Sturgis is part of that imprint in my brain. I have spent my entire adult life in the Army where I have been humbled to serve alongside and lead some of the greatest men and women that America has to offer in my generation. There is something to be said for having served my country as long as I have, but to not have experienced it at the almost granular level.
There is also the simple challenge of doing it. Riding that much is a task, it's difficult and challenging. There is some form of bragging rights that go along with being able to say that you rode to Sturgis. It's about really being a "biker" not just a person who flys in and flys out for the event. I have nothing against the people who chose that route, I cannot speak to their time constraints, their vehicle constraints, or their basic level of desire. However, in some area of their core, they WANT to ride to Sturgis.
Riding the route I am is not anything special, many people ride from far away places to attend the Sturgis Rally. This trip is merely special to me, and the time spent with my brother and Dad will be a memory that I will carry forever.
So, why ride? Because it's there to do and to be able to say I did it.
Well said Jeff....well said.
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