The Road DOES Go On Forever

After my last post, it was requested that I tell about a bike trip.

That would be great, but since my daughter’s impregnator totaled my motorcycle – I don’t have any.

But that does bring up the point that I have so missed riding my motorcycle. First it was the back surgery and then the WRECK. It’s been months since I’ve ridden and I feel as if I have lost part of my body.

I miss striking out across our great country on a grand adventure. But even more than that, I miss having my lady hanging on to me as we twist and curve in the open air.

It doesn’t get much better than that for me.

I did so much on my bike that seems crazy to me now – but it was fun.

Like the time I tried to drive to Los Angeles without stopping. Made it to Deming, NM before I almost died. I guess the LA thing was a little ambitious. Hattiesburg, MS to Deming, NM is 1248 miles, which seems far – but nothing is like the section through Texas – Orange, TX to El Paso, TX on Interstate 10 is 839 miles.

Talk about the Road Going On Forever…………………

Then there was the time I was riding back from a meeting in Monterey, CA – otherwise known as the most beautiful place in the world. I loved riding up the Pacific Coast Highway from LA to Monterey. The vistas were beautiful if you could get over dodging the rock slides which are a little scary on motorcycles!

I rode back down California on the farm roads that go through the most majestic farmland I have ever seen. Got down to Bakersfield mid-afternoon and struck out across the Mojave Desert. This was June 1, 2000. It was 131 degrees. I had on all my leather.

I thought I was going to DIE.

It was so hot that my bike was making horrible sounds. It got so hot that it stretched out my clutch cable so that I had no clutch. I coasted off the Interstate to the only gas stop in the desert where I paid $4 per gallon for gas and paid $3 for a glass of sweet tea. There was a sign that said “Please do not complain to our employees about the prices – It is very expensive to operate a business in the desert and if you are truly dissatisfied there is another stop 90 West of here and 120 miles East.

Point well taken by me.

I stayed in the shade of the lone tree there until my bike cooled down enough to start and use the clutch.

Then in two hours I was in Kingman, AZ at 6000 feet above sea level and it was so cold as night fell that I thought I was going to die again for the opposite reason. The oxygen was so thin that after I stopped for a burger, I couldn’t get my bike started again.

I wanted to cry because I was so tired – but I pushed onward after finally getting it going using the choke.

I could tell you about stopping on the side of the interstate in Texas and getting off my bike to stretch my legs and a big trucks breaks locked up and it almost swept me and my bike off into oblivion.

Or the time in Houston when I had to put my foot on the bumper of a car to keep it from running over me in a thunderstorm.

Or about the tornados I have seen as I went through Oklahoma.

It’s a big world out there and being on a big motorcycle traveling through it with no thought for a plan is a wonderful way of finding out who you are and what you believe.

And I miss that.

I have decided to wait until I get a few things taken care of before I start again on the motorcycling. I told myself to wait until the first of the year to make any decisions.

So wait I will.

And in the meantime, I will live and love and enjoy all the fruits that have come my way.

I will dream of riding off into the sunset yet again – but not alone anymore. I don’t have to go anywhere alone as long as I live.

And that is so cool.

Peace