Reasons For Not Taking A Motorcycle Road Trip

[emu]

Reason No. 1 ...

Ahhh ... reason #1 ... ?

The reason there is no reason is because if you really want to do it, you will. ... All that is really holding most back is excuses not to do it. The biggest excuse is time. Time constraints. Not enough time. ... Well news flash ... Life is a time constraint ... We only have a finite life span ... Ergo should we all adopt an attitude of not enough time and just not have a life ...

Time constraints are only a tool ... like money and distance ... You work with what you got. I did.

I was a single father with custody of my two daughters ages 7 and 3 and a 750cc Kawi. Also there was an ex-wife armed to the teeth with a legal aid lawyer and vengeance in her heart. Add a full time job and you can imagine spare time and money were a rare commodity. Those first two years my motorcycle trips were limited to tinkering with the bike every second weekend the girls were with their mother. It was stored in a friends garage shed. There was no money for ins. tags or for a new tire that had some how mysteriously been punctured about the time of the separation. So I tinkered, lubed and dreamed. When I got the tire patched, my rides were limited to the field behind the back yard. That tinkering and those short off road trips around the field helped me keep it together.

As as my daughters grew, the court stuff ran it's course and the money I made became mine again. .... And time started to show up again ... spare time. The 750 returned to the road.

My trips were constrained to weekends back then. Ride out all day in any direction ... it didn't matter ... pick back roads as the day unfolded. Stay somewhere the night ... sleep under the stars beside the bike listening to the ping of the cooling engine ... sometimes a cheap motel ... Then ride home the next day. Ahhh they were great rides.

By 1996, I was infested with teenagers and a new 1400 Intruder. Four or five weeks vacations ... Half was motorcycle time. Fri. finish work start vacation ... 2 weeks later return to work Monday morning ... Friday after work ... take off on 1400 ... 2 weeks down the road ... return home late Sunday afternoon. Did Newfoundland like that ... Did New Orleans like that. Found the Blue Ridge on one trip. Just did it. Just loved it.

Over the last decade I have had up to 6 weeks vacation at once. Have left for a trip the first day and returned the day before returning to work 6 weeks later.

The time constraints have loosened ... but were still there. But so what. I wanted to be out there ... even for a few hours ... even a few weeks ... Now in retirement, with a big comfy Nomad under me and camper in tow ... the biggest constraint is the salt water I keep running into where the land seems to end. Oh, there are a few other minor constraints like money and cost of fuel and other little irritants ... But hey ... there are always bugs on the windshield or in your teeth.

My point is no trip, no matter how short the distance, no matter how little time there may be ... If you love to ride and want it ... Do it. There is no reason not to.

[VulcanE]

Oh man, that was beautiful (tear in eye). Well Stated!!!!!!!!!

[Top Cat]

Nice, I really enjoyed reading that. Well, except the part about the greedy, vindictive ex-wife
I'm retired also but Cindy still works so we take trips when she has time off. We plan trips and talk about riding a lot when she can't get the time off.
Riding by myself is not as much fun for me when Cindy is not along on her bike. I will take a short ride but it just is so much better when there is someone along to share the journey.
Glad to here you are enjoying your retirement Emu, sounds like you earned it

[MarkG]

Even a short trip is better than no trip. It is amazing what can be found in the local area, sometimes it is really unique and interesting.

[dabull]

any trip i can squeeze into this short life is taken...after the responsibilities...even if its just a run to Sonic for a coke, or an ice cream:)

[nomad561]

I agree,any ride is better than no ride.

1 hour ride = $5 1 hour with a therapist $100 you do the math

[Cajunrider]

That was great Emu. I thoroughly enjoyed it and more of us need to practice what you've preached. Thanks.

[ells]

Damn, that was good Emu. Thanks for sharing it. If it weren't for a couple inches of fresh snow and more coming, I'd slip out for a short run in your honor, but the next one will be.

[jamiep24]

Well said........Sounds a lot like my life.........Been putting off buying a bike my whole life and I'm 45 and I ain't putting if off anymore..

[jamiep24]

Well said........Sounds a lot like my life.........Been putting off buying a bike my whole life and I'm 45 and I ain't putting if off anymore..

[waterman]

Very nice Emu. However, one thing limiting trips right now is the 10 F temperatures here. I think that you would be frozen to the seat in a couple of miles. It isn't even nice right now walking out to get the firewood.

One day I shall have the time to do exactly what you said and the wife will enjoy also.

Mark, your comment "It is amazing what can be found in the local area, sometimes it is really unique and interesting. " You evidently haven't been in my neck of the woods. To find the interesting places takes a pickup and sometime 4 wheel drive.

[unwind2]

Emu that was great. You should send that into a motorcycle mag and see if they print it. Happy riding!

[biscuitsngravy]

Well said, Emu. You struck a chord within all of us. Thank you!!
BnG

[skeeter]

Preach on, Thanks. I really wanted a longer ride today but opted for much neede rest.

[NRiderUSA]

Unfortunatley all this did was increase my cabin fever and stimulate the spring fever. We got snow and 14 degrees at the moment so as much as I would love to hop on and go with the wind direction... sigh.......its almost spring.