Well there is another reason...but this turned out to be a long post, no need to read it
Today a friend of mine (newest member gtlloyd) asked me if I wanted to go for a ride. He bought a new RT1150 and I went with him to pick it up today. So, as I was sitting at work and got a call 0900 asking if I would consider riding him up on the beast (my R12CL) and ride back with him from PA, I said let me think about it? At 0901 I told him I would meet him at 11AM with my bike since I had my truck with me at work.
I decided although this is my last week with my current company and I have been stressed trying to get everything transitioned even though they are the issue, not me, I realized I needed a ride. So, off we were to PA (Trans-AM BMW) to pick up his new RT.
We shot up there via 15 to 30 through Gettysburg about 1.5 hours, but the ride back we took many back roads winding our way the whole way back. It had been 1 ½ years since he rode, so after a few minutes around the area he was back in the saddle and off we were. I let him take lead and just go at his pace and stop if needed until he was comfortable riding again and with his new bike.
After traveling around 100 miles, and many back roads, I quickly realized he got his motorcycle legs back. When we hit some somewhat local (about 20 miles from home) roads I realized we were traveling faster on the twisties then we were on the open roads
Anyway, what I am saying is, as we headed out about 3:15, I think it was 3:16 when I realized... I hit my zen and over the next 3 hours, as I said we had a long ride home over some great roads, I was totally free of everything but the joy of the ride.
So, RM, your article about freedom is VERY relevant. However, for me I love music and like hearing the change of the tracks in the CD player. It is like each song change or curve, or road change is a new ride or new adventure for me. With each mile I travel and each song goes by, I get further and further away from the stress and closer and closer to pure pleasure of the freedom your article mentions.
So, as the day started out with high stress, it ended very relaxed and with several hundred miles on my bike. I will admit though, sometimes when you (‘I’ – I maybe only speaking for myself) have something on your mind and really have a hard time not thinking about it, the ride allows you the freedom to think as well.
As much as I obsess over the ride, the ride allows me to obsess over that one thing on my mind I can’t stop thinking about. The ride...It relaxes you and takes all your concentration, but yet it allows you to totally think about what’s on your mind. Give it total concentration as much as the ride itself. Maybe if our world leaders would just go out for a ride and think about things before taking action, we could live in peace