Please allow images to load

There's Always an Excuse

June 20^th, 2007

muse@bikerenews.com

I just don't seem to be getting enough riding time in lately. It may be that making a living is getting in the way of having a life, but most of us have that problem. It may be that the classes I've been taking at ODU are getting in the way of my recreation, but that's another article all by its self. It may be that I've been trying to find more family oriented recreation activities. This is not a problem, other than my hobbies are getting in the way of each other.

Ride for Sarah

What I've come to realize over the last few months, is that not everything about motorcycles is about riding. Now this may seem obvious, but it has taken me a while to catch on to this. I seem to be doing a lot of motorcycle related stuff, but not a lot of riding.

Since my February article, I've managed to squeeze in some great rides like the Blue Knights Ride for Sarah and the Red Knights Regional Ride in March. I was invited to go along with Phil and Rich to the "Shrine of the HONDA", and I made a weekend trip to Solomon's Island, MD to attend the Red Knights Southern Conference in May. This month I got in another 260 miles on another Red Knights Regional Ride, and I'll be attending a Donation Ride for the Virginia Beach Fire and EMS Memorial later this month.

Even with these rides, I'm way behind on my mileage for the 2007 riding season. The problem is that other motorcycle STUFF, has been diverting my attention. For example, somehow I got elected as TAMA's Secretary for 2007. It was sort of like everyone else taking a step backwards when the Club Representatives were looking for a volunteer. It doesn't take much other than showing up to the monthly meetings, updating the calendar, saving it in a PDF format, and forwarding it to Biker eNews for posting. Unfortunately, I've already had to miss one meeting due to a scheduling conflict.

I also got myself elected as the Secretary and Treasurer (and unofficial Webmaster) for the Red Knights Virginia Chapter IV. Again, this isn't normally a big deal, but we have been trying to incorporate the Chapter as a non-profit, and to promote the Chapter within the Fire Service community, as well as with other regional (in-state and out-state) Red Knights Chapters.

I like the folks from both of these organizations and believe in what they are trying to do to promote goodwill in the local community and specifically in the motorcycle community. The problem is that it is too easy for me to trick my brain into believing that the administrative stuff is "motorcycling." Whether making deposits, drafting minutes, or writing emails, my brain (not to mention my family) sees it as participating in motorcycling.

Looking back, I realize that the time I spend on these admin activities use to be time that I spend on attending events, and the time that I'm spending on local events is the time that I use to spend riding over the horizon on solo trips.

Red Knights Dixie

I have been feeling a little "over committed" for a while, but it was a recent event that seems to have snapped me back to my senses. There is this "older, grayer, BIGGER" guy (who also writes for Biker eNews) that recently participated in the SEAL 160 Iron Butt Ride.

I didn't know he was going to participate until I read it in his article. This is not because he was trying to keep it a secret, and it is not like he checks with me before he takes a trip. That is just his natural riding style. He doesn't make a big deal about going somewhere or planning all of the details before he gets started. He just rides. It may be a short ride or it may be a long ride (like 1,000 miles in 24 hours). He doesn't think about riding, he rides.

I don't come anywhere close to being in his "Riding League," but I did catch myself sounding a little like him a few weeks ago. As our group was getting ready to head to Solomon's Island from Newport News on a Friday morning, the Road Captain was covering alternate routes for getting to the conference. He turned to me and asked, "What do you think?" My only response was to ask, "We'll be back in Virginia Beach by Sunday night?" When he responded with a yes, I relied that all I wanted to know was whether we were turning left or right out of the parking lot. After that I didn't care.

I may not be as flexible (let me change that to fluid) as my friend, but it reminds me that I certainly want to ride like him when I grow up.

Hope to see as many of you as possible on the road. Ride Safe.

Talking with my Mentor (Rich Naylor)


Red Knights Dixie Beer Engine


Red Knights Breakfast club

Back to "Muse from the Rest Area"

Back to More from Gary