Do You Need a Reason to Ride?
Life often is chaotic. Full of the administrative tasks and duties that can run a person ragged. From going to the grocery store, the Post Office, on any of the other tedious errands that can consume a day, approached with the wrong frame of mind they become toxic little acts of life. Endeavoring to see them as excuses to ride has quietly changed the quality of my days. I’ve reaped dividends in miles, smiles, and a psychic draining of the emotional weight of duty and requirement.
How many excuses to ride do you have?
A Little Quiet Time
Sometimes I just need some space. To think. Let my imagination run wild. Or recharge my batteries. Going for a ride does that. And when there is no time for an “official” ride, taking my Vespa ET4 scooter out to handle an errand does double duty — utility in handling the tasks at hand, and providing that meaningful space where I return home a changed man.
Another of the important excuses to ride.
All That’s Required is to Get Up and Go
I tell myself I’m really busy. Wonder to others how I ever had time for full-time employment now that I’m retired. It’s pleasant to discover that the tedious and often boring tasks and errands can be transformed into lovely little rides. When I release my grip on the belief that the only time it’s worth rolling a scooter or motorcycle out of the garage is to engage a day-long 350 mile adventure I can begin to lead a calmer, more serene existence through frequent interactions with the two-wheeled magicians in my garage.
With so many excuses to ride in my life I am hurdling towards nirvana. One ride at a time.
The Actual Destination
The endgame of this ride was the acquisition of a half-gallon, glass bottle of fresh locally produced milk. Meyer Dairy is exactly 2.3 miles from my house. A five minute ride on a rather non-descript traffic artery. But that milk run is easily transformed into a more visually and psychologically stimulating eight-mile ride that satisfied both the need for milk and the need for a little wind therapy.
The better I become at accepting the limitations of time in my life, and the ability to let go of my predisposed ideas of what a good ride is, the happier I become. I see no limits in either the excuses to ride or the extent of happiness in my life.
I’m a slow, stubborn learner. In part because I hold tight to my beliefs regardless of how irrational they might be. The desire to ride more often has softened how tightly I cling to things. Especially in regard to riding.
It’s great to have excuses to ride. How many do you have?
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Hello Steve, as always very well said.
Riding to complete tasks or chores absolutely limits the yawn factor of responsibility. I enjoy the banter from friendly strangers at a doctors office regarding my helmet and leathers.
Thank you!
Paul
I agree with your observations. Especially the unexpected banter with strangers. Makes the world seem a lot more friendly.
Hi Steve,
I too don’t know how I ever found time to go to work. Since acquiring the MP3 I find myself making daily excuses to run errands. Love that giant pet carrier!
There’s a 2020 Piaggio MP3 Sport for sale at a dealer near here. They are amazing machines.
I too have become more accepting of shorter rides and not unlike yourself a ride wasn’t a RIDE if we/I wasn’t out for least half the day. Well, not so much these days and I’ve embraced my local shopping toots on the CT.
In my current incarnation I am open to any sort of ride that I can fit into my life. I’ve let go of all the “requirements’ for a good ride. And I have discovered they are all good rides.
I saw your handsome red CT on Instagram out in the woods. A beautiful place for a ride.
Hi Steve,
I find that the number of excuses to ride is exactly the same answer as to the question how many bikes should one have in the garage..
always (n)+1
🙂
Isn’t moto-math wonderful!
Hi Steve, I really enjoy your philosophical take on what really makes riding a bike (any bike) what it is. Two-wheeled magician is about as nice a description as it can get. Germany is smaller and everything seems more condensed when I need to go somewhere, so the real challenge is to find an excuse why the store I drove to was not the one around the corner, but the one that took my Vespa an hour I get to. 😄
Thank you for the work you’re putting into writing and the videos! -Jens
Like you, I seem to always be trying to figure out how to make the route longer. Why take the direct route when you can meander for an hour??
I am currently enjoying writing more than making videos. Not sure why but I’ll just do what feels right. I don’t need to do anything I don’t want to in regard to YouTube.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and comments. I appreciate them.
I experienced that years ago living in Delaware County, NY. The nearest town was four miles away and we had a pretty small refrigerator. That being the case I made several runs a week into town for groceries, mailing needs and to the local DMV. My part-time job was a thirty-six mile round trip along with a seventy-four mile round trip for the occasional doctor visit. Weather permitting I did as much as I could on two wheels saving gas and wear and tear on the car. A good year was about four thousand miles on the collection of motorcycles and scooters. It made living in the sticks tolerable for me.
I can relate to everything you shared. Utilizing scooters and motorcycles for chores and errands makes everything feel lighter. Tolerable.
What I love about “administrative” rides is that is normalizes motorcycling as something more than a hobby or the like. I’ve had lots of great conversations standing in line in my gear at the grocery store or in a waiting room that builds bridges with our fellow road-goers who don’t ride–little ambassadorial moments.
Little ambassadorial moments. I like that Val. I’ve had many of those conversations and hopefully have helped build some goodwill and understanding of the moto-world.
Hi Steve. I would like to say how happy I am you’ve returned to a bit more writing. You seem to be on a roll here, and it’s been great to see and read.
Funny thing – with the purchase of my new/used Nissan Leaf, I am also finding excuses to go on small errands – in the Leaf. I simply love how it drives, and I get a happy feeling giving off no emissions and passing gas stations. The greatest benefit, though, is no gear to put on – grab the key, sunglasses, a baseball cap, and you’re off. I’ll still get some wind therapy in, but for those small errands, the Leaf is very, very difficult to beat. Stay well!
I took a long break from writing and from making YouTube videos. A lot was piling up in my head without realizing the weight of trying to do so many things. A friend helped me sort out what it truly important and valuable to me and writing emerged. I’ve shed a lot of other things now so I can focus time everyday to write. Blog posts and I’ve finished a couple chapters on a book. I’ve lost interest in making videos which frees a lot of time. And riding is much more satisfying when I’m not producing video footage. There’s more freedom when the most complicated documentation is making a quick photograph.
I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen a Nissan Leaf in person. I’ll keep my eyes open. Who knows what our next car will be.
Lately my get up and go has got up and went! But going to pay the water bill is always a must ride. That road is so close to our house and so much fun.
I think the cure for that is a new motorcycle. Paul always reminds me — I’m getting older, I have the money, what am I waiting for??