Aging and the Desire to Ride Motorcycles

As Old as I Think

The air was clear, the light brilliant as my friend Dave and I started our ride to breakfast. I can’t count how many times I’ve stopped at Wampler to take in the view, thrilled that the only evidence of civilization are motorcycles and the path carved from the side of the mountain. I’m still drawn to this place, visited many times as a simple destination for an evening ride to watch the light change, see a black bear cross the road, or listen to a hawk shriek overhead.

I’ve been speaking with a friend about getting old and what that means. The conversation highlighted the value of curiosity and adventure as a way to keep old age at bay. My body is aging but my mind stays young through motion, thought, and living. I wonder whether I ride to stay young or I feel young because I ride.

Whatever it is, the desire to ride motorcycles remains strong.

An Accidental Forest

Dave recently had the carburetors rebuilt and synchronized on his 1992 BMW R100 GS. The ride through the mountains offered a good performance test as we wound our way through Rothrock State Forest. Stopping at Alan Seeger Natural Area is like visiting the Eiffel Tower in Paris. When you’re there, you just have to stop and look.

My first visit was during the fall of 1973 in my orange VW bug. One of many early adventures to explore the landscape in which I lived. Some of the huge, 500-year-old hemlocks were still standing then before storms and hurricanes finally brought them down.

This area is one of the few remaining tracts of old-growth forest in Pennsylvania, spared the ax because two competing logging companies couldn’t figure out who owned the land before the crews moved on felling almost every tree in the Commonwealth.

After visiting this place many times over the last fifty plus years I am still curious. So much to see, so many thoughts to ponder. And getting here just strengthens by desire to ride a motorcycle.

An Aging Test

Discussing aging challenges with a friend he pointed out some balance issues that keeps him off ladders now and how hard it is to just look up at the sky. Dave is showing off by peering upward into the trees.

Recognizing Milestones

My Royal Enfield Himalayan has provided a lot of fine rides and adventures. Not serious miles as some riders accumulate, but a lot for me considering I spread my riding life across five machines. I saw the odometer about to turn over to the 4000 miles and thought it appropriate to stop, turn off the engine, and document the moment. Seems right that it happened on a gravel road in the mountains of Central Pennsylvania.

The Himalayan remains a perfect companion for the kind of riding I do. The only change I anticipate making regards the tires. Since much of my riding with this bike is off the pavement I am thinking of something more aggressive to make those frequent stretches of really loose gravel feel a little more stable. At the moment I am seriously considering a pair of Dunlop 606 tires. Street legal knobby tires. They won’t last long but hell, I don’t put tons of miles on the bike. And who knows how long I’ll last. A painfully honest assessment of my riding suggests the Dunlop Trailmax Mission tires would be a far better choice.

Whatever I choose, I know a pair of new tires will support my ongoing desire to ride motorcycles.

How Important is a Stop for Breakfast?

Extremely important. A stop to stretch, eat, and use the bathroom. Especially as I get older, the more reasons to get off the bike the better. I’ve reached a point in my life when I don’t feel like pushing more miles or more time in the saddle for no good reason. When I think of riding freedom it has more to do with slowing down now. Certainly not everyone’s cup of tea but if I want to maintain the desire to ride motorcycles I better be honest about what I want and need.

Dave and I stopped for breakfast at the Honeycreek Inn in Milroy Pennsylvania. A nice place to refuel and recharge before heading down the road again.

Amish Country

Riding directly east of Milroy, Pennsylvania took us into New Lancaster Valley. It’s a narrow and scenic mountain valley in the rough terrain of Mifflin County, just over the border of the Bald Eagle State Forest. The valley is full of Amish farms and the roads offer specific evidence of buggy traffic with heavy tracks from steel covered wheels and plenty of horse manure. This area is one of the most beautiful places in Pennsylvania to ride in my opinion.

We were heading towards the mountains to cross over towards home. More dirt and gravel adventures.

Age and Desire

There are so many myths, slogans, and beliefs about aging that it’s hard to know what is true. After sorting through them like a miner panning for gold I’m left with a few shiny nuggets of old man gold. The first is I’m as old as I feel. Simple and true. On a day when I’m standing at Big Valley Vista, looking across the valley, and riding the Himalayan, I feel like a kid exploring a new neighborhood on my bicycle. On other days when I’m stuck at home with a sore back, I feel ancient and start believing I’m nearing the end. Those feelings are parts psychological, emotional, and physical. My challenge is to not let the psychological and emotional stuff run wild.

And perhaps the biggest barometer of the youth/old age experience is curiosity. As long as I remain curious about the world around me and remain open to learning and experience I won’t feel old. My body might complain and my brain may lie, but curiosity will keep me getting out of bed and looking forward to what happens next. And for now it just keeps my desire to ride motorcycles alive and kicking.