The LONG Ride Home

“The motorcycle is like a marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it wrote the Author John Steinbeck”.

All most people with transportation toys, like cars, motorcycles, horses and bicycles lack is a destination. It’s not just enough to ride; we need goals, a mecca, if you will.

This story started out as a story about my ride home but, I am now more torn thinking about an upcoming birthday than writing about traveling. Most people my age don’t do what I do; nor take the time to write some of their thoughts or adventure down.

Eventually, I think, everything I write one day may take a life of its own. Eventually, everything will become bigger and longer. That is, as if I was writing a book, I would then go into way more details about the ride and riding.

And of course, we all think we have way more time left in retirement, to do all the things we aren’t doing now, don’t we?

A friend of the family gave me a great gift yesterday; that today, I am now enjoying. A home to spend the night in; located right on the Oregon coast, and overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Honest, just a short distance away the waves now crash towards my barefoot feet with only a glass separating me from the saltwater. I can see and hear every wave as it comes ashore; beautiful music is playing softly in the background.

Oh my god, a perfect place to write! The sand from my viewpoint is beach like, inviting and cold. I see me walking on it. The sand dunes and all the pines, shrubbery and-a drop in elevation is all that is now keeping me from it. Besides, it’s warm inside, and I’ve got on YouTube music. Ed Sheeran, Perfect Symphony music is now playing.

Lyrics that would wake your very soul. Imagine someone talking to you like these lyrics; “baby, I’m dancing in the dark with you between my arms. Barefoot on the grass listening to our favorite song. When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath

But, you heard it darling, you look perfect tonight…….”

This is a perfect spot for writing. Yes, there’s distractions going on all around me like for example. I can see a boat pounding it’s way southbound. Not a large boat but, one closer to shore than I would want to be. And then there’s all this custom furniture I’m now admiring. The rocking chair and front door top my list.

To make a very long blog short I shall now try to get back to my original intent. That’s to get back to the long ride home.

I’ve been on the highway 101 now for quite a long time. For miles and miles I saw bicycles. Not just bicycles like you and I would ride rarely and then store in a garage but, adventure like bicycles, like my adventure motorcycle. And completely loaded with what we in the motorcycle world call panniers. Loaded down like pack mules. Pedaling power just seems amazing to me. I advise none of my riding friends to try to ride a few miles in their shoes. They wouldn’t stand a chance.

If you haven’t yet figured it out, this is a story about motorcycles, and my love for adventure and words to my loving wife at home who supports me in every endeavor. Even of reading my stories, no matter how imperfect they are.

And darling I will be loving you till we’re seventy. That’s not too long from now so maybe I’ll have to up those numbers. And baby I’m (also) now just stealing words from a song, I just heard; my hairs all gone and when my memory fades…..I know you will still love me the same.

And that my darling is all I have to say to you now. See you in two days!