When you tell people that you are going on a motorcycle trip on Saturday, they ask you "where are you going." ...So you reply, I am going on a 500 mile tour of Colorado. Then they get this strange look on their face....and they stare at you. Then they ask..."so are you coming back on Sunday?"
No leaving Saturday morning, traveling 500 miles and returning Saturday night....
"you are crazy". I get that a lot.
Why is it "unbelieveable" that a 500 mile, 12 hour ride can be utterly enjoyable. They think of danger, getting tired, and "SUCH A LONG DAY". While I think of it as a day full of twisting roads, ever changing landscape and fresh air.
Its amazing how much thinking a motorcyclist accomplishes during a ride. Yes--we have to remind ourselves to stay focused on the ride, watching for idiot cagers, fearful deer, road conditions, gravel...etc. Motorcyclists are given more opportunity for "Ah-Ha" moments. Everyone has Ah-Ha's they are realizations, inspirations and moments of refined clarity. Most people experience them in the shower, or on the pot...or gardening. When you are focused on something else, your brain releases throughts that have been making their way through the labyrinth.
As the miles tick by your mind absorbs all of the landscape passing and rushing by. My moment of clarity.... "damn--I have alot of panoramas I need to stitch together".
I found new roads I have never traveled, a wonderful little highway named 114, inbetween Gunnison (my favorite town in Colorado) and Saguache. Its a very sparcely traveled road in the summer, and it follows a small river, then through canyons and finally drops into wide open- staight fly-throughs. Its almost a perfect road. It offers all of the road-types motorcyclists love.
But then again, I can't really remember a road I hated. Other than Kansas SuperSlabbing i-70 in August with a 40mph crosswind for hundreds of miles in 100+ degree temps.
Get out and ride.
