Riding

Riding a motorcycle is really unlike anything else. I had suspisioned this from my days of riding a moped, but never got a true taste until about a month ago.

O.K., lets get this out of the way now. Yes, I rode a moped for two years. And yes, I looked like a circus bear on a toddler's bicycle. We took the govenor off and that baby purred on the straight away at 45 mph. And I liked it, so there.

Never have I felt more powerful, yet simmeltaeously so vuenerable. It is impossible not to grow addicted to the surge of energy after an upshift and the sharp twist of the throttle. The two together form their own two beat rhythm; a heavy click in in the transmission, followed by the commanding howel of the engine.

The two wheeled demeanor is radically different than a car as well. I tend to acceleration with a ferver akin to a lion moving to strike on a gazelle. Quick and controled. Normal braking however, is attended to with the lazy downshifts one would expect from a trucker bringing his rig to rest. Cornering is a different animal completely. Fluidly leaning into a corner with focus and purpose; like a steady summertime hand lowering a sweating glass of lemonade onto a picnic table in the shade. Or atleast thats what it feels like to me.

Helmet? Yes. Always. 100 feet or 100 miles. Safe? Well that term is debatable. Especially after seeing over 10 people killed in this morning's paper alone in three different freak accidents; reminded me why I tend not to read the paper or watch the news. Safe has as much to do with the people around you as you do. But definately cautious. Keeping distances, being defensive, taking it easy, and staying out of blind spots. All standard operating procedure.