A beautiful metaphor

[Huzo]

I haven’t been doing as much distance riding of late, because I’ve renewed my instructor rating in gliders and have been doing a lot of that. Also there’s been a lot of towing and ferry flights in the Pawnee, I thought I’d do as much of that as time allows for a 66 year old guy…(or girl).
But here’s the thing…
If I had to let go of the bike or the aircraft, hard as it would be, the planes would be gone. The bike is the “real me” whereas aircraft are an indulgence.. I was looking at this recently
https://youtu.be/fTi6AzmlcEM?si=IHlNQKVqw1NjtVlL
and I again came to realise that looking down the freezing lonely road in Norway, not knowing what the destination would look like and the reflected image in the mirrors showing the past, is not completely unlike your journey through life.
That was a massive trip, it was made of excitement, discovery, trepidation, relief and tinged with some regret at aspects that I would have done differently…(unlike life though, I had a second go 2 years later…).

I’ve long thought that distance is like time, you see something that you’re looking forward to and it just seems to sit there and not get any closer, but something you disdain seems to rush up upon you.
I did think that if I was to go to bed on that trip and not wake up, that would be the best possible way to leave this Earth…
We do not get much say in the matter, but that would be a good deal for me and I wouldn’t wish for an alternative. I’m happy with the concept and I’m often critcised for mentioning it but statistically speaking, if life is an 80 mile trip, I’ve got 14 miles to go.
So again time is like distance, you can turn around and ride back over your tracks, but you cannot re do the ride that’s behind you.

[piecemealadventurer]

There is something special about distance for the long distance rider.
 

[Rower30]

I've got 8500 miles on my V100S bought August 2023, and I've gone exactly NOWHERE. OK, I did have two "official" trips. The rest were just being on the bike for random 130-150 mile loop abouts in southern to northern (south is too crowded) Ohio and Indiana. 

The feeling on a motorcycle is unique. In a car you want to just get there. The bike is the trip not the destination. Funny, too, on a bike you are in the elements and a bike isn't really that comfortable compared to a car but...the world seems to go by faster on the bike where it seems like molasses in the car on the same route. why? Because in a car, I want it over, now! And on the bike? I want it to last and as they say, time flies when you are having fun.

The V100S is more open than the BMW R100RT I replaced, and the feeling is so much more enjoyable. That added "space" in the world that you are not shielded from opens up your mind to near wide-open to the experience. I'd say the exposure to the trip is near perfect for me with the slightly taller GIVI screen. The V100S just eats miles effortlessly compared to the BMW which did the work, but seemed to complain about it.  With the Guzzi, the rider is the only complainer, the bike is as happy as a puppy all the time.

[texasmoto]

I haven’t been doing as much distance riding of late, because I’ve renewed my instructor rating in gliders and have been doing a lot of that. Also there’s been a lot of towing and ferry flights in the Pawnee, I thought I’d do as much of that as time allows for a 66 year old guy…(or girl).
But here’s the thing…
If I had to let go of the bike or the aircraft, hard as it would be, the planes would be gone. The bike is the “real me” whereas aircraft are an indulgence.. I was looking at this recently
https://youtu.be/fTi6AzmlcEM?si=IHlNQKVqw1NjtVlL
and I again came to realise that looking down the freezing lonely road in Norway, not knowing what the destination would look like and the reflected image in the mirrors showing the past, is not completely unlike your journey through life.
That was a massive trip, it was made of excitement, discovery, trepidation, relief and tinged with some regret at aspects that I would have done differently…(unlike life though, I had a second go 2 years later…).

I’ve long thought that distance is like time, you see something that you’re looking forward to and it just seems to sit there and not get any closer, but something you disdain seems to rush up upon you.
I did think that if I was to go to bed on that trip and not wake up, that would be the best possible way to leave this Earth…
We do not get much say in the matter, but that would be a good deal for me and I wouldn’t wish for an alternative. I’m happy with the concept and I’m often critcised for mentioning it but statistically speaking, if life is an 80 mile trip, I’ve got 14 miles to go.
So again time is like distance, you can turn around and ride back over your tracks, but you cannot re do the ride that’s behind you.

"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man."

[Huzo]

Yeah, that’s a deep thought too.

[mechanicsavant]

I don’t remember when or where I heard it , but “motorcyclist are just pilots on a budget “ .

[Huzo]

For me, the bike has more “soul” and evokes stronger memories and emotion. Aircraft are a demanding mistress that consider themselves above you…
Gliders are not as multi dimensional as the bike, but do respond well to command.
I feel like my Norge “knows me”, but the glider doesn’t care who I am. These thoughts are abstract and fall over under the glare of interrogation, but they are the manifestation of a life long relationship.

[slowmover]

Life is a long song.

[reidy]

Huzo, I hope the last 14 miles are like a well tuned Guzzi, not some old unmaintained English bike that is constantly leaking fluids, very hard to start, may stop at any time,  has unreliable electrics and is loud and smelly. 

[cliffrod]

Y’all need to get a multi-ton block of granite and a commission (aka binding contract) to ensure it will end exactly as the patron envisions it….  You ride your tools with your finite abilities into the unknown and find the escape from the mundane as you pursue the exact within the completely obscured without making any significant miscalculations over months of labor.  Very, very cool.

Back to motorcycles- unless you keep your bike long enough (decades, not months or a couple of years..) to create that symbiotic bond while realizing that you are the weak link because the bike performs at the peak of your capacity, this kind of experience will always be less than what it could be.   There is no more and there is no less.  There is only equity.  A chisel only does what you can make it do.  A motorcycle is no different. 

And you never know whether you have 14 miles or 14 seconds left. Live accordingly. 

So says the man who cuts headstones for a living…….

[Dave Swanson]

On some level this belongs here.  From this evening's ride.

[Huzo]

On some level this belongs here.  From this evening's ride.

Yes, it does..
In the accompanying Glen Campbell song with my opening post.
He says..
“There are so many songs
Still waiting to be sung…”

Your V11 is one of them.

[Saladin]

On some level this belongs here.  From this evening's ride.

A beautiful bike.

[cloudbase]

I'll be the contrarian here.  I'd give up the bike before the glider.  Every time.