Friday, June 5
Back On The Road Again
Oh my. It has been a while since we last chatted.
That's down to a new arrival at JH Towers this week.
A large shiny piece of kit - for once not walking related (I hope)
After some lengthy consideration (and loud dissing of most of the kit I looked at - no change there then!) my leg is now being regularly cocked over a motorcycle.
A beast of a machine, already fondly nicknamed 'Hooligan'.
(If you heard the distinctive rumble with which it announces its arrival, or managed to spot a red blur as it accelerates with worryingly excessive ease into the far distance, the nickname makes sense)
Except for a couple of years layoff I've been riding bikes for over 30 years.
At one time they were my sole means of transport, my leisure time interest, and for many many years an integral part of both my lifestyle and a large circle of friends around the country.
In some ways similar to backpacking.
Indeed at one time I tried to combine the two, but the effort of carrying kit on a bike, parking it securely, and the thought of a long wet ride home after a long wet weekend walk, meant that idea was quickly dropped.
Although it did result some rather juicy reminiscences of a weekend near Llandudno (if there could be such a thing) which included gravel rash, bags of chips washed down with cheap bear and a highly dubious (and likely illegal) wildcamp on Great Orme Head. All equipped with little more than a tent and a milk bottle of water.
But I digress.
Where was I now... ah yes ...motorcycling like backpacking?
Well - you get to meet a enthused group of committed people of varying ages and social background across the UK and beyond.
Amongst these some become solid mates through thick and thin. Others more dilettante. After a time more easily recognised as respective paths cross.
Many totter along the edge of respectability, the language and passion largely misunderstood by an ill informed society at large.
Sure the change of pace is a huge difference.
But the interest in finding less visited locations, and the intense enjoyment of the journey, is proving very similar.
The volume of traffic on the road hasn't change much though.
Still crap.
Ride On.Labels: Gear
That's down to a new arrival at JH Towers this week.
A large shiny piece of kit - for once not walking related (I hope)
After some lengthy consideration (and loud dissing of most of the kit I looked at - no change there then!) my leg is now being regularly cocked over a motorcycle.
A beast of a machine, already fondly nicknamed 'Hooligan'.
(If you heard the distinctive rumble with which it announces its arrival, or managed to spot a red blur as it accelerates with worryingly excessive ease into the far distance, the nickname makes sense)
Except for a couple of years layoff I've been riding bikes for over 30 years.
At one time they were my sole means of transport, my leisure time interest, and for many many years an integral part of both my lifestyle and a large circle of friends around the country.
In some ways similar to backpacking.
Indeed at one time I tried to combine the two, but the effort of carrying kit on a bike, parking it securely, and the thought of a long wet ride home after a long wet weekend walk, meant that idea was quickly dropped.
Although it did result some rather juicy reminiscences of a weekend near Llandudno (if there could be such a thing) which included gravel rash, bags of chips washed down with cheap bear and a highly dubious (and likely illegal) wildcamp on Great Orme Head. All equipped with little more than a tent and a milk bottle of water.
But I digress.
Where was I now... ah yes ...motorcycling like backpacking?
Well - you get to meet a enthused group of committed people of varying ages and social background across the UK and beyond.
Amongst these some become solid mates through thick and thin. Others more dilettante. After a time more easily recognised as respective paths cross.
Many totter along the edge of respectability, the language and passion largely misunderstood by an ill informed society at large.
Sure the change of pace is a huge difference.
But the interest in finding less visited locations, and the intense enjoyment of the journey, is proving very similar.
The volume of traffic on the road hasn't change much though.
Still crap.
Ride On.
Labels: Gear
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