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May 2015
Volume No. 5
Monthly Get-Together at 8:30 A.M .– First Sunday of the Month
The After~Charbroil, 195 Route 206N, Flanders, NJ
Ride Time After Meeting
Chapter Directors
John & Chaddie Mymryk
[email protected]
[email protected]
John (862) 258-7414
Chad (917) 520-6303
Station ID HAM: KD2HVX
Treasurer
Jeff Evans
[email protected]
(973) 942-3575
Sunshine Coordinator
Stephanie Spivack
[email protected]
(973) 214-2926
Northeast Region B Directors
Assistant Chapter Directors
Thom & Stephanie Spivack
[email protected]
[email protected]
(973) 214-2926
Ride Coordinator
Tammy Eckert
[email protected]
(973) 697-4566
Membership Enhancement
Coordinators (MEC)
NJ District Directors
Dan & Ruthann Camire
[email protected]
(856) 581-3171
Newsletter Editor
Jerry Berner
[email protected]
[email protected]
(862) 219-8490
Assistant Ride Coordinator
Patti Rudio
[email protected]
(973) 903-2017
Web Master
Michael Adams
[email protected]
(973) 903-1908
NJ Asst. District Directors
Joe & Margie Wroclawski
[email protected]
Couple of the Year- Chptr G
Lou & Sharon Guido
[email protected]
(973) 691-1361
Chapter Educators
Gary & Patti Rudio
[email protected]
(973) 426-0707
Chapter Greeters
Megan & Aislinn Rudio
Accessories Coordinator
Beth & John Basilone
[email protected]
(973) 927-4322
Past Chapter Directors
Brian & Joanne Hays
[email protected]
Brian (973) 927-3844
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http://goldwingnjg.shutterfly.com
http://www.facebook.com/gwrranjg
1
Tom & Renee Wasluck
regionbdirectors.tom.renee
@gmail.com
(570) 474-1014
http://www.gwrranjg.org
Happy May Chapter G!
It’s all about riding, that is for sure. The mileage contest kicked off and there are a lot of you out there
riding! I don’t have the final numbers, but the Chapter has already done around 10,000 miles—truly living up to our motto: “The Chapter that Rides”! Happy Cinco de Mayo by the way!
It was great to see a large turn out for April’s meeting, a total of 30 attendees, where 28 were Chapter G
participants. At our May meeting we had 18 “Black & Gold” shirts out, with a follow-on ride to the Beagle
Run at the Chatterbox. Many members that did not make the meeting were already at the Chatterbox,
since the Beagle Run had an early start.
There is so much going on. We have almost 90 activities/rides scheduled for 2015 (more than 90 unofficially) and I thought I would give a little graphic of activity that was put into the Chapter G calendar
since 2009. It’s broken out by categories of Event, Kick, Special Kick, Meeting, Ride, Trip & Volunteer
activity. It is interesting to see how much we actually do. It is great news for everyone, but it requires a
lot of work, and your participation in these events are greatly appreciated. If you have an interest to volunteer for something, please do let us know.
The graph below shows how much your Chapter does for its Participants!
There has been a
consistent increase
since 2009 in the
activities you can
participate in.
2
CHAPTER DIRECTOR’S APPROACH
JOHN & CHADDIE MYMRYK
(… continued)
Rider education is an important aspect of GWRRA, in fact, it needs to be over 51% of all of our activity to
maintain our 501(c) 3 status as an organization. The goal is to increase your skills and capabilities with
your rig which is important to YOUR safety and the safety of the other riders around you. I had an opportunity to take the Bike & Trailering Course at Roxbury on May 2 nd, and it was an eye-opening experience. I strongly encourage everyone to sign-up for a rider education course and come on out. They are
free too! It is a lot of fun, and you meet some great people, and learn a lot of new things, but
more importantly you learn about your capabilities and limits. Stay sharp this summer, and if you trailer,
practice, practice, practice! :-)
Pictures from
May 2nd Bike &
Trailer Course
held at Roxbury
Township
Range.
There has been some management changes for the Chapter. It is with regret that Ray & Diane
Vanderhoof have resigned from their position as the Membership Enhancement Coordinators. I would
like to thank Ray & Diane for their hard work towards the Chapter. Ray & Diane are working towards
becoming the Region Couple of the Year, and having some extra time to focus on that will greatly help
them in attaining that goal. We wish you all the best!
It was great to follow Jerry Berner on his “40 to Phoenix” ride this spring (Where’s Waldo?). It is a ride
to the GWRRA Home Office. Jerry racked up considerable miles for the Chapter, but we all loved following him on this SPOT transponder. I posted out onto the e-mail list Jerry’s progress courtesy of his
SPOT. If you do long distance riding, getting a SPOT is a must. It gives your loved ones and those
interested a way to view your progress on a map. I swear by them as a safety device, they can also, at a
push of a button, summon emergency services to your location.
Reminder: 2015 is also our Chapter Birthday! It has been 20 years since the Chapter was born.
We are going to have a celebration about our Chapter on September 12th. More to follow soon.
Rolling Thunder © is coming up on Memorial Day weekend. Please see Chaddie & I if you are
interested in participating and being a Gold Star / Blue Star escort. See the flyer in this newsletter.
We want to thank all of our Veterans and Serving Members of the Armed Forces. To all of the Gold Star
Mothers & Fathers, and Blue Star Family Members, we want to extend our appreciation of the sacrifices
that you continue to shoulder for this great country.
Ride / Drive safe everyone.
Your GWRRA Chapter “G” Directors,
District Assistant District Directors &
District Technology Coordinators
John & Chaddie Mymryk
IBA#: 54133 & 54134
[email protected] (862) 258-7414
[email protected] (917) 520-6303
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RECIPE CORNER
CHADDIE MYMRYK
Sloppy Joe
It was a topic of great conversation at a recent
Tire Kick about the Sloppy Joe’s that The AfterCharbroil has. We were happy to see Ralph Deitweller come out for a Kick, and he raced Jerry
Berner for one of the last remaining Sloppy Joe’s
available. Poor Stephanie Spivack missed out
because there were no Sloppy Joe’s left! Here’s
a recipe for you to make your own!
Ingredients
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Servings 6 Units US
1 1⁄2 lbs ground beef
1⁄2 cup chopped onion
1⁄2 green pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1⁄2 cup catsup
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
1⁄8 teaspoon pepper
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
3⁄4 cup water
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
6 hamburger buns
Directions
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Brown ground beef in a skillet along with the onion and green pepper.
When brown, add the rest of the ingredients, stirring well.
Put into a crock pot.
Cook on low for 3-5 hours.
Serve on hamburger buns.
This may be made on top of the stove on a very low heat for several hours, making sure that it does not
get dry, but the flavors mix the best in a crock pot.
Nutritional Info
Amount Per Serving% Daily ValueCalories 426 Calories from Fat 173 41%Total Fat 19.2 g 29%
Saturated Fat 7.2 g 35%Cholesterol 77.1 mg 25%Sodium 1147.2 mg 47%Total Carbohydrate 35.8 g
11%Dietary Fiber 2.7 g 10%Sugars 13.4 g 53%Protein 27.1 g 54
Courtesy of Food.Com By Mimi of Maine
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ASSISTANT DIRECTOR’S APPROACH
STEPHANIE & THOM SPIVACK
Greetings!
May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month!
Hopefully, we are now, at the beginning of the riding season (even though there was snow/sleet last
Thursday) and everyone has taken the proper procedures to get their bikes ready to ride, especially
all the safety stuff. Our bike is blessed and we are
ready to have FUN and RIDE!
There’s no better feeling than getting your motorbike out of storage after a long winter! Before you
hop on for a ride, here are a few quick reminders to
get your bike road-worthy.
Fluids: Change your oil and oil filter! Oil deteriorates during winter storage, and clean, properly formulated oil will keep your engine running smoothly. This is also the time to drain and flush radiator and
brake fluids.
Equipment: Change your spark plugs for smooth starts, and replace your oil filter. Air filters often
clog up with debris over the winter, and may have even had small animals make a home in there!
Charge and test your battery, horn, and lights and make any necessary repairs or replacements.
Tires: Inspect your tires for signs of wear and tear, cracks, and make sure there is enough tread
left; the tires may need replacing. New or old, check your tires’ air pressure and have them properly
inflated.
Gear: Check and replace old and worn out gear including jackets, boots, pants, and gloves. Of particular importance is your helmet. If your helmet has even taken a hit, or is over five years old, get a
new one. Don’t take chances with a helmet that ‘looks fine’ – it is not worth the risk in an accident.
Jeopardizing your life or the life of a loved-one is not worth it. And remember, if it has been awhile since you
have taken a rider education course, or if you are a co-rider and have not taken a class, maybe now is a great
time. You'd be amazed how much a co-rider can help in case of an emergency.
We were reading some information about GWRRA when we came across the following tidbits someone at
GWRRA took the time to write up and thought that we would share with everyone in Chapter G:
How to Keep Chapters Alive:
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Be friendly ALL the time to everyone you meet.
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Ride for fun. Riding for fund-raisers is well and good-- but, if that's all you're doing--- it gets old, expensive,
and you Will Lose your base riding group.
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Don't cancel a ride because only a few or none of your riders show up....I have showed up for posted rides
that didn't happen, 'cause even the leaders didn't show up, and I had no idea of where the end junction was
located. Show up early, not just on time, and be gassed up ready to ride.
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Do give out route plans, scheduled stops, regrouping points, etc. for group rides.
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Ride safely. [NOTE TO Lead Riders: DO NOT SPEED. (The Rear rider is riding Faster than the lead rider
because of the "rubber band or yo-yo effect."), STOP AT All STOP SIGNS and STOP LIGHTS, DO NOT
Make a Right on RED at a stop light when leading regular group rides.]
5
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR’S APPROACH
STEPHANIE & THOM SPIVACK
(… continued)
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Groups get NETWORKING; you're not in the running if you don't get the word
OUT!
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Support your organization's fund-raising effort... if you can't be there...door prizes, donations, passing out flyers, ad gathering...you get the drift... Just because
you don't have the time or money to participate in the actual event doesn't mean
that you can't be involved in the background.
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Don't air differences with other Members in the group in public meetings--KEEP it Private and don't
try to garner support for your side or position--most of the time it is your side, their side and the actual truth which is somewhere in the middle.
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Get out of your comfort zones in meetings and larger gatherings...don't form a clique--all active base
Members sitting at the same table, talking to only your special friends...catching up on old dirt, gossip--you get the drift.
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New prospects or Members feel uncomfortable walking into a meeting...the tables are full with the
exception of an empty table that they must sit down at and then they are ignored...NOT A GOOD
way to gather active participation or new Members. Make it a point to spread the active group out in
the room. Involve new faces in conversation.
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Do make up a phone tree and an email list. It makes it easier to find biker buddies in case of spur of the moment riding plans.
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Building and maintaining a Chapter takes a lot of work, so,
members: Don't be part of the 90 per cent who don't do anything to build up your chapter.
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It's pretty much a given that 10 per cent of the Members do
most of the work in any given group. Volunteer to help (be
sure to pick something you enjoy doing) and follow through
on all your promises.
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Remember: Helpful, active Members make the load lighter for all
involved. Be Active, Be Positive, Be a Friend.
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Lastly, share a smile, it won't hurt you to smile, and (don't forget)
you can give it away for FREE!
Your Assistant CD’s,
Thom & Stephanie Spivack
[email protected]
[email protected]
(973) 214-2926
6
CHAPTER EDUCATORS
Gary & Patti Rudio
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MOTORCYCLE GROUP RIDING
GARY & PATTI RUDIO
http://motorcycle-central.com/motorcycle-group-riding-tips/
Group riding can be one of the most enjoyable parts of your motorcycle passion, but also has its own set of challenges. It can be very dangerous if your
group is disorganized so it’s important to get everyone on the same page before you ride the wind for hours on end. Here are some tips to keep in mind
when motorcycle group riding to keep things safe and fun.
Pre-Ride Meeting
It’s very helpful to get together with all your riders before you head out on the
road to go over how long you ’ll ride for, where you’ll stop, go over hand signals, the pace of the ride and to ask any other questions you may have. If
you’re in a group that has been riding together for some time, you may be
able to skip this part, but if you have people with a variety of riding experience, its best to get everyone organized before hand. It will be a lot easier to
go over the ground rules in a quiet environment than over the crackle of the
throttle.
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MOTORCYCLE GROUP RIDING
GARY & PATTI RUDIO
Decide Riding Order
Next, your group will need to designate a lead rider (person in front) and a tail
rider (person in back). The lead rider is responsible for setting the pace, keeping his eye out for anything ahead that could interrupt the ride (whether it be a
traffic jam, bad weather, etc…) and navigating. They should be well skilled in
issuing hand signals as they will be the eyes for the rest of the group. Make
sure you have an experienced rider leading the pack.
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MOTORCYCLE GROUP RIDING
GARY & PATTI RUDIO
Your tail rider should be just as experienced as your front rider. They will be in charge of
keeping tabs on the entire group and anyone who wanders off, has mechanical problems
or does anything stupid to put the rest of the group in danger. Once you have these two
important riders appointed, you should line up the rest of the group by experience. Any
novices should stay behind the lead rider while the seasoned riders behind them. You
don’t want to have all your veteran riders in the front where they might accidentally cruise
off and leave the newbies behind.
Bring Supplies
Every rider in the group should be well supplied in case of an emergency. Make sure you
bring your own cell phone (make sure its charged), some extra cash and your own set of
tools for your bike. You may also want someone appointed to bring some extra tools like a
flashlight, duct tape and a first aid kit.
You can decide yourself to come supplied with a few things others may have forgotten. If
you want to be praised very quickly by your fellow riders, bring some essentials like aspirin, water, sunscreen, earplugs and a phone charger.
10
MOTORCYCLE GROUP RIDING
GARY & PATTI RUDIO
Riding Formation
Perfecting your formation can be the trickiest part of group riding, but staying in
proper formation gives each other enough space to react to any sudden hazards
and helps any other drivers on the road avoid you.
The best way is to stagger. This means that if a line were drawn from rider to rider, it would make a perfect and evenly spaced zig zag line. To achieve this, the
lead rider will ride on the left side of the lane, while the second rider on the right,
about a second behind. The third rider will then be a second behind the second
rider, back to the left side. This pattern continues with each rider in your group
down to the very end.
You may consider a single file formation when approaching a curve in the road or
when poor road conditions appear, but never ride side by side. This is a lot more
unsafe and doesn’t give enough cushion to avoid something hazardous without
hitting the person riding next to you.
Separation
Of course you want you group to stick together for the entire group ride, but
sometimes that’s not always possible. Someone could lag behind due to a red
light, a car not letting them pass or just not being able to keep up with the pace.
Don’t panic and speed off aggressively to the point you get pulled over. If you
were at the pre-ride meeting, you should know where the rest stops are and you
can catch up to the group there.
11
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND—ROLLING THUNDER©
JOHN & CHADDIE MYMRYK
I am a big supporter of our POW/MIA cause, as I have served in the Canadian Armed Forces
as an Infantry Officer. There are many military influences on my life and how I direct myself, so
this is a good place to offer to you some personal details around me, that have lead me to volunteer my Memorial Day weekend to POW/MIA, and those KIA.
I ride for Kenneth M. Ballard, a fallen hero from the Iraq War, who died on May 30 th,
2004. He was a 1st LT, Tank Commander. Please ask me about Ken! Ken’s mom is
pictured with me below next to my ride. This was back in 2013.
I have had the honor to serve with some very amazing people. One is Maj. Frederick Tilston,
VC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Albert_Tilston). Major Tilston was the former Honorary Colonel of my Regiment (Essex & Kent Scottish) of Windsor Ontario. I had the privilege of
serving with Col. Tilston, and enjoying comradery with him on many occasions. As A Major in
WWII, he won the Victoria Cross, the single most important decoration for the British Commonwealth. You can read more about him on the Wikipedia link I provided above. He was a great
man, you are not forgotten, lest we forget.
Victoria Cross
For the last 4 years Chaddie & I have volunteered our time to ride as
Gold Star Mother escorts in the Rolling Thunder © demonstration ride.
We don’t participate in General Population, but instead we are part of
the honor guard at the start of the ride. Our goal is to escort Gold Star
Mothers (those who have lost their son or daughter in the Service of the
United States) during the demonstration ride. This is not a GWRRA
event, as when you arrive to escort, you are inducted into the “Rolling
Thunder © VIP Escort” group, and insured under the Rolling Thunder ©
event.
Please reach out to Chaddie for information about this event.
12
COUPLE OF THE YEAR APPROACH
LOU & SHARON GUIDO
Chapter G Couple of the Year
Finally some nice days to get outside. Every year at this time there is so much to do. This year there was more
than normal damage to trees and plants because of the severe cold.
Last month I spoke about buying a new helmet. As most of you know, helmet manufacturers state that their helmets should be replaced every five years due to deterioration of the helmet materials. You should know that under the helmet lining there is the date of manufacture of the helmet. If you are buying in a store or online, you
should ask for the date of manufacture of the helmet you are interested in before you pay. This will insure that
you get the longest possible life from your new helmet. Some helmets have been sitting around for years before
purchase. Technically, this time counts even if the helmet has been sitting in its box.
Sharon and I attended the April training courses on the 25th. She took the CPR class and I took the Trike class.
The Trike class was all about extreme maneuvers, which was designed to help you understand what you can
accomplish with your trike when and if the time comes. Sharon took the full course on CPR and now is prepared
to save my life at a moment’s notice. I’ve taken CPR courses in my life and when I started, you did 15 compressions and 2 breaths. It has now evolved to 100 compressions before a breath.
The ride to Lititz is on May 16th and we hope to see you there. Barring any weather problems, we’ll leave the After
at 8AM promptly. We’ll see you at this month’s meeting on Sunday May 3rd.
Enjoy Life!!
Lou & Sharon Guido
[email protected]
(973) 691-1361
13
MEMBERSHIP
Visit one of our Monthly meetings, and don’t be intimidated by all the vests,
or stop in at one of our informal weekly tire kick gatherings.
14
MAY EVENTS
Here is a quick view of some of the activities for the Month of May. Put these up on the
Refrigerator, and come out to participate!
Chapter G 2015 Milage Contest Miles as of May 1 Compiled by Mike Adams
All Chapter G Members:
Still missing a few mileages for the month of April. With the mileages reported here are the leaders for April.
Retired Category
1) Jerry Berner 6428 miles
Working Category
1) John Mymryk 1048 miles
2) Mike Mazarcone 843 miles (combined)
3) Tom Spivacks 769 miles
15
Old Guys Corner: I did my usual spring ride this year only a little different then in
prior years. I signed up for the Annual “40 to Phoenix” ride. This has become an
annual event and it is all organized and run by GWRRA members from North
Carolina and supported across the country by local GWRRA chapters in the areas
that the ride stops each day. A very different concept and it proved to be a very
enjoyable ride. The man behind the planning and organization is the “ Facilitator” Russ Schaeffer. He has personally talked to every hotel and Honda dealer
between Wilmington, North Carolina and Chula Vista, California for the best
rates and best service for the group. The ride participants are broken down into
groups of 6 and each has an assigned Ride Leader. The groups decide when they
are leaving each day and where they are going each day. The only requirement is
that you show up at the prepared meals and meetings each night. The local
chapters have done all the meal preparation and all we have to do is show up on
time. This year I got to stop at the Talladega NASCAR museum, Barber motorsports track and museum, Several sights along old Rt. 66, Pie Town, NV and the
USS Midway ship tour. The focus of the ride is to arrive in numbers at the GWRRA home office in Phoenix where they open their doors and have tours and
talks, special prices on all goods and an ice cream vendor as well as hot dogs.
For my ride I did 7,773 miles from home to return and the highlight of the ride
was all the new friends that I met, talked to, ate with and rode with. I do not believe I could have had a better time at any event and the riding was fabulous
since it covered a lot of this beautiful country we live in.
16
MEMBERSHIP NEWS & NOTES
Maintaining Membership
This is a friendly reminder to all our CHAPTER G members that GWRRA requires that to maintain an
active chapter status you are to participate in a minimum of three (3) meetings per year. We look forward to seeing more of our members.
GOLD WING ROAD RIDERS ASSOCIATION
New Jersey Chapter ‘G’
You are invited to join us, at our monthly chapter meeting
the first Sunday of the month held at the After-Charbroil,
195 Route 206 North, Flanders, N.J. Meeting starts at 8:30
am, have breakfast before, mingle & meet new friends. Join
us on our ride adventure after the meeting.
The Gold Wing Road Riders Association (GWRRA) is the world's largest single-marquee social organization for owners and riders of Honda Gold Wing/Valkyrie, and all makes of motorcycles -- and some
would say, the world's largest family. Dedicated to our motto, Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge,
GWRRA members enjoy the freedom of belonging to a not-for-profit, non-religious and non-political
organization.
Founded in 1977, GWRRA has grown to more than 80,000 U.S., Canadian and international members
in 53 foreign countries in just 32 years. Over 800 active Chapters are managed by 4,000 volunteer
leaders working with members to foster safe, enjoyable riding while also working to improve the public
image of motorcycling.
Chapter ‘G’ was chartered to accommodate riders living in north and western New Jersey. We are
proud to offer our members some of the best riding in the state, and live by our motto “The chapter
that rides.”
Check out our web & FaceBook site!!
Website:
FaceBook:
http://goldwingnjg.shutterfly.com/
https://www.facebook.com/gwrranjg
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BIRTHDAYS
May Birthdays
Jerry Berner
5/08
Ralph Detweiler
5/11
Bruce Selowentchich
5/13
Debbie Evans
5/15
Alex Gohman
5/21
Clark Lifshotz
5/23
May Anniversaries
Alex & Tammy
5/01
Diane & Mike Adams
5/10
Larry & Grace Schilling
5/20
Dan & Jerilynn Harris
5/22
Congratulations Everyone!!!!
BEST WISHES
If you don’t see your birthday or anniversary listed it means we don’t
have your information. Please let us know. You can e-mail updates to
the Chapter Director [email protected], [email protected]
or the newsletter editor [email protected]
18
GOLD WING ROAD RIDERS ASSOCIATION
NORTHEAST REGION B NEW JERSEY DISTRICT
We offer advertising in our monthly newsletter and on our website.
The revenue is used for our First Aid and CPR training and funding our Rider Education Seminars.
It also allows us to keep the cost of Chapter events at a reasonable price for all our members.
Ads will run for 12 issues of the newsletter and 12 months on the website.
We offer 4 sizes: Business Card, Quarter page, Half Page and Full Page ad.
Size
Business Card
Quarter Page
Half Page
Full Page
Placement Description
Scanned business card will be placed in a page
with other sponsors.
Share a page with other ¼ page or business ads
Annual Price
Share a page with other non-competing business
ads
One full page as a single ad
$150 a year
$50 a year
$100 a year
$200 a year
We also will accept monetary donations and special discount offers for monthly raffles.
Please contact Andrea or Marc Hypes at 973-584-1882 or [email protected]
19
NEW JERSEY CHAPTERS
Chapter A:
First Saturday 5 PM Mtg at 6 PM
PB’s Diner
Chapter F:
Fourth Sunday 8:30 AM
Park 9 Diner Formerly Golden Bell Diner
500 N. Delsea Dr
Glassboro, NJ 08028
CD: Frank & Dee Haegele
[email protected]
3320 us hwy 9 south & Adelphia Road
Freehold, NJ 07728
CD: Art & Sue Englert
(732) 202-8883
[email protected]
[email protected]
Chapter G:
First Sunday 8:30 AM (summer)
The After-Charbroil
195 Route 206
Flanders, NJ
CD: John & Chaddie Mymryk
[email protected]
[email protected]
Chapter D:
Third Saturday 6:00 PM
Iron Skillet
402 Rising Sun Square Road
Bordentown, NJ 08505
CD: Tim & Nancy Casaday
609-758-3081
[email protected]
[email protected]
Chapter H:
Third Sunday 8:00 AM
IHOP
1244 Route 22 East
North Plainfield, NJ 07067
CD: Larry Barr & Frances Scozzafava
Chapter NJ-H Web Site
Chapter E:
First Sunday 8:00 AM
Shore Diner
6710 Tilton Road
Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234
CD: Cathy Priole
609-408-9802
[email protected]
Chapter I:
Third Sunday 8:00 AM
Lighthouse Tavern
397 Rt 9 South
Waretown, NJ
CD: Martina Singer, CD: Joe Wroclawski
[email protected],[email protected]
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DEEP THOUGHTS
AUTHOR UNKNOWN
Why I Ride a Motorcycle
Author Unknown
When people ask me why I like to ride a motorcycle I do not always have a ready response. I
came across this article and found that it accurately described my riding experience. I wish I
could memorize it and regurgitate it when someone say, “Why do you ride that thing, do you
have a death wish”?
A motorcycle is not just a two-wheeled car; the difference between driving a car and climbing
on a motorcycle is the difference between watching TV and actually living your life. We spend
all our time sealed in boxes and cars are just the rolling boxes that shuffle us from home-box to
work-box to store-box and back, the whole time, entombed in stale air, temperature regulated,
sound insulated, and smelling of carpets.
On a motorcycle I know I am alive. When I ride, even the familiar seems strange and glorious.
The air has weight and substance as I push through it and its touch is as intimate as water to a
swimmer. I feel the cool wells of air the pool under trees and the warm spokes that fall through
them. I can see everything in a sweeping 360 degrees, up, down and around, wider than Panavision and IMAX and unrestricted by ceiling or dashboard. Sometimes I even hear music. It’s
like hearing phantom telephones in the shower or false doorbells when vacuuming; the patternloving brain, seeking signals in the noise, raises the acoustic ghosts out of the winds roar. But
on a motorcycle I hear whole songs; rock ‘n roll, dark orchestras, women’s voices, all hidden in
the air and released by speed. At 30 miles an hour and up, smells become uncannily vivid. All
the individual tree smells and flower smells flit by like chemical notes in a great plant symphony. Sometimes the smells evoke memories so strong that it’s as though the past hangs invisible
in the air around me, wanting only the post casual of rumbling time machines to unlock it. A
ride on a summer afternoon can border on rapturous. The sheer volume and variety of stimuli is
like a bath for my nervous system, an electrical message for my brain, a systems check for my
soul. It tears smiles out of me; a minute ago I was dour, depressed, apathetic, numb, but now, on
two wheels, (or on a trike for that matter), big, ragged, windy smiles flap against the side of my
face, billowing out of me like air from a decompressing plane.
Transportation is only a secondary function. A motorcycle is a joy machine. It’s a machine of
wonders, a metal bird, a motorized prosthetic. It’s light and dark and shiny and dirty and warm
and cold lapping over each other; it’s a conduit of grace, a catalyst for bonding the gritty and
holy.
Cars lie to us and tell us we’re safe, powerful, and in control. The air-conditioning fans murmur
empty assurances and whisper, “Sleep, sleep.” Motorcycles tell us of a more useful truth: We
are small and exposed, and probably moving too fast for our own good, but that is no reason not
to enjoy every minute of the ride!
Author Unknown
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