slofox
31st January 2009, 13:37
I like to ride early in the mornings - partly because of work hours but also because it is a nice time of day to ride - cool, less traffic, sunrise, views etc etc....
Most mornings start the same way for me. As soon as the dawn begins to break, the catalarm goes off...Now the catalarm is a wonderful thing to wake up to. Nobody is quite sure who invented it. Some assign it to G. Od. Others assign it to E. Volution. Whoever it was did a great job. Totally reliable and not too harsh (although it can be a little sloppy...). It also largely cares for itself, requiring only a scoop of biscuits twice daily. It installs itself on the bed at night and is usually quite unobtrusive. It is triggered by growing daylight and usually wakes you by licking your face off and breathing cat breath into your nose until you can't stand it any longer and get out of bed in self defence. Administer the biscuits and it clears off by itself for several hours.
Having got out of bed, it makes sense to brew a cup of espresso. This has the effect of stimulating the system, which in turn begins to convince one that a "little pootle on the bike" would be a good idea, since the day is young...sun is just up, no rain...
Some days I feel a little apprehensive thinking about it. Do I really want to go out there and blast around the countryside yet again? The little voices can nag - "You might arse off and bust your neck..." "Some loony might run into you..." "If you go that way you will have to negotiate that corner with the crappy seal that you hate so much..."
But inevitably, I find the leathers going on, the visor being cleaned and before long I am heading down to the garage.
Once outside, the cool morning air braces up the courage a bit and my step quickens. Open the garage (manually - no auto opener here cuzzie...), pull the bike out and start her up...leave to idle while I close the garage back up. Then quietly climb aboard and negotiate the driveway out to the street.
Head out of town towards the chosen route of the day. Once aboard, all the tensions melt away. Ahhhh...It's like the first hit of a drug and I know this is where I am meant to be at this time. No more apprehension. Settle into the machine and merge with it - become part of it...
Hit the highway and squeeze the revs up a bit. Promise myself that this time I will not go too fast or too crazy (not that I ever do of course officer...just ask the laxed out riders...) - just take it nice and easy and enjoy the moments - smell the roses as they say.
Engine temperature nudges up to normal and we can stretch out a little more. Get into the favourite parts of the road and the stride lengthens again....Check the speedo...oops! bit quick, pull the reins in a little...and every so often, when it looks clear and safe, give it its head for a brief little moment...
Wind into the sweepies - my favourites - like Arapuni Road or SH39 - and just let the machine do all the work. Take all the weight off the arms, put it onto the tank and lean the bike through...like flying two feet above the ground...sheer joie de vive, the whole reason I own a bike...it's the high point of my day.
And eventually home approaches again and the ride is over. Back to reality, but with a golden glow from the experience, with all the tensions gone, glad to be alive and promising myself more of the same tomorrow...How could I have been without a bike for twenty years????
Most mornings start the same way for me. As soon as the dawn begins to break, the catalarm goes off...Now the catalarm is a wonderful thing to wake up to. Nobody is quite sure who invented it. Some assign it to G. Od. Others assign it to E. Volution. Whoever it was did a great job. Totally reliable and not too harsh (although it can be a little sloppy...). It also largely cares for itself, requiring only a scoop of biscuits twice daily. It installs itself on the bed at night and is usually quite unobtrusive. It is triggered by growing daylight and usually wakes you by licking your face off and breathing cat breath into your nose until you can't stand it any longer and get out of bed in self defence. Administer the biscuits and it clears off by itself for several hours.
Having got out of bed, it makes sense to brew a cup of espresso. This has the effect of stimulating the system, which in turn begins to convince one that a "little pootle on the bike" would be a good idea, since the day is young...sun is just up, no rain...
Some days I feel a little apprehensive thinking about it. Do I really want to go out there and blast around the countryside yet again? The little voices can nag - "You might arse off and bust your neck..." "Some loony might run into you..." "If you go that way you will have to negotiate that corner with the crappy seal that you hate so much..."
But inevitably, I find the leathers going on, the visor being cleaned and before long I am heading down to the garage.
Once outside, the cool morning air braces up the courage a bit and my step quickens. Open the garage (manually - no auto opener here cuzzie...), pull the bike out and start her up...leave to idle while I close the garage back up. Then quietly climb aboard and negotiate the driveway out to the street.
Head out of town towards the chosen route of the day. Once aboard, all the tensions melt away. Ahhhh...It's like the first hit of a drug and I know this is where I am meant to be at this time. No more apprehension. Settle into the machine and merge with it - become part of it...
Hit the highway and squeeze the revs up a bit. Promise myself that this time I will not go too fast or too crazy (not that I ever do of course officer...just ask the laxed out riders...) - just take it nice and easy and enjoy the moments - smell the roses as they say.
Engine temperature nudges up to normal and we can stretch out a little more. Get into the favourite parts of the road and the stride lengthens again....Check the speedo...oops! bit quick, pull the reins in a little...and every so often, when it looks clear and safe, give it its head for a brief little moment...
Wind into the sweepies - my favourites - like Arapuni Road or SH39 - and just let the machine do all the work. Take all the weight off the arms, put it onto the tank and lean the bike through...like flying two feet above the ground...sheer joie de vive, the whole reason I own a bike...it's the high point of my day.
And eventually home approaches again and the ride is over. Back to reality, but with a golden glow from the experience, with all the tensions gone, glad to be alive and promising myself more of the same tomorrow...How could I have been without a bike for twenty years????