Strange emotions..

[notme]

Well. This may turn out strange, but I need to get it out somewhere and if anyone else will understand it'll be the KB family.

Went for a big ride today, a touch under 200k's in total - left my place (East Tamaki) and went thru Clevedon, Maraetai, over to Ramarama, back to Whitford, back again the other way to Takaninni..... basically just making it up as I went along and hitting some of the same roads like 5 times! (especially those ones that have the yellow signs with the "squiggly arrow next 5km"

As I was riding I was feeling quite reflective re all the recent sadness (Sam/Flyin and the far too many others) but weirdly at the same time still pushing it within my limits and ....well....dunno if "having fun" is the right was to say it. Also I REALLY really don't mean to offend anyone close to those who've been lost but in my own way I was kinda paying tribute....

Anyway. I'm not even really sure what I mean.....does anyone else know?

P.S. Hi to the approx 50 bikers I waved to - c'mon, at least one of ya must be a KB'er!

[MSTRS:Me]

Nothing strange about that. Riding bikes is how lots of us keep in touch with our spiritual side.

[justsomeguy]

Yes allun

I understand what you're sayin matey.

Riding is my only vice.

[Ixion]

Well. This may turn out strange, but I need to get it out somewhere and if anyone else will understand it'll be the KB family.

Went for a big ride today, a touch under 200k's in total - left my place (East Tamaki) and went thru Clevedon, Maraetai, over to Ramarama, back to Whitford, back again the other way to Takaninni..... basically just making it up as I went along and hitting some of the same roads like 5 times! (especially those ones that have the yellow signs with the "squiggly arrow next 5km"

As I was riding I was feeling quite reflective re all the recent sadness (Sam/Flyin and the far too many others) but weirdly at the same time still pushing it within my limits and ....well....dunno if "having fun" is the right was to say it. Also I REALLY really don't mean to offend anyone close to those who've been lost but in my own way I was kinda paying tribute....

Anyway. I'm not even really sure what I mean.....does anyone else know?

P.S. Hi to the approx 50 bikers I waved to - c'mon, at least one of ya must be a KB'er!

Yes. I know what you mean. Motorcycling is an activity that brings one very intimately into connection with some of the elemental forces of life. At such times I have often felt God to be very near. (Your defination of God may vary - but the sense of connectedness and grace is the same). Such moments are precious, and can be very serene and grace-full. Treasure the memory of them.

"The precise line, the gentle curve, the well balanced motion" - these sound like they could be referring to motorcycling. But they were in fact written by a priest.

[justsomeguy]

Yes. I know what you mean. Motorcycling is an activity that brings one very intimately into connection with some of the elemental forces of life. At such times I have often felt God to be very near. (Your defination of God may vary - but the sense of connectedness and grace is the same). Such moments are precious, and can be very serene and grace-full. Treasure the memory of them.

"The precise line, the gentle curve, the well balanced motion" - these sound like they could be referring to motorcycling. But they were in fact written by a priest.

That;s it....... i;m off for a ride.

[Waylander]

Well. This may turn out strange, but I need to get it out somewhere and if anyone else will understand it'll be the KB family.

Went for a big ride today, a touch under 200k's in total - left my place (East Tamaki) and went thru Clevedon, Maraetai, over to Ramarama, back to Whitford, back again the other way to Takaninni..... basically just making it up as I went along and hitting some of the same roads like 5 times! (especially those ones that have the yellow signs with the "squiggly arrow next 5km"

As I was riding I was feeling quite reflective re all the recent sadness (Sam/Flyin and the far too many others) but weirdly at the same time still pushing it within my limits and ....well....dunno if "having fun" is the right was to say it. Also I REALLY really don't mean to offend anyone close to those who've been lost but in my own way I was kinda paying tribute....

Anyway. I'm not even really sure what I mean.....does anyone else know?

P.S. Hi to the approx 50 bikers I waved to - c'mon, at least one of ya must be a KB'er!

Yea I know what you mean mate. It's like your way of paying tribute cause as you're riding and thinking about them you're kinda dedicating that ride to them. That's the way I view it anyway, hopefully be getting one of my bikes fixed soon so I can go out and do this.

[James Deuce]

..... At such times I have often felt God to be very near. (Your defination of God may vary - but the sense of connectedness and grace is the same)......

He must be the bloke/blokette that sits on the back and hits the kill switch/jumps up and down on the pillion footpegs/hurls a bucket of invisible diesel in front of us in the middle of a very fast, very technical corner then?

[Ixion]

He must be the bloke/blokette that sits on the back and hits the kill switch/jumps up and down on the pillion footpegs/hurls a bucket of invisible diesel in front of us in the middle of a very fast, very technical corner then?

Yep, that's him. The guy that climbs up on your shoulders just as you're lining up the corner and hangs down over your eyes. The bastige. And then roars with laughter after you've stopped, shaking, to recover yourself. He also specialise sin making bumps pop up right on your cornering line that definately were NOT there when you committed to it.

[Ramius]

Well. This may turn out strange, but I need to get it out somewhere and if anyone else will understand it'll be the KB family.

Anyway. I'm not even really sure what I mean.....does anyone else know?

P.S. Hi to the approx 50 bikers I waved to - c'mon, at least one of ya must be a KB'er!

Howdy. Yeah, I know what you mean, as everyone else on this site probably does. It is the one thing I miss and the closest way to flying. Feeling the wind against you, to the side of you, everywhere around you was just beyond words. Now I make up for not riding by lurking around this website. Nowhere near the same, but alas.

[pritch]

At such times I have often felt God to be very near.

This sounds a bit like the feeling you get when sitting on a hill or mountain top.

When I think about my most lurid near miss, and the contortions the bike had to go through for it to be a miss, it occurs to me that I wouldn't bet I could have done that on my own. Just maybe I had help...

[erik]

Yep, I think I know what you mean

[RDJ]

We know. The concentration required to ride safely and well closer than usual to the limit paradoxically frees us to best appreciate the moment... which can last - as it did for you - for 200 kms or more.

[Aitch]

you guys are scaring me!

[James Deuce]

Yep, that's him. The guy that climbs up on your shoulders just as you're lining up the corner and hangs down over your eyes. The bastige. And then roars with laughter after you've stopped, shaking, to recover yourself. He also specialise sin making bumps pop up right on your cornering line that definately were NOT there when you committed to it.

That's him - owes me a beer

[notme]

Howdy. Yeah, I know what you mean, as everyone else on this site probably does.

Good....at least I'm not going (further) mad.

It is the one thing I miss and the closest way to flying. Feeling the wind against you, to the side of you, everywhere around you was just beyond words.....

Hmmm....I wonder if pilots look at a series of those fluffy whites things you get up there and think "I'm gonna carve thru those 10km/h faster than last time!"

I'm still feeling a bit weird about it all (especially having a seim-serious thought in my head!), but tomorrow is another day huh? A day to jump on the Kwaka and go for i ride, i reckon.

Ramius - here's one for ya (slightly misquoted):
"motorcycling is the nearest approximation I know to the flight of birds. The airplane simply carries a man on its back like an obedient Pegasus; it gives him no wings of his own."
~Louis J. Helle, Jr., Spring in Washington