Riding alone

[Wolf]

I've spent a lot of time riding alone - and not just day-trips. Often travel at night. No cell phone, nothing but me, the bike (with its tool kit under the seat) and the open road. Stop anywhere I felt like taking a rest, not necessarily "near civilisation".

Strong memories of stopping on the side of the road in the wee hours of the morning, just outside a tiny little settlement - nary a light was burning, they were all settled down for the night - and having a cigarette because I had finally decided my arse and my hands had had enough punishment for a while. It was deathly quiet and the proximity of the settlement with it's quiet houses made it seem all the more deserted, not less - as if the houses were abandonned like some old ghost town.

I've always had faith that I would get where I'm going, that I would be able to handle anything that came along. OK, occasionally I'd be setting off and get a few nervous "what if I break down" thoughts but I would push them aside and pretty soon the joy of riding would dispel any momentary fears for good.

It's great being out there by yourself - it's that grounding I mentioned in another thread - you and your bike, connected to the world. No complications (except for the occasional one like "I've got no money for gas, how am I going to make it home?"), no worries (see previous), no problem.

OK, in my early days I wound up having to ride a bent and broken bike to the nearest "safe harbour" twice - once with a broken wrist - and I once wound up "hitch-hiking" with my bike to the nearest service station (I was picked up by a bloke with a trailer because he saw me pushing my bike out in the middle of nowhere), but somehow I've managed to make it.

As to crashing - I tried that a few times in the early days for various stupid reasons, now I work on trying not to crash. I do a pretty good job these days - despite the attempts of cagers who seem to be intent on having an accident.

Like Ixion, I ride like a nana's nana - not necessarily slow, but not outside my limits. If that means slowing down a lot because of visibility issues or unfamiliar roads, so be it, if that means taking a familiar 75km/h corner with good visibility and dry road at 100km/h... I do that, too. I keep alert for hazards and avoid them, I inherently mistrust everyone else on the road and am pleasantly surprised when proved wrong.

[Ixion]

I ride alone. With a good map. And a few ghosts for company.