Tonight is the eve of my 15th dash. For the first time in, well over 25 years it's not a dash to the bottom of the South Island that these blokes do. This year we're staying put on the somewhat stable North Island. I met these guys nigh on 16 years ago. Heard about their annual rather fast bike tour around the Sth Island. The general ideal was to get as far south as quickly as possible .I've clocked up 14 Dashes with them and a few other awesome rides on south and north islands tours.
Most of us are pushing 50s and 60s now so the group has sadly diminished from about 13 riders when I joined in to, well last year 9. With the earthquake shit down south we decided to skip it and only a few are in this year for a North Island ride instead. Life is just too short to drink the house wine. We must embrace ever moment above ground. Happiness is a means of travel, not a destination.
Today was the first day of summer and I had the day off work - brilliant ideal that was! Bloody awesome day.
The bike is polished beyond human comprehension. Ready for tomorrow, 5 or 6 days of riding our stunning country.
The whole reason I'm posting this dribble is - I fucking love riding motorcycles. I love it . The Dash. A bunch of guys who hardly see each other during the year, come together on the Picton Ferry and spend 5 days bonding, riding, eating, drinking and then...Well just depart the ferry and go home until next December. It amazes me. It works. I love it.
The lovely Wife and I chatted tonight about out mortality and pushing through our 50s to ..damn it 60s coming up fast. We're both happy that we have lived a full life, no regrets. We have dear friends and relatives that died way too soon. Every day that we have lived beyond their lives is a gift, a bonus, to be thankful for.
What I'm pondering tonight, after a few beersies I will admit, is I feel I was born to ride bikes. We just gel. They may one day kill me. I have accepted that since the day I first fired up my kick start XL100. But for 41 years they have given me so much joy, so much exhilaration, so much excitement, thrills, scares, yes broken bones but always left me fulfilled with life.
I wonder what would have filled the void over the last 41 years if I hadn't discovered the joy of motorcycling?
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