I never had much of an interest in riding motorcycles growing up or going super fast. But my friend Heather bought a Suzuki Boulevard when I bought a Seadoo jetski in 2006, so why not learn and have another hobby that I can enjoy even into my older years.
The rider safety course was super fun and gave us the tools to drive defensively. I was originally a little apprehensive to sign up for a dangerous activity but my innate sense of adventure overruled. YOLO. Control what you can control and minimize the risk in others. Still to this day, I have no desire to go over 55 mph or go anywhere near a major highway.
One of my fav things to do on a FL spring or fall weekend off would be to take off on the country backroads and just cruise. I would find a Firehouse Subs and order to go (my sandwich of choice was always the Engineer with grilled mushrooms) so that I could enjoy a picnic in a local park reading a book for pleasure. It was my release to just escape all the noise and pressure.
Another recent highlight was renting a small moped on my 2019 trip to Bali’s island of Nusa Penida. I wasn’t comfortable driving in the mainland traffic chaos but the island was quiet & stress free. And since the airline lost my big luggage, I travelled for a week in this tropical paradise light & free. I negotiated $10 per day upon jumping off the ferry and was off to explore for 72 hours. Hugging the frequent turns and letting it loose on the jungle backroads was just the release I needed to end my 3 week vacation before a notoriously busy upcoming January work schedule. I only got lost a few times and was within a couple of miles of running out of gas, but those are just minor details….
I don’t ride often anymore, but always game to have the wind blowing through my hair and feeling that freedom that only a bike ride can accomplish.
Update April 2021 – on my upper north road trip through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North & South Dakota’s and Iowa, what a thrill it was to take a detour through the town of Sturgis which hosts the massive, annual biker rally!!
FearlessAdventures 