Clarksville, TN – I recently posed the question on my social media that if you knew it would be your last ride, where would you go? The answers were varied and covered a lot of territory, but the common theme of all the responses I got was, “happy.”
I’ve shared with you before, that the time I spend on my motorcycle, is the closest I come to being truly in touch with my life. I have so much time to think of what was, and what will be.
Things I’ve done, both good and bad, places I’ve been, people I’ve met. What kind of man have I been. What kind of father, husband, friend. You have a lot of time to think, especially if you’re cutting across Kansas. LOL!
When you spend long hours on the back of your bike, fully exposed to all that is around you, your mind races everywhere. My senses are peaked anyway, and the thought that this could be the last ride is always lurking in the shadows.
I love this experience so much, I never want it to end. But I also realize that all good things come to an end, so what does that mean? It means that each and every time I venture out, I absorb the experience for all it’s worth. The people I’m with, or just me and God.
I’ve never experienced that feeling until I started this journey.
I’m honored to ride with veterans, firefighters, policemen and hard core adrenaline junkies. Men who have put their lives on the line and men who know the true meaning of danger. This experience is the closest I’ve ever come to that experience. I’m by NO means a hero, a warrior, a life saver, but the nature of the beast on this motorcycle puts me on the edge, and I appreciate how it makes me feel.
You know when you have something that you want to experience forever but you know you can’t? The adrenaline, the anxiety, the excitement? It’s all right here on the back of my Harley. But the reality is, that last ride is coming, ready or not.
I wrote a column recently about why bikers mean so much to each other. You can read it here. and I’m convinced that one of the greatest reasons there’s such a connection with bikers is, we all feel the same thing when we ride. Our bikes might be different. Our gear might be different. But at the end of the day, we’re bikers and the risks we take are universal among us.
Adrenaline junkies say that it’s the danger that pushes them. It’s the risk they take for the adrenaline they get, from the thrill they seek. Bikers experience the same thing and that’s why we can’t wait to saddle up again and let it rip.
I appreciate each ride for what it is. The sights and sounds. The views and the smells. The company I keep. The brothers I travel with. It’s a glorious time, and naturally, I would love to plan my last ride, on my terms and not on those of some reckless driver, or mechanical failure.
Nothing is forever, and hearing your ideas about YOUR last ride were special and profound. I get it, and it’s because of those of you who have been riding much longer than me. I’m encouraged that even at this stage of the game, there’s much more to come and I’m encouraged to be a better biker.
I’m not in a hurry. I want to get all I can get from this experience. There’s so much more to come and I look forward to it. Thanks for joining me along the way.
Connect with me on Facebook here. I’m also on Instagram @dodgetheroadkill.
