THESE are the days.

[Dan Filetti]

 

I just walked outside with my coffee and made an observation I thought I'd share:

Today, and it looks like tomorrow, (in the Philly area at least) are the rarest of days that are, in my humble opinion, perfect for being outside on a motorcycle.  There are only perhaps 15, maybe 20 such days per year.  It's a perfect confluence where the sun's out, with no wind, and the temp is slightly crisp in the morning and warms up as the day passes but never to the point where it's ever too warm.  A heavy rain is far enough in the rear-view mirror to have cleared the gravel in the road, and wet leaves are not yet an issue.

I notice the machine runs distinctly better in these temps, crisper and it results in a reduction in the number of times I stop, just out of the sheer enjoyment of riding.

If you're up here in the north east, and it's possible to ride today, do so if you can.  You just don't get too many like this.

Dan 

[higbonzo]

Dan,

I know exactly what you are talking about.  I lived in Michigan over half of my lifespan.  And I can remember the seasonal days where I could simply get lost in the ride.  I used to find myself so far from home on a ride that I would wonder how I got so many miles behind me with out noticing.  It is so calming and exilerating at the same time it is hard to put the emotions into words.  But the nice thing about days and rides like those are the stay with us forever, and will creep up out the recesses of our minds on any given ride.  Which, I think is what keeps me riding to this day.  I have been riding since I was 18, and there is nothing that makes me feel young again as much as getting on my bike and just taking off with out having any set destination.  There are still day where I wish I could ride until I would just fall to sleep and ride forever.  Riding can definitely be a zen experience of life.

Anyways, I live in Florida now and we have those day most of the years.  If it is to hot to ride in the day, then it will be perfect in the evening, and if it is to chilly at night it will be perfect during the day.  So, I have found a type of Nirvana for motorcycling.  Just wish I didn't have to drive all over the country side just to find a few decent corners.  But, the country side is what the ride is all about, and here in NE Florida the views are varying and beautiful.  We just don't have the mountains, or deserts they have in other parts of the US.

Ride on.

Later......