Why I Ride

Why I Ride    

The gentle rhythm of my engine,

And the sun shining down warmly,

Fills my being with a joy so deep.

A joy I do not feel any other time,

Except when I am out for a ride.

Rolling along a mountain road,

Or traveling a busy interstate,

The feeling is the same.

To be a part of the scenery,

Experiencing it as I ride.

Wind or calm, rain or shine,

The thrill is there all the while.

Short putt, or on a long ride,

That joy lingers on afterwards,

Like an aura around me, it glows.

Friends I meet along the way,

If only to ride with for the day,

Make it so much more enjoyable.

Even the breakdowns and let downs

Are all a part of the life I love.

That is the key to it all,

Those are the reasons I ride.

For the many who understand,

No explanation is needed.

For those poor souls who cannot,

None is possible.

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I wrote that poem on Feb 21, 1983.  The years have flowed past, but it still holds its truth.  Nothing fancy, nothing too profound.  Just basic, simple truth and how I still feel about riding, and how it fills my life.  A lot of years, and even more miles are behind me since i wrote that, and I have changed in many ways.  I don't remember sadly, a lot of things I used to know, but the fact of how I feel when I am not riding is one I hope I never forget.  Because if I ever forget that, then I will have forgotten the focus of most of my life.   Dont care how old and crotchety I might get, if I ever forget that, just put me out of my misery, and spread my ashes on the road.