OK, I’ve not done this before on here, but can’t see why not.
Let me explain, I’ve ridden more years than I care to recall, it’s part of who I am, every once in a while I use the bike to balance my life,no seroiusly it works for me, I’ve done it many times, anyway Monday night was one of those, I’ve written it down, it’s a side to biking that’s all to infrequently addressed.
So here it is
Sanity restored.
I’m working; a late job, I sit at my work station with a compelling need for miles under my belt, the grind of mundane work that needed doing dragged upon me like iron chains, shackled to a PC for hours throughout the evening unable to break free to indulge the passion waiting to burst fourth.
Will it ever end, slowly over the long hours the threads of tasks pull together until my work is complete, I finish the last of the paperwork in my paperless world and I’m no longer required to be a prisoner of the chair in front of the screen.
The sun is low, the weathers cooler, gone is the sweltering heat of the day, the stead is waiting, I don the uniform of my passion, I don’t have a plan, just empty roads to fill before me.
Picking up the keys I turn over the alarm fob, find the button the prequel to breathing life into the machine. I walk out and press the button, all four indicators flash, it’s defenses are down, mounting I slip the key in and do the first turn, the red amber and green lights glow, I wait just a moment as I know what’s to come.
Housed within an alloy frame, bits of machined steel & iron, petrol & air combine to produce THE sound.
Excitement, passion, spirit, soul, the feel, the sound all become one, no conscious effort is used to select gear, let out the clutch and animate the mechanical marvel beneath me, but we’re moving, so begins the blending of man and machine, one unit, one purpose, one road.
The traffic is light and the local roads are handled easily, as I pass the poor souls encase in their tin boxes, I can almost see the days mental weight oppressing them without them even realizing it, the thought crosses my mine “they don’t know what they’re missing”, but I’m free, my mental baggage being shed by the second as I rotate the throttle.
The sun is setting as I escape the city streets, although my home and where I was brought up, it lacks solitude; a peace, that’s my destination.
The street lights fade into the distance behind me as I head off into the night.
I’m fast, I’m strong, a thought and the revs increase as does the pressure on my body, the speed builds, I could go on, reaching three figure speeds, but choose not to, knowing I can is enough, I settle back and relax though the gentle curves of the A roads, my world is defined by the spread of the headlight, bends and junctions flow towards me and are managed without effort, my mind breaths a mental sigh, the light traffic evaporates, not a car in sight and I’m on my own.
Time slips by, where I’m going dictated by nothing more than the range of the tank, I ride on, from A roads I switch to B’s time to focus, the challenge, reaction to the leading edge of the headlight, balancing speed and reaction time, knowing the consequences only adds to the thrill, I push, I’m my own task master, battling against myself and I have to win.
I find a place, pull in, stop the bike, dismount, sanity check complete, time for a fag, I walk a few paces away and park myself looking back at the bike.
“What would I pay” is the mental question the sleek machine in front of me gives me balance, grounding, sanity.
The answer “ a lot”, it’s not just transport or a hobby, it’s part of who I am, sure the family and friends complete me but without it I’d be a shadow of myself and I know it.
Still enough of that, the beast needs feeding, I take stock of my location, a handful of miles away is a motorway and that means 24hr petrol, so that’s where I’ll go.
I make the services with barely 10 miles of juice in the bike; the tank eats up the fuel as its dispensed, full tank, where to now.
The race track, no it’s not a circuit, but at 3.45AM the M25 is just as good, I turn towards the smoke, going home, but one circuit to do before that, taking the M26 I make my way onto the ring road, it’s empty, time to sing, slipping through the gears the speed builds the song of wind/ engine & exhaust, music to my ears, don’t back off just keep on going, the world collapses to the road width only broken by the non-lit sections, the road signs show the miles covered and before long South Mimms services come up, roll back on the throttle and steer to a petrol pump. I grab a brew whilst watching the bike through the window; I can’t hear it but know the sounds it’s making, the built up heat dissipating into the night accompanied by the pinging on metal.
On leaving the services I realize I’m tiered and slow the pace, enjoying the harmony of bike & rider, the veil of night visibly lightening in front of me, the morning will be here soon.
Miles slip by as the light increases, it’s going to be another clear day. As I reach the Dartford bridge the sun broaches the horizon, and I race up to meet it, a sky of grey blue and orange, a wonder to behold.
Taking the A2 I head in, I know this route, it’s as if the bike is eager to get home, the junctions fly by and once again I’m on my own turf, finally turning into the front of my house, I pull up, turn the key, silents, then the noise of the city makes itself known, after all its never really gone away, just been substituted for a time, walking away I take one look back, its still there, and I could just get back on, but no that’s enough, for now.
