Are frightful grey follicles making an uninvited appearance? Has my “grumpy” quotient increased exponentially since my 20’s & 30’s? Is it the not so chiseled six-pack? (Actually it’s more of a single pack now)
It’s funny, but the things I used to do at a younger age (mostly in my 20’s) did not necessarily cause me to pause and think before taking action.
Testosterone? Yes, to some extent. Lack of maturity? In certain situations, most assuredly. When you are young, you sometimes have a deluded sense of invincibility.
As I thought about this, I recalled an extended motorcycle group ride with friends one year ago on Good Friday. In Christian circles that day that is set aside to remember the scourging and crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. Now here is someone who had put his life on the line….literally for ones who really could not care less about Him. It is a day usually set aside globally for reflection, remembrance, thankfulness and forgiveness.
On that very day while standing with my fellow bike friends in a parking lot beside a highway in Owen Sound, we watched many bikes go by. Cruisers, sport bikes, choppers..all kinds. One particular sound caught our collective ear as it rose in pitch, coming in from the east. As we turned to track the sound we noted a bright fluorescent green super sport bike with two passengers. As it came abreast of our group the driver decided to do a wheelie – ostensibly to impress the standing group of bikers it was currently passing. (I believe I had previously mentioned something about delusions – immaturity – whacked out perceptions of invincibility).
Now our code of conduct as a social family riding group advocates that safety is always paramount. As I watched the sport bike whizz past with the passenger hanging on to the driver with the front wheel in the air, I thought about the two hundred (for some three hundred) or so kilometres that we had just navigated prior to getting to Owen Sound. Two to three hundred kilometres of hand signals, speed limit pacing; watching for scurrying animals, road debris, watching out for other riders in the group, watching for cars passing and coming in the opposite direction.
Apart from the fact that this rider was breaking the law, I wondered if he (I assumed it was a he) was older or younger than I was. Not that stupidity is limited to young, highly testosterone-charged males of the current dominant species; I just could not envision myself doing that. Not just now, but at any age. Thankfully my wuss-factor is of a high order – my wife would probably say not as high as the grumpy one, but high nonetheless. I am supremely grateful that I started riding in my mid-forties. Lots of time for unused testosterone to get flushed from the system.
What is interesting is that as a young man in my twenties I used to fly aircraft in and around the mountains of British Columbia. Updrafts, downdrafts, crosswinds, Mountain Waves, Standing Lenticular clouds and sundry other meteorological phenomenon were in abundance to keep any misguided aspirations of aberrant behaviour from taking root. There are miles of plane wrecks all across the BC interior to attest to that form of thinking.
As the whine of the sport bike dopplered off into the west, we communally shook our heads and prepared for the final one to two hundred kilometres back to our homes. A couple of hours later with the bike a little bit dustier, but safely nestled in the garage, I was relaxing watching the news on TV when my ears perked up about a motorcycle accident.
The news announcer said that two men were allegedly racing their motorcycles on a Mississauga street Friday evening when according to police, one of them crashed and died. Around 7 p.m., the pair were trying to exit from Mavis Rd. onto the eastbound lanes of Highway 401, when one of the bikes lost control and drove off the road, snapping a highway marker in half and skidding into a ditch.
The 31-year-old driver was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. His name had not been released pending notification of next of kin. It was reported by police that a 32-year-old man who was riding the other motorcycle left the scene. Within a few hours, police had tracked him down and charged him with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death while street racing, criminal negligence causing death while street racing and driving while suspended.
I thought again about this special holiday. While not everyone may adhere to its tenets, for my part I reflected on the beautiful day riding with friends; I remembered how I thought as a younger man; and how thankful I am now for being forgiven for some of the idiotic choices I made in my youth. The opportunity for wisdom that comes with age allows me the privilege of appreciating what I have now.
Hi, Im Roselyn’s husband(the lady you work with)lol She just passed me this and i read it from start to finish with great familiarity. I started riding in my early 30’s due to the fact that when i was younger my mother hated the idea of me riding and the thought of all the greif that i would get for it put me off(think of the larger black woman that you would only see the lower half of on the Tom & Jerry cartoons, THAT was my mum) Jamaican temper with size to boot lol. I cowered in her wake and NEVER disobeyed her, well i tried not to! Well she passed away in 2000 (God rest her soul) and i decided that now was the time to get my bike license(with Rose’s permission of course). In the UK our testing is extremely intensive and i attended the 5 day DAS (direct access course) which is a progressive coures starting with a 125cc for a day and ending up on a 500cc which you take the test on. I passed this and went straight on to a Yamaha R6 the next day.
Well this was a complete different beast and i had to take it easy for fear of my life. This is one thing i was thankful for with regards to learning to ride so late, the Testosterone was well and truly out of my system and i think that God had replaced it with FEAR because riding a sport bike scared the crap out of me.
Moving to Canada meant that i had to sell my first love and i have to admit, i cried about that(don’t tell Rose) After settling in Canada for a couple of years and talking about nothing else but bikes i finally was able to purchase my 2nd bike, a 2005 Kawasaki ZX-636. This was awesome but it wasn’t a Yamaha so after a year on the Kawai i traded it up for a grail of mine, the Yamaha R1 Champion’s limited edition No 187/1000 It was a little tatty but it was all cosmetic so i stripped the plastics, sent them to the body shop and started replacing anything that looked remotely scruffy. I had her for 3yrs and she was a real head turner. All i had left to do was Ohlins forks and she would have been finished but i had now become good friends with the guys at Action motorsport in Victoria BC(where i had bought the Champion’s edition) They had the brand new 2012 Anniversary edition R1 and i was all over it. I had to have it so on May 23rd 2012 I paid the deposit and she became mine. I LOVE this new bike and now i live on the mainland the sea to sky towards Squamish is a very popular ride for me. Harrison Springs is another nice ride which i also love to do. I ride with a groupe of older riders, none of which ride sportbikes(they all ride cruisers) but i feel totally safe with them.
Riding at the speed limit and in correct formation makes me feel like i’m not on the police radar when they pass us. I think the maturity thing is paramount when riding these rockets and i also still ride with a very healthy amount of fear!
The guy who leads the group rides is an instructor and he also works at GA Checkpoint. We all get along very well and we all have great road manners!.
I’ve now been riding fro 10yrs and i’m now in my mid 40’s. I ALWAYS wear full gear only substituting my leather pants for my Kevlar Sartso jeans! I try to educate the younger riders when ever i get talking to them. I tell them about the importance of FULL gear ALL THE TIME and riding respectfully on the road.
Well that was a very brief outline of my riding career so far, i’m looking forward to this seasons WSBK and MotoGp as i watch these both to the point of obsession lol and i’m looking forward to this years riding in the sunny weather. Riding is the best feeling ever and now that i’ve finally done it, i’m totally hooked for life!
Mike Tonge
Hi Mike.
Great to make your acquaintance. I know all about surviving (relatively unscathed) when it comes to the barely restrained temperament of Jamaican mothers; and Grandmothers for that matter. Sometimes they are scarier! 🙂
The type of motorcycle training in the UK should be adopted here in Canada. The thing that amazes me is that you can take a learner’s Ontario M1 written exam and go out and purchase a machine that will rip your arms out of their sockets. You cannot do that with a car. As far as safety and proper clothing, you and I are definitely on the same page. Some of my riding associates ride cruisers and their choice of effective attire is somewhat relaxed in the summer months. While I can appreciate that things do get warm in that season, I am totally allergic to pain! I would rather sweat it out than graft asphalt into my skin :).
One thing I am envious of is your location. I used to live out in Langley BC when I attended university in another lifetime, and I would desperately love to ride the mountains and the coast.
Maybe some day.
Cheers
Well we had a very nice day after all the recent rain(it rained alot) The bikes were out today in downtown Vancouver and all i could think of was riding. In fact it was quite distracting and i could hardly concentrate on my work. On the way home i tailed a Hyabusa rider and all i can say is THAT DID IT! It was too late for me to ride but the bug bit me deep today and now i cant wait to ride! Bring on the summer!
I am not envious! Seriously! 🙂 We have to get rid of the snow, salt and sand first over here in the East :(. Oh…it has to get much warmer too!