Motocyclene Therapy - September 10, 2012

I hang out with some interesting people on the internet and in real life.  One truly unique set is a group of motorcycle riders who like to ride long distances in the countryside, usually at very quick speeds.  In the universe of motorcycle riders, this sub-group is known as "Sport - Touring."  Few, if any, ride the infamous Harley-Davidsons, as that particular tool and technology is quite poorly suited to the mission. Most ride Honda, BMW, Suzuki, Yamaha, and Kawasaki motorcycles of various vintages and styles, matching personal preferences with budget, image, and other factors.  My group mostly started with Honda ST1100 bikes, and many have moved on to the newer technology of the Honda ST1300.  Others have migrated to other brands - some have had many choices, and others are still loyal to their first mount.  When people ask me what kind of bike I have, the answer "Honda ST1300" is generally uninformative, so then I tell them it's a cross between a Gold Wing (road sofa) and a crotch-rocket (bullet bike).  That description, plus a picture carried in my wallet, tends to convey the idea.

Several years ago one particular biker got carried away with typing an email update and misspelled the word "motorcycling" as "motorcyclene."  One cannot even blame the spell-checker for that mistake!  Even so, the word had traction, and has become a common term to describe the endorphin effect that occurs when riding for a while.  Others call it "clearing the cobwebs out of the brain" or other metaphors, but the term Motorcyclene Therapy is one that both resonates and works for me.

To help prepare for Judgment Day and otherwise restore balance to life, last week we rode about 1,500 miles, which is a pretty short trip for us.  They say that a picture is worth a thousand words.  If so, several thousand words follow:  (Click on any photo for a larger version)