EXISTING IN THE NOW OF TRAVEL AND MOTION

"On a motorcycle we are titans, roaming a new and beautiful world, unsuspecting, innocent, and uncaring of the changes we will see, moving forward along interlaced roadways, and existing in the now of travel and motion. Nowhere has this been truer than riding the BMW Montauk...."

http://www.onewheeldrive.net/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=111&Itemid=67

I want to thank Neil Johnston, Senior Editor at OneWheelDrive.Net, for his observation on the spiritual aspect of motorcycling ("existing in the now of travel and motion") and for his appreciation of my motorcycle, the BMW Montauk.

Hybiscus of the Dominican Republic

Hybiscus in the Dominican Republic
Originally uploaded by MontaukRider.

Nature seeks balance in all things.





The Hybiscus blossom yields to a breeze, then springs back to its balance point a moment later.

A BALANCED LIFE

A balanced life is a good life.

I'm sure someone like Benjamin Franklin quoted a pithy phrase of similar intent long ago. Balance does of course beget equilibrium. In that sense balance is a state of being that presages harmony in all things.

My thoughts today are of balance. Balance is an essential component of what Dressage Riders call "seat." Even the best horsemen and women seek to perfect their comfort, seat, and feel on their horses. They seek to become one with the animal's movements.

Balance and "seat" are of equal import on motorcycles. We riders of the the two-wheeled machines enter into a lifelong quest for perfect balance and seat.

There are times on a cycle that your seat is so in tune with the machine and the road that each turn of the road is matched effortlessly, magically, seemingly as if all instructions to the machine were being telepathed through the thighs, into the saddle, and through the frame, on through the tires, and into the tar itself.

You are one with the bike, and the bike is one with the road. Equipoise has been achieved.

A balanced life is surely a good life.

The Krishna Road - 1973 

THE TURNING POINT

Each of us experiences a Turning Point in life, a place or time where all things come into focus. It is then and there that future-altering choices are made.

My artist friend from Maine, Peter, visited last evening. He brought along an old photo of the two of us taken in January 1973 on our journey toward the fabled Taj Mahal, in Agra, India.

We were walking the "Krishna Road." And there it was, our Turning Point. [See photo above]

Turning Points aren't always so obvious. I want to thank the keepers of the Krishna Road for helping us out that day. Without their efforts we might well have missed the epiphany opportunity altogether.

The Quiet Man 

Famous folks who love cycling 

EVEN OUR WORDS ARE RANKED

While I pause between chapters of my stories, I think it worthwhile to note an incredibly cool site where the words of our English language are ranked according to usage. I thank http://www.wordcount.org/main.php for the following useful information.

The word "motorcycle" is the 15,969th most common word used in English today. The word is thus far less in use than the words "the" (# 1) or "a" (# 5). It is far more common, however, than the least used word, "conquistador" (# 86,800).

Interesetingly, the word "Zen" is ranked at # 12,408, while the word "motorcycling" is a lowly # 47,018.

Perseid Meteor Showers 

1973 1/2 BMW R75/5