Denied the Ride

An avid motorcyclist is always looking for an excuse to ride the bike, but being exposed to the elements brings a whole different dimension to the experience of transportation. Instead of wanting to ride, frequently motorcyclists have to choose to ride (or choose not to ride as the case may be).

Most operators of cars (a.k.a. "cages" to the motorcycle riding community) give little, if any, real concern for the weather conditions around them. They will simply put on whatever clothes feel comfortable or that which is fashionable for the occasion, grab the keys, jump in the car and go. For a motorcyclist on the other hand, attention to the weather is a serious matter and can, at a minimum mean comfort on the ride and, ultimately could even be the difference between life and death. So if there is a significant threat of inclement weather, the tendency for most riders is to err on the side of precaution and take a car. Then there are days like today...

When my day began at 5:30 this morning, the forecast was for a blustery and gusty day with sustained winds in the mid to upper 20 MPH range and gusts up to 40 mph and a high temp in the low sixties. For a motorcyclist, those numbers aren't inherently prohibitive (especially the temperature because the low sixties are about perfect temperatures for bike and rider), but winds of that velocity do not make for the most enjoyable of conditions. All things considered, today I chose to take the "cage."

When time came for the evening commute, exiting the office revealed the day could not have been more pleasant for motorcycling. Sitting at intersection after intersection on the way home, I saw fellow rider after fellow rider enjoying the same wonderful weather I could have been enjoying as well. "Jealous," you accuse? Of course, you'd be correct! Anytime a motorcyclist sees other riders on their bikes having a great time and you're not on yours, there is a profound sense of "bummer" going on in the "caged" rider's mind. Happy for the other guy to a certain degree, but still wishing... longing... you were on your own bike. It is a "lost day" in the mind of a true rider.

On the drive home, this got me to thinking about our witness as Christians. If pre-Christians had any real clue about how fulfilling a life relationship with Jesus Christ really is and then chose to "drive" instead of "ride," might there be some sense of "missing something?" In other words, a "lost day" for them. The difference of course assumes there would, for that pre-Christian, be some awareness of what they were missing. Perhaps if followers of Christ really lived lives of testimony and witness, pre-Christians would have a stronger sense of what their life could be. They would have a better idea of what they are, in fact, missing!

Many people wonder why I ride motorcycles at all, claiming it is simply too dangerous! Others wonder why I ride as often as I do, again claiming danger and that I'm only increasing my odds for disaster. My only reasonable response to their protest is "if you've never ridden, you likely won't ever understand."

I've frequently said, "Some are born to ride and others are just born." I frequently encourage people to not discount motorcycles until they have at least ridden one! Many people never even try motorcycling and for a guy who loves it so intently, I find that sad for them. Many convince themselves the "risks" are not worth the "rewards" and simply avoid it altogether. But many of those don't do so out of informed experience, but merely out of preconceived notion and ill-informed assumption. (Ask a friend of mine who crashed within her first seconds on a motorcycle, gashed her leg open, and still proceeded to motorcycle safety school the next day, and today happily rides as often as possible! One has to at least try it before they can honestly reject it).

Others will wonder why Christ followers spend time seeking the Lord. Still more are curious why Christians are so serious about their relationship with the Christ. My hunch is that if they have never experienced our true witness of that relationship, how will they ever know? And if they never know, how will they ever make an informed decision as to whether they will ever take the risk to "ride" or not?

I'm ready to ride. Does anyone else care to join me?