Every now and then I get a hankering to take a ride of epic proportions. Okay, with "epic" being hugely relative.
There have been days when I was out on the scooter for five or six hours, spending most of the time actually in the saddle. Those trips, however, haven't usually taken me all that far from the house because the longest have been more or less circuitous and much of the actual time was spent moving through urban traffic patterns.
There have been days when I was out on the scooter for five or six hours, spending most of the time actually in the saddle. Those trips, however, haven't usually taken me all that far from the house because the longest have been more or less circuitous and much of the actual time was spent moving through urban traffic patterns.
What I keep thinking about is taking a day and traveling away from the valley for a few hours. There are places fitting that description of time and associated distance to which I could ride and amuse myself sufficiently upon my arrival. What I don't know, though, that's keeping me from doing it, is if after making the ride there and spending some time seeing the sights, I'll have the energy and requisite alertness to make the ride back.
There have been times in the car on long trips when I've felt myself nearly dozing and moving off course a little while snapping myself back to attention. On a bike the possibility of "error" would be of much more consequence. In the car, a nap at a rest area is doable. On the cycle that wouldn't quite work. Nor could I call anybody and ask him to help me stay awake for a while, reach for snacks and sips of soda, listen to the radio or CB, nor engage in other small distractions to maintain my overall focus. I don't want to end up in a town a few hours away only to realize that I don't feel up to making the ride back.
So, how far is far enough and how far is too far? Maybe I'll discover that sometime this summer after school's out.
There have been times in the car on long trips when I've felt myself nearly dozing and moving off course a little while snapping myself back to attention. On a bike the possibility of "error" would be of much more consequence. In the car, a nap at a rest area is doable. On the cycle that wouldn't quite work. Nor could I call anybody and ask him to help me stay awake for a while, reach for snacks and sips of soda, listen to the radio or CB, nor engage in other small distractions to maintain my overall focus. I don't want to end up in a town a few hours away only to realize that I don't feel up to making the ride back.
So, how far is far enough and how far is too far? Maybe I'll discover that sometime this summer after school's out.
2 comments:
If you don't try you'll never know. Besides there's no rule says you can't lay down and take a roadside nap halfway through.
Joe:
I suppose many factors contribute to the "how far" decision. Sometimes in the pouring rain, a mile to the grocery store is TOO FAR. In the summer when the weather is on your side; warm, sunny, good mood, less traffic, nice twisties . . . then you are able to expand your radius.
I try to do my chores on weekdays in the evenings so as to leave the weekends free. then I don't have guilt feelings about arriving home earlier to do them
and as Conchscooter said: You can always take a nap somewhere with a nice view
bob
bobskoot: wet coast scootin
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