motorcyclemeditation.com

On the motorcycle Saturday morning nine o clock, heading for Hyde Park. Everything clean and slightly sleepy. The day still undecided on its mood, maybe dry and warm, maybe blustery, and in no hurry to decide. Any is fine by me, even better not yet to know.

Down through Hampstead Heath, deserted bar the occasional jogger. Then through the village, pretty but oh so self conscious, partygoers spilling out blearily, coffee in polystyrene cups. Watching them, suddenly feeling good to have had an early night and naught by way of alcohol bar a couple of glasses of wine. Best keep that to myself, daughters get an inkling, there’ll be bored yawns and nudges and references to Captain Sensible.

Arriving, the parking bays empty except for another motorcycle. Its rider slouching on the saddle, sipping tea from a vacuum flask, gazing across the water. A kindred spirit, taking time out to take in this stunning London spot.

Before long, chatting, comparing motorcycle notes. His ride, a thirteen hundred Yamaha, no faring. Oceans of power, trouble is, anything above ninety, the wind wants to blow you off. Unsurprising really. Trouble is, says he, that sort of thing doesn’t bother you when you buy the motorcycle, you think it’s part of the fun, it’s only later that it starts to wear you down. Yes, exactly, you need to get something you can live with, and if you’re lucky, you have something that also produces the thrills.

Before long, time to get on with things, he going his way, I mine. But the day enriched from the touch of human contact, not too much of it, but some. Our shared interest, motorcycles, lending ease and lightness to the conversation, almost an innocence, stripping it of risk of ulterior agenda. The human need to talk, here matched with something easy to talk about. Also containing a natural means of escape when you’ve had enough, you just start fiddling with your helmet, oh well, must make a dash.

Watching the sky, now thickening with clouds, looks like the day’s decided, blustery it is, well, if so, caught the best bit of the day, what a fine start to the weekend.