motorcyclemeditation.com

Dull grey weather settled in for the week, any rain making road surfaces wet and the sun too weak to dry them. Moist traffic grime being thrown up by swishing tyres, attracting itself to the visor, drying quickly, gradually caking in a thin layer.

On the motorcycle, proceeding in hope of a shower to wash the dirt away, but such being annoyingly unforthcoming. An occasional gloved finger swept over the visor, more by reflex than with real intent, the effect being merely to smear a slightly different pattern of smudges.

Before long, eyes making adjustments unconsciously, but now you’re responding not to the situation as it actually is but to its distorted facsimile as made out by peering eyes. Consciousness of the true line now compromised, this being a vital component of motorcycling awareness. The lines of the traffic and the lines of the road now only discernible through twisting lines of dirt on the visor.

Over time, the effort of discernment and adjustment containing an additional complication, fatigue. Fatigue and its cousin, the urge to rush, wanting to get things over with. Rushing when you should be taking things for what they are. In fact, on a motorcycle, rushing when you should be stopping.

Fortunately, by now experienced enough a rider to act accordingly. When you should stop, stop. Duly pulling into a service station. Filling up, the tank already half full, usually you stretch the range as much as you can, feels funny to stop and fill up when there’s no real need, but may as well, it’s a way of passing the requisite ten or fifteen minutes relaxation time. Also, cleaning the visor, not much point really, it’ll cake up in minutes, but again, may as well.

Pulling back on to the road, head clear, feeling safe, enjoying the ride again, reward for good motorcycle discipline.