motorcyclemeditation.com

A fifty mile trip, perfect motorcycling distance, mostly on motorway, perfect for my style, weather cool and clear, pretty darn perfect too. Spring springing springily, half expect to see fish-a-jumpin soon, oh look over there, is that the cotton high. Motorcycle sharing the mood, surging, impatient of impediment, if it was a horse it would be whinnying and skipping.

Familiar calculations, seventy maximum, add ten percent for understated speedo calibration, add another ten percent for police tolerance, not because they’re nice people, more because otherwise the legal system would collapse. So, an indicated eighty five or so. Add another five miles an hour just for the hell of it, fend off the deathly forces of conformity and obedience, such being the birthright nay responsibility of the freeborn.

Car ahead, going slow, pulling out far too early to overtake some dirty trundling truck. An easy and pleasurable situation on the motorcycle, get the rhythm right, swoop round the inside of the car, then the other way outside the van, goodbye. The alternative being to brake and wait and lose all the fine joyousness of the day. So, let’s go, easy does it, stay focused.

The car soon undertaken but beneath the grime, the truck’s brake lights showing. The gap still substantial, plenty of time. Motorcycle coming up fast but careful, options keeping open. Difficult to see how much the truck’s slowing. Yup, the gap’s closing too fast, okay Plan B, stay in the lane behind the truck, nice and straight, brake and brake hard.

Front disks biting, two changes down and the motorcycle slowing fast. The car now catching up, travelling adjacent in the outside lane, occupants no doubt tutting. On the motorcycle, feeling fine about it, there wasn’t any danger, maybe it was impolite to zip along the inside like that, apologies, maybe next time don’t pull your car out so early. Okay let’s get on with it, after you sir, that’s right, pull in now, okay goodbye.

No damage done, still, take it easy dammit, things like that happen, they’re a cue for cooling it a bit, not for sailing blithely on, don’t be so pumped up. That’s it, a sensible eighty on the speedo, motorcycle journey still a goddam pleasure.