The sky was clear and the temperature had risen to the 80s by midday. We must have been quite a sight - six riders in assorted adventure gear, bikes loaded down with camping supplies. It was the peak of the COVID crisis, and we were getting out of town for some moto social distancing. The Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE, a true adventure motorcycle.Īt the gas station in Stevenson, a man with a pickup truck hollered, “Where’re you guys headed?”, his mouth obscured by a red bandana. The Backcountry Discovery Route (BDR) kicked my butt and taught me a lesson - sometimes you have to accept help or you won’t make it home. I should know when it comes to riding and wrenching, I learn a lot of things the hard way. You learn by breaking stuff, by failing and by falling down hard. You don’t learn by doing something right the first time. The tow truck driver dragged my stubborn butt out of the muck in mere minutes.ĭo you remember those cheesy grade school posters, the ones reminding you that failure is the best teacher? They’re dead on. I once got stuck in the mud fifty miles from home and struggled for hours before I cracked and called a tow. When I attempted the same procedure with a friend’s help it took fifteen minutes, and no rotors were harmed in the process. I warped my brake rotors trying to set the bead on those new tires - a $450 mistake. No one would expect me to be a concert pianist the first time I sat down at a piano. But this expectation I’ve put upon myself is completely unreasonable. Whether it’s at work learning new software or out in the garage spooning new knobbies onto my adventure bike, I get frustrated with myself when I’m not good at something the first time. I don’t know where or when I got it in my head that I’ve got to be this rugged individualist, able to take on any challenge and come through with flying colors. I like to consider myself a fully-formed adult human, but I still struggle with some things - one of them is asking for and accepting help from others. I know the proper way to order a Philly cheesesteak. I know that here in Seattle, it’s just called “I-5”. I’ve learned to shim valves and to speak a few foreign languages. I’ve learned a few things in my three decades on this planet.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |