Topic: The Watering Hole

[IAmCitizenMe]

That old feeling has come back again. The time when I flip through my phone, looking for numbers of friends who could sympathize or who share the landlocked sentiment. I usually end up talking to my friend in Chicago.

My bike sits in my garage. Although I have never taken her out of the city limits, she begs for one direction. Turning back has never been comfortable. Especially now, when the weather is warm. It is impossible to feel anything but trapped when standing in my driveway, waiting for the storm to pass, waiting for any opportunity to feign the feeling of travel. Just another midnight ride through the back roads and hills of the surrounding area—pretending to travel.

Friday night used to be the time when the kids came out, driving their parents cars like they were their own. Feeding on the only time they had like animals at a watering hole during summer drought. We’d take advantage of this time. No lingering and waiting for things to happen or reality would snap its jaws around our necks and pull us under. I guess that’s what happens when you get older. The phone calls become less frequent. The friends become few and Friday nights you sit, waiting for the rain to stop.  Wait too long and you’re finished.

When I was young money mattered more to me than it does today. But I appreciate its usefulness more now than ever. Now, as in: now sitting on my driveway smoking cigarettes and drinking cans of Budweiser, staring at my motorcycle staring back at me. She’s saying she wants to drive without turning around. “I know. I want to leave too.” Money being the deciding factor of any of my choices makes my butt feel rooted to the concrete. Something as simple as a city limit sign represents more limitations than it had when I was younger and poorer. My education is more advanced but so is my debt.

I wish I’d had hindsight.

I would have decided to buy a motorcycle before I decided to go back to school to study… global journalism? I guess they have motorcycles and roads just about everywhere else. But what am I studying for? The only reason I decided to go back to school after four years of working crappy jobs and drinking was to travel and write. The only reason I was working crappy jobs and drinking was because I couldn’t stay in one place for long. My education and debt are not the only things that have become more complicated—I wouldn’t want to leave out my flightiness.

I used to be indecisive. But I’m not so sure anymore.

The only thing that has ever really appealed to me was the open road, a notebook and a pen. (Recent developments include my bike and my guitar, but that only changes the method). Why would I learn to do something in theory that I could develop on my own in reality? The whole career aspect of the argument gives the path of a degree the appeal of “safety”. But the concept of safety doesn’t always appeal to someone whose idea of a good time consists of months on the back of a 30-year-old motorcycle, touring the continent. Maybe the desire comes from that adrenaline rush of the unknown. That roller-coaster ride of letting the control out of your hands. The adrenaline rush is a natural instinct that comes from the need to keep guard against the forces of nature at all times. If startled, chemicals are produced in rapid quantities in the body and brain that gives a natural high. I can get high on life. I can’t get high on office work—I won’t settle for getting high during lunch break.

My Chicago friend sends a message to my phone. As always, he is consoling and sympathetic. The weather has broken and my bike is running in circles, barking and scratching at the door. It won’t be long before I have to turn around and come back. But, I’m not worried about that now. Soon enough the city limit sign will no longer apply to me. Only to those still waiting for the weather to clear.

[tramp]

speaking from experience
do it now
or thirty yrs from now you'll wonder why you didn't

[Bob Wessner]

IAm, nice little piece, I like your writing style. I can identify with "hard to turn around" theory. Many times have taken a break from home, yard, whatever duties to take a short spin, maybe an hour, only to find myself two hours out and having an internal debate on whether to turn around and head back home. It's usually a long debate. 

[clarkjh]

Very nice.

Today, I'm not waiting for the rain to stop.  I'm going riding.

James

[gerhed]

Great piece !

Just learn to love the ride.
It may not be everything but it's not bad.

[IAmCitizenMe]

Thanks, guys.

It was a good ride, though short lived as the rain picked up again.

Someday I will hit the road. I will, indeed.

[Damfino]

I used to be indecisive. But I’m not so sure anymore.

 

[rhos1355]

IAM, did you write that well before you went back to school? If so then I think you'll be excellent when you qualify. Very readable piece, when I look at threads on this forum and find that they're more than 2 paragraphs long, my eyes glaze over and I skip most of the preamble thinking "another why-me? merchant". But yours was thought provoking and I read it easily. Very descriptive using the bare minimum of adjectives. I like that. Some writers use so much ink trying to convey basic human feelings. At times I would suggest it's a sign of vanity in the writer; look at me, I'm writing fancy words to describe this situation. Not you though. Keep at it lad.
Adult life is sometimes a search for security. Good job, career, nice house, lovely wife and kids, smart friends. It's an ideal.The ultimate prize. Success. Some attain it by working all the hours god sends, some by finding lots of money and some by selling their souls. But for average achievers, like myself I get it at a hefty price. Tedium. Of commuting. Of sitting in an office 8hrs a day. Of listening to my superiors telling me that one day, if I work REAL hard all my efforts will be rewarded. Of the long drive home. Of wondering what the feck am I gonna do for the rest of my life.
I long for the young man I was 30 years ago, who wanted adventure, travel and to satisfy his curiosity. If I were to meet him again I would say, to hell with security. It's not worth the price.

[IAmCitizenMe]

Thanks, rhos

I wrote it last night. The bug bites bad at night. I still have two years of school left and, although I know that eventually I will have a career (hopefully in writing. cross my fingers), but I keep getting that feeling that I'm going to botch it by doing something crazy. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm not going to do it. I am most definitely going. It's that fear and anxiety, I suppose, that makes me poor something like that out onto the forum haha.

My dad says he was just like me at my age (big surprise). He is a hell of a trooper when it comes to the tedium you describe. I can't do what he does. So, I appreciate the guys who can put forth that effort.

Thanks for the compliments, though. Someday soon, God willing, I'll be writing updates from the road.

Happy Trails,
Chris

[HavocTurbo]

IAM, did you write that well before you went back to school? If so then I think you'll be excellent when you qualify. Very readable piece, when I look at threads on this forum and find that they're more than 2 paragraphs long, my eyes glaze over and I skip most of the preamble thinking "another why-me? merchant". But yours was thought provoking and I read it easily. Very descriptive using the bare minimum of adjectives. I like that. Some writers use so much ink trying to convey basic human feelings. At times I would suggest it's a sign of vanity in the writer; look at me, I'm writing fancy words to describe this situation. Not you though. Keep at it lad.
Adult life is sometimes a search for security. Good job, career, nice house, lovely wife and kids, smart friends. It's an ideal.The ultimate prize. Success. Some attain it by working all the hours god sends, some by finding lots of money and some by selling their souls. But for average achievers, like myself I get it at a hefty price. Tedium. Of commuting. Of sitting in an office 8hrs a day. Of listening to my superiors telling me that one day, if I work REAL hard all my efforts will be rewarded. Of the long drive home. Of wondering what the feck am I gonna do for the rest of my life.
I long for the young man I was 30 years ago, who wanted adventure, travel and to satisfy his curiosity. If I were to meet him again I would say, to hell with security. It's not worth the price.

I'm sorry what was that you said? I can't seem to concentrate.  

Speaking from the mouth of a yappy kid and someone who has forsaken school for my calling of riding and building as much as I can, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.  Not to say I wouldn't be happy working an $80k a year job, but money isn't as important as I'd like to think it is.

So yes, rhos1355, I agree with you. Even from the other side of the coin.

[BobbyR]

speaking from experience
do it now
or thirty yrs from now you'll wonder why you didn't

+1

[Bob Wessner]

Jeez, in thirty years, he'll only be 55, that's not old. 

[rhos1355]

It is if he's got another 11 years his mortgage

[IAmCitizenMe]

Uh oh. He dropped the M word.

[clarkjh]

Uh oh. He dropped the M word.

LOL, just under 10 for me.
Just remember you need to send us all a signed copy of your first published work.  Then we can all say "yes, we knew him when...."

James

[754]

Well, that was a very interesting read..

 I took the opposite road, when I was young and rode a lot, and often. I put off all those things a lot of people were doing at my age, for a few decades, then settled down.

 Now I have had nearly a few decades, of mostly non riding, but with a different viewpoint.. I had seen the other side of the fence.

 Things change though, and riding around town, or on short trips (on roads I have seen many times) has lost its exictement, moreso when you weigh it against the alternative of the open road. Sometimes riding, and not being able to keep going, feels worse that not riding at all.

 2 years ago I did venture out on a trip to Bonneville,  the first 1/2 I did by myself.. and it for the most part felt just like before. The bad part though, is if riding alone, I dont want to stop much, the riding is always more fun..

 The main trick is to strike a balance, of responsibilty and personal enjoyment/satisfaction... the age old struggle..

[IAmCitizenMe]

Uh oh. He dropped the M word.

LOL, just under 10 for me.
Just remember you need to send us all a signed copy of your first published work.  Then we can all say "yes, we knew him when...."

James

Published. That all-enticing word.

I'll see what I can do!

[IAmCitizenMe]

The main trick is to strike a balance, of responsibilty and personal enjoyment/satisfaction... the age old struggle..

The Yin and the Yang, 754. The Yin and the Yang.

[andy750]

I took 754s approach as well...first bike trip at 20 on a East German-made MZ 125cc motorcycle...was only for 2 days and it rained the WHOLE time but it was a wondeful feeling. I still remember sailing into the Scottish highlands at 60mph with driving rain and a brutal sidewind. Camping next to the river wasnt the brightest idea either  ...but standing on the most Westerly point in Scotland made it all worthwhile...that memory has not gone. I had only enough money for gas and dont recall what I ate but it wasnt much.

When I was 21 I did my first proper bike trip...worked at an American summer camp in upstate NY - earned $800 for 2 months work...jiust enough to buy a motorcycle- a stock 1976 cb750. Rode it for 3 weeks and 7000 miles across the US and back. Had to eat in Burger king all the time as had no money. Just enough for gas and cheap food.

After this it was back to Scotland and riding all year, all the time, any weather. When I got accepted at Oxford Uni when I was 25, I rode down on the bike with all my stuff tied to it. I dated a French girl while there and rode to Paris (and the Peripherique)  to see her.....and beyond...all over France...run out of gas on the toll road and had to push the bike for a mile laden down with wine glasses - a gift from her father who owned a wine "cave"....ah the stories....

That and a whole lot more....the thing was I never had any money..I was a student for most of my 20`s living off student grants (yes I was lucky). No parental support. Just saved enough each time for a bike trip (or more often put it on the credit card  to pay another day )....continued with the bike trips in my 30`s (trans-USA a couple of times, Mexico, Europe, Japan)......I got lucky...I gave up certain things to make these trips a reality. I have no mortgage 

And as 754 said, nothing beats that feeling of the open road. Start of small (overnight weekend trip) and go from there.....

When I rode to Mexico from Boston I first headed West across to San Francisco...I had no idea how far the bike would make it but I just kept going forward, hoping just another day....this went on and on....especially in Mexico...just one more day....still have the bike 

Do it now while you can!

Good luck
Andy

[Spikeybike]

great story ..    


i'm not that far ahead of ya, but i will say this

        


 

[IAmCitizenMe]

Thanks for sharing, Andy. I can't imagine taking a bike trip across Scotland (or maybe I can). I do plan on starting off small. A trip or two to Chicago here, a trip or two to New Orleans there. Camping trips. The whole lot. But my ultimate goal (at least for now) is a 7,000 mile trip, as well, circling the western US. I'm still in training

Thanks for all the supportive words, everyone. I will live once and ride fast.