A reason to ride…

Everyone has a reason for riding...

That reason may have changed over the years but still... everyone has a reason.

The most common reason you hear from people who ride, is freedom.

They love the freedom of the open road, wind therapy is an oft used expression. The freedom of feeling the wind in your face, free from the "cage" of the four wheeled monstrosity that most everyone drives. Freedom from everything conventional, maybe.

But there are other reasons...

For some it's the challenge. Motorcycles do not suffer fools gladly and can be unforgiving, can they master the bike, conquer the curves with skill?

Maybe the risk, the danger? There are those who love the exhilaration, the adrenaline of speeding through the twisty's, the flat out speed of the straight flat highway, the vast open roads.

Others though, have their own unique reasons.

A few years ago I got a text from an ex girlfriend, we didn't keep in touch often but our relationship hadn't ended badly and we were friends on Facebook so seeing her text wasn't a total surprise.

What she told me, however, was.

Seems she was awaiting the results of a biopsy, she had discovered a lump in her breast. I can only imagine what that wait must be like, the fear of the unknown, the agonizing wait, going through every possible scenario in your head trying to figure every fucking angle has got to be completely and utterly exhausting, mentally and physically.

We went from texting to a phone call and she explained in more detail what was going on, how she was feeling and what the next steps were. And then she asked a question:

Would I take her on a motorcycle ride?

Of course, I said, a bit surprised, but sure... whenever you're ready. You see, she had never ridden with me in the short time we dated, she was afraid of bikes and I didn't push it. She said she wanted to go as soon as possible and we made plans for the very next day. When I pulled up to her house, we sat in the kitchen and talked some more and it was then that she explained why she wanted to ride. When she was a teenager, in high school, a boyfriend of hers had a motorcycle, a streetbike, and he loved to go fast. Scared the shit out of her too... and he thought that was funny. She never rode with him or anyone again, nor did she want to, until she texted me that day.

She wanted to confront her fears. She wanted to beat it, to stare it down and kick its ass. She wanted to know she could do something that scared the hell out of her and conquer it.

She knew me, trusted me and I promised to help her squash that fear.

We walked out to the bike, it was a beautiful, gorgeous day in the Seattle area, a bright sun, a light warm breeze, the sparkling blue water of Puget Sound.... a perfect day for a ride. She climbed on the back of that bike and off we went. We rode along 509 and Browns Point, through gentle turns winding down to the tidal flats of Tacoma, along Ruston Way at the waters edge and through Point Defiance Park and old growth trees. I kept it fairly slow and easy and we listened to classic rock as made our way across the Narrows Bridge and then through Gig Harbor before turning back for home.

We didn't travel many miles that day but she covered a lot of ground on a journey that only she could take. Yeah, I was there on the bike... but she faced that fear alone, she had to... and she did.

I pulled up into the driveway and we got off the bike. She was smiling... there weren't any shouts of victory, no dancing or exultations of joy and victory, just a smile... a satisfied confident smile. We talked a while, about the ride, how she felt and she promised to keep me posted, we hugged and I rode off. My mind was a jumble wondering what would happen and if she'd be OK, all the things that go through your mind when a friend is facing a serious challenge and you can only watch and offer love and support.

A few days later she texted me, the lump was benign, most likely from a recent sports injury. She played soccer on a city league and had recently taken a hard blow to the chest and that had caused a small cist to form.

She was going to be OK,

no... actually.... she was going to be great.

She knew how to face fear,

how to face uncertainty,

how to draw strength from deep within and from those around you.

She knew how face fear and conquer it.

She didn't go on a motorcycle ride you see...

She went out on a quest and slayed a dragon.

That was her reason for riding.