One day in late August of this year it hit me out of nowhere. A revelation that made me realize I was missing out on one of the greatest joys I had ever known. What could I do to release the stress that working and living in this insanely fast paced brings about? I'm not into getting a massage. The thought of some stranger putting their hands all over me was not my idea of stress relief. I don't drink or do drugs; all those do is screw you up and cause more stress. Then I suddenly remembered how much fun I had as a teenager riding my first motorcycle. The burnt orange and black Honda XL 100 that my brother and I had pushed a lawnmower up and down yards in the swealtering heat and humidity of the South to earn had been my ticket to true relaxation. Feeling the power underneath me and the open air around me helped me to forget all my cares and enjoy life. I wanted that feeling back. The question now was how was I going to do it? Like a lot of folks money is tight. There had been not pay raise at work, in fact we had to take six days off without pay or they were going to start laying people off! I have a kid in college and another getting ready to go next year. How in the world was I going to afford a motorcycle? Well you know the old saying; "Where there's a will there's a way". I went and took a personal loan out at the credit union and came up with a plan to bring my lunch each day to work and try and work as much overtime as I could to earn the money to pay the loan back. Now the search was on for a bike I could afford. After weeks of searching I found my current bike in a motorcycle shop near where I work. I went in and made the best deal I could and rode out with a 2001 Honda Shadow Spirit 750 with 7100 miles on it. My first extended trip into the Western North Carolina mountains was amazing. I not only felt the stress melt away with each passing mile but I found I had fellow bikers waving at me as we passed. I was now a part of a whole new exclusive club. A club of fellow bikers who enjoyed the open road and experiencing life like few ever do.
I am the type of person that once I commit to something I am in it all the way. I have begun to read and research motorcycles and riding, gear, trips, etc. I would love to be able to ride different types and brands of motorcycles, test out new gear, and make trips around this great country. I hope to meet and make contact with new friends in the motorcycling community through my blog. Thanks for reading and I'll see you on the road. Until next time....
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