Home is Where the Road is

 

All my life, I have daydream and dreamt of the open road, even when I was a child. Every time I gaze at a picture of an empty highway or roadway disappearing into a hilly Mountain, my mind would race. When I was studied in junior and High School, I would always choose the seat right by the window. While I was by the window, I would sit and stare at the Open Sky whenever I could. My mother would tell me that I was destined to leave home and wonder in the big wide world. She just knew I had to be free. And that freedom meant never-ending road trips and never staying in one place for more than a week.

I remember the first motorcycle jacket I purchased: a leather motorcycle jacket, which smelled amazing. I also bought a pair of motorcycle riding gloves that protect my hands from the constant wind.

So when I turned 20, I finally embraced my true destiny and bought myself a motorcycle. It wasn’t even a question of if I should buy a motorcycle or a car. I knew the moment finally saved up enough money for my first vehicle that I truly wanted a motorcycle. Motorcycles are far easier than vehicles to find a parking space for when you’re in the city, and it is easier to weave in and out of congested traffic. Sure, I won’t have as much storage space then if I had a vehicle, and I can only carry one being at a time. But these things did not bother me. All I know is that I wanted to be out traveling the open road, and I did not want to do it in a car.

Now that I have been driving my motorcycle for over five years, I know I made the right decision. During my travels, I learned a great deal about myself and the world around me. But I have learned I would never have encountered it if I had stayed home and went to college like so many of my friends. Now don’t get me wrong, college is a fantastic endeavor, and you are bound to learn things in college that you would never learn on the open road. But I knew it was not for me, at least not right now. Maybe when I turn 30, I will park my ass inside a classroom, but for now, I don’t think that’s going to happen.

The most important principle I learned while on the road is that as long as I prepare myself for the worst, the worst will never come. In my backpack, I carry with me the essential motorcycle items that I’ve needed. I don’t have as much space for my stuff because I carry these items, but I don’t think an extra t-shirt will help me when my motorcycle gets a flat tire. And the most significant purchase of my motorcycle riding career is, of course, AAA. Some of the riders that I ride with don’t have this service, and I’m always flabbergasted when I meet someone who doesn’t. They will come out to the middle of nowhere and pick up your busted motorcycle if you cannot drive it anymore or if it breaks down. That is an essential service that you need.

Part of the Independence that I learned was to wear the proper gear that will keep me safe. So when it rains, I put on a Motorcycle rain suit which goes over my leather biker vest. You never know when the rains will appear.

Not only has the road taught me to be self-reliant, but it has also trained me to spot others who need help. I know how to find people who are distressed because I was once in distress, and others helped me out of the kindness of their hearts. That is something I want to encourage among riders and vehicle drivers.

Well, I wanted to say what I said, about the open road and myself. I hope everything I said makes sense and maybe inspired you a little. Before you acquire a motorcycle of your own and take your first motorcycle riding class, be sure to have the correct gear. You should not ride your motorcycle in a pair of flip-flops and a tank top. You need the right gloves, jackets, and pants to protect you from the wind, the cold and the Heat, and the impact in case of a crash. And you can find all these things at www.wickedstock.com.

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