As I cruised along RT 32 toward Newburg, NY, I knew once I connected with I-84, I would be in familiar territory once again. I had to remember that I was not home yet and to keep my entire mind on my driving. On a motorcycle, one must drive responsibility for others anticipating problems well in advance. I still cannot understand all the people I have seen in my travels not wearing any protective gear. I guess it is all about feeling invincible and having the freedom to choose.
On my return, after talking to friends, some common statements were “ You must be glad to be home; I bet you are tired from that long trip; your own bed must feel great”. With our rest days and the occasional nap, the tiredness factor was kept under control. Once the trip was a few days old, our routines were established and one wasn’t going through the frustration of “Where did I put this” routine. This further reduced the anxiety and stress of travel.
As I think about the trip, I realize that I could have been perfectly happy to keep going a bit longer. I enjoyed every minute in the saddle despite a couple of iffy days where I had to don my rain suit. That is not bad for six weeks on the road. I miss the excitement of every morning starting up the bike and heading out not knowing what I would discover during the day. A new person, sight, sound or smell was always waiting to be discovered. I will miss the quiet of the desert and that lonely mountain road where the only sound is the wind chasing itself. I will miss the “big sky” where I could observe fantastic cloud formations and storms miles away feeling thankful they weren’t coming in my direction. I will miss being able to meet friends and family who I had not met in years.
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