Day 7 of QC to CA ride.
Long distance moto riding; it’s not just sitting on the motorcycle with the wind in your hair and vegging out.
It is about remaining physically and mentally alert. And being physically able to manipulate / maneuver a vehicle that – in our case- with bodies and gear is weighing in at over 900 lbs.
When I am wearing all my gear, it is an extra 20 lbs. I am packing. The helmet alone will weigh 4 – 5 lbs. Think about how your neck would feel after 5 – 7 hours supporting that weight, while leaning at an angle forward…
Everytime we stand a moto up from the stand, we are pushing weight upright with our leg, knee, and upper body.
Swinging our leg up and over the saddle, while trying to maneuver between the gear packed on the moto, is an exercise in flexibility. I have injuries I am contending with and tiredness and pain are my companions at the end of the day.
Roll on – roll off.
Twisties and slow moving congestion require up and down shifting. Clutching in/ out with the left hand, throttling on / off with the right hand, clutch lever up or down with the left foot…and braking occurs with both the right hand and right foot. Now coordinate all of the above for specific conditions, curves, and stop n go traffic!
Watch out!!! A deer has darted into the road and is running across 10ft in front of you! Yes, this happened to me a couple of days ago!
But…the adventure, the thrill, the challenge…physically experiencing the weather, the smells, the community and conversation with other riders is worth every second of discomfort – and at times – fear.
Challenging oneself, despite fear, and increasing ones proficiency are great life experiences.
Not Done Yet... 
You left out the joy of riding in rain with traffic
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