Anyone that has ever ridden a motorcycle, a horse, driven a convertible, flown a plane, gone hang gliding or any other similar activity knows the feeling of freedom in it’s purest sense. My activity of choice is riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle. I have read many articles and posts on the net about what it means to ride a motorcycle but a Harley more specifically has a history to it, a lifestyle all it’s own. I know many people think it’s bullshit and that we “bikers” are the dregs of society. However, most of those people are too hopelessly mired in their lives of toil and drudgery, they work 60 to 80 hours a week, take their kids to sports events, spend hours socializing with shallow “friends” that will never be there in time of need. These people generally are too caught up to see the importance of taking some time out from that insanity to rest and relax your mind. From where I stand, the mass majority of people that ride a Harley and stick with it more than one year understand what feeling you get when you roar down the road with the wind in your face as the cares of the world slowly melt away. The hum of the pipes lulls you into a zone that you can comfortably exist in for hours if not days on end. There’s a camaraderie in Harley enthusiasts bikers if you will that doesn’t seem to exist in many other places except maybe in members of the military. I know many other motorcyclists that are nearly religious about riding. Many BMW riders are the same. It’s about adventure and the excitement of the ride. Now don’t get me wrong, there are some down sides to riding. Rain, snow, traffic, or lack of gas money. But in my opinion there pros out weigh the cons any day. I’m not opposed to riding in the rain but it’s not my favorite of riding conditions. I’ll ride in the rain if I’m caught out in it but I don’t prefer to take off for a long ride in the rain.

What is it about this lifestyle that just pulls me in? I have met some truly great people. I’ve explored some very cool places on 2 wheels. Riding also appeals to all of your senses. You get the sights, the sounds, the feeling, and the smell of the road. Yeah I know I skipped taste. To get the taste of the road you either need to stop and eat somewhere or swallow some bugs. I know my choice is the former and not the latter. The other great thing about riding a motorcycle is that you don’t need to have somewhere to go to have the time of your life. In fact in my experiences, some the best times I’ve ever had are when you don’t plan anything and just point the front tire in any direction and let the road take you somewhere. After all, riding is as much about the journey as it is about the destination.