Day 14 – What is Your Preferred Mode of Travel?

note: this is part of #bloganuary where each day in the month of January, there is a prompt that we can write on.

I have traveled using a number of different modes. As a kid, I spent a lot of time on bicycles. We lived in the country on a narrow two lane road and at the time there were not that many cars on our road. A half mile away, our friends house backed up to the woods. We would ride to their house and head into the woods to explore. My brother and I also had skate boards that we spent a ton of time racing each other on. When I was 14, I saved all my grass cutting money from the summer and bought my first 10 speed bike. I rode that bike every day that I could, spending hours just riding, turning down unfamiliar roads and exploring new sights. Sometimes I would be gone for hours.

Once I had my drivers license, driving was the only mode of transportation that I used and it was like that for a number of years. Until, I bought my first motorcycle. Once I had that, I found every excuse possible to ride it. I would go to the store and pick up a gallon of milk. And even though there was no place to put in on my sport bike, I would find a way. Unfortunately, that bike was stolen the 12th month I had it. My beloved 10 speed was taken the next week from the same space even though I thought I had it locked and protected. The two things that gave me the most pleasure when traveling from point A to point B, had been taken from me. I found a ton of joy in riding my motorcycle. There is a certain amount of connection to your surroundings when you are exposed to the elements. You can smell all the smells, including road kill. In the evenings, after the sun went down, especially in the spring and fall, the air temp would still be relatively warm. However, riding a motorcycle and going downhill, even just a little, you can immediately feel the drop in air temperature. It is pretty neat.

When I first met Dawn, I had a different motorcycle. A stupid fast sport bike, and I loved it. There is just something empowering about having so much power that I can choose to use at will. It was a larger bike and worked well for two people to travel for a short distance. I had a black leather jacket, black helmet with blacked out face screen. And, I always looked better with Dawn riding on the back. I looked like such a bad ass and I truly loved that bike.

Currently I have a full size pick up. I have wanted a truck for a number of years as my full time mode of travel. To me, I am the most comfortable in my truck. Not only that, living in a climate where there is snow for 3-4 months of the year, along with temperatures that stay below freezing, it is necessary to own an enclosed vehicle.

Certainly there are times that using a plane is the only way to travel. If I did not have to fly, I would prefer to drive every time. Dawn and I have been on two cruises as well and they are very cool in their own right.

So, what is my preferred mode of travel?

If we lived in climate where being able to ride motorcycles was practical year round, that would be my go to. In fact, Dawn and I would each have a bike and probably travel to family events or even weekend getaways on our bikes. I love being in my truck with the windows down and the music cranked on a sunny day. But it does not compare to sitting on two wheels and actually being a part of the environment that you are traveling. There is no windshield to deflect the smells of the trees. There is nothing keeping the wind from brushing past you. There is something very freeing that riding motorcycles provides.

I believe that my days of riding sport bikes has passed and I would be looking at more of a cruiser. If or when the there comes a time when I am able to justify Dawn and I owning bikes, you will find us slowly motoring down winding country roads, stopping at road side stands, and enjoying all that the day has for us.

May y’all be happy, healthy, and safe.

t.t.