It’s funny how your mind works while riding a motorcycle. Generally you are juggling your focus between safely operating the bike, and keeping track of all the crazy drivers around you.
When you get out on an open road or a straight stretch of highway you can start to let your mind wander a little. You start to notice all the scenery around you, which you feel so much more a part of on a motorcycle. You notice how things smell such as grass, livestock, wood smoke, and the like. Your senses are so much more in tune than in a car.
I always notice dead animals along the road, and say a little “Awww” to myself for the poor critter that didn’t make it across the pavement. Sometimes you’ll notice a snake or lizard slithering along. I always talk to the animals I see and believe they can mentally sense what I am saying to them.
Sometimes when I ride a song will pop into my head and I will sing it repeatedly as I go along. This can be a song I haven’t heard in years or maybe just yesterday. It makes no sense because sometimes I don’t even like the song! The rhythm of the road seems to make music in my head….
On a beautiful morning ride I will sometimes smile big inside my enclosed helmet and blurt out loud “happy!” or “what a beautiful day!” Most days I pass an area where I have a distant view of Mount Rainier. As I look around me at all the beauty that is in the Northwest, I can feel my spirits lifting and the ride gives a great start to my day.
A lot of times while I ride along on the motorcycle, I am laying out my mental goals, planning my next post on the blog, or creating my next venture in my mind. Riding gives you time alone, time to think, and time to appreciate the world around you at that moment. You can work out a lot of problems in your mind by the time you arrive back home.