Back to the Present

As a boy I had a fascination with time machines.  Many a night I would fall asleep to a dream of a time machine transporting me to a mysterious and exotic epoch or place.  Little did I know that in my 30s I would acquire something superior to even the modified DeLorean DMC-12 which sent Marty McFly back to 1955.  I am talking about a motorcycle.  At this time of the year when we thank and reflect coincides with the end of the motorcycling season, I would like to express gratitude for this passion of mine.

In a much quoted passage from the Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Robert Pirsig likens riding a motorcycle to being in a movie while comparing driving a car to watching one.  For me, motorcycling did not just allow me to be an integral part of my life’s movie, it gave me a chance to write the script, set the scenery and pick the most inspiring stars.

Of course, there are the physical sensations of riding – an experience so multidimensional and rich that only watching Marty McFly speed back five decades could come close to describing it.  Like the sweetest yogic mantra, riding focuses our mind to such an extent that it frees our soul to dream, create and wonder.  Thus, like the most amazing time machine motorcycling transported me to a different level of being.

Then there are the surroundings.  On a motorcycle you are part of the dynamic and continuous flow of life, even when riding through the most deserted landscapes.  There is the vigor of the wind; the eerie silence of the fog; the crisp sweetness of an early fall morning; the lazy radiance of the afternoon summer heat; the smell of life, in the form of blooming spring flowers and the nauseating sensation of decaying flesh of the road kill –all are integral parts of the riding experience, of being part of it all and feeling completely alive.

But, worth more than any sight or sensation of riding are the people that motorcycling brought into my life.  Fellow wanderers, spiritual warriors, roadside comedians and thrill junkies –  I thank you all for making this solitary sport of ours into rich, diverse, caring and vibrant community that makes our vast world seem so cozy, small and warm.  You inspired me with your tales of conquering fear; of being exposed to the elements and connecting with fellow humans; you made me laugh and cry; and sometimes you simply waived, acknowledging the strong bond that we share on two wheels.

This Thanksgiving I thank this motorcycling movie of mine which opened my life to the possibility of following my dreams.  I think I’d name this movie “Back to the Present.”  It is about the moment in life when you are on two-wheels and Great and Full and completely alive.