Motorcycle Journey Man

Only a biker knows why a dog sticks his head out of a car window ~Author Unknown

Forgive the clumsy metaphor, but I continue to be amazed how – for me – riding a motorcycle keeps providing so many opportunities to learn. This time around it’s about Riding the Tiger – the BIG F – fear. This past weekend I spent with a work mate – I’ll call Scottie – and a bunch of other moto-mad blokes on a guided dirt bike ride through the ranges between Hoskinstown and Narooma. Thanks to Darin Rowley and the team from Adventure Motorcycle Equipment.    

Over the weekend we traversed the fire trails for several hundred kms over the ranges in the mud, gravel and rocks, and water. It was supposed to be a beginners social ride, but with all the rain around was, was in parts anything but.  For me there were several ‘fuck me’ moments when I really wanted to back out – when my guts rolled, the hairs on the back of the neck stood up, and several other physiological things happened that I won’t go into.

There were also at least 8 occasions when I dropped the bike in the mud, around a steep tight corner, or just generally screwed it up. When my face burned with embarrassment, and I needed help to pick up my Tiger.  The cool thing I realised (eventually) was that most of the other blokes on the tour on their ‘cool’ adventure bikes – were dropping them also. In fact it was fucken’ hilarious – to look back with my hands on hips with my bike on it’s side on the ground – and see bikes in various stages of sliding all over, falling over, fallen over, and being picked up, and riders and bikes covered in mud of various colours. 

I did some things over those two days on my Tiger that I’m really chuffed about and that gave me a real adrenaline rush. They were also things that by myself I would NEVER be crazy enough to try. Like hairing full throttle up a rocky trail with the bike literally bouncing all over the place – and shitting myself that I’d crash! And crossing a slippery, flooded causeway that I was almost certain that would take me down. In both cases I made it, and in both cases I dropped the bike soon after because I was still musing over what had happened, and not present in the moment. 

Reflecting on the adventure on the highway ride home with Scottie and over the last few days – I’ve learned that the ‘Big F’ is very much a mind game. Yes it has physical effects, but it’s the mind that creates these effects. And if you steel yourself, face it, and have a real go – you will be surprised what can happen. I’m not a great moto-rider and probably never will be. But by ‘Riding the Tiger’ I’m learning more about me. I’m slowly becoming more aware and in the moment – and hopefully – becoming a better human. Blog done. MotorcycleJourneyMan.

 

A good rider has balance, judgment, and good timing. So does a good lover. Source Unknown. 

According to Lucinda Williams it’s a Poet on a motorcycle. Ladies – worth thinking about?

  

Some say that as you get older, you get wiser. My experience has been different. I just get more confused! It’s not that I’m losing my marbles – it’s that this journey called life seems to get awful complicated.

The last year or so has been very difficult for me, and I’ve been confronted by a number of traumatic and challenging issues – death, serious illness, loss of job, sale of house, and end of a long term relationship. I didn’t deal with this stuff very well. Actually it was a lot worse than not very well – and it cost me dearly. I was very angry, very moody, and not a lot of fun to be around.

My response to the things that I found confronting was to hide – to use any means possible to avoid these strong emotions – to numb the pain. I found drinking was all too easy, and it provided a haven where I didn’t feel. This wasn’t good for me … or those around me.

It took a crisis to snap me out of this pattern – the end of a long term relationship. It hurt a lot, but it did wake me up. First I cried a lot. Then I quit drinking. Then I began chipping away at a few other areas. I started eating better, looking after myself, and getting some exercise. Most of all I tried really hard not to avoid what was happening to me – to really feel these strong emotions. It’s working so far and hopefully I’ll come out the other side a better man.

So what has this to do with motorcycles? Well I’m an avid motorcycle tourist, and recently have spent quite a lot of time in the saddle. And I’ve come to realise that for me riding a motorcycle can be a powerful metaphor for life. It’s about managing strong emotions, and being in control. Riding a bike when you are angry, frustrated, or not in a good place is a bad thing. It’s worse than bad … it can get you dead!

So working on your mind and being in control makes for a better riding experience – and ensures you don’t do something dumb. So try practicing a little self-control, mindfulness perhaps, and get your Zen on while you ride. It just might keep you alive! And perhaps might prove to be useful elsewhere in your life.

Stay upright and safe.

Phil Jacobs

MotorcycleJourneyMan

Sharing something important from the guys at dailybikers.com.

I once heard that suicide is a preventable disease, I wish it were true, and that I could go back in time and use that information to save a life, because one was taken from me this year, and my whole world changed as I fell into an abyss of darkness.

 

 

The price you pay for being with a biker. Source: Old Farts Bikers Club

 

Sometimes the best communication happens when you’re on separate bikes. ~Author Unknown