Warning signs. Do you ride.....or pass?
The ride home last night was nasty. Wind and sideways rain. The good news was that most of it was from the South. I was riding North. Had a helping tail wind. Until I had to head West. A sadistic gust caught me just right. Pushed me dangerously close to a guardrail. One second I was in my lane. The next I was looking at gleaming steel. My right saddlebag looked worried. Just as suddenly the rail veered right. My exit had come up. The timing was perfect.
This morning it was dry. The problem was me. Or the bike. Or both. We are usually in harmony. Today my inputs were less smooth. The bike protested. She did not compensate. A couple of shifts did not connect. A front brake was a little abrupt. She got her licks in. The ST started to run rough. Starved for fuel. Or possibly for my usual sure touch. Perhaps she is normally skittish. Calmed by my confidence. Now she is not sure of things. She got worse. She stalled and died at a light. Down the freeway she stumbled at times. Her behaviour made me more tense. Which, in turn, amplified her worries. We got to work unscathed. Both of us the worse for wear.
Nothing specific started this. We just found ourselves at odds. We are usually like old lovers. She knows what I need. And I her. We fill each other's lackings. The two of us intertwine to make the whole. Now there is tension between us. We are out of synch. The ST is a willing partner. It seems she needs to be reassured. That whatever adventure I lead us to, I will keep us safe. Today she does not feel that trust. Her behaviour is a reminder of her need. She could be telling me other things, as well. I think she wants me to know that I am nothing without her.
The sun came out today for a while. We took lunch. No pressure. No itinerary. Just riding for fun. Wherever we fancied. I think we have made up. We are meshing again. Some would take this as a warning. We are out of synch. We should not ride. It is a sign that it is not meant to be today. I do not take heed. We ride and work it out. Some choose not to. There is no shame either way. What is your feeling? Do you heed the signs? Or do you ride?
2 comments:
Glad I'm not alone in having off days. A couple of weeks ago I got up in the morning to commute to work and nothing was working. My forward planning was rubbish, I was making bad decisions and riding like a learner. To my mortification it continued on the way home too, try as I might I couldn't get it together.
Looking back I was stressing about a job offer that I'd had. I suspect that was the cause of my rubbish riding. If I'd been able I'd have got off the bike and walked but if I want to work I have to ride.
Maybe you have something on your mind affecting your riding?
You may be right. Last year I had an offer for new employment. It was another $8.000 per year US currency. Better benefits and more like what I enjoy doing. The drawback was that I would not be able to commute by bike. It is further away but it is a job as a manufacturer's rep and I would need to use four wheels. The position never came open so it was a non-issue. I got a call on Monday and it looks like it will come open soon. Even though I resolved not to think about it too much until a solid offer is in hand, I am sure the old tensions were in the back of my mind.
Thanks for the input.
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