Ram stood on the podium on all 5 races this weekend (AFM Rd1 @Buttonwillow). 3 of them on the top step. For all the times we made fun about his characteristic talk about "body position", boy did he close up on his competition like a bullet off a rail gun at the banked "riverside" of Buttonwillow Speedway. With the body position he always spoke about. It was poetry in motion. Smooth, precise... accurate. It was a pleasure to watch.
And Charlie.. Dear lord!! his scrap with the "crippled"(defined as turning the 4 pot into a triple) silver ninja & orange R6, was nothing short of a Telenovela in motion. The way he out braked the 636 (turned into a 450) at the end of the main straight was like a surgeon making an incision. It was brilliant.
And there I was, hopelessly wishing, I could get back and drag some knee......
I remember I wrote how my 1000 mile journey started with a single cycling session. I didn't quite hit a 1000 miles.... But it was a little over half that distance... 555 to be precise. Fact is, I got to see some of the most beautiful scenery this state has to offer, if you just tread off the beaten path.
From 1 track roads to fast sweeping mountain roads... from city splitting highways.... to trails with creeks on them... it was 555 miles of mixed emotions... a constant reminder of my limitations... and reminding myself the ride was an opportunity to learn how to overcome them... of learning and unlearning... of sadness... of happiness.. & most importantly of acceptance & accomplishment.
I remember telling myself before I got on Hwy 25 for the last 100 miles of my journey, that cut the BS and get on with it. And the next sweeper that came, I kid you not... I was head down.. knee out.. arm stretched.. off the saddle and hustling the K1200 while constantly feeding in the throttle. But before I could rejoice the event, I came to a switch back and all I told myself was "Focus Dude.. Focus".... I loaded the front with a gentle squeeze of the brakes, leant the bike to the left & rolled on the gas as I switched sides. I came off the turn with the tach reading 7000 rpm in 3rd. I felt I had achieved nirvana.
You see, until then I was doing all the classic, "I am too chicken to move my butt on the seat" thing and cocking up all my turns. Like someone who is riding a moto for the first time. I had to remind myself, just cuz I hadn't ridden for 2 years, doesn't mean I have unlearnt the right things to do. I just needed to believe & execute.
But more importantly, the perspective that 2 years back, I was on a wheel chair, not able to see diddly squat and here I am enjoying the sights & sounds of riding through the boonies.
It should come as no surprise to any of you for what I am about to tell you next. I want to get back on track. While it does seem more an more likely, I am not taking it for granted.
For instance in all the right handers in this trip, I was able to open the throttle like my hair was on fire. But the vision loss, combined with the diplopia made left turns far more tricky than expected. I was not able to scan the road fast enough. I kept rolling off the gas.... mid turn. And you know how much of a No! No! that is. 😊 But then as they say identification of the problem is half the fix. So I am going to work on it.
And hopefully, not far from now, I can be back on track. Not just sharing a laugh.. but also scraping some paint...
And Charlie.. Dear lord!! his scrap with the "crippled"(defined as turning the 4 pot into a triple) silver ninja & orange R6, was nothing short of a Telenovela in motion. The way he out braked the 636 (turned into a 450) at the end of the main straight was like a surgeon making an incision. It was brilliant.
And there I was, hopelessly wishing, I could get back and drag some knee......
I remember I wrote how my 1000 mile journey started with a single cycling session. I didn't quite hit a 1000 miles.... But it was a little over half that distance... 555 to be precise. Fact is, I got to see some of the most beautiful scenery this state has to offer, if you just tread off the beaten path.
From 1 track roads to fast sweeping mountain roads... from city splitting highways.... to trails with creeks on them... it was 555 miles of mixed emotions... a constant reminder of my limitations... and reminding myself the ride was an opportunity to learn how to overcome them... of learning and unlearning... of sadness... of happiness.. & most importantly of acceptance & accomplishment.
I remember telling myself before I got on Hwy 25 for the last 100 miles of my journey, that cut the BS and get on with it. And the next sweeper that came, I kid you not... I was head down.. knee out.. arm stretched.. off the saddle and hustling the K1200 while constantly feeding in the throttle. But before I could rejoice the event, I came to a switch back and all I told myself was "Focus Dude.. Focus".... I loaded the front with a gentle squeeze of the brakes, leant the bike to the left & rolled on the gas as I switched sides. I came off the turn with the tach reading 7000 rpm in 3rd. I felt I had achieved nirvana.
You see, until then I was doing all the classic, "I am too chicken to move my butt on the seat" thing and cocking up all my turns. Like someone who is riding a moto for the first time. I had to remind myself, just cuz I hadn't ridden for 2 years, doesn't mean I have unlearnt the right things to do. I just needed to believe & execute.
But more importantly, the perspective that 2 years back, I was on a wheel chair, not able to see diddly squat and here I am enjoying the sights & sounds of riding through the boonies.
It should come as no surprise to any of you for what I am about to tell you next. I want to get back on track. While it does seem more an more likely, I am not taking it for granted.
For instance in all the right handers in this trip, I was able to open the throttle like my hair was on fire. But the vision loss, combined with the diplopia made left turns far more tricky than expected. I was not able to scan the road fast enough. I kept rolling off the gas.... mid turn. And you know how much of a No! No! that is. 😊 But then as they say identification of the problem is half the fix. So I am going to work on it.
And hopefully, not far from now, I can be back on track. Not just sharing a laugh.. but also scraping some paint...
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