Absolutely no doubt it makes you feel alive.

Russell · Last edited by Russell on Sun Aug 28, 2011 12:42 pm; edited 1 time in total

In the back of the shed are a couple of old un-licensed Hondas. An XR250R,with a 280 kit and typical need for a strong kick through to bring the raucous and intoxicating bark to life. The other is a CTX 200 Bushlander. An electric start sohc single, geared to climb mountains and with so many racks and bars fitted it can be tumbled any which way without any real damage.It purrs away smoothly ,well mannered and discreet at any revs, unlike its slightly wild cousin the XR.

Every few months they get loaded on the trailer and dragged 30-40 minutes out of town to places we're lucky to have access to. Today was one of those days. The closed down and overgrown old rural road clambering along the sides of a deep valley and over a low mountain pass is always a challenge with foot-peg deep ruts, rocks, sharp drop-offs and slips. Today there was a heap of brush broken down across the track , the aftermath of a recent heavy snowfall, now thawed. The usual first and second gear battle with ruts, mud and rocks today included muscling the bikes through under saturated greenery lying across at handlebar height. We battled across the pass to the turning point and then battled our way back. Back at the trailer with bikes showing the signs of a hard ride and our bodies tweaked from muscling the bikes through the scrub barriers we(both in our 50's in fact me closer to 60) realised the scrub damage had caused us to be slower for the same trip than we usually are on mountain bikes. We didn't care. We were buzzing with the exhileration of it all! It's a track I'll be riding for as long as I'm able, either on the old Hondas or a mountain-bike.It really does make you feel ALIVE and I know just how lucky I am to have such a playground close-by.

The Honda's have been hosed off and the WD40 has been squirted liberally over them. They'll sit in the shed and wait till today's buzz wears off. Then they'll come out again.Bikes were made for riding!

fasterspider

Steve Searles · Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2011 4:29 am Post subject:

You sure can tell who loves motorcycling and is passionate about motorcycles on this forum. I thought I was the only one that lived and breathed motorcycles but have found many friends on here that share the same level of passion (or more). If I am not riding two wheels I am wrenching on two wheels or thinking about two wheels. It is in our blood. I will ride until I can ride no more. Amen brother Russell.