If you’re out on the road, I’m sure you’ve noticed an uptick in motorcycles out and about.  Riders who winterize their motorcycles leap at the chance to get them out of storage and ride.  Luckily for me, I’m a year-round rider, so I don’t have a withdrawal period.  But I still love a beautiful day made for motorcycles which is what we were given this week.

            The day before the weather surprised us with a wind shift that brought colder air in, but it didn’t last.  We had a gorgeous day in the mid-70s and everywhere there were signs of spring taking over from winter.  As we headed over for the ride, I spotted a small, brownish pink butterfly determinedly fluttering up the road.  It was too far for me to guess the species, but it made me smile and confirmed a hope I had that as early as it was, the butterflies would be out.

            Sure enough, half a mile into our ride, as I was watching a large Muscovy duck waddle across the road, the first cabbage white butterfly fluttered up on my right.  Another mile up the road, as I looked to the left at a stop sign, I spotted another cabbage white in a frenzy of flutters.  The camellias and daffodils are attractive, but additionally, the plum trees and sugar magnolias are beginning to bloom, giving the butterflies more options.

            As we rode, we saw loads of people out walking, running, working in the yard, and playing because it was too beautiful of a day not to get out and enjoy it.  And it was a restorative ride for me.  I could feel joy spreading through me, chasing away the winter blahs.  That joy translated into my ride.  My on-street U-turns, while not the tightest, were both all pavement.  My rear tire did slip a bit during the fast stop into turns drills, but I didn’t panic or dab; I just registered that my speed was sufficient to cause the backend to slip.  I even successfully did the full U-turn inside the two parking spots on the gravel lot.

            At some point during the ride, I registered that I was smiling.  That feeling, that body-infusing joy one feels while cruising on two-wheels, that is what makes motorcycle riding so addictive—in a good way.  I wonder if there is a study on the happiness of motorcycle riders and if, on average, we are generally happier than average folks. 

            The title of this week’s piece, Triple Whites, is a play on a popular BMW R1250/1300 GS color scheme—Triple Black.  My triple whites are the cabbage white butterflies, and the third cabbage white made me happiest.  As I rode my motorcycle up the driveway, across the yard the little guy fluttered toward me as if welcoming me home.  I hope he’s the same butterfly that hung around last year, and I certainly hope I get to see him again during next week’s ride.