I tried new boots for my ride this weekend, the Daytona Lady Star GTX boots which feature an insert that adds one inch to my height.  They were a birthday gift from Bill, so they are top of the line.  Interestingly, though they are named Daytona, they are of German manufacture.  I had not worn them for a ride as yet because of their stiffness.  I had been wearing them around the house and to do yardwork in an effort to break them in. 

            Bill had his own pair of men’s Daytona boots that he had used on the previous two rides, noting to me that the shifting was tricky.  A few weeks ago, I sat on the Scrambler in my new boots and couldn’t find the shifter, so I was a little nervous trying them out.  But I was ready to try them because I felt confident enough in my riding ability that I could split my focus a bit.  But it proved not to be a distraction at all; I shifted easily albeit by using the side of the shift lever not getting under the shifter.  I confirmed after the ride with Bill that shifting on the side is not what I want to do.

            But during the ride, I ruminated on the desired shifting position and then ruminated on ruminations.  I recognized that even though I ride with Bill, the nature of motorcycle riding is such that even when you are riding with someone, you are alone with your thoughts.  (I’m discounting the communication devices that allow rider-to-rider conversations because as Bill has pointed out, that is a distraction.)  Unlike driving a car solo and losing yourself in your thoughts, on a motorcycle you can’t ever lose yourself that you lose awareness of the road.  I don’t mean a car driver isn’t paying attention to the curve of the road, surrounding traffic, and obstacles in the road.  I mean that on a motorcycle, in addition to all of that, I have to be aware of gravel patches in the road, puddles, sticks, rocks, oil patches, sewer grates, just more because these have a greater impact on a motorcycle than a car.  So I have the sensation of letting my mind wander at the same time as I have a sense of focus on what I’m doing and where I’m riding on the bike.

            My thoughts were mostly on the spectacular colors of the azaleas at peak bloom, the colorful phlox splashed in among the grass, and the delightful dogwoods which are having an excellent blooming season this year.  But I also let my thoughts turn again to the country roads, slowly getting closer to a reality.  I also thought on home improvements and landscaping as I looked at people out working on their homes and noted well-done as well as poorly done landscaping.  My spring break will be spent doing some serious housework, so I wanted to enjoy the freedom from responsibility riding gives me.

            It was unofficial “Walk the Dog” day as we saw countless people out with their dogs who were clearly loving the cool spring weather.  The cabbage white butterflies were out, and I saw my first black swallowtail of the season; I had been hopeful I would see some other butterfly species as I had seen an eastern swallowtail earlier in the week, and I was not disappointed.  Oddly, though, I only saw two geese, both solo, so it is nesting season.  We’ll be seeing the goslings soon.  And because we can’t share our thoughts, Bill couldn’t let me know he may or may not have seen a cat, and I couldn’t let him know I was startled by a deer that turned out to be a yard stature under a tree.

            It was another gorgeous spring ride; there is a reason you see more motorcycles on the road in springtime.  And I now fully understand that reason.