There’s just something about a solo ride; no one in front of you, no one in your mirrors, just you. What happens today is entirely up to you. If you want to cruise, then you cruise. If you want to sprint, then you sprint. When I’m by myself, I like to explore (I wonder where that goes)! Follow the road wherever it takes me. I like to stop and take photos, stop and read signs and stop to admire the view. I’m not saying that I don’t enjoy group rides, because I do. I very much enjoy getting together with friends and sharing an adventure, but, sometimes choosing you own adventure is just what your soul needs. My job as a content creator means that I need to seize any opportunity I can and that’s not always possible on a group ride. So today I’m riding solo. I have half a plan and the rest will be based on what opportunities present themselves while I’m out.
So, what’s going on in my mind as I cruise along? Here’s some insight:
This is awesome scenery;
How do I go about sharing this?
What devices and techniques do I have at my disposal to make this interesting or, at the very least, show you what I’m experiencing right now? (I’ll make a mental note to come back to that);
Ah geez, I wish I was here a bit earlier, that would have made an awesome photo if the sun was in the right spot;
I wish there was somewhere safe for me to park Scooter so I could get that photo.
You get the idea. You may not realise this, but it costs money to produce content, so I am always looking to squeeze as much out of a trip as I can. So what about a little me time? I have the advantage I suppose, in that Scooter has a massive blue tooth stereo system and I’m constantly upgrading my kick-ass play list. I enjoy a diverse range of music and sometimes I love nothing better than to let the music set the tone. There’s nothing quite like getting everything in sync – you, the bike, the road and the music. Rolling the throttle out of a turn as the music hits its’ crescendo or just cruising the countryside while you enjoy an old favourite. Did you ever get a ticket for speeding in your car because you were enjoying the music a little too much? This downside to having a kick-ass play list is when you daughter chooses to sabotage your plan by adding in a Kylie Minogue song which comes on just as you’re sitting at the traffic lights – awkward! The upside is seeing other people at the traffic lights grooving to your tunes. Gotta love a little human interaction, right? I was out by myself and an Indian guy (can I still say that) rolled up beside me in his pimped our, pray that it starts, car. He leaned over and rolled down the window and gave me the big nod of approval. I’d somehow managed to impress him because he was my traveling companion for the next six sets of lights. The bromance ended when I decided to bend the rules slightly to make my escape. There’s often that little kid who’s peeking through the window at you and then hides away when you give them a quick nod. Sometimes that parent will wind down the window slightly so as to enhance the child’s experience somehow (well the cool parents do anyway). As riders we’ve all had this happen at some point and it definitely puts a curl on your lips. Hmmm, Coffee Time! I love nothing better than to seek out or stumble upon new venues. Being given the opportunity to support a new business, especially if they’re sticking it to the big boys. I’ll choose a little coffee shop any day over a much larger player when I’m out exploring. To me, it’s the right thing to do. I stumbled across a little place the other day called Cheeky Coffee. How could I resist a cheeky coffee and a bacon and egg roll? Sometimes you meet people when you’re out riding by yourself because you are not just conversing with your group. Being on you own often raises a little curiosity from people. No in a bad way. You know, like, there’s a stranger in town kind of thing. I’m always immediately friendly when it comes to service staff and the like. Being that I’m only a little bloke 😉, I can be seen as intimidating so I make sure I tone that down with good manners and a smile in my voice – that usually does the trick. I often get older guys come up and ask me about my bike. The younger blokes seem to be less interactive. You might get a nod and a “nice bike mate”, if you’re lucky. Not that I need anyone’s approval at all – but it’s nice to be noticed I suppose. Mind you, have you ever noticed that people will sometimes watch you leave? Is that because they want to make sure you’re gone or because they want to know what your bike sounds like as you ride away lol. One of life’s great mysteries I suppose. Anyway, I’m going to leave it there for now and, as always, I’ll see you somewhere out in what we like to call, the 2 hour circle.
Comments