Someday, I won't be able to ride.

I recognize my skillset is deteriorating now.

 

I fear animals and road debris. People (cage drivers) are fairly predictable for me and seldom am I truly surprised by what happens around me. Been doing this long enough to know who and what's a threat to me. Road debris and wild animals are totally unpredictable. I've come across every manner of crap in the road from downed trees to paint cans fallen off the back of work trucks. One of my more memorable encounters was what looked to be yet another full contractor trash bag I was prepared to just go around. Then is turned around and sat up to reveal its true identity as a black bear. Figured the thing would run off when I wacked the throttle a few times once I stopped but it just continued to stare me down. About that time a guy in a dump truck coming the other way stopped too and watched as I drew down on it in case out charged. He hit his horn and that scared it off.

 

Sharting

 

Yellow Jackets getting inside my leather jacket while riding.

 

attention spans...

 

Jackasses on their stupid damn cellphone!!

 

This is also exactly what I fear

 

I don't ride in fear...I ride with caution to the people on their cell phones not payin' attention to the road and their surroundings, but not in fear.

 

Every year traffic and road conditions get worse, and every year my skillset and confidence to cope with it decreases.

Even if I were 36 years younger again, I'm not sure I'd take up riding NOW, given how much more dangerous it seems to have become. There's more traffic than ever before, and more distracted driving than ever.


There's a saying among pilots, that you start with a big bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. The object of the game is to fill the bag of experience before you empty the bag of luck. I fear emptying the bag of luck, and that all my experience won't save me someday.

 

Smart phones...sure do make people do dumb things.