365 days

A year ago today and against my parents wishes, i bought my first motorcycle. Through all the close calls due to my own stupidity or some motorist on the road trying to kill me, I love it, I love it all. The speed, the adrenaline, the sense of freedom, being out on the road with fellow riders and feeling like you're in a tight nit community. Freezing your ass off in 30 degree weather (that's pretty cold for here. Props to the boys and girls riding in below zero temp) plus the wind chill of being at 80mph and still giving zero fucks because you are on two wheels. Taking the bike out and riding until you get lost and/or run out of gas. Spending hours trying to fine tune and adjust your bike for you. The nights spent bitching and complaining to the world because your bike was dropped or damaged. The often literal blood, sweat, and tears shed repairing damage or doing routine maintenance.

In one year of riding on the street, I have seen and experienced so much. Sometimes ugly and bad things, accidents, collisions, injuries, and even death. But more often then not, I have experienced much better things. Riding down the road with 40 riders who are on two wheels because they understand and see life from a similar perspective. Meeting and becoming great friends with people just because you see them walking around with a helmet in their hands or some other motorcycle apparel. Watching 10 complete strangers come together to help another stranger with their motorcycle, regardless of their age, gender, race, or preferred type of motorcycle. I ride because being on the seat of a bike is how i reach my zen. Having a motorcycle and the community/people/lifestyle that comes with it is one of the few things in life that will always make me happy; and because of this, I will probably ride til the day I die.