Ride a motorcycle

“My first impression, as I sank to the seat, was of sheer ponderous size of the machine’s width and weight as I levered it off its sidestand but, much to my surprise, I found the sensation vanished once it was fully up on its wheels. From the seat, the bike felt natural and balanced beneath me [...] I sat there for a moment on the idling machine and did my best to control my rising excitement. There were so many things to consider, so many unfamiliar controls I had to work and one burning question yet to be asked. Flipping up my visor, I leaned over to the salesperson and asked it: “One down and four up, right?”

“I’d never been on a motorcycle before, knew little about the culture, and was definitely unsure about the experience. But in that moment, the idea of hopping onto the back of a bike seemed far more appealing than enduring another day in the car. [...] The first few moments were a blur of speed and wind. My hair whipped around, and in that moment, I remembered that life was supposed to be fun. But then something incredible happened. I started to relax. The hum of the engine beneath me, the freedom of the open road, it was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. I watched the road stretch out beneath me, felt grounded in the land, and breathed in the rich scents of pine trees. The mist on my face from a nearby waterfall only deepened the feeling of connection to the world around me.”