22 riding things i’m grateful for today 22/10/09
Life has taken me to many amazing places around the world. But I never dreamed I would one day be riding roads near and far on a motorcycle. The universe is full of surprises – some delightful, others a little scary.
On this 2022 Thanksgiving Day, I’m reflecting on the many motorcycle-related things (as well as other things of course) that have occurred during my first year of riding. Here’s a partial list:
22 riding things I’m grateful for today
- I’m grateful to all the riders who didn’t take me on the back of their bikes in 2020/21. Because of them, I was forced to get my own bike and learn how to ride myself
- I’m grateful for the interesting new friends, acquaintances and community that motorcycle riding has brought into my life
- I’m grateful to Glenn for not selling me Blue, for finding The Fox, for riding her to the parking lot when I couldn’t, for coaching me and for riding with me still
- I’m grateful to the instructors at Ottawa Safety Council and Motorcycle Masters for teaching me how to ride and how to be a better rider
- I’m grateful to all the riders who have ridden with me this year in twos or threes and more recently in ‘bigger’ groups
- I’m grateful for the diversity of the motorcycling community and that most of its members welcome riders of all ages, skill levels and bike preferences. Specifically, I’m grateful to members of Windsisters Canada and International, Ottawa Motorcycle Riders and Canadian Motorcycle Cruisers (Ottawa Chapter 011)
- On warm days, I’m grateful for the vents in my jacket and helmet
- On cool days, I’m grateful for the heated grips on my bars
- I’m grateful my (non-waterproof) waterproof boots eventually dried out (three times so far)
- I’m grateful my left thumb healed sufficiently after last year’s oops! to operate the blinker this year
- I’m grateful good gear saved me from serious injury (or worse) not once, but twice
- I’m grateful I live on the doorstep of countless beautiful roads, especially those of the Lanark Highlands
- I’m grateful to @CanadianGears for taking such good care of me and The Fox
- I’m grateful for the sheepskin I got in New Zealand in 1979
- I’m grateful for leather
- I’m grateful for having a lot of time to ride and that I’ve ridden 17,500 kms so far
- I’m grateful to the many car drivers who follow me at a safe distance and who pay particular attention to the safety of motorcycle riders such as myself
- I’m grateful to the car drivers who pulled over to ask me if I needed help when I was stopped on the side of the road and to those who guided me when I was lost
- I’m grateful for the poetry motorcycling has inspired me to write
- I’m grateful for the joy, peace and freedom I experience when I ride
- I’m grateful for the continuous learning offered by motorcycle riding
- I’m grateful for the beautiful weather on this Thanksgiving Day, that it’s still warm enough to ride and that it’s time for me to gear up and get out to enjoy the fall colours
More posts on being grateful here.
#stayhealthy #besafe #begrateful #begood #dogood
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