Sunday, August 17, 2008

About that dent in my bike’s rear fender…

Audrey has a minor dent/bend in the center of her rear fender. It’s probably 1 inch deep by 4 inches tall, and nearly dead center. At some point during our journey to Sturgis, the tie down holding her left rear must have worked itself loose, letting 700lbs start working laterally and horizontally against the remaining 3 straps. Eventually, enough slack was created to allow the point of her rear end to make contact with the trailer door. A sad beginning to what would be the best motorcycle journey I have ever taken. I guess that’s what I get for trailering in. :)

What I would not do is let the damage ruin my trip. Sure I was pissed, but with no one to be angry at aside from the Fates, I decided it was best to enjoy the trip, rather than waste time pouting over what was done. There was nothing to be done about it in the immediate future, and I was presented with a situation which almost guaranteed there was a large amount of riding to be done. So I shrugged it off and got on with having fun.

Over 500 miles of riding later, I am acutely aware of how little significance there was to be found in that dent. Sure, I will have to pay good money to have it removed, and there is no justice in its existence, but it is, regardless, and eventually, it must be removed. The point is this, minor dents, blemishes, or flaws are insignificant, so long as they are addressed and corrected. Such minor dents and blemishes are incidental and temporary. It is the major, irreversible bends that end up haunting us.

Soon, Audrey will be straightened and made whole once again. Then, it will be time to accelerate the payment program, so that I can pic up a second bike, this one a Street Glide. A bike with bags and a fairing to take me down to Key West for a weekend, or up to Gatlinburg and Tennessee’s beautiful back country. The thought of cruise control, storage spaces, a full fairing, and ABS call me in loud voices these days. I picture myself rolling over the 7 mile bridge or through a Tennessee back road and cannot help but feel good about life. For me, that is what motorcycling is all about.

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Posted by Erik @ 8/17/2008 03:20:00 AM