A Soulful Ride

Originally written August 2, 2021

Today's ride was about it being a soulful ride. Having been on so many group rides and seeing so many... things. Yes I'm being vague because I have to admit that if all these little things are getting to me then maybe I need to re-centre MY riding mind. I have to admit that so much has happened this summer that many old memories have come back about bad stuff that happened to friends on the road over the years that this ride was needed. The final step of this ride is this write-up. Call it a punctuation and clearing of the soulful ride, call it just clearing my head.

I took my time getting up this morning but I felt in no hurry. I took my time getting ready and kissed my wife good morning. I think I have come to feel that kissing my wife goodbye is a bad omen. Anyway, I strapped my gear to the bike (RHonda) and rode casually across town. Knowing I needed gas and a small bite to eat I stopped at the West Shore Parkway Tim Hortons and Shell. I still didn't feel rushed but along the way it came to my mind that I would do the Pacific Marine Road Loop but take my time. I'd avoid speeding unless necessary and make sure I felt in no way rushed.

With a full tank RHonda and I set out. We rode through Sooke and Jordan River taking our time. Originally The plan was to stop in Jordan River but having taken my time and not feeling rushed, I just pushed on to Port Renfrew listening to some of my favourite tunes. Listening to tunes is something new to me on a motorcycle. Now it just seems natural... sort of.

On the way toward Port Renfrew I saw a car pulled over with it's hood up and two people wandering around it. I slowed but was already past them. Looking for a spot to turn around safely I finally managed to return that way. They were gone, possibly turned around and now heading back to Port Renfrew. Another U-turn and headed back to Port Renfrew. No rush even though it was feeling chilly.

Once in Port Renfrew I had lunch. It feels like they have raised their prices at the Pub. Might be time to check out some of the other restaurants in the area. Taking my time I still enjoyed lunch and some Women's Olympic Football. Score was 0/0 the whole time. 

As I left, I waited for some pedestrians to cross infront of RHonda and I, casually noting I wasn't feeling any anxiety about getting back on the road. With each step, I reminded myself of the purpose of this ride. To take my time and not feel rushed. To enjoy the scenery that you can't see when traveling faster.

Riding the back stretch toward Lake Cowichen I found myself able to look around a lot more. Never once did I worry about getting around someone. Little reminders of urban life would creep in such as an Albertan pulling over to let me pass in a blind corner. I waited till the road straightened more then went around him. Just another reminder of common traffic woes that after a while you get too accustomed to.

It felt positively lonely on that back route. Occasionally, a car would show up oncoming and there were also a few groups of motorcycles or even a single motorcycle. Dropping the wave to the motorcycles it didn't feel quite so lonely. I guess this is the real meaning of "the wave". A show of comradery.

In that isolation it's hard to think of the fire warnings except for the signs nailed to trees along the road warning that there is a campfire ban. The trees are green and so is the under brush. But it lies. The ground under the underbrush is very dry. Traveling slower you realize that most of the tree limbs under the canopy are nothing more than dry sticks. There are patches of fireweed everywhere showing that a at sometime a fire has burned through the area. Some of this fireweed is looking very dry itself at the bottom. Just another reminder how dry British Columbia has become. It will burn again. Just a matter of when.

Seeing an wreck on the side of the road I parked and walked back to get some photos. I have to say, it looks suspicious as it wasn't in a turn but on a fairly straight area of road. As I got up beside it a car slowed down to talk. Turns out this happened on Friday just three days ago. These guys were there when it happened and think the driver was on drugs by the way he was acting. Note that this RV crashed on the wrong side of the road. He crossed the centre line on a straight piece of road to crash. I'm only realizing that now.

Carrying on and even that wreck hadn't shaken my resolve to take this trip easy I would eventually get up to Mesachie Lake where the Volunteer Fire Department had set up a fund raising road block of sorts. I generally don't carry cash with me but I'm starting to rethink that policy. These guys had just the other day pulled a Ducati out of a ditch on Pacific Marine Road. I was beginning to think this idea of a slower, re-centering ride was a really good choice.

After stopping in Lake Cowichen for something cold to drink, non-alcoholic of course, I'd take back roads on my return. Going behind Duncan and making my way toward the inevitable highway I realized that I had not turned my music back on since Port Renfrew. I had been alone with my thoughts and at a posted speed I could look around and enjoy the sights, seeing things I think I have missed all this time. The music I think has become a coping mechanism for urban life. A way to help drown out the everyday disaster lurking to happen in urban traffic. I'd leave it off for now.

As I reached the highway and turned onto it, I felt no compunction to speed. In the 90 zone I was doing 90. It felt good and I didn't want to lose that feeling so soon. I'd exit toward Cobble Hill then around Shawnigan Lake, still taking my time.

Exiting onto the highway again, this time to travel the Malahat Drive I would find myself stuck in traffic again. Still feeling fairly calm and not cursing the idiots trying to use the merge lane as a way to get far ahead and then merge at the last possible moment. I would turn my music back on until Goldstream.

In the end, I covered many memories of friends I'd lost over the years. I also came to terms with riding hard/fast. I can still ride fast but I've reminded myself of how much I miss when I do. Even a road often travelled still has something to offer if you just allow yourself to look around.

Pick a route for the day. Ride it by yourself. Don't speed. Take your time. look around and see more than the road for a change. Don't just talk inside the helmet, listen to yourself like no one else will.

To Daisy. That's a tough story to cover.

To Jon. You helped me learn to ride and when I wanted to reacquaint myself, you were gone. Damn cancer.

To Jeff. One of my dearest friends ever. To bad it was your funeral that brought your friends together again.

To Chuck. Dumbass.

Ride safe out there.