Dear Diary... a glimpse into the pages of journal written by a woman rider.January 31, 2009
Dear Diary,
I had one of those "moments" today! I don't even know why I call them moments when they really only last about 3 seconds. It usually happens when I least expect it, and mostly when I'm riding. That's the only thing about riding I wish I could change. Often, I see or experience something really nice, but, I can't stop to capture it because it may be unsafe. So, I consider my "moments" little gifts from God. The chance to "stop and smell the roses" and enjoy the beauty before you, even if it's only for 3 seconds. I just wish there was some way I could print a picture of those "moments" so I can share them with others. But, maybe that's why I consider them so special, it's like God and I share a little secret.
My "moment" came to me while we were on our ride home after we went to visit the MIL. The late afternoon sun was setting and it started getting hard at times to see where I was going. It would shine right in my face, or glare badly on my windshield and was creating quite a challenge. We had already passed by the lake and were almost in Wetumpka, going up one of those long straight stretches of road, up hill, with pine trees standing tall on both sides. H was leading and I could tell as we ascended up this hill, the sun was going to poke into my eyes again when we reached the crest. Just as I was craning my neck to see over my windshield... it happened.
The sun appeared to be resting right down on top of the road. Right as H crested the hill in front of me, his blackened silhouette was clearly defined within the big bright circle of orangey yellow. The tall pines that lined up along both sides of the road appeared to be framing this beautiful "moment" of time. It looked like the highway was entering straight into the sun and the perfect sihouette of a biker was riding into the light. For 3 seconds, H became the "Sun Rider". It was a beautiful picture!
I hope I never lose my mind, for fear of losing my mental album of "moments". I don't have many of these when I'm driving my car, which is why I think riding is so wonderful!
Me
27 comments:
Wow. That was beautiful.
I could visualize the moment perfectly in my mind. I can only imagine how breath-taking it was in person.
I live for moments like this. A lot of the time I don't bother stopping to take a picture. I know that whatever comes out of the camera could never compare with how it looked or how I felt at that precise moment.
You gave me chills. Even though you don't have a picture to share of the moment, the visual I got from your words is beautiful. When I get those moments they feel special because I feel like they were meant just for me, nobody else can see what I see for that one split second. Thanks for sharing.
I BELIEVE! I HAVE SEEN IT! Awesome account. If I stopped to snap a pict of everything I saw that I thought was worthy...I would have only 100 miles a year on the glide. Great dairy note Soul-Sister.
Very nice! I think I wil keep riding until I see exactly that!
Awesome, LadyR. I could totally picture it through your words! I've had some moments like that, too.
You painted a beautiful picture in your words and feelings. Sometimes those are the best pictures anyway.
Thanks LadyR.
I've had many of those moments too; I think when I've mentioned them before I've wished for the "helmet cam."
Out of all of them though, I've not enjoyed what you described here, and as Brother Dean said, it was beautiful. I too, live for those moments. There's really not much else to say; it just doesn't get any better than that.
Thanks for sending a little sunshine up to Boston! :)
Wish I had a Bike!
Dean... There are sooo many times I'm disappointed with how a pic turned out, for the exact reason you mentioned. It just isn't as impressive as seeing it in person.
I also agree... it's the moments like this that make life worth living.
B.B...Well, sometimes what you get to see in those spit seconds, can give you chills as well. And when you try to explain what you saw to someone, they just don't get it.
Dave... Sometimes, I hate to admit it, but the best rides are the ones when you forget the camera. Without that distraction of stopping to capture Kodak moments, you can enjoy the ride so much better.
One Harley Rider... Ride till you see that, and I'm sure you'll get plenty of bonus moments in between!
Ann... I would love to have a painting of what I saw that day. My hubby was was my hero as he rode into the sun. I picture it in my mind as a David Mann style painting.
AZD... Thank you! With imagination and comprehension, we can still share and enjoy the nice things about riding.
Joker... I would love to ride with a helmet cam. I'm always seeing great pic material while riding and there's no place to stop. I feel like I miss so much that I could bring to the table to share with other riders. But, I guess that's why we all like to ride. We can experience our own great moments!
masterchief...
Star light, star bright,
first star I see tonight.
I wish I may, I wish I might,
have the wish I wished tonight.
I have to echo Dean, WOW! That was amazing. So descriptive, I felt like I was there while I read your words. You are a very talented writer!
I'm a goombah when I write. I write just like I talk!
Thanks for sharing. I'll be back, you've recruited me, I'm a follower now!
I have decided to follow some of you Harley people, to honor my brother. He can no longer see well enough to read these posts, so I am reading them for him.
I posted a comment on Joker's blog about how my brother's is a Harley man who has fallen very ill, mostly due to living a rough, crazy life, but it has been filled with memories of rides that give him a bitter-sweet joy now that he can no longer ride...he still has the bike, he can't part with it.
I'm getting pictures from him and well post a special dedication to his Harley days on my blog. I hope you all come to read it when it's finished.
Motor-Head Lady
Motor-Head:
I will visit to enjoy his memories. And I have to admit, I don't know that I could get rid of my bike either. Even to just start her up and listen to her rumble once in a while would help.
Awesome piece of writing and description..It's very visual
It makes you wish you could transfer those mental pictures onto your computer. I have tons of those from rides all over Europe and the U.S., I try and spell them out as much as possible in my posts but it just isn't the same.
I've had that exact same wish. To record whatever my eyes are seeing at that moment in time. Even if it is only a few seconds.
Like some of the comments say, though, the word pictures can be better. We're all going to have our own intrepretations, anyway.
Descriptions plant the seed and we grow our own visions.
Motor-Head Lady,
Your devotion to your brother brings honor to us all.
Motor Head Lady... Welcome! Thank you for coming by. I'm honored to have you and your brother over to my little corner of the blogosphere.
I would love to hear some of your brother's riding experiences. If it's one thing bikers like to share, and that's good riding stories.
Dean... Ditto. A nice Harley rumble will sooth what ails ya!
Baron... Thank you! :)
Open Road Biker... I wouldn't have enough hard drive to hold all my great moments while riding! I just have to keep riding so I can experience new ones!
irondad... I keep my own rides alive longer by coming home and writing about them. I always received good grades in Creative Writing in High School, and I get about as much enjoyment out of writing as I do riding. Well... almost, maybe.
Ok this is the third time I have tried to post.
Every time I have tried in the last week or so the net crashes.
I love this journal.
I love the way you write.
I hope you are printing this out for future generations,
If bikes ever go obsloete or get legislated out of existance.
They will never understand why a motorcylce can cause such profound changes in a person's life.
Your words will clearly show them why.
Big D... Well, third time's always a charm! LOL!
Coming from you, whom I think also is a great writer, that's quite a compliment. I'm flattered you think it's good enough for more than just us little 'ol bloggers.
You can't explain to a non-rider why motorcycles can bring such happiness and energy to our day. To tell you the truth... I don't think I even understand WHY. I just know it does. It's either in your blood or it's not, and I'm just glad I've got some in me, cause I sure am enjoying the hell out of it! :)
BTW... thanks for the idea. Maybe I'll go back and print out my favorite posts. Maybe they'll be worth something when I'm gone. Nothing's ever worth anything till your gone. LOL!
I was thinking the same thing while reading it. A whole collection of these diary entries would make an awesome book.
I too can picture the moments I have had like that. The ones we all just wish we'd of had a camera. Hell we'd be rich from selling them. And we are rich. Those moments that are forever eched in our minds(or mindless) for ever. And no one else has them. They are ours:)
I got to see your moment through your words. I love moments like that.
Dean... I thought of this a thousand times. I just don't know where to begin. I'm very ignorant in the process of becoming a published writer. I also wonder of the legalities of the whole thing. Someone told be I couldn't put anything out on the blog if I planned to publish it and sell it. Copy right laws and such. Not that I would, once I decided, but I would hate to not use some of my writings from last year.
Sounds like I have some homework to do! Thanks for the great boost of confidence!
Webster... I feel richer for having been able to experience them! And I look forward to filling the vault!
Mr. M... Amen to that! Glad you could see how cool it was. :)
Not true. As long as you don't sell or assign the rights to someone else, you as the writer retains all copyrights over your writings.
When you go to publish it though, you have to make it understood to the publisher that they aren't receiving first rights because you've already published it on a blog. Some publishers won't touch something unless they can have first rights to it; others won't care.
Or you could just self-publish. Self-publishing is becoming very popular and there are a lot of great companies out there helping writers self-publish their own books. In this case, copyright laws don't apply.
Feel free to email me if you have any questions.
This is some of the best writing I have encountered in some time, and I have encountered soooooooooo much as I edit for a living. I thank my husband for having me read it. Think about publishing as I believe it's exceptional work.
See...told you that you should publish it.
I didn't really want to tell you because I didn't want it to affect your writing. You should write for the love of writing and publish it if it's good enough. You shouldn't write just to get it published.
anonymous... Thank you for your encouraging words. I was talking this over with my hubby today at lunch. I'm definitely going to look into what I need to do. I already have several ideas. I just need to organize my jumbled thoughts. It seems so untouchable, but I need to listen to my own words to others in situations like this... get past your doubts and do it!
Thank you again!
Dean... okay, okay... you told me! :) Thanks, to you too, friend!
Those precious moments off camera are the best. I felt like I was on the ride with you while reading your moving words.
Thanks! Nice!
That was one awesome vision you wrote there. Perhaps you could get Dixie Odin to paint that picture for you. I KNOW it would make a great cover shot, no doubt about it.
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