Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge The Perfect Week

As you all know this past week was Thanksgiving. Since I haven't taken any time off so far this year, I took the whole week off. In honor of my break from work the gods smiled on me and blessed us with an absolutely beautiful week of weather here in the Old Dominion. Accordingly, I rode every day. All the rides were different, but they all were great.

Then comes today... another picture perfect stunner of a day. Brisk early, warming to 65 without a cloud in the sky. Decided to do nothing but hit back country roads (most paved, some hard pack gravel) and cruise. Rode most of the day at no more than 45 mph... just rode and looked. I've lived here and explored here for 9 years... but I swear I saw things I've never noticed before. People stopped what they were doing and turned and waved. Deer even stayed on the shoulder of the rode and just looked at me as I eased past. Going down one little out of the way gravel lane I had a older lady on a horse wave me down and compliment me on my courteous riding. Her words follow "It is so refreshing to see someone riding so responsibly, and I really appreciate it that you don't have those hediously loud "mufflers" (which made me smile). Then she noticed the bike and mentioned that her late husband once owned a Triumph... the usual came next "I didn't know they still made them". I assured her that they did, thanked her for her kind words and eased on down the lane.

Made a couple of refreshment stops during the day. I believe the beer even tasted better than it usually does. Then later as the shadows started falling on the road I turned for home. Pulled into my drive, headed up the hill and stopped just short of the garage. Looked out over the hills and trees at a magnificent sunset... it was as if the sun was saying "I hope you enjoyed your day". I most certainly did. I just hope it wasn't the last one of the season (next weekend... snow, rain and cold). Oh well... this week was perfect anyway.

Sounds like a great way to spend a week. I once lived in Lovettsville, Virginia. I know it is alot different today than when I lived there, but the country roads in Loudoun County used to be absolutely beautiful (they probably still are). I used to love riding out past Paris towards Front Royal. I love being down here in Florida for the weather, but I miss the mountains in Montana and the scenic beauty of the Blue Ridge in Virginia. I guess I'm kind of strange because as much as I have traveled around the U.S., I haven't found an area yet that didn't have its own attraction. I thought the Badlands in South Dakota would be a terrible place to be until I spent a vacation there. It has a haunting beauty like no other place on earth. Desolate, lifeless at first glance and more like the moon than anyplace I've ever seen, it is actually full of life and strange sites. I know that part of what I love about riding is the fact that you are a much closer participant with the landscape you are riding through. You feel it, smell it and hear it differently than when you are in a car. It is simply, the best way to travel.