A lot can happen in a seemingly short amount of time.
Today I finished my first full week of work at Sungard and I think it's going to be a good place to work. The work is challenging but within my abilities, the people are friendly and easy going, lots of room to grow in the organization and the commute is easy.
I got home before 5:00 PM and as soon as I walked in my sons yelled out: "Mom got a job!", they seemed quite excited. I looked at my wife and she confirmed the news with a big smile. She's going to be the school nurse at the high school my sons will someday end up at.
The first thing out of my mouth? "So, can I quit my job and ride around the world on my motorcycle?" I said this half jokingly but my Martha, my loving wife replied: "You want to?"
As I hesitated for those few nanoseconds, my mind's eye saw me astride Natasha. She and I were cruising along the steppes of Mongolia, in the tire prints of my hero Hubert Kriegel who's currently there on his Ural Sidecar Rig. He's currently on his sixth year of his ten year ride all over the world. LINK.
In the space of those nanoseconds, I was riding the Nürburgring on my '87 R80 BMW, slinging her around the tight turns with ease and verve, passing Ducatis and Porsches as if they were standing still. Well, maybe not Ducatis and Porsches but definitely K75 Beemers!
In the space of those nanoseconds, I'd just turned off my engine on my motorcycle after having ridden from Deadhorse, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina along the Pan-American Highway of legend. Surviving bad roads, bandits, kidnappers, corrupt customs, police and border agents, terrifying weather and of course without a single flat tire or mechanical breakdown.
In the space of those nanoseconds, I revisited by motorcycle all the places I served at when on active duty with the Army in Europe. Circumnavigating Italy and Germany, surviving the traffic of Rome and Florence, twisting the throttle till it turned no more on the autobahns of Germany and maybe passing a Ducati or two while doing so.
In the space of those nanoseconds, I'd returned home after all the above traveling and hung out a shingle running a tour service for motorcycle riders who wanted to explore the beauty of the Rocky Mountains and points beyond.
In the space of those nanoseconds, I'd ridden through all fifty of these United States, meeting folks I've only met online and come home richer in friends and with incipient cirrhosis of the liver caused by too many drinks while spending time with those friends after having ridden our motorcycles on their favorite roads.
Yep, a lot happened during those few nanoseconds. Then I came back to reality and said: "No, but thanks for offering" or some such words. I married a good one didn't I?
9 comments:
I just had to laugh out loud! Really - not the interweb acronym but real belly laughter. Indeed Martha is a saint.
Being in business with my wonderful wife, I fear those nanoseconds might have transpired a bit differently for me.
Hey Ken!
you and I could cover some serious miles.....
We're both lucky to have great wives that encourage us to ride as much as we want!
BTW: Hubert updated his site a while back. He came into some extra money and will be extending his trip.
So forget about "Ten Years on the Road, I am on the road for good !!!"
Charlie6:
I think we are all so lucky. I know that I could ride more and travel more places on the bike but I have been limiting myself to a couple of weekends and perhaps a week by myself. I know I could take more time but I don't feel it's right to use my limited vacation time for myself
. . . but it's nice to dream, if only for a nanosecond.
bob
HREF=”http://www.wetcoastscootin.blogspot.com”>bobskoot: wet coast scootin
Great post. Martha sounds like a lovely lady and it sounds like you married a keeper. Your nanosecond dreams seem equally as good. Wouldn't it terrific to go to all of those places, or even some of them.....
Dear Charlie6 (Dom):
I do not have a wife. I used to have two of them (not at the same time) but it was an expensive hobby with highly unsatisfying results. It is interesting that I have been with Leslie (Stiffie) — my hot squeeze — for longer than my two marriages put together. It's funny how things turn out.
I will never forget the day that Leslie called in from the road and said, "I think we should get motorcycles."
The accurate story of my life is better than the fiction most other guys dream up.
Fondest regards,
Jack • reep • Toad
Twisted Roads
Oh yes, that occurred to me too. I had that whole nanosecond thing going on in my head just reading your post. I would love to do that so much I'd even ride one of those Ducati's. :P
Great post. I live for those nanoseconds when responsibilities and doing the "right thing" do not exist and it's just you and your unfettered dreams.
Reality really is overrated.
In the next nanosecond I would be wondering if Katie was being supportive or trying to conceal her glee at getting rid of me for so long!
Seriously, even if we don't travel the world, we're still pretty darn fortunate. I figured that one out in a picosecond!
Cool post!
Post a Comment