An Invitation to Ride
August ‘22
One of the dangers of emphasising nostalgia as a theme for a project like this is the risk of failing to live in the moment. Many of us have our own riding ‘why?’ and without doubt, this can change with time and circumstances. Escapism, habit, meditation, thrill, fashion, challenge, companionship, economy and sometimes, just transport. Personal circumstances have changed recently and I have been able to gift myself the most precious of all commodities - time. What I plan to do with this treasure is spend a decent wedge of it on something I have always loved but frequently neglected and in doing so, share what else I unearth about my own enduring ‘why?’.
I have ridden thousands upon thousands of miles on bikes of all shapes and sizes. Although the logo may give away where my heart truly lies, none of these journeys have been a wasted moment. I genuinely have no idea what the final destination is for this adventure, just a few sketches and a modest bucket list of ideas to get me rolling.
One constant throughout my life of two wheeled travels is the strength of the automatic bond that simply just exists between riders. More profound than our passing nods, there is always a conversation and a connection to be made when the stand is kicked to the floor. If creating this platform allows that to grow in even the smallest way or just preserves some of the sister & brotherhood of our community - then one success criteria will have been met. All the usual social channels are in place, so please follow and engage if you are like minded, even if your interest is only mildly piqued.
Perhaps as a result of a prior scarcity of time, for the bigger adventures, I have tended to pin the throttle and head in the direction of a port or tunnel and get off what seems an often tiny, crowded island. No doubt I will again. However, much more recent beloved highland excursions suggest this may have been a little short sighted. In amongst sharing other celebrations of the British riding landscape, the Ride section of this site will catalogue journeys around the entire UK coast line. So maybe pack some sandwiches.
