Motorcycle Pressure
I love my new motorcycle. It is so much more fun to ride than my old motorcycle. I am happier on it than I've ever been on a motorcycle (with the possible exception of when I had this exact same model motorcycle on our trip last fall, but maybe not because even though I was in a fun and exciting place on that one, *this* one is mine-all-mine)
However, I am riding my new motorcycle less this summer than I rode my old one. This seems weird at first, but it's really for the best. Here's why: I stopped caving to the peer-pressure to ride to work every day. There's a certain macho mentality at work that prizes those hardy souls who commute on their bikes. I was one of the coolest for riding nearly every day, but it was making me miserable. It's really not worth the extra 5-7 minutes that it takes me to put all the gear on and then change again when I get to work. Add those 5-7 minutes to a 30-40 minute commute and it's not making a lot of difference, but add them to my 10 minute commute (total distance 2.5 miles) and all of a sudden, it's just too damn inconvenient for me to bother. I rode to work so many times last summer when I really didn't want to, and it made me grumpy about my bike and about motorcycling in general. I didn't want to go for rides on the weekends because I had so much pent-up frustration about riding during the week when I didn't really want to. Well no more. I'm only riding my bike to work when I feel like it, which hasn't been very often lately, and it's working. I am psyched to get on the bike and go for rides on the weekend and even sad when I can't get out for one. This is a positive development. Score one for standing up for what *I* want over what others think is cool.
However, I am riding my new motorcycle less this summer than I rode my old one. This seems weird at first, but it's really for the best. Here's why: I stopped caving to the peer-pressure to ride to work every day. There's a certain macho mentality at work that prizes those hardy souls who commute on their bikes. I was one of the coolest for riding nearly every day, but it was making me miserable. It's really not worth the extra 5-7 minutes that it takes me to put all the gear on and then change again when I get to work. Add those 5-7 minutes to a 30-40 minute commute and it's not making a lot of difference, but add them to my 10 minute commute (total distance 2.5 miles) and all of a sudden, it's just too damn inconvenient for me to bother. I rode to work so many times last summer when I really didn't want to, and it made me grumpy about my bike and about motorcycling in general. I didn't want to go for rides on the weekends because I had so much pent-up frustration about riding during the week when I didn't really want to. Well no more. I'm only riding my bike to work when I feel like it, which hasn't been very often lately, and it's working. I am psyched to get on the bike and go for rides on the weekend and even sad when I can't get out for one. This is a positive development. Score one for standing up for what *I* want over what others think is cool.