Solo Motorcycle Trip
Riding South…But Not Alone
Our plan this year is to spend the winter in Florida.
Hurricane Ian caused tremendous damage throughout much of southwest Florida, but thankfully the RV resort where we have reservations suffered only minor damage. They assured us they were ready for us, so we’re heading south.
We also decided to bring the Gold Wing so we could enjoy riding throughout the winter.
Shipping the motorcycle turned out to be much more expensive than we expected, and since we don’t have a toy hauler, we came up with another plan. I’ll ride the bike to Florida ahead of time, leave it with relatives a couple of hours from our destination, fly home, and then drive the truck and fifth wheel back down with Pat.
It sounds like a lot of work, but it’s still less expensive than shipping the bike.
The Ride
I’ve ridden motorcycles in 44 of the 50 states.
Most of those miles were shared with one of my best friends, Bob Hoeben.
Bob wasn’t just a riding partner. He was a mentor when I first started touring on motorcycles and became a lifelong friend.
Sadly, Bob passed away several years ago.
Since then, I’ve ridden with Pat, one of our daughters, Kelsey, and our good friends Joe and Kathy.
This trip, however, is my first long-distance ride completely on my own.
Or so I thought.
Taking the Back Roads
One thing I’ve discovered on this trip is just how much I enjoy staying off the interstate whenever possible.
The difference is remarkable.
Yesterday I had no choice but to ride Interstate 24 toward Nashville. About 75 miles from the city, traffic became heavier and heavier until it was nearly bumper to bumper. Everyone seemed to be traveling close to 80 miles per hour.
That’s just not my idea of an enjoyable motorcycle ride.
I noticed a highway running almost parallel to the interstate and decided to take a chance.
I’m glad I did.
The road wandered through small towns and rolling countryside. Instead of smelling exhaust fumes, I caught the scent of freshly cut hay, campfires, forests, and whatever was cooking in the little roadside restaurants.
The route added a few miles, but it removed all the stress.
Sometimes the slower road really is the better road.
Talladega
Today I made a small detour to visit Talladega Superspeedway.
It’s been on my bucket list for years to attend a race there, so I figured the least I could do was stop by and finally see it in person.
As I rode those quiet Alabama back roads, I found myself thinking about something.
I’d expected this trip to feel lonely.
After all, I had been riding by myself for days.
But it didn’t.
I couldn’t quite figure out why.
Then it hit me.
When Bob and I rode together, I almost always rode lead.
Over the years, I became accustomed to glancing in my mirrors and seeing Bob right where he’d always been.
Just a comfortable distance behind me.
Without even thinking about it, I glanced in my mirror.
For just an instant…
I could have sworn I saw Bob.
I looked again.
There was no motorcycle.
No traffic.
Just an empty country road behind me.
It wasn’t that I actually saw him.
It was something deeper than that.
In that moment, I realized why I hadn’t been lonely.
In my heart, Bob had been riding with me the entire trip.
One Last Thought
There are some friendships that time doesn’t erase.
The miles may get longer.
The roads may become quieter.
But the people who shared those roads with us never really leave.
Sometimes all it takes is a glance in the mirror to realize they’re still making the journey with us.
I miss my friend.