Harley and Triumph

Several years ago I became a motorcycle enthusiast. On weekends I pull my bike from the garage and cruise around. Zipping on the freeway at eighty miles per hour is very satisfying. There is a touch of danger, a lot of excitement and a temporary illusion of being somebody else. Is it the best one can do? Can such a make believe world blend seamlessly with the reality? Until recently I thought I had it all figured out…

Fast forward to the present day. I am reporting live from Warsaw, Poland where I am attending my mother-in-law's eightieth birthday. It is a grand celebration which coincides with her retiring from teaching at Warsaw University. It is a big deal, a gala attended by her colleagues, friends, family and her fiancee. There is lot to report but I'd rather stay 

with the motorcycle theme. Why? Because if my mother-in-law was a motorcycle she would be a Harley. Let me  explain - Harley is an iconic bike with  stunningly good looks, lots of torque, resulting in an impressive takeoff, and an acoustic footprint recognizable from afar. It may not have the best turning ability but there is no better bike for going straight ahead, and my mother-in-law would not be wasting time on turning figure eights in a parking lot!  If we follow this line of thought then her fiancee would be a Triumph. Now, Trumph is a somewhat different animal. It has solid British roots, is a bit lighter  and more powerful, and on the downside, it is endowed with a carburetor that frequently produces vast quantities of smoke though his pipe. While each bike prides itself on its individuality, what sets them apart is that they leave competition in the dust and they go together so well.

Harley's motto is "Live to ride" and I always thought it is a bit odd. Somehow the phrase implies anticipation, waiting, putting it off - in short, it  resembles my own weekend riding experiences. With these  two it is the other way around. They reversed this slogan and "Ride to Live" is what it is. And what a ride it is! I am talking about going eighty at eighty and doing it 24/7.  I am full of amazement and admiration, but I also yearn to use these metaphors and analogies to better my own understanding. And in the end, I come up with this - when distilled to simple elements we are at most one or two things, and knowing this obliges one to make the best of it. So when you find yourself being a Harley or Triumph  you just run forever into the sunset because that is what you are! 

Perhaps not the deepest thoughts, but it is good enough for me. I do not want to sit in the garage and shine my bits any longer!  I want to go outside, get blasted by the elements and perhaps get a ding or two. I am inspired and supercharged, and the road is endless.