Forty five years ago as a teenager and young adult, I imagined riding a motorcycle in the summer time along a two lane rural road, passing picturesque pastures and farms wearing a pair of sun glasses, T-shirt, jeans, tennis shoes, and or flip flops.
Thirty years ago, I obtained a motorcycle manual from my local DMV and read through the book in preparations to take my written & riding test.
I passed both, the written and riding test on my first attempt, and within several months, I purchased my first motorcycle, a 1200cc Kawasaki Touring Motorcycle.
I soon met a group of older gentlemen who rode Honda Gold Wings touring motorcycles and they asked if I was interested in attending their riding club meeting. I agreed and I attended their meeting within a month.
Attending that first meeting I quickly learned a lot about rider safety and the etiquette of motorcycle riding.
I discovered that the motorcycle riding experience is best achieved with the proper safety equipment, which includes a pair of stiff leather boots to at least cover the ankles, a pair of full length jean pants, a padded jacket, full finger leather gloves, and of course a government approve helmet.
I learned how to preform a proper motorcycle inspection, to properly check my motorcycle for any lose bolts, oil leaks, checking brake and clutch levers, along with confirming that all the lights are functioning properly. I learned to ride in a staggered formation to prevent rear end collisions when riding as a group.
That first meeting, quite possibly saved my life, providing me with a completely different idea, from my false assumptions I imagined as being a motorcyclist.
I have since gone on to safely cross the US from coast to coast to include a ride from Key West Fl. to Fairbanks Alaska without any false assumptions of what I imagined so many years ago.