100 kms of Healing

The titles for my posts tend to just come to me and I go with it. I did have second thoughts about this one though, just because it seemed to be a bit melodramatic. Alas it reflects how I felt, so there ya go. I woke this morning at 5:00 AM. That has happened a few times in the past week...not sure what's up with that but I wake and then cannot seem to settle back to sleep. So by 5:30 I was up, coffee on and toast and PNB on the plate...my standard breakfast. To occupy  myself I opened the briefcase and did almost two hours of planning for work for next week. My job is very demanding time wise and the duties are quite diverse. I have found detailed planning is the only way to keep a handle on things or else the tail starts wagging the dog, so to speak. By 7:30 I was more than tired of work, physically tired as well, and yet unable to go back to sleep. For me this is  a recipe for a drop off in my mood. My go to pick-me-up is my motorcycle, which I haven't had a chance to ride all week because of late days at work.

Anyway,s the forecast called for low winds but a light rain, so by 8:00 I had called my frequent riding buddy, and notorious early riser, Frank, and we made a plan for some rolling therapy. Well, the forecasters got the wind part of their prediction right, at least. There was barely a breeze. But light rain...not so much! By the time we had geared up and headed out it was coming down pretty heavily and blue flashes of lightening lit the sky. The prudent thing to do would probably be to admit defeat and hope for better weather tomorrow. However, I'd already suited up and ridden to Frank's and after riding even that far, I was feeling better, such is the power of the bike. So, I persevered. Frank to his credit was willing to go along for the ride, literally. However, as we headed out the TCH the rain was creating rivers and hydro-planing became a real risk. We pulled of at a exit ramp and Frank seemed to exercise common sense and turned for home. Me...I needed that ride!

 I headed out of the city, albeit at a reduced speed compared to my usual pace. There was a lot of water on the highway. Still, heading out the TCH at between 90-100 kms/hr the elements made the ride enough of a challenge to make it an enjoyable adventure. Then, in the distance in my rear view I see this set of headlights that I know are from a bike. Before too long Frank pulls up along side in true one-for-all and all-for-one fashion...now that's a friend. We continued on out the TCH in the rain and now fairly thick fog too. Our initial plan was Whitbourne about 75 kms west of St. John's but I was feeling kinda guilty about bringing Frank out in these conditions, so we opted to turn off at Holyrood, about 25 kms shy of Whitbourne, and take a secondary road back toward the city. Along the was we decided to stop and visit with another buddy and fellow rider. That too was part of the healing process. By the time we left Hap's place, fortified with a cup of coffee and chocolate chip cookie supplied by his lovely wife Denise, I was feeling much better. Slipping back into wet gear isn't a lot of fun, though.

Anyways, we made our way back into the city at a leisurely pace and my alleged water proof riding suit is  now drying out down in the laundry room. My boots and gloves are by the heater in hopes of better weather tomorrow. All told we barley travelled a hundred kms...a short jaunt for me. But the ride; Frank's sticking with me; and hanging out with our buddy Hap and the lovely Denise, all did wonders for my mood. Oh, I'm still tired but I came home to a nice hot lunch made by the world's best wife and I'm pretty sure I'll get through the rest of the day, hopefully no worse for wear. My mood is healed, at least for the time being and that's how I have to take things...one day at a time.

Thanks for dropping by. I wish a few more of you would leave comments. I get anywhere form 40 to 60 hits per post and I have no idea who is reading, but apparently I have an international audience in addition to the local hits I get. 'Til next time, I'll see Ya Out There! Ride On...