New Year's Day

I like to ride motorcycles. A lot. Among motorcyclists, there's a tradition of riding on January 1, almost regardless of the weather. It's something you do, unless there's snow or ice on the ground.

Today was a little easier than that might sound. With a morning temperature in the high 30sF and a high around 60F, it was a beautiful day for a ride. I headed out early to meet fellow members of the BMW Bikers of Metropolitan Washington at a restaurant in Nokesville, Virginia, for breakfast. After 90 minutes of eating, talking, and just enjoying each others' company, we dispersed, some heading out alone, others in small groups.

I rode off alone, as I usually do, through the rolling countryside of the Virginia Piedmont, through counties named Fauquier, Culpeper, Spotsylvania, and my home county of Orange. I took familiar roads and just wandered around, soaking in the sunshine, knowing bitter cold was just a day or two away. This was a no-pressure journey, with no schedule to keep and no reason to be anywhere.

When I ride, politics, work, the economy, and any concerns I might have are far from my thought process. When I ride, my head is clear, my mind refreshed. My focus is on the road, the traffic, the sights and sounds of my trip.

About 150 miles later, I rolled into my driveway, smiling at a few hours and gallons of gasoline well spent. Every year should begin like this. I hope your 2012 had as good a start as mine.