RETROTOURS NEWSLETTER, JANUARY, 2022
You know it’s winter around here when 43° feels really warm. The past few days have been well below freezing and the rest of the week looks cold with a chance of snow. But today It was 43°. I had to do a few errands around town, so I pulled on a bunch of gear and fired up a bike: the XS650. The sun was out, lighting up the seasonally barren landscape. The gear did its job. I took the long way home and felt uplifted. I love my Yamaha XS650! What is it about riding a motorcycle that does that to us? Maybe it’s the motion, the pressure of the wind, the pleasant vibrations of the engine, or perhaps the quiet solitude inside my helmet. Whatever it is, I like it. No, I live for it!
We have turned the corner of the cold season. Sure, February is always the coldest month, but be an optimist and consider that it is also the shortest. When I left the gym at 7:15 this morning the sun was already up. It’s true: the days are getting longer. In the far north regions people wear hats with lights on the brim to simulate sunlight during the short, dark winter days. This is said to reduce depression. What’s your trick for keeping an even keel during the gloomy doldrums when your motorcycle(s) lies dormant in the bowels of your garage or basement?
In order to maintain my sanity while plodding through the rest of winter, besides catching a short ride on the odd warm-ish day, I will work on some bikes, plan some rides, and review old rides. There are more than 90 Ride Reports on line at www.retrotours.com, going back about 12 years. NINETY! Please go ahead and read a few. You may be entertained or possibly motivated to sign up for a RetroTour in 2022. You do not have to spend thousands and navigate international borders to enjoy a pleasant, guided tour/adventure on a classic bike. This country has a lot to offer once you get off the Interstate. You may notice that there are only 3 or 4 Ride Reports from 2021. That’s not because we didn’t ride, I still have 5 more to write up and post which should help me survive until spring.
Looking out the window, I can see that the pond is still frozen over. The Canadian geese migrate through here and often land on the pond for a rest (when it’s in a liquid state). Watching a flock execute a landing maneuver is just an awesome sight. It begins with a faint honking noise that steadily grows louder. Scanning the horizon for the source, the flying wedge is finally located. These far ranging Canadians stay in a perfect ‘V’ formation as they fly around the pond in a huge figure 8 shaped landing pattern, scanning below to make certain everything is safe. Gradually, the pattern descends until they flex their wings like airplane flaps and slowly drop out of the sky onto the water. Sometimes they will stay there all night, squawking away, sounding like a herd of puppies. At the end of every tour, I always feel like we are travelling the same way, spiraling in for a soft landing. In spite of all the nasty destructive things that we have done to Mother Nature, I can pretty much guarantee that in 4 to 6 weeks the trees will bud, the grass will start to green, and the temperatures will warm; riding season is really just around the corner. A few reservations have already come in and we are gearing up for a great season.
In spite of Covid 19, RetroTours have continued without interruption. We do take the pandemic seriously, but life must go on. Motorcycles offer the perfect way to socially distance while getting outdoors into the fresh air. If you feel you must wait, I can understand that, but DON’T WAIT UNTIL IT’S TOO LATE! None of us is getting any younger.
RIDE A PIECE OF THE PAST ON THE PATH LESS TAKEN!
JUST DO IT.
CHEERS!
joel @ retrotours! |
