The Journey is the Destination

Enrique Parrilla

Chugging miles and sleeping under the stars. We all romanticize this idea about riding 2 wheels long distances. I mean, that is the idea of riding motorcycles; the freedom that they give you.

Obstacles: Part of the Motorcycle Journey

What I would like to talk about is the journey of the destination, the hardship, and the hurdles that come. The 7:00 AM kickstand up and coffee chugs to keep warm before you hop on your steel steed in cold weather as you ride through the elements by yourself or with your friends. Hugging the engine at stoplights or clinching trying not to think about the cold in the mornings. These are the memories that stay recorded in my mind, the present.

Endurance is Key

See, the more and more you ride the more you will realize that long-distance riding isn’t as easy as you had originally thought of it, and that’s totally fine because you will overcome these hurdles. These moments are what make your journey special, the memories you make while riding 600 miles to your destination; when hours are meaningless and you just start counting miles.

Creature Comforts

You do this long enough you end up with certain routines and comforts that work for you. You and your motorcycle make a pact, an unspoken one. You either scream bloody murder to one another or praise each other for making it another 600 miles without breaking down. While riding with friends you get to know each other on another level, that will either make or break a friendship – you’ve been warned. However, I’ve found that these trips tend to make friends closer as they overcome the struggles together.

You had to be there

If you ever thought about doing long distance, I highly suggest you do. You will come out of it a better person through your own self-growth. With that said, I do suggest you make routine checks on your motorcycle, be it a brand-new motorcycle or a vintage one. They need TLC, just you like would, as well. Remember these are fire-breathing machines and they require attention after chugging their miles. So do yourself a favor, after every last stop of the night or morning check your chain, belt, liquids, and any moving part on your motorcycles. Just to make sure all the bells and whistles have been attended to. The last thing you want is to be stranded in rain or sleet or even worse in the dead heat of a desert.

The Journey is the Destination

With all that said, these journeys that you will take on your 2-wheeled, fire-breathing steed will be forever imprinted in your memory banks. These stories you will share over an open fire or your local bike night, and in the end, you’ll be planning your next adventure no matter what destinations you have in mind. Live a little and you’ll surprise yourself.