IS IT FUN?

Hi Maynard. It takes some courage to honestly and openly declare your feelings to thousands of readers on turning around and heading home. I respect you for that; in the same situation I would now have done exactly the same. What did your friend do?

I can share with you a similar decision I made on the most unpleasurable day of riding I have done in recent years.

2016 found me on a solo tour in Ireland, leaving Dingle one cloudy morning about to start a section of the Wild Atlantic Way. Storms come in (from the USA I might add!) pretty quickly there. Within 15 minutes, heavy rain and the strongest winds I have ever ridden in took hold, which was both dangerous and scary. My bike at the time was a Sprint ST1050 with panniers and top box and we were out of control; the gusts were so strong I was unable to stay on our side of the narrow coast road. I rode slowly and stopped at the first hotel I came to and parked up. It was a rather posh hotel and cost me £250 for the night but I was safe and dry! The porter even moved a Bentley so I could park and unload the Sprint in the dry!

With maturity and a choice to ride/not ride, we become more comfortable to be honest with ourselves.

Riding for pleasure is supposed to be just that. Maybe you should go and test a Mandello?

Winter arrived here for real today, so that’s probably it for my riding now until spring.

Keep the ever-entertaining articles coming and ride safe. Dave Johnston

Thanks for the kind words about my work. I was hard on myself about thinking about turning around, and again about actually turning around. When I saw the sun I rejoiced, but once I got home I felt bad yet again.

Two of my friends went to that rally. One, another Denverite, left later than I did and missed the terrible rainstorm. But it rained almost all the time all weekend. He said I’d done the right thing by going home. It hadn’t been an enjoyable rally.

My other friend, the one with whom I was supposed to share the motel room, rode there from Missouri on his newish Harley adventure bike. After some initial problems with that bike, he’s got it working well now. He spent the weekend in the motel – which was NOT in the rally town, Datel, because of the incessant rain.

So I probably did do the right thing.

You know, I had a 1996 Sprint with two boxes. I usually rode with one on the rack. That was a fine motorcycle. Mine was green, Dave. If it had a fault, it could perhaps have had the weight a little lower, but I rode it 60,000 miles with slightly lowered gearing the entire time. I’ll bet it’s still running fine today!

I’ve never paid that much money for a night’s lodging but there have been times when I would have! I hate riding in strong, gusty wind... and with rain, too... No thanks.

Thanks again for the letter. Maynard Hershon