Inspired by a True Story

Again, I turned my head to the right to look at the moonlight reflected off the Susquehanna River. Then I lifted my eyes to the mostly full moon illuminating the water. I turned my head forward and then wondered what else I could look at to stimulate a drowsy brain. Focusing my attention on the process of searching and evaluating what lay in front of me should have been stimulating enough to drive mental distractions out of my brain but a physical distraction blocked some of my attention. My senses were dulled by fatigue and 150 miles of night travel. To make matters worse, it was 10:30 pm and I wanted nothing more than to crawl into my warm bed before the calendar turned to tomorrow. I passed a shadowy carcass and remembered that clueless hooved vermin infest Pennsylvanian forests. I tried to scrutinize the dark spaces between the trees for pairs of red dots indicating a venison missile ready to launch itself into an intercepting path. This ride is enjoyable in daylight but tense late at night.

When starting a ride, I try to remind myself that it could be my last. This is not morbid, it’s realistic. Even if I start the ride with good focus, good gear, and a well-maintained machine; decisions made hours earlier can add risks that do not become apparent for hours. Two decisions made hours before this ride started raised my risk level unnecessarily.

Bad Choice 1: not prioritizing sleep

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation asks its students if they are “emotionally committed to safety.” Yes, I try to live up to that commitment, but weak flesh can impede a willing spirit. Fatigue weakens the body until the mind no longer makes good decisions. For several nights before the ride, I stayed up late to finish some paperwork and clean the apartment. Netflix tempted me to chill so I gave it some time as well. The result was that I was not getting my seven hours of rest.

I cannot blame anybody else for the lack of time management that distracted me from my pillow. My old body needs to rest for my feeble brain to work properly. I could have ridden without fatigue if I prioritized sleep for a few nights before departure.

Bad Choice 2: leaving late

The sun sets around a quarter to eight this time of year. To make the four-hour ride in daylight or dusk would require me to leave a little before 4 pm. I left the office in plenty of time to run my errands, pack the bike, T-CLOCK the Beemer, and join the traffic flow. If I had listed out all the things and added up the time, it would have been obvious that two hours was too little to accomplish them. Two hours stretched into five and sunset came when I had three hours left to go. As a result, I spent hours blinded by road glare and nervously peering at the dark for wildlife. If I had left on time, I could have enjoyed the scenery and arrived at dusk.

Result

I arrived home exhausted and cognitively drained. That’s not how a motorcycle ride should make one feel. A good ride should end with the rider a little tired physically but mentally excited. This ride was a reminder to expand my commitment to safety. A commitment to safety must include an emotional commitment to maintain good health. Do not wait until the ride starts to begin to SEE.

Days before a ride, Search our daily schedule, motorcycle maintenance state, and route. Evaluate what our body needs to be ready for the mental and physical aspects of riding. Ensure the bike is well maintained and ready to go. Know the route, weather, and traffic. Execute a healthy daily regimen, maintenance schedule, and leave on time to avoid traffic, night, and Bambi.