For weeks I had been playing tag with a friend planning to go for a ride before winter had the region in full grip. Today was an unusually warm 65 degrees around these parts, and we were both in town and available. We met at the house and though we both had favorite loops, he won the toss. Although the loop had mostly roads that I had ridden before, I became aware that I normally ride them at a relatively brisk pace. I found that going slowly allowed for an appreciation of the roads that I had not experienced since the first time I rode them years earlier. There were fields and barns and vistas that somehow looked different.
After a leisurely and enjoyable ride, we ended up in Belvedere where we got a bite to eat. By the time we left, the cruisers were out in force, and the temp seemed more like 70 than 60. The route home was similarly paced but via a few new roads. These were very narrow farm roads with very poor surfacing (or lack thereof in places), and multiple 90-degree turns. I arrived home feeling like I had discovered a bunch of new roads, but there were only a few miles of road that I had not traveled previously.
In racing, you are taught to change where you look and how you look in order to be successful at race speeds. In order to enjoy late fall motorcycle touring, perhaps the same is required…