Well the rain is coming down in the northwest and my motorcycle riding has to be more thought out and intentional. Gone are the days of sitting with the family one minute and out the garage feeling the cool air and sunshine on my face the next. Oh the joys of a nice evening ride in the summer.
I do have memories however of riding in the rain. I started riding my motorcycle last October at the beginning of the endless moisture. Having ridden for a year now I am reminded of how grateful I am of having learned how to ride during a Northwest winter. Not the most ideal circumstances to get a grip on the this new experience.

I equate this experience to learning how to live life during the hard times. Anyone can get through the easy seasons, but it is the rainy seasons of our life that we really learn. We really grown. We really learn about ourselves. And just like rain in Washington is inevitable so is pain, disappointment, and things not working the way you would really like in your life. But getting through you realize there is sun on the other side and you navigated through successfully.

Now when I have a nice day on the bike (or in my life) I don’t take it for granted. I grew through that time and I know myself better. I have learned to appreciate my ride in the rain. Yes I get wet, but I still get to ride. If I would have cut my teeth on the bike during the summer, I would have thought that all of riding is sharp corners, quick stops, fast acceleration and less margin. Then when I got to the rainy season I would have gotten more then wet, I would have crashed.

Having had adversity to go through only makes my life better. The reality is that hard times will come and I am glad I learned how to ride through them early on in my life. I learned to take them slow, don’t push the guy in front of you, and make sure I have the right gear on. It doesn’t make the situation any less hard or difficult, but it does cut back on the chances of getting seriously hurt.

I am grateful for the rainy season.

I recently had my first long time week away from her when I went to California for a week. No not my wife, I have done that before. It is never fun to be away from her. She is a great lady that rocks my world. It is my first long trip away from the Vulcan. Day one was such a weird experience. Number one, I am reduced to walking around Anaheim and the blocks were really long there. I was not able to get into my hotel right away so I was allowed ample time to walk and think.

Anyone that has not ridden on a motorcycle before might not understand the feeling of not having her by your side. Cold shakes, mind wandering, aimlessly walking the streets, that is what I was like. (and my eye was twitching)

Hi my name is Joseph and I have a problem.

I found myself sitting at Al’s Diner contemplating how I can get to a place that rents motorcycles. As my hamburger and fries were getting colder I find myself gazing at the man with his son at the counter. He had a Suzuki GSX t-shirt on and I found myself dreaming. (I don’t even like that bikes but any bike is better than none.) The double cheeseburger was really good, but I could hardly put it in my mouth because I was shaking so hard.

I can’t explain the pull that it has. But you know what it is like. It is the same pull and struggle you have. No maybe not with a motorcycle or the open road, but you know what I am talking about. We are all obsessed with and desire something that is as equally as strong.

Some are hooked on the illegal drugs or substances. Others it just might be those flickering pixels in that box. It might be those threads in the closet. You might be lost without those buds coming out of your ear or if you are unable to download the latest iphone app. It might not even be a thing..but rather a spot in your backyard early in the morning or casting your bate out onto the calm water.

We all long for something and when we put that at the center of our mind and thoughts and then our actions that is when we get ourselves in trouble. Most things in and of themselves are not bad. It is the placeholder we give them that is the problem. It is when we put them in the center of our priorities that we find ourselves doing stupid stuff.

Jesus says seek first His Kingdom and everything else will work much nicer. When life gets hard I like to ride. I like to run. I like to hide. Latter on down the list I talk to Jesus and hear what He has to say. My center is so off.

Go out of town and watch yourself to see what you first miss about home. Evaluate your yearnings and longings. Those are the things that are usually at the center of you wheel. I am not proud to say that right after missing my bike I needed to find the nearest coffee shop, then where I was going to eat. Not at one point did I think, “where can I find a quiet place to meet with my Lord and Savior”.

You see it is hard to seek Him first when the open road is calling and you are jittery because you have no saddle to sit on. But when you take Jesus out of the center your wheel and life is out of balance and will soon collapse. It leads to days like I had. Cold hamburger and fries and an unsettled spirit.

Hi my name is Joseph and I have a problem.

This last Sunday I was with another pastor and I was trying to convince him that he needed to trade in his car for a motorcycle. His wife laughed at me when I made that statement and she said “where would he put all of his stuff?” “Exactly!”, was my response. I tried to convince him that this was one of the reasons why he needed a cycle. You see with motorcycle, as much as you try, you can not take a lot of extras with you.

While I am on the bike I try to focus on simplicity. Take only what is necessary. Don’t burden yourself with stuff that does not matter. If you take a five day journey, you can not take five days worth of clothes and supplies. You can not take your favorite pillows, blankets and hair products. Does this mean you have to wear dirty cloths?

No! That just means you might have to let others help and you need to understand you can only handle so much. You might need to wash your cloths at a friends house or God forbid wear the same thing twice in one week. Sharing might have to be in your vocabulary. I have needed to borrow and share a Bible, pillow, blanket, towels, and even a pen. I didn’t take with my computer mouse, extra books I won’t read or a comb.

So I go light…less burden…less clutter…less stuff.

This makes me think about how much other stuff I carry that I don’t need just because I think I have the space in my vehicle. Things like the burdens or concerns of others or an overscheduled life. We keep saying yes I can handle more. We pack more into our schedule, we take on other people’s drama, we add more to our to do lists, and we just keep throwing more in the trunk.

But soon like everyone we get overwhelmed and burdened by all the stuff that is in our vehicle of life. Then all of sudden you have a lot of stuff in your back seat. Why? Because you thought you had the space, but all you have now is a mess. But not on a motorcycle. You can only carry so much. You deal with one thing at a time, then move on to the next. Big things you have to leave up to someone else to carry…God.

You see at the end of the day you can only do what you can do. You can only physically, spiritually, and emotionally carry so much in your life if you live it on a motorcycle. Jesus put it this way for His followers in Mark 6:7-13, “when you are on your journey take nothing with you. Don’t burden yourself and trust that others will take care of you. ”

I think this is a good lesson from the Vulcan.

One thing that is true of all riders is that you wave at other bikers as you pass by. The approved jester is the left hand peace sign stretched out below your handlebars. If you are caught off guard you can do the peace sign while your hand is still on the grip. In a pinch or if you deem it unsafe to lift your hand may give the head nod.

The first thing I learned on my bike was that I was part of a community and didn’t even realize it. Granted there are some owners that think they have a superior bike and would not think about waving at someone on a “rice burner”. But for the most part it doesn’t matter what you ride you are in.

And it is more than just waves. If you stop in a parking lot and see another biker…you talk. If you need something for your bike and someone else has an extra…it’s yours. Need help changing the oil or doing a tune up…no problem come on over. Find a cool helmet sticker…get two. Free advice and encouragement always abounds.

While on the bike I always think “why can’t we be like this with other people in our lives?” Why don’t we buy two of something so we can share with those we go to church with? Why don’t I invite those in my neighborhood over to fix something? Why don’t all Americans wave at each other? Why does it take a bike to be in community?

Just the other day I was driving in our neighborhood around the church and was approaching a police officer on his motorcycle. My immediate thought was “I wonder if they wave?” So I waited to wave to see what he would do. And sure enough the police officer waved at me.

Being a biker even trump cards being a police officer. I waved back and said out loud to myself (because no one can hear you inside your helmet…see previous post)… I love motorcycling!

There is nothing like being on a bike. Before I was a biker my friends Micah, Todd or Rodney would try to explain to me the feeling of riding. My Uncle Steve would go into another voice when speaking about his Harley. I of course would glaze my eyes over or worse yet mock them for their “obsession”.

Then that night happened. A summer evening at the McNeals and I was hooked. All it took was ten minutes on dirt bike in their back yard, with a helmet that didn’t get over the top of my head. I did not own a bike but from then forward I told people “I was a biker”.

If you ask bikers why they like riding you will hear varied words…exhilarating, freedom, speed, or power. My word I like to use is… silence.

This became evident the other Sunday when we had three bikes lined up at church. Two Harley’s and my Vulcan. We started them up afterwards and I was sitting on my bike and could not hear it over the noise of the Harley. I had to check to see if mine was even on.

Then it hit me…I have enjoyed the silence the most about riding a bike. You see on a motorcycle you have no phone calls, no email, no texting (I have tried once at a stop sign), no tv, no conversations and no radio.

You see when I put my helmet on the only thing I hear is the noise in between my ears. When I eliminate all the other noise I can focus on the sounds that need the most attention. My thoughts which can be deafening seemed to have been always been pushed to the backburner.

Now when I am on my motorcycle they get a bit more attention which has allowed me to give greater attention to all the other areas of my life when I am off my bike. We are in a great lack of silence these days and I think it is hurting not only ourselves but our relationships.

What do you do to eliminate the noise? Garden, read, take a bath, run…