Wanderer or Route Rider ...which type are you?

[Motogeezer1949_imp]

When I first started tripping, 17 years ago, newly into my 50's, I rode with a friend who was a type A squared personality. He would lay out an entire week long route with stops planned, certain times to be at certain points, no flexibility and no allowance for sight seeing. His deal was "hey, let's get moving, we're burning daylight". I always smilingly ragged on him about perhaps just one time stopping at 4pm to get our rooms or set up camp, have a brew and take a swim or some such. Never happened though, it just wasn't in his nature to relax. About 10 years ago, he moved away, but I miss him a lot. I always enjoyed his company, even though we are opposites in a lot of ways. How he lived, his example, helped me a lot to shape my life now. Mainly, because I do the opposite. I always got a kick out of his fetish to plan to the tiniest detail, his absolute overthinking of everything, his need to think he had to be in control of nearly every situation, mistrust and suspicion of people he didn't know, his fear of Face Book, on and on. I mean, the guy was very intense. He is a first class mechanic, and once he knew you and got to like you, he'd do absolutely anything for you. So anyway, after a couple years of trips to NC from FL and his moving, I started leading a few friends on the trips. I'd get us there, a fellow rider who knows good roads in N GA, TN, NC would take over, then I'd get us home. It's great, we still do it. My buds are so easy to get along with, so "go with the flow" I couldn't ask for better friends. If you were at Bland this year, you met my 2 best buds, Lee and Pat. But even given that, I still longed to do solo rides, and a few years ago started to do just that. Unlike my intense friend who packed everything on the planet, I pack the most lightweight minimal gear and go. Once underway, no freaking Interstates. Take the little side roads. Stop and take pics. Engage people, make new friends. Try out new things. The "Then Came Bronson" kind of deal, except I've got the $$ I need, so don't have to work odd jobs to keep on going. Freestyling is so totally liberating it's unbelievable. If like me, you have minimal ties to worldly possessions and home, you're perhaps now a single person with no one to make happy or keep pacified but yourself, kids are grown, no pets - you hear what I'm saying. Sure, a lot of you aren't near to that kind of lifestyle and maybe even can't imagine it! Maybe find it repulsive! But I love it. After 40 years of having my own business, being responsible, focused and dedicated, I find this type of freedom to be an apt reward If you haven't tried it and would like to, try a little at a time. One or two nights out in the world, then back home. If it agrees with you, ultimately make it as long as you like. A great old friend of mine I met at a Moto Guzzi rally here in FL years ago, Ohio Jack (RIP), was an inspiration too. Retired, he'd hit the road for weeks at a time on a ratty old white Guzzi with top box and hard cases. His Guzzi ran like a champ and was approaching 300k miles. For me now, at 67 and 1/2 years young, I'm still at it enjoying trips the CB. As you know, I got a new Yamaha XSR900 triple 'cause while wonderful, the CB just didn't quite fill my need for speed and razor sharp handling in the twisties. So between both, I've got my bases covered. Hope you enjoyed an overly lengthy diatribe from an aging senior who plans to ride as long as he can, and see lots more of this beautiful country of ours. Participating in this forum always brings a smile to my face. Good riding my friends