I hope you all had a nice holiday weekend. The weather has certainly cooperated for outdoor activities. As the title implies I just had a great ride. I have ridden State Route 10 along the Cannonsville Reservoir many times before but the ride I took today embodied everything that is great about motorcycling. OK, I did it on Galileo, the big scooter, but it's the same feeling. The reason I went on the ride was to deliver an item so it wasn't just a Joy Ride. I could have taken either the 50cc bike, Rocket, or the 150cc scooter, Lazarus, but that would have taken longer and I didn't want to take a long time. I also have done the ride around the reservoir on Galileo before but always stopped in Walton, twenty-five miles away. This time I had to go further on to the next town, Hamden, fifteen miles beyond. That part of the ride is not as scenic and has more traffic but it's still better than an interstate.
When you're in the zone riding a motorcycle it's the closest thing to flying that you can do on the ground. The road along the reservoir has numerous sweeping turns in both directions and the sensation of holding a motorcycle in a corner, sideways pressure on you as the bike maintains traction and the forward thrust as it exits the turn is absolutely exhilarating. This particular road allows you to feel that so many times it's intoxicating.
It was probably the best run I've made on that road since I last did it on my Kawasaki, a considerably faster bike. In the two years since I bought Galileo I've come to know what it does best, the speed it likes to roll at and how to comfortably utilize it. The weather was also glorious with brilliant sunshine, moderate temperature and a gentle breeze to keep things cool. One of those rides you wish would never end.
I was soon back at home but the feeling of motion and freedom stuck with me for a couple of hours. I may not be over it yet.