It is amusing to hear different
peoples view of “roughing it.” More then a few have commented on
our meagre accoutrements but travelling by motorbike has been, if
nothing else, a lesson in minimalism. It is truly amazing just how
little we need to get by from day to day when we put our minds to it.
We spend so much of our lives and resources gathering and acquiring
and storing “things” then working for the space to store those
things only to fill it up and find we need more space.
Never was this so obvious to me as it
was earlier this summer when two of us set out on one motorbike for
an almost 5000 kilometre journey (3000 miles for those not on the
metric system). Saddle bags and a tail bag was our total allotment of
space for almost two weeks of travel. At the end of that trip there
was never a point that we went without. Well that is not completely
true as we went without all of the nic nacs and junk we would have
bought at each stop to remember our stay there since we didn't have
room to carry it (which eased up on our trip budget!). We had to do
a load of laundry on the road and wash a few other thing in the hotel
sinks but it was a stark contract to the loads of laundry we would
have generated at home and an eye opener to just how many of those
gadgets we could do without.
Our week long trips to the Kananaskis
have required using our small bike trailer. By the time you put in
the tent, sleeping bags, cooking supplies, and food, it is pretty
much full. A lot of room is freed up just not having to bring along
our electronic gadgets like laptops and phones and power supplies
since we camp where there is no power or cell phone service. The
thing is if you don't have them you don’t really miss them. There
is so much...Life... to occupy your time.
Travelling like this by bike reminds
me of a trip I took when I was young. My friend, his father, and his
grandfather took a couple of canoes deep into Algonquin Park and we
carried with us only what we could carry on our backs at portages.
There were few times I found myself so at peace and at one with the
world around me. I suppose that is one of the reasons I enjoy my
motorbike so much – the similarity between my bike and a canoe.
I know some of you think that is a
stretch but if you think about it there are many similarities;
- A motorbike exposes you the the environment around you – so does a canoe.
- A motorbike is at the whim of the environment around you – so is a canoe.
- A motorbike limits what you can travel with – so does a canoe.
- A motorbike requires your constant attention to your surroundings – so does a canoe.
- A motorbike lets you see more, smell more, and interact with more – so does a canoe.
- A motorbike makes you part of the world around you – so does a canoe.
These trips have been an exercise in
minimalism and all the more pleasant because of that. If you want to
know what you really can or can not do without then take a long trip
on a motorcycle – the truth shall set you free
Ride your bike like you live your life
-
No final destination in mind
Just take as long as you can to get
there
and enjoy and learn from each moment of
that journey!
