The Perfect Place To Roar

  A recent ride took me up to Roger's pass as part of my 4500 kilometre (or 2800 mile) journey through Alberta and BC. Getting there wasn't exactly an easy task. Sure, all I had to do was make the drive but making that drive took some preplanning, mapping out my route, taking a few rest breaks and side trips on the way, and dealing with whatever elements mother earth felt like hurling at us as we rode up the mountain side.

  The ride was enjoyable for the most part, despite the cold rain that pelted down. The scenery of course was incredible. The favourite part of this part of my trip though was not the scenery, but the tunnels carved into the sides of the mountains and concreted over to protect fortunate souls from avalanches and rock slides.

  Why were the tunnels my favourite?

  Do you remember when you were a kid and your parents would drive the car through a tunnel and you would jump up and down encouraging them to honk their horn? Can you not still here the sound in the depths of your memory as the horn reverberated through the tunnel to sound ten times louder then it ever was? That's why!

  I love the sound of my bike. It has a nice rumble to it. Not ear splitting like some enjoy and not hard and rough, just a nice, low smooth rumble. As I drove through those tunnels I dropped down a gear, opened up the throttle, and let my bike roar like it never had before. It was a sweet sound as those pipes sang a song that reverberated through the confines of those tunnels. Then, before you could truly loose yourself in that almost heavenly sound, we were out of the tunnel and back in the pouring rain.

  There are several tunnels in which I got to press the replay button on this sweet song but soon enough it was just the open road, wind, and rain calling our name. As I made the drive down the other side of the mountain it occurred to me how much like life this was. We set out a plan for ourselves and head on down the road. Occasionally we make a stop and perhaps a little side journey or two but eventually we return to that planned route, a goal in mind. As we work towards that goal we face challenges and forces that try to push us back but we forge ahead and then you find it! You find that place where you can let your pipes roar! That place where you can be the biggest sound or the brightest light in the place.

  It is over before you know it as the forces beat against you again. If you are lucky you will find that place again. Whether you find it again or not you know you found it once and you can make it back there. It is that hope that keeps you moving forward, searching, striving, for that perfect place where you can shine.