I received a call this morning (yesterday as it's now after midnight) from a friend inviting me to an adventure. He said to me "Faith I know this is a last minute invite but I know you love adventure so would you be interested in a 4x4 Off-road Adventure Test Drive of the new VW Amarok?" I thought to myself okay, interesting here is someone who knows what I like so without a waste of time I said: "Oh wow yes I'd love that provided you come pick me up". Then he said: "Yes I will pick you up provided you are into Motorbike Riding Adventure". I thought "Ummm motorbike? I don't trust these things but I thought God did not give me a spirit of fear but a spirit of a sound mind", so I agreed.
To cut a long story of the battle in my mind and emotions short it was already after 4 and half hours that I heard the sound of my ride outside. My mom was worried for my part as I got out of the house. I had battled with what to wear that won’t ride down and expose my behind and shoes to wear seeing that the only flats I have are my sneakers and my rule is 'sneakers are for gym and jogging'. I rocked what I rock best: Savoir-Faire and Grandeur Style in my umpire waist black jeans, a jacket, my favourite accessories (scarf, bangles and shades) and stilettos. Yes stilettos on a bike. Anyway the shades had to go.
Okay, this is the part which made me decide to write and share this experience. I know some people can say: “Hoo ha I've been on a bike” or “What is so special about being on a back of a bike?” Well there's more to it than just riding on the back. Firstly he had to brief me on how to hold on. All along I though you grab or hug the biker's waist. No, I had to place my hands on the bike in front of him. Surprisingly, I was secured just like his bag witch was magnetically attached to the bike.
We rode out of Soweto and my mind was trying to connect with the biker's mind as in when is he gonna turn, whether he is going to overtake, slow down and all of those things. I was still okay and kept praying "God please do not let us fall". LOL! Then came the great experience: THE FREEWAY. He moved my hands to the sides of the bike in front of him still and I was thinking he was moving them around his waist. Wowwwww! This is where it got interesting and exciting. I was thinking: "God how is this possible? Here I am on a vessel moving at 160km/h - 170km/h with nothing securing me like a seatbelt or something but I am not falling!" The wind felt like it was trying to take the helmet or my head off. There was so much wind that we were riding against.
This was an exhilarating experience for me after the first time I drove my turbo-charged toy like car at 190km/h which felt like my car would float in the air. I enjoyedpassing and leaving sports cars behind us. I felt like I was playing a live video game. You know when you sort of have the controls and see what is ahead and you avoid it? Riding in between cars and breaking in time when someone decides to change lanes or cars in front slowing down there and there. I felt like Wowwwww! We own the road despite other cars on it.
There is one part I love on the freeway to the north (Pretoria). That is where N1 north meets M1 north and having to continuously drive to the right lane until there are 4 lanes left. I enjoy it in my intsy bintsy car but it is much more fun on a motorbike because you don't have to wait for the cars on your right to let you in. You just swooshhhh and ride on!
We arrived in Centurion from Soweto in less than half the time it would have taken us in a car. Ok, we were there for the 4x4 Off-road Adventure Test Drive. I am not talking about the VW Amarok now (it deserves its own article) but my motorbike adventure.
We rode back from Centurion just before 4pm which meant riding with traffic. My oh my,there is no traffic if you are riding on two wheels! We even had time to stop for something to eat while people in cars were burning their clutches in traffic. There is no hurry to beat the traffic on a motorbike. Riding back was much more adrenalin releasing than riding to Centurion. For the sake of those who look up to us I will not say what was the speed we were riding at. I checked the speedometer and thought I was imagining what I saw.
The only disadvantage was that the cool breeze in the afternoon had turned into a cold icing driving back at night but at that speed it was like we were just cutting through the ice that was just melting at the same time.
I asked my friend: "What will you consider a better adventure after motor biking since you do this daily?" I thought to myself, all these other team building adventures (go-kart racing, river rafting, quad-biking, etc) I've been to are child’s play. My next adventure which I have been contemplating is WATERSKIING.
On that note: Motor biking is more than just a ride. It beats the traffic. It beats the wind. And for couples that travel together to work; men, it keeps the wife quite for that more than half the time you sit in traffic listening to her when you wish you were listening to yourself think. And it beats thinking too much because you have to keep focus and stay alert. I also believe it prevents drinking and driving because most of the bikers I know don’t drink when they ride.
Oh yeah well there's rain...Anyway I might consider getting a bike soon!! Glory to God!
