Riding On The Gulf Coast
Living on the Gulf Coast affords motorcycle enthusiasts, like your old pal The MotoWriter, the opportunity to ride year-round, but every place has its issues, and those of us that ride all year are built, just a little bit differently. We prioritize our riding as being just as important as regular rest, food and exercise. We don't ride because it's just some cool thing to do, we ride because it's a part of our identity. Riding is how we maintain our mental health, where we can talk to God without distractions and it's where we can sort through the madness of the world around us and shed some of the stress of our lives... one mile at a time.
It doesn't matter if you ride a Harley-Davidson, a Honda, a Triumph, an Indian or any other motorcycle brand, and it doesn't even matter if you ride on the road, off the road, or both. The key component is the riding. For those of us that are more comfortable straddled on a machine that defies all the safety standards of the modern automobile than in the safe and stable rolling roll cage that is the modern vehicle, we recognize the common bond in our fellow riders. That's why we wave at strangers on the highway, why we nod in approval at the pickup truck driver hauling a dirtbike down the highway and why we talk to other riders at gas stations and rest stops. We all recognize that same energy in one another- the same wildness of the spirit and the same, untamed, fire that drives us to ride. We are kindred spirits.
Down South, It's Not The Heat, It's The Humidity
We love to say things like that here and for good reason- because it's true. Sure, the heat does play a critical factor in riding during the summer months, with temperatures often reaching the mid to upper 90's in the peak of summer. While a lot of places out West easily top 100º F, especially in the desert areas, the humidity rarely gets past 50%, but down here on the Gulf Coast, our humidity levels typically average over 70%. Combine a 93º ambient temperature with 71% humidity and most people are ready to hibernate indoors until Autumn. But not us, nooo, no. We, the motorcycling enthusiasts of your communities, can't sit still when the sun is out. We are thinking about where we can ride, what roads offer the most shade and what restaurants have the coldest drinks. The worst time for motorcyclists along the Gulf Coast has got to be hurricane season, or, specifically... when there's actually a storm in the Gulf. Hurricanes bring excessive humidity, flooded roads, washed out bridges and, often, power outages that last hours, or even days. Even the less severe Tropical Storms can hinder our riding for days or, sometimes, weeks at a time. Talk about frustration. But when the skies clear up and the floodwaters recede, you'll see us back out on the roads or trails.
Trail Closures And The Gulf Islands National Seashore
Tropical Storm Arthur dropped a ton of water on us over the past few weeks and it wreaked pure havoc on the everything south of 31st parallel, with everything from catastrophic flooding, to tornadoes to major roadways being closed due to significant washouts. One of the reasons that I enjoy riding my dirtbike so much, is that I can still ride, even when the weather isn't so great, especially when riding the Harley isn't that smart of an idea. One of the most frustrating things about the dirty bike scene on the Gulf Coast, though, is that there aren't many public trail systems, even though we have lots of public access forest land. While I live in a very rural area, all of the land around me that could offer awesome off-road riding, is either privately owned or state owned and leased to private hunting clubs, so all the fire roads and trails are off-limits. It can be pretty frustrating at times, to have to load up and haul the bike to a public trail system an hour away. It's acceptable though, as long as the trails are actually open and the USDA does some periodic trail maintenance. I've spent a lot of time on my old XR lately because, well, to be honest- it's my newest "toy." But with all of the storm damage lately, all of the local OHV trail systems have been closed, so the only dirty biking that I can do, is ripping around on my own property, which can get pretty boring, pretty fast.
So, I did what I needed to do, and I fired up the MotoWriter Road King Special and hit the road. On the first day following the storms, I only rode about 75 miles or so- basically just an exploratory ride to see what roads near me were closed. The next day, I decided to venture out a little further and, while I didn't have a destination in mind, after riding for a while, I found myself close to the Davis Bayou Area of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. For those that don't know, the Gulf Islands National Seashore is the largest national seashore in the United States and it stretches 160 miles from Mississippi to Florida along the Gulf of America (the body of water formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico). Mississippi has 26 miles of white sand beaches spanning from Ocean Springs to Bay St. Louis and, unlike many of the beach roads in other states, there are very few developments on the beach side, meaning that you can ride along the beach roads and actually see the beaches and the water of the Gulf. The Davis Bayou Area is located on the mainland, east of the town of Ocean Springs, and the entrance of the park is easy to overlook, as it's smack dab in the middle of a busy business district. Riding into the park though, the busy highway quickly fades away behind you and, while it's a relatively short ride in, it's pretty scenic and is a very nice departure from the heavy traffic of the highway. Even though it was hot, I found some shade and parked the bike for a few minutes. I didn't stay long, just long enough to get some water, take my helmet off for a few minutes and snap a couple of pictures for this blog post. There was a nice breeze blowing, but the air was still pretty hot coming in off the water, so after getting rehydrated, I saddled up and headed out. Since Mrs. MotoWriter is currently out of town, I took the long way home and made it back just before sunset... just in time to enjoy an ice cold beer or three before ending the day by grilling myself a steak for dinner.Enjoy The Discomfort
I'm not suggesting that you intentionally seek out uncomfortable situations... or at least, not all the time, but discomfort makes us appreciate how good we have it. It builds, or in some cases- reveals, our character. We all want to live comfortably, but at what cost? What must we sacrifice for the sake of "comfort"? Riding motorcycles is inherently dangerous and, often, uncomfortable. There is no steady cool breeze of mechanically cooled air blowing on our faces as we sit cozily in plush seats with lumbar support and surrounded by cupholders with our iced lattes and fountain drinks and a multi-speaker stereo system blaring around us. But the experience of riding a motorcycle is not just thrilling, it's almost spiritual. You feel the wind on your face and the sun on your skin, you feel all of the temperature changes as you ride along a country road, and you smell the fresh cut grass, the hay and all of the aromas of the flowers and the trees. Being one with the machine as you lean into curves lets you experience the scenery and appreciate your surroundings in a way that you never even notice when driving in a car. We all have to endure discomfort whether we want to or not... so why not embrace it? Why not harness it and make it into something good, into something that ends with a far better result? When I ride, even in humidity so thick you can cut it with a knife, I return home with a clearer mind, less stress and memories I can look back on when my body eventually gives out on me.
Final Thoughts
No matter where you ride, or what kind of riding you do, enjoy it as much as possible. Practice your skills and improve your techniques so that you give yourself the best opportunity to avoid injuries and stay safe. Don't just be a "fair weather" rider. Some of the best experiences I've had on two wheels were when the conditions weren't "ideal". I've ridden in freezing cold temperatures and I've ridden in temps so hot that you have to take a break every hour or so, just to stay hydrated. While I try to avoid leaving in a rainstorm, I've ridden in plenty of them. I've ridden in downpours so heavy that I couldn't see the highway 20 feet in front of my motorcycle and I've ridden in a steady rain long enough for my boots to, literally, fill with water. I'm not special and I'm not bragging; instead, I'm just pointing out that discomfort is simply part of the experience. Whether it's humid, hot, raining, cold or, absolutely perfect weather, the ride will always be worth it.
Until next time, MotoReaders...
Ride Safe, and GO RIDE!
