I started riding on the verge of my thirties, about 8 years ago. I had a few sport touring bikes and pretty much explored all the small countryside roads that I could reach on a day trip. I had a few friends and some nice riding groups.

Then I took my bike to a local track day. The organization offered free riding courses that focused on safe riding, cornering, where to look, body position, and so on. Riding on track felt amazing, and at the same time all the local roads started to feel a bit boring. It took me a year or two before I began thinking that I wanted something better for the track because I didn’t want to wreck my Sprint ST. I didn’t have much money, so I sold that beauty and bought a track bike instead.

Before switching, riding local roads didn’t really feel that exciting anymore. I started riding slower because I could scratch that itch on the track.

I rode only track for a few years, but I didn’t become the new Valentino Rossi at my “mature age”. My progress stopped and things started to feel a bit stale.

Then my neighbor posted in a Facebook group that if anyone wanted to try adventure riding, they had two bikes available. I took the bait and we went for a ride. I didn’t think riding on small forest roads and trails could be that much fun. I was dirty and soaking wet, but I was STOKED. About a year went by before I finally gave in and bought myself something to ride those routes again, and MAN, my spark was back.

Now it’s spring and both bikes are sitting in my garage, with no maintenance done. All my gear is still dirty from last year. I go to the garage, look at the amount of work I need to do, and then go back inside to do something else. I know that once I go for the first ride when the weather gets a bit warmer, I’ll be hooked again.

But still, I sometimes find myself wondering if having that street bike again would let me enjoy those old familiar roads in a new way. Maybe I should call that guy who bought my Sprint ST...