There was a time, long ago, when I had a full head of hair.
I mention this only because the feeling of the wind blowing through my hair is more of a figure of speech for me now than it is a reality.
Having said that, I do remember when I was a kid, that I used to steal my brother’s two-wheel bike.
I remember racing away from our yard like I’d just knocked over the local bank. I’ll never forget the feeling of absolute freedom, not to mention the adrenaline. Any chance I got, I’d take off and head for the hills – until the time my brother found me out and was waiting for me when I got home. My efforts were rewarded with a knuckle sandwich. After that I figured I had more or less earned the right to ‘borrow’ my brother’s bike any time I wished.
My first motorized vehicle was a pale green 1958 Chevy pick-up truck. The body was so rusted out that the fenders flapped if you went over a certain speed. It too gave me a sense of freedom. I spent many an hour driving backroads that led to all sorts of new fishing spots.
When I was in my late 20’s, I acquired a 450 cc Honda CL motorcycle. That thing also got me into some pretty decent fishing holes.
Looking back though, I’d have to say that the thing I enjoyed the most about riding a motorcycle was the special feeling of having the open road ahead of you - especially when it was some road full of twists and turns. There’s just something about the feel of the wind on your face, as well as the occasional insect in your teeth or up your nostril, to make you feel a part of nature. And while I know it may sound like a bit of a stretch to some people, I have also experienced that feeling of freedom when I’ve been out in a boat.
Granted the sense of speed attained from a two-stroke, six horsepower Evinrude may pale when compared to a moving vehicle or a motorcycle, but there is still the sense of forward motion combined with the sound of an internal combustion engine labouring under the influence of an open throttle. My point being that I really do feel a sense of freedom when I’m heading out on the lake in my little 12 foot aluminum fishing boat – freedom from all the restraints of daily life.
Sometimes, on a particularly hot, lazy summer afternoon, when the air is just hanging there lifeless, I’ll crank the throttle - just enough to create a bit of a breeze on my face. I admit it’s not quite like speeding along on a motorcycle, but it does cool you off.
Whether winding along some dusty old backroad or just sitting out on the lake in my boat, with my eyes shut, feeling the warmth of the sun on my face, I always find there is a special sort of freedom to be experienced just getting away from everything and every one.
Now before anyone gets the idea that I am anti-social - which I probably am – I have to say that I have come up with what I think might be a way to combine my longing to hit the open road on a motorcycle and my lifelong passion for fishing.
I think I might start up a motorcycle gang – well maybe more of a loose affiliation of motorcycle enthusiasts who also like to go fishing.
We could all wear black leather jackets (with our collars turned up) and motorcycle boots and we could have a crest on the back of our jackets declaring our membership in the gang. The crest could be made up of two crossed fish skeletons and we could call ourselves the Hell’s Anglers.
Just an idea.