Hills, Motorcycles and Pain
American hill climbing is not the same as British hill climbing...hold my tea please !
In jolly old England a hillclimb is on a curved road and you race to the top for time...in America it's more about "if" you can get to the top...period!
I purchased this etching several years ago because it reminded me of all the joy, pain and bloodshed motorcycling can bring. When I was a youth I had a Honda CL that I learned to ride on. Most of my friends were riding in the dirt so I thought, why not? A Honda CL is NOT a dirt bike, it is kind of a heavy scrambler. My friends were all riding Honda Elsinores or even better, the brutish Yamaha 500 four strokes. I couldn't keep up with them.
On the outskirts of the little town I grew up in there was a pretty good hill that was pretty much vertical. I would charge at it and sometimes make it to the top with no pain involved...until one fine day....
I was feeling exceptionally bold that day and went for the hard route. I made it about 3/4 the way up and dumped my bike. No big deal, I'll just cruise back down. However, my brake pedal got bent sideways and my chain had come off the rear sprocket. I turned downward and went for a ride I have never forgotten. When I hit the bottom I was flying out of control and we parted ways. My bike took a beating and so did I! I just laid there for a while, beat up and bloody. I got up and made the Honda runnable and limped home, Hondas are always runnable !
My dad had a mini bike when I was even younger. He let me ride it one day and I blasted straight into and up the garage door...on the ground again. I think I'll get a bigger motorcycle!
