Motorcycling

When to pull yourself together

by 2clouds

I’m exhausted today. Two long shifts at work with a rather late finish at nearly 1 am yesterday (or today, if you prefer). Not enough sleep, obviously. With the days getting longer again and the sun out all day, any attempt to even try and sleep some more is doomed to fail. Also, tomorrow I have an early shift, so there was no point in trying to sleep in today.

My brain feels muddled and hay fever has struck me down as well. It’s a beautiful spring day outside and I can barely get up from the sofa.

What a lovely day off…

Oddly, I still managed to get some stuff done. Such as laundry, making lunch for the next three days, dusting, and even ordering new glasses, which I’ve been putting off for weeks.

I keep thinking that I need to get up and go check on my motorbike because I really wanted to take it to work tomorrow. I really really do. It’s been such a long time since I rode my bike and I miss it. The weather is perfect right now. But I can’t move.

It seems a miracle that I managed to do as much as I did. This includes writing anything at all.

There is still time. I can still jump on my bicycle and visit the parking garage to check on my bike. I can still enjoy some sunshine and the warmth they bring. I can still buy some grapefruits.

That’s what I keep telling myself, even though I just want to take a nap.

The question is, do I need to pull myself together and go out to do what I feel I should (perhaps even must)? Or do I allow myself the rest my body clearly needs?

Will I regret not checking on my bike and therefore definitely not taking it to work tomorrow, instead of cycling as usual, which also provides a lot of enjoyment in weather like this?

Will I regret not getting up to get myself fresh grapefruit?

I could do one and not the other. If I decided to check on the bike, I have no excuse not to also go to the grocery store as it would be on the way home anyway. But since the garage is further away than the grocery store, I might still go to the latter and only have half the regrets when skipping on one but not both errands.

We all have arguments with ourselves very much like this all the time. We are tired or even exhausted and still have a bunch of things we want to do or could do or even need to do. We feel bad for being tired. We feel that we need to pull ourselves together and simply do what we must, and things will perhaps sort themselves out. We can always sleep later.

Or we want to avoid feeling guilty over the things we leave in favor of resting. We want to avoid regrets down the line.

Often it is really just about small things, a bunch of errands or chores. But bigger things can be involved as well, commitments, decisions, or people. I’m not going to get into the big questions of life, mind you. Not right now anyway.

The fact of the matter is my body tells me no. It needs rest. It doesn’t want to jump on a bicycle and ride anywhere. And I will survive not riding my motorbike to work tomorrow. I will also be able to do without a grapefruit tonight.

And perhaps, in an hour, I feel up for it after all.

We generally know when we are still capable of pulling ourselves together for one reason or another. We have enough energy left to do just that. But there are times, when it shouldn’t be necessary, and it shouldn’t leave us with feelings of guilt or regret either.

We shouldn’t ignore when we need a break or proper rest.

We’re always told to have healthy boundaries with the people in our lives. We must also have boundaries with ourselves, which includes recognizing our needs instead of pushing them away.

Final Day of my Summer Getaway

by 2clouds

Today was the last day of my getaway and I think I might have been okay if I had returned home today.

I didn’t ride very far at all. I visited the small town of Brunsbüttel, where the Nord-Ostsee-Kanal reaches the Elbe. Then I went to Friedrichskoog, to take another look at the North Sea, though I only really got to check out the Wadden Sea again. The tide was out and here it means it is very far out.

Indeed, people have been known to get stuck in the Wadden Sea after they’d gone too far out and didn’t manage to return before the tide returned. If that happens to you and you’re lucky, the coast guard will find you and bring you back. If you are unlucky, you can die out there.

I didn’t venture out into the Wadden Sea, mostly because it would have been inconvenient to pull up my biker pants and carry my boots along with my helmet and jacket as well. It also wouldn’t have been a lot of fun to trudge with so much stuff out there.

Still, the views were impressive, and the weather played along nicely today. Not much wind and intermittent sun and clouds.

I was only out for a few hours, however, and I’m ready to go home.

Of course, I could continue to travel forever, but work is calling me back and I must admit, so is my bed. I just don’t sleep the same when I’m travelling.

I enjoyed my getaway. I did a lot of riding, and the weather was good for the most part. I am likely going to have the opportunity to get away for weekend here or there during the next two months. But it does depend on the weather and my funds.

My bike is due for its yearly inspection next month as well, which will cost again.

Now the only question is, where to next?

Just a little roundtrip of 65km today.

Day 5 – Visiting the North Sea

by 2clouds

I haven’t been in this part of Germany before – Nordfriesland. I decided to visit Husum, St. Peter-Ording and Büsum.

Out of the three, Husum is furthest north. I visited there first. The area of Nordfriesland stretches much further up north, mind you. Husum isn’t even halfway. But since I only wanted to go so far, I stuck with these three places.

Of course, arriving in Husum, it started raining almost immediately. It wasn’t as windy as it was the day before, which was a relief, but I didn’t relish the rain either. It was still better than being caught out on the road.

I used the time to wander around the town centre, got another Covid-19 test, and had more of a break than I would ordinarily have had. But by the time I left for my next destination, the weather had cleared up and there was no more rain for the remainder of the day.

View of the Wadden Sea

St. Peter-Ording is probably lovely when the weather is playing along. When it is grey, it’s not particularly spectacular. It is a popular holiday destination, however, which meant a lot of tourists were roaming around.

I don’t enjoy places that are overly touristy, which is why I only stayed for a snack before travelling on. Plus, the famous beach was so far out that I didn’t feel like undertaking the journey, especially since you also require a guest pass, which I didn’t have.

My next and final destination was Büsum, which is at the southern border of Nordfriesland. Riding there was pretty awesome. Some roads I took were ridiculously straight and flat as far as you could see. The roads went through many different fields, and I was mostly by myself, which is always the most enjoyable part.

The difference between the east and the west of Schleswig-Holstein is staggering. Towards the east, you’ll find lots of sloping hills, bendy roads and forests as well as fields. But in the west you only have fields, wind farms and everything is completely flat. It is surprising that roads bend at all here.

It’s difficult to say which one I prefer, as both hold a very different appeal. And I enjoy riding on this side just as much as I did on the other side.

In any case, I enjoyed my stay in Büsum, which is also quite touristy, but I’m glad I picked a hotel away from all those tourist places. I do wish the weather had been more pleasant as the views would have been quite magnificent.

The ride was nevertheless wonderful. It makes such a difference when it is not so windy.

I did about 190.5km

Day 4 – From Coast to Coast

by 2clouds

This one was one of my more exhausting rides, even though I made only about 150km. When planning this trip, I had decided to book two hotels. One closer to the Baltic Sea and the other close to the North Sea. That’s the beauty of Schleswig-Holstein, where you can do both in a single day.

Yesterday, I checked out of the hotel in the east and drove over to the one in the west. Avoiding the highway, as usual, I took a route via Rendsburg, where I might even have stayed a little longer, but the weather was not inviting, and I just wanted to arrive at my new destination.

It was once again very windy. Dark clouds constantly threatened with rain, and it was so chilly that I needed to get a fleece jacket out and put it under my motorbike jacket to keep me a little warmer. It helped, but the ride was still unpleasant.

Which is a shame as the landscape was quite beautiful and the roads were great for the most part. Had the weather been more pleasant, I would have had an awesome ride.

To think that my initial plan was to go via Flensburg, which is much further up north and would have meant a ride at least twice the distance I actually did.

Quite inconceivable.

Thankfully, upon arrival, I was able to get my room right away, which meant I could relax for the rest of the day. It did clear up somewhat, but I wasn’t exactly disappointed not to get to ride any further.

That’s the thing about touring on a motorbike, you have to contend with the weather. Either you’re prepared and pack everything for every eventuality. Or you hope for the best and prepare to stay put if the best doesn’t come about.

Since I tend to pack light, I’m not packing for every conceivable scenario. If it were to rain, I would have to stop and seek shelter. But packing another layer of clothing to keep warm is less of an issue.

Today, it looks to be a bit of a mix again. It’s still relatively early and I plan on heading out soon. Since rain is expected tomorrow, I may only ride in the afternoon. We’ll see.

Here is yesterday’s trip:

Both hotels are about 20km from their respective coasts.

Day 3

by 2clouds

Yesterday was my third day of my little summer getaway. I was out and about for a good seven hours, which is surprisingly tiring at the end of the day.

The weather was a little colder than the previous days and it wasn’t quite as sunny. I didn’t mind that at all as riding in the hot summer weather can be exhausting as well. But the wind was taking a toll on me and made touring difficult at times.

I first went to Kiel, taking the scenic route, which also meant going slow. And yes, this time I made sure to take more pictures along the road as well.

Kiel is pleasant enough, but I am glad I chose Hamburg when I did. Kiel feels a lot smaller, though it is lovely by the water side, and you don’t have to go far to get out of the city and to the sea. Or the beach.

From there I visited a local lighthouse, where I took a bit more of a break. I didn’t know where else I was headed, so I figured getting a pancake with fruit and a coffee wasn’t a bad idea. The break was also a good opportunity to figure out where else I wanted to go.

I ended up visiting another lighthouse further up the coast, which gave me a proper view of the Baltic Sea.

From there I went to Eckernförde, which is another small town right by the sea. It’s known for its beach as well as its harbour for private boats and yachts of all sizes. Everywhere along the waterside there were boats, which left me a little envious as I would love to have a boat as well. It was a great opportunity to go for a walk and simply enjoy the scenery, though it was also a bit crowded.

Turns out, they had some sort of Viking festival that weekend, which is a popular event every July.

Eventually I returned to Kiel. There was no other suitable route to take back to my hotel and since I also needed a quick Covid-19 test, I killed two birds with one stone. Three actually. I also got dinner in Kiel, which I took back to the hotel.

Overall, the ride yesterday was a bit of a mixed bag. The scenic parts along smaller roads were a lot of fun. Whenever I had to battle the wind, things were a lot less fun. But I also got to take the highway for a while, which was surprisingly fun again.

I usually don’t take highways as I find them rather boring. I don’t just want to get somewhere fast. I much prefer to take the leisurely approach. But that also means I don’t ride the bike at speed very often and sometimes that can be a lot of fun.

I also noticed just how fearless I was when riding at 100kph. I was completely calm.

When I first learned riding the motorbike two years ago, I was a nervous wreck just thinking of going 50kph in the city. Though it wasn’t so much the speed as it was the traffic that concerned me.

Nowadays I’m comfortable at any speed (as long as the wind isn’t buffeting me around), but it still tends to be the traffic that makes me a bit nervous.

On the highway I didn’t feel nervous at all, which was really quite amazing. I’m a very attentive and careful driver, mind you. So, 100kph is about as fast as I will go. My bike doesn’t have that much horsepower to go superfast anyway.

Anyway, this was my ride, there and back again:

159.3 km

Day 2

by 2clouds

Off towards the Baltic Sea today. The weather was once again gorgeous. Not a cloud in the sky and 26°C. It was pretty windy, though, which meant I was buffeted around quite a bit.

Riding today was much better than yesterday. Perhaps because I was unencumbered. For the most part, I was incredibly focussed on the road, but I could also simply enjoy the ride, especially when there was little to no traffic.

The landscape was beautiful, not just by the sea but anywhere I was.

I made regular stops at the coast, sticking my feet in the water, walking along some dunes, escaping when it got too crowded, jumping back on the bike and plotting the route to the next destination.

I briefly visited Fehmarn, which was lovely.

I really should be stopping more frequently to take some pictures. Isn’t the point of going on a road trip to stop whenever you want to and enjoy the moment? I did plenty of that today, but never on the side of the road to simply take in the landscape.

Of course, I can’t just stop anywhere as there is other traffic to consider.

I do have a few more days ahead of me, so I’ll see about stopping more by the wayside.

I love the ride, though. It’s not just about visiting places, which I’ve done plenty today. It’s simply about riding the bike.

There is so much freedom in that.

I don’t ride much during a regular week. In the city, I prefer to cycle. I need the exercise and Hamburg traffic just sucks. So, I need to get out to properly ride the bike and who has time for that?

Hence my little summer getaway. Today’s roundtrip will likely be the only one of its kind. Tomorrow I will go to Kiel, whether I might go elsewhere I don’t know yet. Depends on the amount of sightseeing I am going to do.

Anyhow, below is the route I’ve driven today. I made 189.5km in total. That’s pretty decent.

Motorcycle practice

by 2clouds

In July 2019, I started to get my motorcycle driving license. I had no driver’s license yet. This would be my first one. I could have chosen a more opportune time to get this done, but my friends dragged me on a trip to Japan in May that year, which meant I didn’t have the funds for the first few driving lessons available any sooner.

Getting a driver’s license in Germany is expensive.

Anyway, I wanted it. I didn’t want to put it off any longer and the time felt right. It wasn’t quite the best timing, though, as the instructor was on holiday for the latter half of July, which meant that getting my first lesson had to wait until August. Bummer.

And then it was really hot, too. Not the ideal conditions to get started. Still, I’ve been wanting to get that license for 15 years, though I’d never been in a place where it had been feasible.

Finally getting started was immensely exciting. I was super nervous before my first lesson, which ended up being a little ridiculous.

I was all fitted out and the motorbike was ready. It was a bigger size since I decided not to start with a beginner’s license. I’m old enough to get the proper A license without first having to get an A1 or A2.

That also meant it was a little heavier than a smaller bike. But sitting on it immediately felt right.

My instructor explained how the machine functioned, all the bells and whistles, and what I needed to look out for. Then we started the machine and he showed me how to move in first gear by just letting go of the gear shift ever so slightly, so the engine would pull without engaging the throttle at all.

We slowly rolled down a quiet side road. My instructor would alternately hold onto the bike and then let me go. It was a little like learning to ride a bicycle, though with a much bigger and heavier bike.

He wanted me to know the gear shift, throttle, breaks and how to balance myself. Once he was confident that I could operate all the parts of the bike, he encouraged me to open the throttle a little more and drive up and down the road. He was always close at hand, which meant a lot of running for him that day.

At the end of the 90-minute lesson, I was driving down the road at 15kmh, which was oddly exhilarating, even though I routinely cycle at 30kmh. Never mind that the power of the motorbike is intimidating when you are not careful with the throttle.

I have no need for speed, though now I do enjoy getting up to speed more than I did then. I was very careful, which ended up being the right approach. And my instructor was very pleased with my progress and said I have a talent for riding the bike.

Ultimately, as cautious as the first lesson was, it was also a lot of fun. It put me out of my comfort zone but pushing ahead was absolutely the right thing for me to do.

When I jump on my bike now, I feel right at home.

Just posing. I did wear gloves during the lesson.

In Theory

by 2clouds

In Germany, you have to go through a whole driving course and two tests (one theoretical and one practical) before you get a license and can get yourself a motorbike.

Well, you could probably get a motorcycle at any point before that, but that would make no sense whatsoever since you wouldn’t be allowed to ride it.

So, we go through the motions, which is usually for the better.

Usually, theory and practice are done side by side. Since I don’t even have a regular driver’s license, I have to do most of the general driving theory on top of the special motorcycle theory. That means you get to sit in a class with other people who want to learn to drive a car and listen to an instructor explaining driving rules and regulations in Germany.

I had to go through 12 modules of general driving theory and 6 modules of motorcyle-specific theory. We had several instructors, depending on their schedules. One of them was really entertaining, teaching us a lot of things beyond the grey theory.

Of course, as a cyclist, I have been aware of many traffic rules and regulations already, but there was a lot to learn beyond the general knowledge I already had.

Additionally, we have a learning up that contains all the theoretical questions and scenarios that we need to know for the official theoretical test. The app includes over 1,000 questions, which we had to learn, though the final test would only contain 40 general and 5 specific questions.

I’m a total geek and I really enjoyed learning everything. The catalogue of questions was sometimes a bit much to go through, but I’m glad to have gone through it all.

It also made me more aware as a cyclist, even though I have always been riding defensively. But it is better to know the rules and adhere to them than just winging it.

I passed my theory test without any mistakes, which did make me a little proud of myself.

Riding My Life Away

by 2clouds

When I started my motorcycle journey, I also decided to write about it. What’s better than to write about something you love? And, boy, do I love it!

I began writing a blog that I titled “Riding my life away”. It seemed suitable. But, as these things go, I didn’t keep up with it. There are plenty of reasons for that, but I do actually want to write it.

So, I’m reusing some of my old blog entries and will add new ones as well. The old blog will be retired and become a part of this new venture.

I’ll write about learning how to ride a motorbike, about actually riding, how it is different for women, and about the gear I wear and use. Basically, I want to write about every aspect of it, being still very new to the whole thing and taking anyone interested along on the ride.

I’d say “buckle up” but it’s more a case of helmet on, gloves on and onwards.

A New Adventure

by 2clouds


Be fearless in the face of what sets your soul on fire.— Unknown.

The first time I sat on a motorbike it simply felt right. I’d never been interested in getting a driver’s license to drive cars. I’ve never been interested in driving cars. I’m from Berlin. It’s not necessary to drive a car there or own one. And I just never felt the attraction either.

I honestly wouldn’t even have known what kind of car to get. It was all so boring. Plus, I have a tendency to get car sick. I can’t ride in a car on an empty stomach. Makes me nauseated.

Life on two wheels was always more appealing to me and it’s healthier – as long as we’re talking bicycles.

As a student, I worked at a motorcycle exhibition. I had the night shift and we were playing around a little and tried sitting on some of those bikes – super carefully. Well, I tried one. And I felt immediately at home. I took a picture of the bike and knew that one day I wanted one.

This is the first motorbike I ever sat on and to this day I want a Triumph.

Before I could settle down enough in life to afford getting a license and then a motorbike, I decided to leave and travel the world, live everywhere but at home and after 10 years finally returned. Not to Berlin, mind you, but to Hamburg.

I never forgot about my desire to get a motorcycle license. But most of the time I just didn’t have the time, opportunity or the money to get it.

Last year, I suffered the worst heartbreak of my life. And that’s when I decided that now was as good a time as any to finally get a license. I wanted to do something for myself. Something that would give me joy.

I wanted to get started in April, do an intensive course in two weeks or so, get the license and be ready once the season took off.

Alas, my friends had other plans and dragged me on a trip to Japan, which ate up my starting funds for the license and gear. But since my birthday was coming up, I asked for support for the license and got it, and saved up in the meantime.

I signed up for the course on the 2nd July. And I’ve been obsessing over motorbikes and riding ever since.

Originally published 30th July 2019