motorcyclemaggie.com

Those of you with perfect vision will never know the experience of walking out the door of the optometrist with a new prescription. For a short while the whole world seems new, brought into a sharper, clearer focus. What was so common before now has a definition and intensity that jumps out at you like you're seeing it for the first time noting details that were never there before. Today was a day like that - the first true day of fall.

After nearly a month of constant rain which grew worse with each passing day, it left this morning, the dull gray skies dissolving into a bright blue with air so clear and clean you could see a hundred miles in every direction if you could just find the right vantage point. The deluge had washed away the last traces of summer and left a cool and breezy autumn in it's wake. For the first time the jacket felt right and proper, there to comfort and warm rather than protect against the wet. It was a day to ride.

Even the bike seemed to note the change, pulling strong and clean, ready to shed energy stored up during the prolonged downtime. We headed south on US 276 through the valley then up towards the Blue Ridge Parkway. Loosened by the breeze, the first leaves cascaded down onto the road as we entered the forest and wound up the mountainside.  It was not a day to hurry. We came upon car after car and even other bikers motoring along well below the posted speeds, drinking in the first of the fall in small slow sips. At the high elevations bright red trees stood out amongst the yet green woodlands, hints of yellow peeked out occasionally, signaling the change has begun. We loped down the far side of the Pisgah Ridge into Brevard, then circled around to re-admire the scene in reverse.
 
It was a good day to ride, the correct way to greet the new season. Fall has begun!

Maggie@motorcyclemaggie.com