Chasing autumn: a farewell to the season

Posted on October 15, 2023  •  3 minutes  • 461 words

As the chill of autumn started to creep in, I convinced my friend Kim to embark on a farewell ride to the season. Our rendezvous point was the local gas station at 10:00 am on a crisp Sunday morning.

We charted our course, and with the hum of our engines beneath us, we set off. The journey to our destination was a reminder that winter was knocking at the door - the cold was penetrating. We decided to stop for a warm respite of coffee and snacks at a gas station.

During this pit stop, we found ourselves tinkering with the DB killer on my new slip-on exhaust. After a short struggle due to me previously stripping the threads, Kim managed to remove it. The result was a throaty roar that echoed off the surrounding landscape - a sound that brought a wide grin to my face. Though I was a bit concerned about the noise level, the thrill of the ride took over.

Our destination was a place I had previously visited with my girlfriend for camping, but the connecting roads remained a mystery. As we ventured further, we stumbled upon an old power plant with a connected settlement. The sight was eerily beautiful, a testament to a time gone by.

Our adventure took an unexpected turn when we discovered that due to maintenance on a dam, the river had been drained. This gave us a unique opportunity to test our bikes on the riverbed. We found ourselves gleefully navigating through sand, mud, and rocks. It was like being kids again, playing in a giant playground.

After capturing these unforgettable moments with pictures and taking our fill of the riverbed, we decided to push further up the river. This led us to a trail that took us to an abandoned farm - a serene and beautiful sight to end our adventure.

As we rode back with the setting sun painting the sky with hues of orange and red, we knew we had made the most of the season’s last ride. Our spontaneous journey turned out to be a memorable adventure, filled with unexpected discoveries and the simple joy of exploration.

We’ve had a running competition on who could drop their bike the most times. Here is Kim trying to cheat his way into a late victory. I was adamant about it not counting unless he dropped it properly while trying to best an obstacle or tricky road, but we later agreed that he’d get at least 0.25 drops for silly ones like this. Due to this drop, and a similar one on a previous trip, I’ll have to concede to him taking the lead with 2.5 to 2. Well played Kim, well played. Next season I’m removing my side stand.