Summer is, without question, my preferred season. The sun takes its time in the evening, and long days are chock full of post-work opportunities. The joy of seeing natural light when quitting time rolls around creates an atmosphere that’s far more enjoyable for working on bikes, riding them, or simply reveling in the delayed darkness. The days aren’t quite as lengthy by the time September turns up on the calendar once again, which signals a bittersweet moment.
Summer is nearly done.
Officially, summer ends upon the autumnal equinox, but that’s only if you want to be a nerd about it. All those years tapping my foot in classrooms, counting the weeks, then days, then hours until I’d be freed into the wild to ride BMX with impunity helped define when the sunny months begin and end for me.
So, what did we learn this summer break, kids? Well, we got to ride some interesting bikes and do what many of our readers in colder climates wish they could do. I also got to take some photos, a topic that I covered in last month’s column. California does have a few luxuries—relatively temperate weather and varied terrain mean we have a near year-round riding season.
In a few weeks, many of our dear readers will start seeing the leaves change color. Soon, their beloved motorcycles will be tucked away under bike covers or in garages. Naturally, I mean no disrespect to those battle-hardened folk who have coopted the United States Postal Service’s motto of “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night….” To those brave individuals, we salute you and your Aerostich. For the rest of us, winter is coming.
As someone who doesn’t imbibe in alcohol, “last call” has always meant that I’ve stayed out far past my bedtime and that I’ve missed crucial time watching cat-related videos on the internet. For others, it means that the barkeep needs some pestering. While it might seem a bit counterintuitive to take a page out of their playbook, I’d say that type of foolhardy exuberance is what’s called for when staring down a change in the seasons.
I hear you, dear reader. You might be saying, “Well, a major riding trip just isn’t in the cards, what with the kids back in school and work obligations pumping the brakes on that idea.” Those are definite possibilities—everyone has their own battles and responsibilities.
That leaves us with what we’ll call little victories as the summer winds down. Enjoy afternoon rides, maybe short weekend jaunts, or perhaps a track day or two before winter’s icy hands take grasp of the country. In SoCal, that party usually doesn’t stop until November.
Yes, summer ending is a bitter pill to swallow, and, if you’re like me, you made vast, extravagant plans. Some may have hit their marks with precision, while others missed their proverbial apex—such is life.
Instead of lamenting what we didn’t get to do this riding season, let’s think back to what we did accomplish. Where’d you go, and what did you ride? Did those lap times tumble down like they were supposed to? Or did you get a chance to rack up mileage?
Right around now, the West Coast “winter” racing season starts firing up, so I have that going for me. Let’s not think about what we could have done. Instead, let’s focus on what we can do. Grab your keys and gear and get out there while the sun is still up.
