Wise Words From Austin Vince.

[Jim Lovell]

After listening to a talk by Austin vince accompanied by the lovely Lois, his last words were.

"If anyone asks what you have been doing this weekend when you get back to work, dont even try to explain"

And its true, some people are interested in why i choose to ride a bike and get away from time to time. But on the whole most people have no idea.

After a conversation with a collegue today Austins words were ringing in my ears.

He seems to think that its a waste of money to get out and see things especially on a bike without the family with me, and the money should be put away for retirement.

As i tried to explain i dont want to be sat in wet trousers in an old peoples home like so many others wishing i had done it. And the only way i can afford small trips away is by cutting back on things and working extra hours even nights, weekends and bank holidays.
My comments were met with a grunt and shrug.

But like someones signature on here:- THE MIND IS LIKE A PARACHUTE IT WORKS BETTER WHEN OPEN. ( sorry to hijack it) But how true is that saying?

[Lizzie]

Wise words Jim.

As a friend of ours always says:

"How many people on their deathbed say they wished they'd spent more time at work?"

[Mr Free Market]

Wise words Jim.

As a friend of ours always says:

"How many people on their deathbed say they wished they'd spent more time at work?"

It really doesn’t pay to be one of my relations. Eight weeks ago my father-in-law died. This week I spent 2 days sitting with my mother-in-law as she died. So you find me in a reflective mood today

This summer the family are off to the Med for a couple of weeks – sitting by a pool getting sunburnt is definitely not for me. With guile & cunning I can blag 10 days off work. I reckon that’s enough time to get to the Ukraine & back

[MarkE]

I'm not as polite as Austin (must be 'cos he's a teacher) but I once upset someone accidently by saying "if I have to explain, you're incapable of understanding". In my experience (and I have a great deal of maturity and experience, if that is a euphemism for being old) there are people who understand, because they have their own passion, and enough empathy to understand that we have ours; we may have different passions, but we feel them equally. Sadly there are many people who go through life without that and cannot understand it in others. When President Coolidge died, Dorothy Parker asked "how can they tell"; when someone who has lived without a passion dies, I have to ask do they even notice themselves?

[Foxy125]

There is a poem on Horizons unlimited called Why? by James Richmond that pretty much says it all not sure I can reproduce the full poem here but the first part is:-

"'Why do you do it?' friends often ask, perplexed,
Brows raised, minds sorely vexed.
'The world out there is dangerous!
Aren't you scared? Why do this?
You need steady work, a house, two cars!
You have only a motorbike, and sleep under stars!"

It goes on and captures the essence of why we do what we do.

[WyreFlyer]

This post could get very deep indeed, but it'd be no bad thing to hear everyone else's reasoning.

It's far too easy to keep on the treadmill, I'm so guilty of wanting to jump ship and head off into the unknown but worried how my wife and I would cope with no money in older (like 10 years) age.

We must talk about it every week and know we'll do something in the future but how to pack up and go now? Having your own business has bonuses but comes at a price, trips are limited to short time-scales and big dreams put on the back-burner.

My biggest worry though is playing against time, just how much do you have left?

[desert storm]

My biggest worry though is playing against time, just how much do you have left?

Ah, the eternal question. Life would be much easier to plan if we knew the answer.
Maybe live each day as if its your last (but then, if it isn't, the rest might be awkward).

[Redmurty]

I ride because I love it, I ride because it makes me free, it's the place I go to be me.It is my meditation. The Mrs recons I am a different man (or perhaps she wishes I was)when I get back after a ride. I am calm relaxed and happy. I dont do it because it set me apart as I dont care what others think. cheers Spud;)

[strimstrum]

Me and Mark are living the dream right this moment - currently in USA. Austin Vince started all this for me some years ago when I saw Mondo Enduro on Channel 4 - It has got to be done, and if you think that getting your friends to understand what it's all about you should try relaying it to most Americans - they simply do not understand the concept of arriving in the States and then riding all the way home to the UK via Russia - for most of them their lives are contained within their own state !

[Selous]

I ride because I love it, I ride because it makes me free, it's the place I go to be me.It is my meditation. The Mrs recons I am a different man (or perhaps she wishes I was)when I get back after a ride. I am calm relaxed and happy. I dont do it because it set me apart as I dont care what others think. cheers Spud;)

Simler to mine I love it from the first ever time I rode a bike at 13 :whistle: then when legal till now that is almost 40+ years riding :whistle: :whistle:
it's the place I go to be me.It is my meditation, when I need to think I go for a ride means I concentrate on the ride & riding & it all just seems to fall into place, I also relax more.

I never ever intend to give up riding.