pic from bikerswitchboard.com
A Facebook friend uploaded this image this morning and it hit me like a brick. Though, like most attempts at wit and perception these days, the wording is contrived and clumsy, the essence remains clear. I believe that it was the American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson who expressed the thought far more lyrically when he said, “It’s not the destination that matters but the journey.”
I am finding myself missing motorcycle touring more and more as the months go by. While travelling in a car has its merits, insulated as you are from your environment in a car, you miss so much of what you should be catching while on the road.
Of course the destination is important, but to me, touring was always more a matter of soaking up the experience rather than, “Are we there yet.”
I’d like to know your thoughts on this one.
The “silly season for MotoGp just got a little less silly (perhaps) with the news overnight that Jorge Lorenzo has signed with Yamaha for another 2 years. He joked at the press conference at Silverstone yesterday that he had delayed his decision to re-sign until he was sure that Casey Stoner was really retiring (Lorenzo had been approached by Honda). “I left the space open for Casey,” Lorenzo quipped. Cute.
Lorenzo’s decision should now clear the way for some more juggling, mostly centred around the thorny question of Marc Marquez (see my post yesterday). Lucio Cecchinello boss of the satellite LCR Honda outfit made some very interesting points about the so-called “rookie rule” in an interview with Asphalt and Rubber yesterday. Read the full text below, thanks to A&R for this.
Luci Cecchinello’s thoughts on the Rookie Rule and Marc Marquez.
As you can see, the situation is becoming increasingly complex and it will be very interesting to see just how DORNA solves the problem. Incidentally, note in the article that it mentions doubt over both PRAMAC and AB Racing competing next year on Ducatis.
As mentioned above, the British Grand Prix is on at the boring and flat Silverstone circuit. Bring back Donington Park, I say. So, as usual, from the MotoGp web site (www.motogp.com), the relevant numbers.
115 – Jorge Lorenzo has taken 115 points from the first five races of the year, which is the same number of points he had from the first five races of his championship winning season in 2010.
63 years – Race day at Silverstone marks exactly 63 years since the very first 500cc world championship race took place, at the Isle of Man TT circuit in 1949. The race was won by British rider Harold Daniell riding a single cylinder Norton. All 35 riders who finished the 264-mile race (425 km), which lasted over 3 hours, were riding machines made in Britain by one of the following manufacturers: Norton, Velocette, Triumph, AJS.
45 years ago – On the day of qualifying at Silverstone it will be 45 years ago to the day that Stuart Graham, riding a Suzuki, won the 50cc world championship race at the Isle of Man TT in 1967. Stuart’s father Les Graham was the first 500cc world champion and this was the first time that a son of a GP winner also won a Grand Prix.
36 years ago – The last British rider to win in the premier-class at his home Grand Prix was Tom Herron at the Isle of Man TT in 1976.
21 – Pol Espargaro celebrated his 21st birthday on the Sunday between the Catalan and British Grand Prix.
20 – The win in Catalunya was Lorenzo’s 20th victory in the MotoGP class, which is the same number of premier-class career wins as double 500cc world-champion Freddie Spencer.
17 – Arthur Sissis will have his 17th birthday on the first day of practice at the British Grand Prix.
16 years 7 days – Eric Granado is scheduled to make his Grand Prix debut just seven days after celebrating his 16th birthday, which would make him the youngest ever rider to start an intermediate-class Grand Prix race, taking the record from Chaz Davies who was 16 years 55 days old when he made his debut in the 250cc class in Japan at the opening race of 2003.
3rd – Andrea Dovizioso’s third place finish at the Catalunya Grand Prix was the first MotoGP podium by a rider on a non-factory bike since Colin Edwards finished third at the British Grand Prix last year.
2 – After just five Moto3 races of the season there are only two riders who have scored points at all five races; Sandro Cortese and Alberto Moncayo.
1st – Miguel Oliveira’s third place at the Catalan Grand Prix is the first ever podium in Grand Prix racing for a Portuguese rider.
They said it was going to be sunny and 20 degrees here today; I think they threw the dart at the wrong part of the board…catch you later.
jeffb says
I’d never done any real touring by bike until last year’s IR Snowies 4 ride. As the first two days were to be wet- did not look forward to that bit. However, after about 1 hour in the wet, it was actually OK to be in the ‘full elements’! Love the bike out and about. Oh, Phil- if ever you are up for a ride, the Trump is available! Jeff
Phil Hall says
Thanks, mate, appreciate that.