Solitary – Without the Confinement

What is this all about? Everyone knows what “solitary confinement” is.

But what is solitary without the confinement?

I guess you can put any definition you like to that, but here is how I explain it when asked. Solitary without the confinement is a condition in which we place ourselves with intent. There are those who enjoy solitude and seek ways to facilitate that condition. There are some who dislike being alone and work diligently to always be in close proximity to others; I am not one of those. I’m not saying one is better than the other, just stating a fact.

Any avid rider knows when we ride we are alone; even if riding in a group. While riding our iron horse we are secluded from the world. Our ride takes us away from the troubles of life. No so far that we evade our troubles but far enough away that we can think though them clearly. If you do not like being alone then I suspect long distance riding is not your forte. To enjoy the solitude of riding you must first and foremost be comfortable with yourself. But, on the other side of the coin, if you are not comfortable with yourself I would submit a series of long rides would open the door to understanding who you are and hopefully, with that knowledge, change in such a way where you are comfortable with yourself. If you are not content with yourself you will never be content with another person. You will always yearn for something just outside of your reach.

The book “Solitary – Without the Confinement” is a narrative of what permeated my thoughts while out there alone, riding that 8000 mile endurance challenge. I will not say it will be a number 1 best seller, but, considering this is the first book I have written, I can attest to the fact it is the best book I have ever written. But I digress a bit…

This BLOG touches on riding and what befalls the rider. Perhaps a better way to explain it is, “This BLOG reaches for the real purpose of riding.” Numerous articles, books, notes and BLOGs are out there about riding and each makes an attempt at helping non-riders understand. But words alone cannot explain it. Avid riders already know the purpose so there is no need to explain it. But there’s more…

I will not confine (no pun intended) this BLOG to the book’s intent. A rider, like any person, has outside interests and thoughts not associated with riding. So, considering this is my BLOG, I choose to write on many topics. My hope is you enjoy them all, but understand some you will like and others you will not. Don’t dump me based on a single article you do not like or disagree with. Feel free to comment about your disagreement; I have very thick skin and you will not offend.