Inspiration

Unlike perspiration... inspiration can often be much harder to find.  As is defined in short...

inspiration

(ˌɪnspɪˈreɪʃən)

n

1. stimulation or arousal of the mind, feelings, etc, to special or unusual activity or creativity

2. the state or quality of being so stimulated or aroused

3. someone or something that causes this state

4. an idea or action resulting from such a state

5. (Physiology) the act or process of inhaling; breathing in

inspiration
 


It's certainly true that humans aspire to be not only inspired, but inspiring.

Over my lifetime I have felt there has been cause for both. 

I like to read, a lot.  One of the must haves I had for building this house in the move to rural PEI was to have a library.  I'm not talking merely of a WalMart Ubuild book shelf in a box but a real honest to God enormous vast, heavy and appealing, library.  A place where I can display my little yellow Honda and have enough diversity to be able to pull something off the shelves and sit in the sunlight of a nice winter day, feet curled up under me, next to a furry creature.

I have a small version in my office where I keep a handful of pocket books but in our living room my bookshelf is 8 feet tall and 24 feet wide!  There are currently about 650-750 books, not counting magazines on my "bookshelf." 

It's a dream come true.  I've got stuff by hundreds of authors, some fiction, some non... plenty of history for I believe that if we don't learn the lessons that it teaches us, we are destined to repeat it.  Sometimes with horrific consequences.

I have fun stuff, and serious stuff.  Some of it is fluff, there are many who-done-its and there are many mind provoking volumes.  There's Lenin and there's Lennon.  There's Bryson, Evanovich, Grisham, Haley.  I have Travel, Mystery, Biographies.  I've got Dune, The JOY of Sex, The Gangs of New York, and Defining Moments in History.

Plenty to be inspired with.

Just yesterday as the sun shone in through our living room windows, I pulled Charley Boorman's "Race to Dakar" off for a look see.  Of course I have his and Ewan's  'Long Way Round' on video and the memory of having met them on the final leg of their journey, quite by accident while we were all in Great Falls Montana in 2004.  My buddy, Rock pestering (peppering?)  them with questions, while I could see they were pretty much exhausted and on auto pilot to get to NYC.

Anyway... I am always thrilled to read about other's adventures.  They may be simple or elaborate, but never the less I often find inspiration between the covers. 

Race to Dakar one of them. 

There were two things that jumped out right way as I leafed through the book version of the video.  The first was the constant references to ride within one's limits and capabilities without giving in to pressures to ride beyond them.  The other is to find away to ride beyond them.  This is true for just about everything in life.  Life to many seems like an ugly four letter word, something to be rushed through without stopping to smell the poppies, or taking it in, in glorious deep breaths, to savor over and over again. 

Take riding in Baja for example.  Although I haven't ridden there now since 2007, I still remember the beauty of the silence of the desert,  on previous trips, the fear of the unknown, the constant concern for safety and the cherry on the top, the relishing of another memory that will stay with you forever.

The last of my Freedom Cycle bikes, DT 50L/C

Although I have not ridden in Baja for many years now... I have spent almost 10 years with a secondary home in PHX Arizona from which base I have travelled the Superstitions, the White Tank, and especially the Bradshaw mountains extensively. In my photo albums both film and digital, there are nearly 35,000 digital memories.  One of my favorite things is to sit in front of my laptop, steaming coffee cup in hand and just watch the parade of memories flicker in front of my eyes on my screen savor. 

I've had many stories published about riding the SW deserts and even though I now live on the East coast... I am looking forward to making many more memories in the locale.

Anyway, getting back to Inspiration...

I picked up as I said, Charley's book... and inside the front cover in ink I see an inscription.  This one is hand written and personal to myself which I would like to share with you.

It's short and sweet and I will state it's origin and message to you, maybe there you will find some of your own inspiration for yourself.

it is...

Happy Birthday Dad!
More inspiration for your future publications!
Keep your adventurous spirit healthy and strong!

Love Holly and Lisa

dated January 3, 2008

Of course Holly and Lisa are my grown daughters and in January of 2008 I was preparing to travel fulfilling a very long time dream of mine.  In that year and the one right after I would be sitting on the seat of a beautiful and willing Diversion 600 Yamaha to finally ride not only the roads of my birthplace but covering nearly 30,000 km and two dozen countries.

You might say, I was inspired...

Right after completion...