On Sunday, as spring pushed its way into the world, I fulfilled an easy fundraising obligation. As part of a church auction back in February, I'd offered up motorcycle rides through the Agricultural Reserve around Poolesville.
It's almost 90,000 acres of low density farmland and gorgeous winding country roads, just a stone's throw away from the sprawling DC Megalopolis. On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in spring, there's not a nicer place to ride for a hundred miles.
My little 'Zook is perfect for two-up riding. The DL650 is light, tall, and nimble. Passenger accommodations are excellent, with a nice flat passenger seat, decent sight lines, copious grab rails, and a Givi topbox that acts as a backrest. You're not sitting on a hard flat four inch by five inch "pad" that is only intended to evoke the concept of "seat." You're not crunched into that butt-out sport bike-passenger crouch like a female baboon on the prowl for a mate. It's designed for two human beings who want to enjoy motorcycling.
And power? It's a 650, but power is adequate, providing two up acceleration that matches a Mustang GT.
Given the hoots and laughter as I opened 'er up on Sunday, I'd say more than adequate. As one of my sons put it, it's like having a roller coaster you can ride any time you want.
So for 20 minutes, we rode.
After the ride, the reaction was familiar. My passenger wanted a bike. Any sane person would. It's just too excellent. When you experience it, you realize that it is inherently and self-evidently awesome. It is joyous, exuberant, and well worth doing. Not without risk, of course, and something you need to approach mindfully. But on a Spring day, motorcycling requires only to be experienced. It is a Good Thing.
Which got me to thinking. Good things, inherently joyful experiences, they speak for themselves. Why is it that we have such trouble expressing Jesus that way? Here's this way of encountering our world that calls us to radical compassion, to heartfelt service, and to joyous celebration. It makes life better. I enjoy living and sharing the Gospel just as much as I enjoy bucketing down a beautiful country road on a perfect spring day. More, even.
It's just good, plain and simple.
Why we complicate and obscure that is simply beyond me.
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