Of course naming her was not enough. I had to decorate her in Swarovski crystals and chrome tiger lilies thanks to my darling friends at Chrome Fusion. Sandy, whose mother was a biker chick in the ‘50s, understood me completely and went to work customizing the skins of my beautiful steed. He carefully placed the crystals onto the custom tank and fenders and etched into the chrome detailed tiger lilies. Then I had to extend her front end like a mustang sprinting long and far across a prairie. And now my motorcycle is a chopper thanks to Kurt at Seeger Cycle. I continue to modify her as she modifies me.
Riding a motorcycle is to know you are a spiritual being having an intense human experience. Because every sense comes alive in the wind. Senses are piqued to maximum capacity and you get to know the fullness of living because you can only be in the present moment when you ride. And the experience is heavenly and extreme all at once. To ride is to fly, just like when you have those especially unusual dreams where your soul soars high above and you look at your human life.
On a motorcycle, you have to be fully present in order to maintain strategic riding skills. You must pay attention to everything going on around you. It’s a matter of life and death. So you protect every second, no moment is thrown away. On a motorcycle, your peripheral vision is sharpened and your wisdom is challenged. You have no choice but to immediately evolve moment to moment with the changing landscape.
Tigerlily teaches me to live life to absolute fullness every day. She teaches me to keep it simple and lighten the load, because you can't carry too much baggage on a motorcycle. She teaches me to constantly ditch life as I know it. Sometimes I fail at this, so I trot out to the garage and sit on my bike and lay my head on her and reel in the lessons. She keeps me grounded and let’s me know that I can fly and reach my dreams. Rev it up! Rock that throttle! Gear up! Keep on keeping on and weather that storm! Yes, she teaches me that I can do anything. No matter what age.
