Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV
Anyone who has read anything about riding motorcycles has seen the instruction, "Look through the curve." This is not a casual glance out of the corner of your eye, this a full turn your head and look directly at where you want to go. When I was going through my rider introduction/safety course, looking through the curve was emphasized HEAVILY. I remember one instructor standing by a curve on the training course calling my name as I went through. He would slap his chest and yell, "Look here! Look here!" causing me to turn my head further than I ever thought necessary. He was training me to look through the curve.
When I got my motorcycle endorsement, I was riding a very small bike: A Yamaha Virago 250. I called it my "moped on steroids". Small bikes are very forgiving when it comes to forgetting proper riding technique. One time, I was turning into a gravel driveway from a paved road when I felt my 250 begin to go into a slide. I merely applied brakes and put my foot down, thus saving myself from a wipe out. That was doable because the bike only weighed 300 lbs.
As I graduated to a larger bike, a Sportster 883, (which is still a fairly small bike) I found it less forgiving. Not only did my Sportster weigh in at nearly 600 lbs, it went a lot faster and I tended to go further with it. I began having to recall techniques I learned in training that I hadn't practiced on the smaller bike. I wiped out a couple times when my head wasn't fully in the game. Fortunately, my pride was the main casualty in those incidents and I chalked them up to lessons learned. However, when I graduated to a truly large bike, a Honda Goldwing, which weighs in at over 900 lbs and has an 1800cc engine (same as a Toyota Corolla), it was time to step up to my "A" game.
The incident that drove home the concept of keeping my eyes where I want to go happened last summer as I was riding through the Selway wilderness along US 12 on my way to our (CMA) state rally. I was still getting familiar with my Goldwing but felt like I was getting along quite well when I came upon a banked curve. This curve was no different than the dozens I had just been through, but along this one, there were motorists pulled off to the side of the road. As I entered the curve, some movement caught my attention and I took my eyes off my intended path for just a half second. Next thing I knew, I was entering the gravel along the shoulder getting ready to do an Evel Knievel off the embankment. With a lightning fast prayer and an equally quick recall of my training, I rolled back the throttle and applied some light "trail" braking to correct my speed for the gravel I was in. I turned my head and focused my eyes back to where they needed to be. This required a concentrated force of will because, when in a tight situation, the tendency it to focus on the approaching hazard. By the grace of God, I recovered and continued my trip. Since that incident, I have been religious about making sure my head is properly turned and my eyes are focused on the path I want to take. Whether I'm making a routine turn from one street to another or I'm on the highway with any degree of curve, it's head turned, eyes focused. This requires physical effort and mental discipline.
This is a lesson not only for me as a rider, but as a believer. When I look at the world around me, I tend to gravitate toward what I'm looking at. I get moody or I'll flat out stray if my mind drifts too much toward the world. If my goal is to be a Christ follower, my eyes need to be on Him, not the distractions around me. And just as on a motorcycle, this practice requires a disciplined mind trained to ignore the periphery. If I look at the world, that is where my path will lead and just like riding on the highway, if my eyes aren't on my goal, disaster awaits.
I found a great article that talks about this very subject. I love the writer's admonition to "keep your mind out of the gutter." The article strictly addresses motorcycle riding but I don't think it takes a lot of imagination to see how this applies to much more.
Until next time, keep the rubber side down and the chrome side up.
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