Riding down Chuckanut

Sunday, October 31, 2021

I cannot believe I made it this long with my camera, and this is only the second shoot I did of my motorcycle. My fascination with motorcycles started when I completely disassembled a lawnmower engine with my dad in elementary school. We bought it as scrap from the local rental shop, and I had the best time rebuilding the engine with him. Although the mower never ran again, the experience made an impression on me.

In high school, my first car, a 1991 Toyota Pickup Truck, needed an engine replacement. So my dad and I did this in the driveway. Beyond learning even more about engines and mechanical systems, I think I learned every curse in the book.

In college, I realized I wanted to continue the fun of rebuilding machines. And one day in the International District in Seattle, I saw a 2017 Yamaha XSR900 in 60th Annevarsary Yellow pop a wheelie. At that moment, I realized I wanted a motorcycle.

My first bikes were old classic Hondas and Yamahas that couldn’t go above 65 if they tried. These were my favorite bikes ever, but as rain and weather affected my riding safety, I began to want something a little more refined. So one Christmas, my parents loaned me the money to buy my CBR300R with ABS. This is the bike pictured.

This spot is one of my most treasured spots in the world. At the end of a long winding seaside road lies a long straight road that cuts through the farm fields. I often rode down here between classes and ate lunch. I would sit on a log on the side of the road and watch the groups of swallows swoop over the fields in the midday sun.