11.03.2006

Winter

Winters are fun. It’s the season when the warmth of the rug stops you from getting up early in the morning. Being lazy seems normal. It’s the time when sipping hot coffee on a lonely street under incandescent lights at some odd hour past midnight feels like the best thing you ever did in the past few days. Some people in India hate this season, but on the other hand I wait for it all year long.

Winter is the most favourable time for riding. The heat during the day is bearable. Riding under the sun all day feels good. The cool air under shady trees keeps you fresh as you take breaks along your journey. Nights are cold. The amber aura of the streetlights fading away into the fog; the calmness of the odd breeze gently carrying away fallen leaves across the road; lights from distant homes and industries lighting up the sky above it; the headlights lighting up the paint and the reflectors along the road; all these make riding at night a pleasure. The pleasant weather makes you feel more comfortable and the dry roads help you travel farther than normal. It’s a perfect combination.

Don’t let such a good time pass by while you sit by the window, sipping tea and reading a newspaper. Get on the road, smell the winter air and ride.