The Importance of Keeping a Motorcycle To-Do List

For some, writing things down on a travel To Do List is a blow to the spontaneity of what riding a motorcycle should be about. And I get that. Being able to flitter hither and thither to wherever the winds takes you is all a part of the romance of the road.

And then, for people like me – sometimes writing things down on a list is the only way I can get them done.

One of the great ironies of my life is that I am always wishing for more free time – yet when it comes calling I am often paralyzed by all of the possibilities that free time presents. I have so many things that I *could* do, that can’t settle in to zeroing in on any one idea. Result? Wasted free time.

I find that picking something off of my many maps or lists saves me a hassle. I choose a spot and go. Serendipity will still be at work along the way and I get a bucket list homerun in the process.

In February, I wrote a post called: To Do List – My 2013 Motorcycle Roadside Stop Wishlist. It was inspired by a book that I’d received for Christmas. I picked out a few roadside-specific stops that I would like to visit in my travels on the bike this year.

Because life unfolds the way it wants to, I haven’t spent very much time riding this summer. I thought for sure that it would be another year of wish-listing instead of achieving. But where I thought I’d managed to visit none – I’ve managed to put a few marks in the DONE column.

Twistee Treat

The poor thing was still closed in the cold weather and was looking a bit beat up – even so, a place shaped like a giant ice cream cone is a-ok in my book.

Kane’s Donuts

Super-donut-extravaganza. O-shaped lovin’.

Kanes Donuts

Groveland Muffler Man – (Formerly) Named Yvon

He’s a muffler man. Of COURSE I’d want to visit him.

muffler man groveland massachusetts

I guess you could say the best thing about a travel To Do List is that you can never fully satisfy it. Or, at least I can’t. Just as fast as you check one thing off, you stumble across three more ideas to go on it. And that’s alright with me.

How About You?

Do you have a To Do List of places you want to travel to or things you’d like to visit on your bike?

Fuzzygalore

Rachael is the whimsical writer behind the 20+ year old Girlie Motorcycle Blog. As a freelance blogger, she is on a mission to inspire laughter, self-examination, curiosity, and human connection. Girlie Motorcycle Blog can be found on several Best Motorcycle Blog lists.

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7 Responses

  1. A few items on my “bike bucket list” include some Iowa attractions I still haven’t seen (Villisca Murder House, America’s River Museum, Wilton Candy Kitchen)… building a British project bike like an old BSA… and completing a book project I’ve been noodling for a really long time. I’m glad you’ve been able to cross a couple items off your list this year! I was surprised to go back over my rides so far this season and realize I’ve hit a couple Iowa locales that were on my “must see” list!

  2. Lucky says:

    Lots on my list, but the top two at the moment are the Twine Ball in Darwin, MN and the House on the Rock in WI.

    • Fuzzygalore says:

      Oh my 😀 The House on the Rock is quite an experience! We stopped there in 2005 late in the afternoon and were turned away with them saying we didn’t have enough time to make it through.

      We stopped by again a week later on our way home (i’m determined) and they aren’t kidding – you need to allow yourself quite a while to soak in all of its… house on the rock-ness!

      I can’t wait to read about your trip 😀

  3. Pam says:

    I’m gonna have to check to see if MN has any of those sweet roadside wonders! Hubby and I haven’t gotten out too much this year between schedules and weather. Thanks for the encouragement to create that list!

  4. Trobairitz says:

    We too suffer from the can’t decide what to do so we do nothing…… For some reason it has been a summer for it whereas other summers there has been no problem deciding what to do and where to go.

    I am glad you’ve managed to cross a few to-dos off your list.

  5. Sandi says:

    Where do you find your cool destinations? I usually just come across mine by accident! This weekend my big story was that I didn’t find a Historic Flour Mill and ended up accidentally going down a mountain on a fire road on my Harley. The flour mill was gone and I survived the road!

  6. I’m definitely in the “need a list to get things done” camp. My places to ride list is more tour-oriented (France, Alps, West USA, Iceland) rather than shorter trips, though. I should look up great places to ride that are good for a Saturday and make a new list…

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