The Places In The Backs Of Our Minds

It’s like déjà vu all over again

Sometimes I’ll be riding along in what I believe to be an unfamiliar area only to have my internal voice say, “I feel like I’ve been here before.” You could chalk it up to riding déjà vu. But if you’re often traipsing around, the chances are good that you really have been there before.

Triumph bonneville nuclear plant - riding Déjà vu - i've been here before
October 2017

It’s rare that I will follow a planned route for any length of time. My navigation style is often a mix of feel and then point to point if I am looking for something specific. Going by feel involves a lot of subconscious choices.

But at what point does the subconscious stop being sub? Is there some interim state between sub and fully conscious?

I Guess I’m a Creature of Habit

The types of roads we choose can become routine. I mean, I’m always going to err on the side of wiggly when I can. If I pass through the same unfamiliar area twice and gaze at the map to get my bearings – I might gravitate to a road I’ve traveled before. Even if I don’t initially realize that I’ve ever been on it.

Whatever attracted me the first time will likely suck me in again. Especially if I have the subconscious awareness of being there before. Add in the notion that I had a good time there too, and we have a winner.

April 2016

Aside from riding déjà vu, perhaps the same is true for the photos we take. The thing that made you snap once, will probably move you again.

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.

You may also like...

3 Responses

  1. sumoflam says:

    You are spot on Rachel. But, even if you had been there, things are always different. The weather, the lighting, the birds, the season. The joy is in the meandering on the same roads and seeing the same thing differently each time!

  2. Dan Diego says:

    I’ve been motoring along some road–maybe a highway, just trying to get from here to there–when I’ll recognize a place I’d been.

    I’ll smile as I remember who I was with or what I was doing at that time–2, 5 or even 20 years before.

    And keep moving down the road.

  3. Shybiker says:

    True. I’ve repeated myself in many areas of life and am embarrassed when I fail to recognize it. For instance, I’ve even given people the same gift twice because my mind doesn’t keep track of what I did the first time. Good point about psychology. Guess that’s why we keep coming here — for the sound observations on human behavior. And pictures of motorcycles. 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.