Is gobbling up 600 miles on the slab the same as doing 300 miles on back roads?

That's the question riders are pondering on the Motorcycle Tourer's Forum today...
http://forums.delphiforums.com/....?msg=26016.1

So... do you ride long distances for the sake of the long distance and live for the open highway with no stop signs in front of you? Or do you just love to get out there and ride for 8 hours on town roads and check out the diners along the way that are hiding in the woods?

What's really at the root of all this is how you define a "long distance rider". Is it defined by the number of miles ridden in a day, or the amount of time spent riding in a day?

I might be one of those rare breeds who's just as happy cruising 80mph down the super-slab as I am flower-sniffin' through a twisty two-laner. For me, it's really about the time spent on the saddle and the "therapy" of riding along without a care in the world.

If you can string up 5 or 6 biker bars within a 150 mile loop, and spend a good 12 hour day riding and hanging out at each one, then can that also be considered a long distance ride?

Must a long distance ride be a test of endurance? Or, could it just be joy riding without thinking about the time or where the road is taking you?

Labels: Long Distance Riding, Love of Riding