11 May 2007 Ode to the smell…

Relishing each riding experience and in search of new ways to describe my new life as a scooterist, I discovered on a ride to work this morning what makes the thrill of the road so unmistakably unique for us two-wheelers. Thus, I dedicate this post to the one thing that we know far better than anyone else on the road and so rarely often celebrate: the humble smell.

…the earthy smell of recently disturbed grass clippings as you buzz past council workers riding lawnmowers with engines that clatter in harmony with your 150ccs…

…the smell of freshly fallen rain on the glistening road, masking the petrol fumes of a bustling inner-city street…

…the smell of warm bread as you overtake the delivery truck at 6am – when you’ve skipped breakfast and are starting to feel a bit peckish…

…the smell of roadworks – sparks flying, concrete being pummeled by jackhammers, sewerage churned up and workers having smokos…

…the smell of riding home at night…

…the smell of careless sea breeze on a summer’s day, sweating like nothing else in your rider’s jacket…

…the smell of the country, when the fumes are gone and the open air opens your nose to the memories of pine trees, eucalypts, lavender and wildflowers…

…the smell of recent roadkill, where blood, feathers, fur, metal and tires have clashed in a moment of fear, absent-mindedness and crushed bones, spattering reds, browns, yellows and greys onto a dirt road…

…the smell of crushed leaves in autumn…

…the smell of something sweet in the air but you just can’t figure out what it is…

Have I missed anything? You be the judge!

(thanks to the flickr.com community for these borrowed photos…)