It's almost like their not really there or even moving, completely unaware of everything except a narrow 120 degree forward perception that’s doesn't extend over 4 lengths of their own miserable existence. There’s air out here guys and its not factory cooled, filtered and scented with plastic pine..... shit... that was close I wandered again... not paying attention to the matter in hand. Bloody hell what’s he doing braking hard on a straight with no junctions or hazards to show his burger obese offspring what a cow looks like. Thing is the little fat gits know its only wrapped in plastic or served luke warm between two slices of bun.

Passed him.....Right game on... head down 2... 3...4....in flight check power up, revs ups, temp ok , no warning light (I've never ever seen one on a bike lit up, but I always check why ?) bike and surface feel acceptable, tyres are warm now. First bend coming up, first fast bend of the day, first fast bend of the season. It’s like a first kiss after a long prison stretch (from a girl that is and your not tied to the bed by a 20 stone gorilla that call you Mandy). I don't pick a line that’s too crude a description; I feel for it, scanning forward trying to get the best forward motion and the best view and completely oblivious to every other thread of existence except this bend. This bend will be like next and the next and the next until my motion is unnaturally slowed by a line of cars.

I relax and my brain autoswiches back to normal existence or is it ad-normal existence I can never decide. Mate pulls beside me. Gives a quick nod; I know this nod I've given it myself and so has countless males before us since for eons. How did it all start some smart monkey with excellent time, speed and distance skills, running from tree to tree baiting the lion and driving the lion mad with hunger and frustration? Some monkeys never made it and the lion got dinner but we where left with a bunch of monkeys who were great as taking the piss out of lions. Not a lot changes. We still have our lions, they’re the ones in uniform and want to spoil our fun instead of creating the fun and call me "sir".

Clear of cars.... Right game on....... A lot faster now, a lot smoother, Cars become static furniture as things speed up. Put 8 naked girls at the side of the race track and ask the racers "Did you see those girls?" and every one of them will say "What girls?”. Everything evaporates under the force of concentration; mortgage, bills, crap job, can't get laid, getting laid wife giving you a hard time it all disappears. Don't think this is a natural state for any human, this comes with practice and for most years of practice and the thing is, most don't even know they do it. I call it "single task focus" and it’s a mental state most Buddhist monks spend years perfecting but seems to come to bikers almost naturally.

I'm really moving now..... I'm precise, smooth and make no mistakes....I can't afford to, but the bizarre thing is I know I won't... I ignore everything except everything that matters, cars, road, surface, light, shadows, bike, feedback from bike and environment. I notice a damp smell; start looking about for wet road, leaves, rotten vegetation on the road. I make a mental effort and slow down, head up I look around, God is this country beautiful, it really is, just look up. We all have those lazy days just cruising along keep pace with cars not caring who passes and soaking up the countryside like a long lost love.

Reached the top of my arc now.... Slow down 30 zone approaching, Mate rides parallel I get the thumbs up. I know he's grinning like a maniac, not even a full face helmet could hide his grin. Time to head home after a cup of tea and a long chat about the ride out of course. Ride back is slower and more dangerous, we're not on game for the last quarter of the run back is snared and spend 20 miles jumping cars in an almost impossibly long queue. Get to the font 100 yards before the roundabout onto the motorway. There’s a Dutch car doing exactly 60kph creating a 20 mile tail back. If you've not clicked we're in a 60mph and their doing 60kph.....oh hum

Its like football you don't notice how crap or good your are until the game is over or you end up on your arse due to some error of judgement.