The day started with 14 strangers. After 4 hours of riding motorcycles together it felt like the group was now a community. We had riders ranging from the young 20’s to the young 70’s. All united with one passion- riding Royal Enfields!
On April 12th of every year people gather around the world to ride Royal Enfields. The day is called “One Ride”. How appropriate the name considering it’s a ONE cylinder motorcycle. The ride brings together a community of riders who survived the winter and who are now ready to kick start the riding season. In the beginning of the ride nobody knew what to expect. Who knows how the guy next to you rides, who even knows where we are going? THUMP THUMP THUMP for hours down the road, 14 thumps at a time, all thumping to ONE rhythm. It was impossible to not feel the 
happiness radiating off of each rider. Several times during the trip I would look over at the guy (or girl) next to me to find a huge smile across their face. Both of us smiled and laughed as one would reach down for more gas to blow past the other person. It’s almost like being on a go-cart track- just a whole lot faster! In Funky Town Fort Worth some friends and I would always visit this go-cart track on Sundays. The track was only one circle and the go-carts didn’t run so hot most the time, but man was it fun! Hanging one arm out while sliding into a corner, laughing and pointing at your buddies. That’s exactly how I felt on Sunday with the 13 other Royal Enfields. It’s a back to the basics ride.
What makes someone buy a motorcycle? Maybe it’s for cheap transportation or maybe it’s something to enjoy on a nice sunny day. BUT what if maybe, deep down, we purchase a motorcycle so we can be apart of something bigger. To be apart of a community of riders that has been around since 1901. When I first purchased my Royal Enfield I wasn’t 
thinking about riding with others, I got it because I thought motorcycles were cool. But maybe it goes deeper than that. After Sunday I realized that every guy or girl on a motorcycle is apart of a family of riders. The 2 finger down club! When we passed a motorcyclist on the opposite side of the road everyone’s 2 fingers went down to wave at the rider. I don’t care how many times I do that, it never gets old. It’s kind of a warm fuzzy feeling when you pass a rider heading in a totally different direction but in reality your heading to the same place, freedom! It’s the freedom to go your own way.
Our One Ride last Sunday brought back the joy of riding. It gave us a chance to slow down to enjoy more of the simple things in life. To enjoy friendships, and to remember how fun riding a motorcycle can be. I don’t care what gender, race, or age you were on Sunday, we were all ONE. The day started with 14 strangers and by the end we all understood the One Ride. THUMP THUMP THUMP.
– The Rider
