Accepting the challenge

This week has been a horrendous week for all forms of powered racing. Three pilots killed in Reno and Collin McCrae dies in a helicopter crash near his house. My thoughts go to the families of all involved.
A pictorial tribute...
In August of 2006, McRae and co-driver Nicky Grist competed for Subaru in the first live televised American rally in Los Angeles and finished second despite rolling his car

However one must remember all of them were doing something they loved and I am borrowing a poem from Scully at Skywritings to illustrate this.
And shouldn't I have,
knowing that this might be the last,
raced my craft around the sky once more,
just to feel the stick clasp my hand back,
joined in the thrall,
dancing with the wind
waltzing with the blue
knowing that never after should I feel so free,
so sure in risk, so sure in this, my calling
taming this sky with the pride of experience.
my future just a glint in the horizons
I hurl myself up to meet my fate---
"scully" 2007

I feel the same when I get on my bike, I know it has it's dangers, I am still in plaster from the last minor miscalculation, but the feeling of freedom and being able to give my thoughts wings as I wind my way down a twisty mountain pass is something I always want to be able to do. Actually I ache to do it, before the accident I would find any excuse to rather use the bike than the car. Now I can hardly wait for me to take it for a spin again. I am sure they also felt the same way about flying and racing.
People who pass from this mortal coil pursuing their dream and passion are fortunate in a sense... second only to those that give their lives protecting others. So I am sad at their passing but salute their lives as they were living their dreams and showing us all how to really live... You will be missed.
"Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power." - Lao-Tzu