A Man’s Home is His Garage

Going to the bike shed event made me think about the time I spend in my own garage.

We all need our own space. Somewhere to work on the bike. Somewhere to spread out with kit, tools, maps and a beer to escape the wife, kids,  office and everything that fills our day-to-day existence. Somewhere to plan the next adventure.

Other people don’t get it though.

Take my wife. For her, if she’s not getting something out of the freezer, time in the garage is wasted. She thinks my bike must constantly break down because of the time I spend out there…”why don’t you get rid of it….it’s always breaking down….why don’t you get a car? etc etc. As I say, she doesn’t get it.

Yea, I’m often rattling around in there in shorts and a t-shirt whatever the weather outside (I have a warm double garage and pretty good workshop 🙂 ). But she hasn’t stopped to wonder why.

It’s not to fix the bike – though I love working on it.

It’s because a garage is more than a place to keep your bike, whatever the bike. And it’s more than a place where you can put that old lid you can’t bring yourself to throw out or leave a greasy pile of tools or parts without anyone nagging.

It’s a workshop, a place where you can build up your tools, your knowledge or even your own bike.

It’s a place to take in that great smell of oil after a lube job, the hot exhaust after you’ve just got back from a ride out, the rubber from new tyres or just your leathers when you’re getting ready to go.

It’s a place to have that quiet drink, and time to think.

It’s your very own home within a home. A place where you can feel just right. And just like when I’m out on my bike, it’s a place for ‘me time’.

It took me ages to find my place. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I wouldn’t swap my garage for the world.