Many can imagine a happy place, where no matter how much stress or noise is present in their life, they can go to it and imagine themselves at that place while fighting many battles. For senior Nate von Nida, motorcycles are his happy place — one of his many passions, in addition to music, creative writing, and hot tea.
“All your problems are left in the dirt. All you’re focused on are the two handlebars and the road in front of you,” von Nida said.
There is a certain air to those who speak of what brings them true contentment to the depths of their soul. They look out with a magical fondness, as if while describing they are mentally there, on the road, in a completely imaginative state. Von Nida feels not only a connection, but a unique sense of control.
“You feel like you are the bike. When you ride you’re leaning your body, and it’s such a magical thing to me,” von Nida said. “When you’re a motorcycle rider, you understand why a dog sticks his head outside of the window. It’s the wind, it’s the freedom. It’s like, Dude, it just feels like nothing else. When you are on a bike and you have the power in your hands to just go, and it just feels like there’s nothing to worry about, because it’s just such a freeing thing. And it just feels like, like heaven to me. It feels more freeing than most things.”
Von Nida recalls his memories of his motorbike with a fond nostalgia, and he looks off into the distance with admiration of brighter times. After his bike had broken down in September 2024, he was not able to ride for many months. Before this happened, von Nida met a friend on the road when driving his motorcycle. They went for a fist bump and had to swerve away before they almost collided. Later, they rode around and he stayed with von Nida when his bike turned off on the highway.
“My bike broke down, and a blue liquid was leaking, and he was like, ‘I’ll stay here with you, man,’ he was like, ‘Never leave a man behind,’” von Nida said. “When a rider sees another rider in doubt, if you’re someone who is considerate of others, usually you look out for one another. It’s kind of like a community… these people that ride bikes, are all like people that get it.”
Von Nida’s passion with his motorcycle was accelerated by his brother and dad’s love for the vehicles. Since his journey started, he has learned many life lessons progressing past his initial fear.
“Riding a bike is something I’ve always wanted. My dad and my brother always rode a bike. I went from a scared little kid to someone who is daring,” von Nida said. “Being brave is doing something while you’re scared. Pushing yourself over that ledge is the only way to see what’s on the other side.”
Von Nida’s brother particularly pushed him to face his fears, especially at Six Flags in regards to riding roller coasters. What once scared him now is a sense of thrill and excitement, and he recounts his experiences humorously.
“A lot of it’s because my brother would push me and make me like, I remember going to Six Flags with my brother, I was like, ‘We’re not going to ride any of the rides,’ he was like, ‘Oh, dude, you’re gonna go on every single one,’” Von Nida said. “I was like, ‘No!’”
However, von Nida found out he enjoyed the roller coaster rides after facing his fears and being pushed to do it by his brother.
“Mr. Freeze is my favorite. I love how fast you go on that. I love when you go backwards and then you get to the top of that, and it’s like, dude,” von Nida said. “It feels like time stops.”
Von Nida learned then how small experiences can lead to developing larger perspectives on life.
“At the end of the day, I was like, dude, love this was actually kind of fun, you know, like, freaked me out first, whatever. And now I love it. I’ve learned that the best way to conquer fears is by facing it head on. And it’s worth it in the end,” von Nida said. “I feel like, if you live your life in fear, you miss out on about everything.”
