Leather creaked softly as I walked across the mosaic brick driveway to where my<a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2Fa%2Fa0%2F2018_Triumph_Tiger_1200_XRt_%25281%2529.jpg%2F628px-2018_Triumph_Tiger_1200_XRt_%25281%2529.jpg%3F20220430154228&amp;hash=d9bdaf9c952db8cf0c23486d647848bd" href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/2018_Triumph_Tiger_1200_XRt_%281%29.jpg/628px-2018_Triumph_Tiger_1200_XRt_%281%29.jpg?20220430154228" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">Triumph Tiger 1200 XRT</a>was leaning on its stand out on the road. I'd been longing for a break, away from the office, away from home, away from this drab corner of English Suburbia with it's faded semi-detached life-style. I'd saved my money for the past eight years, saved all my birthday money, asked for money for Christmas presents too, and worked part time Saturdays and evenings as soon as I was old enough, saved all that money. When I left school three years ago, I refused to get a car, I got a full time job, and with a single parent who frankly behaved more like an over protective mother that a doting father, I was able to live at home, pay a nominal amount for my board and lodging, and put the rest of the money towards my dream.<br/><br/>And now there it was, shiny new, sitting on the road. I'd been forced to pod-out on a second-hand moped to get my bike licence but now I had it, I had paid the insurance and the road tax, the tank was filled with petrol, and the panniers on the back were filled with what I needed to keep me going for the next few months. Dad had hugged me and told me to be careful and look after myself and... Yeah, which was part of the reason I was going. I'd be back, sure, but my next goal was a place of my own. Twenty one and still living with my dad, yeah, not exactly ideal. But then I was all he had, since ... But we didn't talk about mum.<br/><br/>So yes, I'd be back but right now I needed my freedom. I strapped the brand new full face helmet on my head and lifted my leg over the tank.   The engine started first time, smooth as silk, and much quieter than I expected, after that 50cc put-put. I wound the throttle up with the bike still in neutral, just to hear the engine roar. The sound sent a thrill through me and I let the revs die away, rocked te bike off its stand and dabbed the the gear pedal into first, wound the revs back up and let the clutch out.<br/><br/>I was away.....