Adventure Inspiration from the Woman in The Red Jacket
Years ago, I owned a little fashion boutique, and a woman used to stop by every so often. Elegant, warm, fascinating with a sparkle in her eye that said adventure hasn’t finished with me yet. She’d come in before her trips to Europe, to pick out a red faux-leather jacket for her motorcycle tours. Not practical beige or black or even leather— but always red. She’d smile and simply say, “Perfect for the bike.”
She was mature in age, but she carried an energy that felt timeless. Each year she and her husband would head off to Europe for months at a time — two motorcycles, open roads, and a love story that didn’t need explaining. She rode her own bike, always in that red jacket, and every time she came back, she’d have a glimmer in her eyes that only freedom gives.
Back then, I was just beginning my own motorcycle adventures — riding pillion with my husband, planning our first trip across the USA. I remember thinking how brave she was, how unapologetically alive. She became my quiet role model — proof that age doesn’t dull the call of the open road, or the hunger for something new.
Over time, our chats became little rituals — moments of shared excitement about travel, dreams, the places we’d yet to see. We spoke the same language of curiosity, even though we were in different chapters of life. I wanted to be like her when I grew older: independent, radiant, still choosing adventure.
She’d tell me stories of winding roads through France and Italy, of mountain passes and tiny cafes, of the freedom that only comes when you follow the open road.
Years passed, the boutique doors closed, and life took me elsewhere. We stayed in touch, though. I learned recently that her riding days are fewer now. Her husband’s health has changed the rhythm of their lives. No more winding through alpine roads, no more red jackets hanging by the door.
And yet, her story still stirs something in me. Because life moves fast, and we all tell ourselves we’ll go later — travel later, dream later, live later. But later isn’t guaranteed. Watching her journey unfold reminded me that “living fully” isn’t about how far you go; it’s about how present you are while you’re here.
Adventure doesn’t always look like passports and petrol and long highways. Sometimes it’s in trying something new, saying yes to what scares you, or refusing to fade quietly into the background. The spirit of that red jacket — bold, bright, unapologetic — is really about choosing vitality over hesitation.
So, this post is for her, and for everyone who still feels the tug of the unknown.
Don’t wait for the perfect moment or the perfect map.
Put on your red jacket — whatever that looks like for you — and go.
Because life’s roads don’t wait, and neither should we.
Ps I recently got in touch with her to thank her for her inspiration to follow adventure and she replied with a recent photo of her, this time wearing a pink jacket and preparing for a ride, at 84 years young. All I could say was "wow you are a rockstar!"
Taking on adventure can feel a little overwhelming with all the preparation, and pieces needed to bring it all together. For this reason, I created a simple audio series to help reset and steady the nervous system. I've been listening to the audio's daily, and they have been training my nervous system to stand down, breathe and embrace a feeling of safety throughout my body.
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Happy Adventuring!
Claudine x
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