Well, well, well. It's been a while that I've had something pretty hilarious to share with my blogging family. I have some good stuff today.
My first road motorcycle ride.
When I bought my honda several weeks ago, I started learning the basics at the top of my parking garage. My super patient and amazingly understanding husband even had to start out running and holding on to the back of the motorocycle so I wouldn't stop and drop it. Thankfully, never did. :)
I then took my class 2 weeks ago on base. It was an awesome class and we used the training hyousong motorcycles. They were pretty beat up, but the class was excellent and after riding all Saturday and Sunday, I felt way more comfortable on motorcycles.
Then, I went to night shift and out of town, etc and Cameron and I never got a chance to ride. He has been out of town this past week and I have thought a couple times about taking the motorcycle out, but I really wanted to wait for him to ride with the first time.
Yesterday, I started to feel like he thought I was lame for being too afraid to ride alone, so this morning, before the sun was up, I got up out of bed, got dressed (in several layers because it was cool out) and set out. I didn't have any place in particular I wanted to go, but I just wanted to get out. Mostly around the neighborhood. Get some feel of my tires on the road.
First problem. I couldn't back the thing up. I let it fully warm up, got on with all my gear and my toes just touch. I tried to walk it back, but can't even move it. I ended up leaning on one side and used one leg to try and hop it back....I need to lower this thing. I had to get off the bike, walk it back out of the spot and then get on.
The clutch and throttle feel so different than the training bikes, so I'm having to readjust to it and I was preeeeetty jerky! My first turn out went well, but when I went to cancel my turn signal, I honked the horn. I did it later 2 more times.....and each time it made me giggle.
Right after that first light, I went into a curve and didn't follow my basics of looking ahead in the curve and took a wiiiide turn and came inches away from the curb. My 5 second ride flashed before my eyes and I imagined hitting the curb, bouncing up, falling with the bike and then having to pick it up and deal with what just happened. THANKFULLY, I DIDN'T hit the curb and went about the rest of my ride. Pfeew. I at least didn't panic when I realized I went way too far on the curve, I just told myself, "you're okay. you're okay." Just fix it and don't do it again.
I went around a few blocks here and there. At times, I thought I was flying and I checked the speedometer and it read "28". Sheesh. Every CLUNK of the clutch reminded me just how much practice I need now on my bike.
I was a squid all over the road. The reason I went out on a Sunday morning at sunrise was just so no one would be out to distract me, but also so no one could see me. Thankfully, due to the helmet, no one should recognize me even if they did see my squidish behavior.
I'd like to have my inner motorcycle playlist playing things like, "Born to be Wild", or something other bad a**. Instead, my first ride was more like Wilson Phillips, "Hold on", which oddly enough was stuck in my head after watching Bridesmaids last night.
I think I got my nervous jitters out and I headed home. I have a long way to go. I did, though, get a smile on my face while I was riding around, despite being a squid.
This video made me feel SO much better about myself! I wasn't THIS bad!!!
http://youtu.be/4gvT4WitDP4
Thankfully not this bad!
1 comment:
Hilarious! Isn't that funny that you thought you were going so fast and only going 28 mph?? That's great. :-)
I think you did it perfectly right going out early on a Sunday. That's how I would've done it! I think it'd be funny if you told Cameron that it didn't go so well so you traded in for a mo-ped. :-)
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