What a ride today!
Father's Day. It rained most of the day. But at 7:30 it looked like it had cleared up. So my husband got on his bike, and I got on mine (motorcycle, that is -- one I'm borrowing), and he took me out of the neighborhood!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
To get out of our little block you have to go up a sudden short hill to get to the stop sign. I am not good at that yet. It's very hard! My husband says it's the motorcycle I'm on. It's not very powerful and you have to really rev it as you let out the clutch to keep it going. But more on that later.
I drove on a real highway -- with real cars tonight. I stopped at stop signs with cars behind me! I was SOOOO nervous -- but I did it! I also learned to shift all the way into 4th gear and I went 40 MPH. That's fast for a beginner! I don't really like going fast, anyway.
We drove for about an hour, and we were just about home when it began to sprinkle. Well, I did not want to learn what it was like to ride a motorcycle in the rain, so when we came to this one hill stop sign, I went ahead and pulled up to it with my husband.
BIG MISTAKE.
I couldn't get the motorcycle to quit rolling backwards. And it was too heavy for me to stop it and I was afraid I was going to drop it. So I stood there with it leaning on the inside of my left leg until my husband, who had crossed the busy highway we were at, looked back and realized I was in trouble. He came back to me, and rode it across while I ran across. Trust me, the fear of dropping that motorcycle far outweighed my embarrassment!
It's still very confidence building for me to be able to turn corners on the bike. I am still not very good at it, and I want to get some time in a parking lot weaving, and turning, so I can get a lot better.
I don't know if I'll ever get the hang of stopping on a hill and starting on a hill. It seems so difficult and the bike is so heavy!
I had FUN. I am having FUN. I didn't know if I ever would learn to shift -- but I have. It is amazing how much you learn in little steps -- with just practicing night after night.
I still have so much to learn about turning, stopping, and just plain riding. But at least I'm having fun now -- I'm not as scared as I used to be. Well, unless I'm turning! :-) I even enjoy the bumps!
Next time I go out riding I want to take my camera. It's so pretty in the country, and I think it will make a neat blog entry to share the beautiful country side as the corn grows.
