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I think I can do this!!! :D
Do what? Ride my freaking motorcycle! :D May sound silly to some of you, but I've had this horrible fear of riding on my own ever since I took the Safety Class from Hell (and dropped out of it), but one tiny (and vocal) piece of my brain kept saying out loud that I wanted to ride my own someday. Of course, I don't think the rest of my brain ever really thought I would, because I had this list of excuses that would keep me from ever buying my own bike (too expensive, didn't want to buy a little one that I'd quickly outgrow but didn't want to learn on a big one, need to pay off debt first, too scared because of the class experience, yada yada.)
Then Chris bought me one for my birthday, so I gritted my teeth and tried riding it a little at a time. First, one mile. Then another mile. Weeks would pass between riding attempts. I'd be afraid to turn corners, so I'd stop the bike and walk it around every corner. That tiny piece of brain matter that said I COULD ride kept speaking up and kept telling people that yes indeed, I was excited to learn, but the rest of my brain just sat there, waiting for the inevitable crash, and wishing I'd just chuck this whole idea and go ride on the back of Chris's bike instead. But I kept on.
And last night, I rode seven miles, all at once. And I turned corners. Not well, mind you, but I didn't stop the bike to do so. And I got it into 5th gear (unnecessarily, as I didn't go beyond 35 MPH, but dangit, I was excited to shift, heh), and I rode on a newly paved (and largely empty) road all the way into town and back, and I even tried going around the cul-de-sac (one of my biggest obstacles), but had to walk it around as there was a car parked in it that I was afraid I'd hit, but still, I TRIED it.
And you know? It was fun. It actually was fun. And I didn't die. And I want to do it again, only this time, RIDE around the cul-de-sac, and this time, go down a major road that has other cars on it, and this time, go maybe TEN miles! :O Who'd-a-thunk? I think I can really do this, and now that teensy bit of brain is convincing the rest of the brain that maybe this isn't so bad, and that maybe this weekend's safety class will be fun and that I'll make it through this time, and that MAYBE...M-A-Y-B-E.....I can get good at this!
*squee!!*
I think growing out my tail really HAS helped!!! :D I'm gonna be a biker!!!
Then Chris bought me one for my birthday, so I gritted my teeth and tried riding it a little at a time. First, one mile. Then another mile. Weeks would pass between riding attempts. I'd be afraid to turn corners, so I'd stop the bike and walk it around every corner. That tiny piece of brain matter that said I COULD ride kept speaking up and kept telling people that yes indeed, I was excited to learn, but the rest of my brain just sat there, waiting for the inevitable crash, and wishing I'd just chuck this whole idea and go ride on the back of Chris's bike instead. But I kept on.
And last night, I rode seven miles, all at once. And I turned corners. Not well, mind you, but I didn't stop the bike to do so. And I got it into 5th gear (unnecessarily, as I didn't go beyond 35 MPH, but dangit, I was excited to shift, heh), and I rode on a newly paved (and largely empty) road all the way into town and back, and I even tried going around the cul-de-sac (one of my biggest obstacles), but had to walk it around as there was a car parked in it that I was afraid I'd hit, but still, I TRIED it.
And you know? It was fun. It actually was fun. And I didn't die. And I want to do it again, only this time, RIDE around the cul-de-sac, and this time, go down a major road that has other cars on it, and this time, go maybe TEN miles! :O Who'd-a-thunk? I think I can really do this, and now that teensy bit of brain is convincing the rest of the brain that maybe this isn't so bad, and that maybe this weekend's safety class will be fun and that I'll make it through this time, and that MAYBE...M-A-Y-B-E.....I can get good at this!
*squee!!*
I think growing out my tail really HAS helped!!! :D I'm gonna be a biker!!!
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Myself, I don't get mine out and ride often enough. I really should do that more, especially when the summer weather has been so cooperative with it lately.
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Just please be careful, 'kay?
And, do you have a larger copy of the icon on this post? I love it!
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I'm so proud of you. Its a reasonable fear to overcome and you're overcoming it. I am so dang proud of you I'm crying... silly me. I love that you have found that strength inside you to do what you need to do... I'm just so proud. Going for kleenex now... LOL
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You're truly TRULY special to me, and not in that short-bus way, either. Mwah.
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Pockets would say "Aw, hell with it. Let's jump!"
Grizelda would say "Honey, I'm so proud of you! You just be careful, and for goodness sake, don't go riding with Pockets. You never know where you'll end up!"
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Just don't completly lose that fear. It helps keep you safe.
If I still had a bike and it hadn't been over 30 years since I've riden I'd love to join you on a ride. Ridng is so much fun.
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