A Little Trip

Been riding the bike more, oh wow I love her. So I planed a little trip to a place called Toongi. There are so many places I could go to, just need to find the time.

I followed Terry, he was driving the car with Gizmo, the amazing puppy, along for company. Went off past the zoo and just cruised. I still find anything over 70km/h a challenge. That wind is still trying to tear bits off me and it just feels so fast.

Turned off Obley Rd to Toongi Rd then Terry went straight onto The Springs Rd and stopped, OK I could have turned round back at the intersection but not where he stopped, there was bees! Terry was looking for a hall that was not there, the amazing invisible hall of Toongi ... should be famous. I moved on to find a place to turn round.....he reckons I went miles to find a place, but damn it was a narrow road!! Turned around at a cross road and I’m on me way home. Yes I did a U-Turn, first time since all the stupidity with dropping bikes. I'm feeling pretty damn proud of myself at the moment.

Things I have learnt to hate, Causeways, horrible bumpy bastards of things, I leave the seat with every single one of them. Things I have learnt to make me look less like an idiot, don’t try to wave at other bikers with me right hand while taking off at a roundabout :P Did 69.1 km and only one bug down the back of my jacket. Now when it starts crawling down the top of your jeans you just start getting a bit panicky, had to stop to have a dig for it.

After A Little Break

I haven't ridden the bike since that trip on December 24th. Three weeks. I haven't even sat on the bike. I washed and polished it after the trip, it looks pretty, and I still love it. I just don't want to ride it. All sorts of excuses were used to myself as well as to other people, but deep down I knew I was scared.

I decided that I needed to do something about that, and I've made myself ride it to work, every day this week! It's funny, my tummy was full of flying things when i first sat on it, actually before I even sat on it I was nervous. Then I took off down the driveway and did that right hand turn up the street, got past that and it was like I'd been riding all my life. It just felt natural.
OK my husband read that and laughed, so not natural as in I'm a natural rider, but natural as in I felt as though I hadnt last ridden the bike 3 weeks ago but just yesterday. I guess the saying 'it's like riding a bike, you never forget' is true.

Have I mentioned I hate right hand turns, specially tight ones. This week has been nothing special, just riding and getting the feel for it. Have even done a few tricky right hand turns, and while I feel nervous about them when I'm just about to do them, I have actually managed to do them. Without dropping the bike or going too wide and hitting cars at the side of the road. All those things that go through my head just as I'm starting the turn. Switch it off, just think about the turn, look at where you want to be instead of at the road beside you and the car you're worried about hitting, and the bike will just go with the flow for you. Round abouts are the same, they're tricky and I don't care what anyone says a right hand turn on a round about is a challenge. I do two of them every day when I'm coming home from work. While I'm not super confident about them yet, I am feeling better about them, I can actually go around a round about at a speed faster than a stroll through a park now. Oh but do love going through a round about straight ahead. Wheeeee !!

Oh and bought saddle bags for her, they're second hand but barely used, and once I cleaned them they look awesome. They're big though, one of the things I wanted was big enough to fit stuff in, but I'm looking at them and wondering if the will actually fit on the bike. Getting them fitted by the local Honda shop in a couple of weeks so I guess we'll find out then.