Dear Gigi,
First I'd like to say that I think about you a lot. I really do mean a lot. Whenever I see a rider on the road, I pass beautiful scenery on the highway, or even passing a Cycle Gear...I think of you. I'm really sorry that I haven't given you the attention you deserve. You've done so much for me. You challenged me, gave me courage, and showed me a good time. The last few months have been tough. I moved to San Jose and lost my usual practice lots...it's getting cold outside...you've been cooped up in the garage forever and now you probably won't even start! I miss you a ton and I'd like to make it up to you. How about this weekend I give you some fresh oil and gas, and we take a short ride around town? It won't make up for the 3 months we've lost, but I think it's a start. What do you think?
Your riding pal,
Liezl
My First Group Ride!
My first day trip went so well, I was ready for another! A friend, who used to have a motorcycle, was in town and my BF and I thought it was the perfect opportunity to all go on a group ride. YEAH GROUP RIDE! So what if there's only 4 of us? Still neat! There is something about seeing a line of motorcyclists riding together on a road. You can't help but turn your head and look at each one, every bike passing with their own unique "vrooomm!" sound, hoping that the line keeps going for a while, saying to yourself, "whoa...." Then when the line is over and you see the last person ride further away you say like an enthusiastic 8-year old, "COOOOL!!!" What...you don't do that???
I've never cleaned my bike before (sorry Gigi!) so in the morning I dusted her and she looked so pretty! Wish I took a picture. The forum Two Wheel Females has been such a HUGE help in my journey in learning to ride, so I bought a decal sticker and proudly stuck it on my windshield. Damn wish I took a picture!
After packing my camera (yes I had one the whole time), a water bottle (great tip!), winter gloves, and kleenex we were ready to go. We all headed outside to get on our bikes and oh no! my friend's bike won't start! My BF and him try to figure it out and I'm sitting there because I have no idea what's going on. Next thing I know, my friend is sitting on the bike, walking it, and my BF comes up from behind, pushes it while running, both trying to get it to start. It was a funny site. Two grown men in full motorcycle gear, one on the bike like a kid while the other pushes him like a proud father. Wish I took a picture. But here's one after they got it to work! Yes it did work =)
Anyone who's ever ridden a motorcycle in the Bay Area has visited Alice's Restaurant. It's a neat ride with wide curvy roads hidden in the trees. On the weekends, riders from everywhere meet at this joint to eat burgers (named after motocycles!), check out bikes, and meet other folks. That is one thing I love about riders. Most are friendly, curious, and have a sense of community. So Alice's was our first destination! It was like a rite of passage for me. To me it meant, "yes, I'm officially a rider! Not just someone who is learning to ride, but an actual rider." I've been invited to take rides here in the past, but been too scared. I'm worried about how I would look as I rolled up to the restaurant. I swear everyone looks at everyone as they ride in. Not in a judgmental way, but out of curiousity. I didn't want to look like a fool...an obvious newbie. I didn't want to stall my bike in front of everyone. I didn't want to accidentally crash into someone's ride. Too much anxiety and I wasn't ready before. But I was this time =)
I enjoyed the ride there. My friends suggested that I ride second in the group, where it was safest. The lead took his time and set a comfortable pace for me (thank you!!!) and the sweeper (the last person in the group) looked out for us and made sure we were safe from cars and jerks (thank you too!!!). The ride proved more challenging than expected. I was so focused on the curves, bicyclists on the side, looking for unexpected things on the road, that I kind of missed out on the prettiness of the scenery. Guess I was just feeling things out. After about 40 minutes, I see the trees clearing out and tuh-dum! The sign for Alice's Restaurant!!!
We met a friend there and the 4 of us shared a burger a fries (yes the 4 of us). Just wanted a small snack before heading to Pescadero for a seafood lunch! But first, we wanted to go to the beach to visit my animal friends and possibly a quick swim! The way there was a bit tougher for me. Felt like there were tighter curves and higher speeds. Maybe it was just my imagination. I took those curves really slowly. It was pretty ridiculous. I was a bit nervous about going on a group ride with my friends because I didn't want to hold them back from riding fast and doing their thing. But I suppose they knew what they were getting into because I was there.
There were a couple of close and scary calls. We were going about 50 mph and coming up on a right turn into a parking lot. I turned on my turn signal, felt the butterflies, and began talking in my head. Should I downshift? Do I pull in the clutch and brake? What does that sign over there say? I'm getting distracted!!! The turn comes, I'm going way too fast, think to myself "okay I've committed!" and lean my bike over more than I ever have before. I think I made it through, but realize that it's not a 90 degree turn, it's more like 60 degrees. Realizing that I can't make it, I straighten up my bike, riding forward crossing the oncoming lane (luckily no cars were coming), and towards a cliff. I stop quickly but smoothly. HOLY SHITTTT!! I'm panting and feeling majorly freaked out. If a car was coming, I would have definitely been hit. If I didn't practice my quick stops earlier that day, I could have fallen over or maybe even ridden off that cliff! I was damn lucky. My BF was riding behind me, made sure I was okay, and we joined our friends.We made it to the beach and my friend told me that he noticed I was going under the speed limit. I was nervous and didn't know the roads too well, so I felt better going slower. They told me that my speedometer actually added 5mph to my speed. Which means that if the speed limit was 50mph, I kept my speed reading at 45, which actually meant I was going 40mph. I felt so goddamn embarrassed. I wanted to hide. Seriously. Completely discouraged. I'm not sure what those feelings were about. Maybe because I felt dumb. Or the guilt of making my friends who were experienced riders go 10mph under the limit (who the hell wants to ride that slowly??) Or because I reeked of newbieness and thought I could do better. Or because I was still recovering from that stupid mistake I made. Or maybe all those reasons. I was feeling pretty terrible, but had to snap out of it. I'm here riding the California coast on my own with good friends and I should feel proud. Good thing the scenery was breathtaking with the huge crashing waves and adorable seals bobbing in the water.
We're feeling pretty darn hungry at this point. I've heard numerous people talk about Duarte's Tavern in Pescadero and suggested that we check it out. We drove through pretty golden hills and long curvy roads. Wish I took a picture. (sensing a pattern here?)
Made it to Duarte's Tavern! We filled our bellies with tasty non-local seafood. I was sad to hear that nothing I ate was from the area. FYI, don't get the mussels! They are bland. I did enjoy my crab sandwich though! We talked to some guy at Alice's and he said the artichoke soup was bomb diggy. Not in those words but that is what he meant.
I was getting pretty tired so I wanted to start heading home. The roads back were funner! I think it was because I was feeling much more comfortable with curves. Before this trip, I never took a curve in my life. Now I can feel how to control my bike on them. Yessss!! Feeling pretty good right now.
Somehow, a bug got into my helmet! It flew around, landed on my face, I'd blow air inside to move it, it flew around, landed on my face...Eventually we stopped and I was able to take off my helmet and get that sucker out! This was a good time for a photo op!
We drove back to Alice's for a potty and stretch break. My friends started talking to this one dude with a cool Ducati for I swear like 30 minutes. It was entertaining though. After 45 minutes or so of uneventful riding, we made it home! We celebrated the end of our group ride with delicious cold beers. Cheers!!
Pretty emotional day for me, but that's part of the learning experience right? Here are today's learning lessons:
1. Take the time to take some damn pictures!!!
2. Break more before the turn. If I'm going too fast, just keep going forward.
3. My actual speed is 5mph less than what it says on my speedometer.
4. Don't forget to show your appreciation to your friends for their patience and time in making you feel comfortable while riding.
Thanks for reading everyone!
Trip on 9/3/11
I've never cleaned my bike before (sorry Gigi!) so in the morning I dusted her and she looked so pretty! Wish I took a picture. The forum Two Wheel Females has been such a HUGE help in my journey in learning to ride, so I bought a decal sticker and proudly stuck it on my windshield. Damn wish I took a picture!
After packing my camera (yes I had one the whole time), a water bottle (great tip!), winter gloves, and kleenex we were ready to go. We all headed outside to get on our bikes and oh no! my friend's bike won't start! My BF and him try to figure it out and I'm sitting there because I have no idea what's going on. Next thing I know, my friend is sitting on the bike, walking it, and my BF comes up from behind, pushes it while running, both trying to get it to start. It was a funny site. Two grown men in full motorcycle gear, one on the bike like a kid while the other pushes him like a proud father. Wish I took a picture. But here's one after they got it to work! Yes it did work =)
 |
| Woohoo success!! Walk back to your bike proudly my friend! |
I enjoyed the ride there. My friends suggested that I ride second in the group, where it was safest. The lead took his time and set a comfortable pace for me (thank you!!!) and the sweeper (the last person in the group) looked out for us and made sure we were safe from cars and jerks (thank you too!!!). The ride proved more challenging than expected. I was so focused on the curves, bicyclists on the side, looking for unexpected things on the road, that I kind of missed out on the prettiness of the scenery. Guess I was just feeling things out. After about 40 minutes, I see the trees clearing out and tuh-dum! The sign for Alice's Restaurant!!!
We met a friend there and the 4 of us shared a burger a fries (yes the 4 of us). Just wanted a small snack before heading to Pescadero for a seafood lunch! But first, we wanted to go to the beach to visit my animal friends and possibly a quick swim! The way there was a bit tougher for me. Felt like there were tighter curves and higher speeds. Maybe it was just my imagination. I took those curves really slowly. It was pretty ridiculous. I was a bit nervous about going on a group ride with my friends because I didn't want to hold them back from riding fast and doing their thing. But I suppose they knew what they were getting into because I was there.
There were a couple of close and scary calls. We were going about 50 mph and coming up on a right turn into a parking lot. I turned on my turn signal, felt the butterflies, and began talking in my head. Should I downshift? Do I pull in the clutch and brake? What does that sign over there say? I'm getting distracted!!! The turn comes, I'm going way too fast, think to myself "okay I've committed!" and lean my bike over more than I ever have before. I think I made it through, but realize that it's not a 90 degree turn, it's more like 60 degrees. Realizing that I can't make it, I straighten up my bike, riding forward crossing the oncoming lane (luckily no cars were coming), and towards a cliff. I stop quickly but smoothly. HOLY SHITTTT!! I'm panting and feeling majorly freaked out. If a car was coming, I would have definitely been hit. If I didn't practice my quick stops earlier that day, I could have fallen over or maybe even ridden off that cliff! I was damn lucky. My BF was riding behind me, made sure I was okay, and we joined our friends.We made it to the beach and my friend told me that he noticed I was going under the speed limit. I was nervous and didn't know the roads too well, so I felt better going slower. They told me that my speedometer actually added 5mph to my speed. Which means that if the speed limit was 50mph, I kept my speed reading at 45, which actually meant I was going 40mph. I felt so goddamn embarrassed. I wanted to hide. Seriously. Completely discouraged. I'm not sure what those feelings were about. Maybe because I felt dumb. Or the guilt of making my friends who were experienced riders go 10mph under the limit (who the hell wants to ride that slowly??) Or because I reeked of newbieness and thought I could do better. Or because I was still recovering from that stupid mistake I made. Or maybe all those reasons. I was feeling pretty terrible, but had to snap out of it. I'm here riding the California coast on my own with good friends and I should feel proud. Good thing the scenery was breathtaking with the huge crashing waves and adorable seals bobbing in the water.
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| Chilly but pretty! |
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| Me and my riding buddies! |
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| Umm...yeah I don't think I wanna get in there... |
Made it to Duarte's Tavern! We filled our bellies with tasty non-local seafood. I was sad to hear that nothing I ate was from the area. FYI, don't get the mussels! They are bland. I did enjoy my crab sandwich though! We talked to some guy at Alice's and he said the artichoke soup was bomb diggy. Not in those words but that is what he meant.
I was getting pretty tired so I wanted to start heading home. The roads back were funner! I think it was because I was feeling much more comfortable with curves. Before this trip, I never took a curve in my life. Now I can feel how to control my bike on them. Yessss!! Feeling pretty good right now.
Somehow, a bug got into my helmet! It flew around, landed on my face, I'd blow air inside to move it, it flew around, landed on my face...Eventually we stopped and I was able to take off my helmet and get that sucker out! This was a good time for a photo op!
We drove back to Alice's for a potty and stretch break. My friends started talking to this one dude with a cool Ducati for I swear like 30 minutes. It was entertaining though. After 45 minutes or so of uneventful riding, we made it home! We celebrated the end of our group ride with delicious cold beers. Cheers!!
Pretty emotional day for me, but that's part of the learning experience right? Here are today's learning lessons:
1. Take the time to take some damn pictures!!!
2. Break more before the turn. If I'm going too fast, just keep going forward.
3. My actual speed is 5mph less than what it says on my speedometer.
4. Don't forget to show your appreciation to your friends for their patience and time in making you feel comfortable while riding.
Thanks for reading everyone!
Trip on 9/3/11
First Moto Trip - Part 2
Welcome to Part 2 of the trip! There is just SO much to share that I couldn't fit it on one post.
During the clam chowder lunch, I talked to the BF about my lack of thrill...lack of adrenaline. I'm still too focused on how to ride. I talk to myself A LOT about what to do. "ride your own ride. shift down. release the clutch slowly. how fast are you going?" GAH! I want my FREEEEEEDOM!
After chowder samples, a bowl of chowder, fried calamari, and fish tacos, I was hurting full. Did I mention that I wasn't hungry after the samples? I love food so much, I should have a separate blog about it. Now I needed coffee and a walk to settle this belly. Haha. Curing full-belly pains by putting more things in it...makes sense to me!
We walked off the full belly and came across a museum. Look at what they had!
After wandering for about an hour, we decided to head back home. I didn't want to be too tired for the ride and wanted to avoid crazy sunset rays to get in my eyes. BF found out that you can ride your car/motorcycle to the edge of the wharf. You know what that means...picture time! *Cue "I'm Too Sexy" song*
Ahhhh it's time to go back!! Do I have the energy to fight the wind for another hour and a half? Well I'm not sleeping over in Monterey so here we go!
Got gas, headed to the highway, then BAM!!! Bumper to bumper traffic. I freaked out, pulled over to the side, lifted up my face shield and told my BF, "I can't do it." I've never ridden in these types of conditions before. He said okay and that we could take the next exit. We got back on the road and side by side we were crawling through traffic. I had to practice using the friction zone and good clutch control. I was worried about either my bike stalling or ramming myself into the car in front. Luckily, neither happened! And super luckily, I had a great time in traffic! It really tested my skills and the whole time I was like, "omigosh I'm good at this!!!" I'm in California where it's legal to lane split (ride on the lines that divide the lanes) buuuut I didn't feel comfortable doing that at all. It felt too risky. We just kept walking along. The exit just would not come!!! Thanks honey for walking all those miles with me! Finally after what felt like 10 miles, an exit came, I headed towards Starbucks for a much needed break. By the way, there was still an insane amount of traffic further ahead!
Sat on comfy couches and talked about the exciting and terrifying things that went through my head that day. After a while, I knew it was time to hit the road again. Hopefully traffic has died...so what if only 30 minutes had passed?
Of course there's was still a ridiculous amount of cars out there. Altogether it was about 11 miles riding through the "parking lot" but fun, fun, fun! Once things cleared, the rest of the ride went smoothly. I finally got to do the wave to other motorcyclists, coolest feeling ever! My BF and I rode side by side (each in our own lane) through the slight curves of the freeway. Wheeeeee!!! We were nearing home, and my body was feeling tired. I only have about 15 miles go, I can suck it up and power through! So, I was going 75mph in the left lane, and I see flashing lights behind me. OH SH*T IT'S A COP! I glance at my speedometer and think, "he can't be pulling me over for speeding! WTH?? Ugghhh I don't have money to pay for a ticket!!" I try to move to the right lanes but there are cars in the way. I try to pull over to the shoulder but there's debris or cones in the way. Next thing I know I'm driving a full minute with this cop behind me flashing his police lights. Haha it probably looked like a slow chase scene. Here's a summary of what I remember from our conversation:
Cop (in a nice tone): Are you a new rider? How long have you been riding?
Me: (oh crap it's obvious I'm a newbie!) Just a few months.
Cop: The reason I pulled you over was because I was called for a Code 3 and you weren't pulling over.
Me: (what?? I didn't see him in my mirror for a while) Oh I'm sorry officer!
Cop: Why did it take you so long to pull over?
Me: Because I couldn't find a place I was comfortable with. (yeah I reek of newbie-ness right now)
He encouraged me to practice stops in parking lots and to ride in the right lane since I'm newer. He wanted to make sure I was a "competent rider." God I felt embarrassed, but knew he was right. He let me go with a warning even though he didn't take any information. Phew! Glad I didn't get a ticket for getting in his way of an emergency. Wait a sec...if it was an emergency, how did he have time to pull me over??? Well I was glad this cop was cool and I didn't get a ticket.
Made it home feeling super exhausted! What can make this day even better? A spaghetti dinner and chillin in the hot tub after! Felt so good on my sore muscles. My favorite thing about this day was that riding finally became fun. Stressful on the way to Monterey, but had a great time on the way home. So I guess riding IS for me!!
A ride like this can't go without important riding lessons!
#1: Look in your mirrors! If I had looked, I would've seen that cop a while ago. I think I was too tired.
#2: Take a break if you're tired! It'll prevent me from making mistakes. Taking a break won't kill me, but riding tired might!
Thanks for reading this crazy long post!
Happened on 8/24/11.
During the clam chowder lunch, I talked to the BF about my lack of thrill...lack of adrenaline. I'm still too focused on how to ride. I talk to myself A LOT about what to do. "ride your own ride. shift down. release the clutch slowly. how fast are you going?" GAH! I want my FREEEEEEDOM!
After chowder samples, a bowl of chowder, fried calamari, and fish tacos, I was hurting full. Did I mention that I wasn't hungry after the samples? I love food so much, I should have a separate blog about it. Now I needed coffee and a walk to settle this belly. Haha. Curing full-belly pains by putting more things in it...makes sense to me!
 |
| Posing with the pelicans! |
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| Ice cream in cold weather? He loves ice cream in any weather =) |
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| Dessert on the wharf. |
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| The Back to the Future car! Only 3 of the 7 made are left! |
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| What the? Where am I?? |
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| Ohhh I'm on a pirate ship! |
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| Don't worry! I'm a friendly pirate! |
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| Roxy and Gigi |
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| Vroom VROOM! |
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| Neat-o sky water shot. |
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| Good job today Gigi! |
Got gas, headed to the highway, then BAM!!! Bumper to bumper traffic. I freaked out, pulled over to the side, lifted up my face shield and told my BF, "I can't do it." I've never ridden in these types of conditions before. He said okay and that we could take the next exit. We got back on the road and side by side we were crawling through traffic. I had to practice using the friction zone and good clutch control. I was worried about either my bike stalling or ramming myself into the car in front. Luckily, neither happened! And super luckily, I had a great time in traffic! It really tested my skills and the whole time I was like, "omigosh I'm good at this!!!" I'm in California where it's legal to lane split (ride on the lines that divide the lanes) buuuut I didn't feel comfortable doing that at all. It felt too risky. We just kept walking along. The exit just would not come!!! Thanks honey for walking all those miles with me! Finally after what felt like 10 miles, an exit came, I headed towards Starbucks for a much needed break. By the way, there was still an insane amount of traffic further ahead!
 |
| Cheers to a great ride! |
Of course there's was still a ridiculous amount of cars out there. Altogether it was about 11 miles riding through the "parking lot" but fun, fun, fun! Once things cleared, the rest of the ride went smoothly. I finally got to do the wave to other motorcyclists, coolest feeling ever! My BF and I rode side by side (each in our own lane) through the slight curves of the freeway. Wheeeeee!!! We were nearing home, and my body was feeling tired. I only have about 15 miles go, I can suck it up and power through! So, I was going 75mph in the left lane, and I see flashing lights behind me. OH SH*T IT'S A COP! I glance at my speedometer and think, "he can't be pulling me over for speeding! WTH?? Ugghhh I don't have money to pay for a ticket!!" I try to move to the right lanes but there are cars in the way. I try to pull over to the shoulder but there's debris or cones in the way. Next thing I know I'm driving a full minute with this cop behind me flashing his police lights. Haha it probably looked like a slow chase scene. Here's a summary of what I remember from our conversation:
Cop (in a nice tone): Are you a new rider? How long have you been riding?
Me: (oh crap it's obvious I'm a newbie!) Just a few months.
Cop: The reason I pulled you over was because I was called for a Code 3 and you weren't pulling over.
Me: (what?? I didn't see him in my mirror for a while) Oh I'm sorry officer!
Cop: Why did it take you so long to pull over?
Me: Because I couldn't find a place I was comfortable with. (yeah I reek of newbie-ness right now)
He encouraged me to practice stops in parking lots and to ride in the right lane since I'm newer. He wanted to make sure I was a "competent rider." God I felt embarrassed, but knew he was right. He let me go with a warning even though he didn't take any information. Phew! Glad I didn't get a ticket for getting in his way of an emergency. Wait a sec...if it was an emergency, how did he have time to pull me over??? Well I was glad this cop was cool and I didn't get a ticket.
Made it home feeling super exhausted! What can make this day even better? A spaghetti dinner and chillin in the hot tub after! Felt so good on my sore muscles. My favorite thing about this day was that riding finally became fun. Stressful on the way to Monterey, but had a great time on the way home. So I guess riding IS for me!!
A ride like this can't go without important riding lessons!
#1: Look in your mirrors! If I had looked, I would've seen that cop a while ago. I think I was too tired.
#2: Take a break if you're tired! It'll prevent me from making mistakes. Taking a break won't kill me, but riding tired might!
Thanks for reading this crazy long post!
Happened on 8/24/11.
First Moto Trip - Part 1
Holy impromptu day trip!! This morning I just wanted to ride like 30 minutes away, check out other bikes, and head home. My BF suggested Monterey, ride along the coast, no twisties, and clam chowder. Damn that sounded good! Monterey is about 90 minutes and 75 miles from my house. It was 10am and my brain needed food! Eating really does help me focus and with my first upcoming moto trip in 30 minutes, I ain't gonna mess around! For breakfast we had eggs, sausage, and coffee. PROTEIN POWER!
Geared up and we're ready to go! My usual butterflies started kicking in. It was a combo of nerves and excitement this time. I rode in traffic and the freeway recently, so I'm feeling pretty good about the road ahead. First stopped at the gas station to fill up and check my tire pressure. What?? 14psi?? That's crazy! I could've died! It's supposed to be at 34. After things get fixed, my BF said, "LET'S ROCK!!!" I give him a nervous smile and we're off! We're on the freeway and my bike is going 75mph! I've never felt my bike do that before! It feels buzzy, but I asked about it and that's okay. I'm following behind my BF and I notice he's going 80. Then I start going 80! OMG there's so much wind resistance. On my bike you're pretty much sitting up straight so of course there's more surface area for the wind to knock against. To fix this, I really lean forward. I feel like a racer! Cool! But ouch my back! Okay I can't keep going 80. It's a little freaky and my bike gets REALLY buzzy. I tell myself, "Ride your own ride. Ride your own ride." It's a mantra used a lot by the Two Wheel Females forum. It means, don't feel pressured to go outside your comfort level. Do what feels good to you. I'm positive that my BF didn't realize how fast he was going and wasn't trying to get me to hurry up, but I still went back down to 70-75. Ugh! All this freeway riding is making me tired!!! My triceps are bulging! I practically yell at myself, "RELAX!!!" That's when I loosen the grip on the handles and my arms feel better. Of course 2 seconds later I'm back to super-tense-I'm-riding-fast-on-a-major-freeway arms. Good workout though. 40 minutes later we need a stretch break. Riding tired can be risky.
We got back on the road, halfway there! I saw my BF do the wave to a motocyclist riding the other way. I was so jealous! I wanted to do it too! I felt like a chump when they would wave at me and I couldn't wave back. I was worried that if I lifted my left hand too much, I would lose my balance and crash. So while riding, I practiced my wave. Haha. First I lifted my hand off the handle a couple of inches...whoa that was a little scary! Okay let's be a bit braver. Lifted it off 4 inches...yikes! But it was alright. Okay this time let's extend the arm outward a bit. I slowly lifted my hand off and reached outward, but then I felt the wind against my hand and it freaked me out so I grabbed the handle! Whew that was a rush haha! I'll get the hang of it soon.
No crazy mishaps happened. Just achy hands and back. I gotta make sure to keep the blood flowing in my hands because one time my hand was so used to the throttle position after riding for a long time like that. When I had to brake, my hand forgot what to do and it took me longer to squeeze the brake than it should have. We made it to the wharf and I was thrilled to finally get off that bike. That feels sad to say. I didn't get any rush while riding. I just felt tired, impatient, and anxious. This isn't what I signed up for! I learned to ride to feel tingles, adrenaline, and liberation! I'm feeling disappointed. Maybe riding isn't for me...
Starving for food, we head to the docks and look for...FREE CHOWDER SAMPLES! Probably my second favorite thing to do at Monterey (aww-ing at the sealions is first).
While deciding which restaurant to go to, I wanted to visit my animal friends. I love sealions! I swear I make sealion calls everytime I go to Monterey. Owr owr!!! This time we saw pelicans and seals too!
Okay enough of playing with the animals, I need food! We settled on a place that we've never been to before and had nice outdoor seating. FYI: Eating comfort food after a long and tiring ride is THE BEST.
We also ate complimentary calamari and fish tacos. But who cares? It's all about the chow-dah!
Part two of the trip is soon-to-come!
Happened on 8/21/11
Geared up and we're ready to go! My usual butterflies started kicking in. It was a combo of nerves and excitement this time. I rode in traffic and the freeway recently, so I'm feeling pretty good about the road ahead. First stopped at the gas station to fill up and check my tire pressure. What?? 14psi?? That's crazy! I could've died! It's supposed to be at 34. After things get fixed, my BF said, "LET'S ROCK!!!" I give him a nervous smile and we're off! We're on the freeway and my bike is going 75mph! I've never felt my bike do that before! It feels buzzy, but I asked about it and that's okay. I'm following behind my BF and I notice he's going 80. Then I start going 80! OMG there's so much wind resistance. On my bike you're pretty much sitting up straight so of course there's more surface area for the wind to knock against. To fix this, I really lean forward. I feel like a racer! Cool! But ouch my back! Okay I can't keep going 80. It's a little freaky and my bike gets REALLY buzzy. I tell myself, "Ride your own ride. Ride your own ride." It's a mantra used a lot by the Two Wheel Females forum. It means, don't feel pressured to go outside your comfort level. Do what feels good to you. I'm positive that my BF didn't realize how fast he was going and wasn't trying to get me to hurry up, but I still went back down to 70-75. Ugh! All this freeway riding is making me tired!!! My triceps are bulging! I practically yell at myself, "RELAX!!!" That's when I loosen the grip on the handles and my arms feel better. Of course 2 seconds later I'm back to super-tense-I'm-riding-fast-on-a-major-freeway arms. Good workout though. 40 minutes later we need a stretch break. Riding tired can be risky.
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| Pulled over to the side to stretch, say "yaay!", and take pics. |
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| BF posing with our sexy bikes. |
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| My first picture with my bike! |
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| Heading further down 101 south. Pretty drive after the freeway ends. |
No crazy mishaps happened. Just achy hands and back. I gotta make sure to keep the blood flowing in my hands because one time my hand was so used to the throttle position after riding for a long time like that. When I had to brake, my hand forgot what to do and it took me longer to squeeze the brake than it should have. We made it to the wharf and I was thrilled to finally get off that bike. That feels sad to say. I didn't get any rush while riding. I just felt tired, impatient, and anxious. This isn't what I signed up for! I learned to ride to feel tingles, adrenaline, and liberation! I'm feeling disappointed. Maybe riding isn't for me...
Starving for food, we head to the docks and look for...FREE CHOWDER SAMPLES! Probably my second favorite thing to do at Monterey (aww-ing at the sealions is first).
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| "I'm a chowder freak!" Just kidding, he didn't really say that. |
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| Tried chowder at 4 different places. Would've been more... |
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| View of the wharf |
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| How freakin' adorable!! |
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| Trying to get close to the pelican for a picture. |
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| OMG it walked right past me! |
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| It started to circle around me. It was scary! |
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| What the? Around AGAIN? |
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| Haha. Crazy-ass bird. |
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| I wanted to get close to this one, but the end of his beak looked sharp. Not worth it! |
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| Super thick chowder! Filling enough to feed two. |
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| Close up of the deliciousness. |
Part two of the trip is soon-to-come!
Happened on 8/21/11
My First Commute!
It was my usual Friday morning routine...alarm...snooze...whine for a bit...get ready for work. I get in my car and it won't start. Awww crap! I have a meeting in 30 minutes! I call my mechanic and he says it might be my battery. So I guess using my car is a no-go. At this point I have two choices: 1. Take the day off and kick myself for being a wuss. 2. Take the bike to work. Feeling a bit brave this morning, I decided to take the bike. Luckily, I did a test drive of the route earlier in the week to see what I would have to look forward to if I took the motorcycle. The butterflies are flapping their wings in my belly. Ahhh am I really doing this?? I get on my bike, and off I go to ride in the middle of morning traffic 12 miles away.
So far so good. I take an "expressway" to get there. I see actual traffic for the first time on my bike. Why are all these cars here??? It's almost 10am! Shouldn't they be at work already?? I tensely drive in the right lane hoping that no one is going to bother me. And no one did! Well okay except for this one a-hole that decided to share a lane with me at a stop light. I got there first, jerk! The entire time I could feel my muscles all tight and my arms begin to ache. 20 intense minutes later I made it to my office! I get off my bike and my hands are quivering! Adrenaline maybe? No. My nerves. I walk up to the building and approach the front desk. The usual front desk lady asks me, "Liezl, you look like you're going in the snow!" Hahaha I think my gear confused her. I got to my meeting and my heart is still beating super fast and my extremities still shaking. After a few deep breaths I calm down and celebrate my new adventure with my co-workers. They were proud of me! During the meeting all I could think about was, "Aww man. I gotta ride back at some point!" I wanted to avoid the It's-Friday-I'm-bouncing-out-of-work-early rush so I left extra early. I have to fix my car after all! The ride back was uneventful but at least I was a lot more relaxed.
My stupid car not working was a blessing in disguise. If that didn't happen, I wouldn't have forced myself to ride my bike to work. After that ride, it gave me even more confidence to take my training further. It even gave me confidence to take a moto day trip! Details on that day soon-to-come!
Thanks for reading y'all!
Happened on 8/19/11
So far so good. I take an "expressway" to get there. I see actual traffic for the first time on my bike. Why are all these cars here??? It's almost 10am! Shouldn't they be at work already?? I tensely drive in the right lane hoping that no one is going to bother me. And no one did! Well okay except for this one a-hole that decided to share a lane with me at a stop light. I got there first, jerk! The entire time I could feel my muscles all tight and my arms begin to ache. 20 intense minutes later I made it to my office! I get off my bike and my hands are quivering! Adrenaline maybe? No. My nerves. I walk up to the building and approach the front desk. The usual front desk lady asks me, "Liezl, you look like you're going in the snow!" Hahaha I think my gear confused her. I got to my meeting and my heart is still beating super fast and my extremities still shaking. After a few deep breaths I calm down and celebrate my new adventure with my co-workers. They were proud of me! During the meeting all I could think about was, "Aww man. I gotta ride back at some point!" I wanted to avoid the It's-Friday-I'm-bouncing-out-of-work-early rush so I left extra early. I have to fix my car after all! The ride back was uneventful but at least I was a lot more relaxed.
My stupid car not working was a blessing in disguise. If that didn't happen, I wouldn't have forced myself to ride my bike to work. After that ride, it gave me even more confidence to take my training further. It even gave me confidence to take a moto day trip! Details on that day soon-to-come!
Thanks for reading y'all!
Happened on 8/19/11
Hand me a diploma! I just graduated again!!
Whew big day for me!!! I've had some crazy-ass momentum since my "All Coming Together" post and wanted to take advantage of this newly found confidence. One night I returned to my old stomping grounds from where I practiced basics to work on u-turns and swerves. Guess how I got there? Taking the freeway! If you read a previous post of mine, I defined a freeway as a fast paced 5-lane road like 101 or 880 (if you're from the Bay Area). Sure I only drove it until the next exit, but it felt damn good! In the parking lot, I got a feel for how my bike leans and became less freaked out about it. Win!
A couple of days later, I had plans to visit my family in Union City (about 25 miles away) and I thought, why don't I just ride there?? Before that, the farthest I've ever ridden was probably like 10 miles. To get there I took two major freeways going 70mph. I've never felt my bike go that fast before. Holy wind resistance!!! I sat upright (I have a 250 Ninja) and all the wind was knocking against me making my muscles tense. I was already tense from the nervousness!! The whole time I stayed in a middle lane and noticed that people didn't want to drive behind me...which I thought was good! Turning my head to switch lanes was sorta hard with all that wind pushing. My palms started to ache because I was gripping on the throttle so tightly. I noticed my body getting tired...it felt like a long ride! Also, riding motorcycles isn't as fun by yourself.
I did have one mishap. Okay two. I exited the freeway and started to downshift (or so I thought) at an upcoming red light. The light turned green and I think my gear was too high for the speed I was going because I heard clicking and felt jerky and I wasn't going very fast. Once my gears caught up, I sped up to 40mph quickly and was like "oh crap, I was in the wrong gear." I could feel the trembles after that. My upcoming green light turned yellow, soon to be red, and I felt that I wasn't going to make it, but didn't want to stop hard. So I totally blew that red traffic light. Whoops! No cops thank god. The rest of the way was good.
I arrived to my family's house and showed off my bike. My adorable 4-year old nephew said that my "motorcycle was awesome!!!" My cousins took it for a joy ride and I felt proud that it was mine =)
Pretty much the whole time at the house I was like, "Oh my god I have to ride back at some point." I felt so exhausted already! After fun with the nephews, coffee, and food, I was ready to head home. Planned it so that it was before the sun began to set (crazy sunlight in my eyes!). Things went smoothly on the way home. At one point another motorcyclist was riding next to me on the freeway. Even though it was a complete stranger I felt like, "Wheeeeeeeeeee!!!"
What a fantastic (and damn tiring) day!
A couple of days later, I had plans to visit my family in Union City (about 25 miles away) and I thought, why don't I just ride there?? Before that, the farthest I've ever ridden was probably like 10 miles. To get there I took two major freeways going 70mph. I've never felt my bike go that fast before. Holy wind resistance!!! I sat upright (I have a 250 Ninja) and all the wind was knocking against me making my muscles tense. I was already tense from the nervousness!! The whole time I stayed in a middle lane and noticed that people didn't want to drive behind me...which I thought was good! Turning my head to switch lanes was sorta hard with all that wind pushing. My palms started to ache because I was gripping on the throttle so tightly. I noticed my body getting tired...it felt like a long ride! Also, riding motorcycles isn't as fun by yourself.
I did have one mishap. Okay two. I exited the freeway and started to downshift (or so I thought) at an upcoming red light. The light turned green and I think my gear was too high for the speed I was going because I heard clicking and felt jerky and I wasn't going very fast. Once my gears caught up, I sped up to 40mph quickly and was like "oh crap, I was in the wrong gear." I could feel the trembles after that. My upcoming green light turned yellow, soon to be red, and I felt that I wasn't going to make it, but didn't want to stop hard. So I totally blew that red traffic light. Whoops! No cops thank god. The rest of the way was good.
I arrived to my family's house and showed off my bike. My adorable 4-year old nephew said that my "motorcycle was awesome!!!" My cousins took it for a joy ride and I felt proud that it was mine =)
Pretty much the whole time at the house I was like, "Oh my god I have to ride back at some point." I felt so exhausted already! After fun with the nephews, coffee, and food, I was ready to head home. Planned it so that it was before the sun began to set (crazy sunlight in my eyes!). Things went smoothly on the way home. At one point another motorcyclist was riding next to me on the freeway. Even though it was a complete stranger I felt like, "Wheeeeeeeeeee!!!"
What a fantastic (and damn tiring) day!
The Wave!
I'll never forget my first motorcycle ride. I was riding on the back of my friend's (who's now my BF, teehee) R6 and were on the way to Skyline with a buddy from SF. It's a beautiful drive with curvy roads and rolling hills in the background. We passed by a motorcyclist going the other way and my BF stuck out his left hand. "Uhh, what?" I thought. "Are you trying to signal something to him?" Then I noticed that he did it again to another biker...and again...and so did my friend in front of us. I was confused. When we stopped to eat, I asked him and my friend about it. They explained how you just do that to other motorcyclists on the road as a friendly gesture. "HOW COOL!!" I thought. I love the idea of being part of a community and that acknowledgement of "hey you have a bike too." What I also learned is that you DON'T stick your hand up and start waving side to side like a dorky "hello there!!" (although I'd love to do this anyway). It's a casual extend your arm and open your palm kind of thing. When we got back on the bike, I was tempted to start waving too. I didn't care if I was on the back! I wanted in on some of the action. Soon enough a biker passed by and I wanted to wave, but I was too afraid to let go of my rider. I still felt like I needed to hang on for dear life. Eventually I summoned the courage to offer a stick-out-my-hand-super-quick wave.
What I learned not too long ago is the head nod. This is done when you're on more local roads and you're at a stopped at a light. You see a motorcyclist next to you or across from you. One does the head nod of acknowledgement and the other returns the gesture. When I'm on the back of my BF's bike and he gets the nod, I return it from the backseat, heehee. The reason I bring is up is because of last night. I was at a stoplight and I saw a biker pull up in a lane across the way. I actually had a lot of thoughts in my head, "Oh my gosh do I nod? I was here first so am I supposed to do it first? What if I do it wrong and I look stupid? Do I wait for him or is that rude??" While I was thinking all these stupid questions, sure enough, he gives me the head nod. I return it back. If you could see inside my helmet, you'd see a big grin. It felt like, "OMG. He thinks I'm one of them!" Oh man that totally made my day.
Update: Okay just found out that my BF actually did the head nod first, then the guy, then me. So not as cool, but I'm still in the club =)
written on 8/11/11
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| Courtesy of TimeRider's Blog |
Update: Okay just found out that my BF actually did the head nod first, then the guy, then me. So not as cool, but I'm still in the club =)
written on 8/11/11
All Coming Together
When you're learning something new, do you ever get that feeling when things finally come together, like an "A-ha!" moment? Things click in your head and you say to yourself, "Ooohhh now I get it." I definitely had one of those last night. I think it's becoming a regular thing for me and my BF to ride to the ice cream shop. It's my favorite way to practice! Lately there's been a lot less stalling (me, not the bike) and fewer butterflies. Instead of ice cream, we got bubble tea. I packed the laptop and wore a backpack along with my gear. I felt like real rider! Cooool...
While we were hanging out at the bubble tea joint, I started fantasizing about where to go for my first moto trip. I didn't want it to be too mountainous because I'm still terrified of unexpected things on curves. My BF made a good point...think of your trip as part of your training. That made me realize that if I was going to wait until I was 100% comfortable and confident in my riding skills, I'd be waiting forever. There will always be something I want to work on. Don't worry friends. I'll challenge myself but will still listen to my gut feelings of risk.
I asked my BF (for the 20th time) about how to take turns and he explained it to me (for the 20th time, thanks for your patience!). I don't know why the heck it took me so long to understand it, but I finally did. On the way home I took the turn I was dreading and made it through smoothly. CLICK! My body and my brain finally got it. I went home and said to him, "That was fun. I'm actually enjoying riding now." Ahhh...that felt good to say.
While we were hanging out at the bubble tea joint, I started fantasizing about where to go for my first moto trip. I didn't want it to be too mountainous because I'm still terrified of unexpected things on curves. My BF made a good point...think of your trip as part of your training. That made me realize that if I was going to wait until I was 100% comfortable and confident in my riding skills, I'd be waiting forever. There will always be something I want to work on. Don't worry friends. I'll challenge myself but will still listen to my gut feelings of risk.
I asked my BF (for the 20th time) about how to take turns and he explained it to me (for the 20th time, thanks for your patience!). I don't know why the heck it took me so long to understand it, but I finally did. On the way home I took the turn I was dreading and made it through smoothly. CLICK! My body and my brain finally got it. I went home and said to him, "That was fun. I'm actually enjoying riding now." Ahhh...that felt good to say.
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| Just a visual to explain how I felt that night =) |
Crushed!
Not my bike, thank god, but my feelings. If you've read a few of my posts, you know that it takes a big push (like friends and ice cream) to motivate me to practice. Tonight, I did it all on my own! After a satisfying homemade meal of kimchi fried rice, I felt like riding. Maybe it's because I just learned more about how my 250 runs (thanks Misha!). With only 20 minutes of stalling, I pack the red laptop in my backpack, and gear up. As I put on each piece, I feel the butterflies getting crazier. This will be the first time I'm riding by myself without someone following me. I'm psyched! I straddle my bike...go through the usual start up...and my bike won't start. Did I forget to turn on the choke? No. Am I out of gas? No, filled up a few days ago. Did I forget a step in starting up? I get off my bike and re-do the whole thing. Still won't start. NOOOOO!!!! This can't be happening!!!! I'm super bummed. I park my bike and I feel totally defeated. You ever get that heavy feeling in your chest and it just makes you want to deeply say "ugh"? That is where I am. I'm now in my room and moping on my blog. I finally found some self-motivation, but it got crushed. Hopefully this pity party will go away soon...I want to keep practicing. Hmm...guess it's already begun. Thanks for reading folks.
written 7/26/11
written 7/26/11
From Expressway to Highway
Oh my goodness, the end of the summer is coming which means that my motorcycle trip is coming which means that I better be comfortable at riding!! I made a goal for myself: Before the end of July, I will have ridden on the highway. If you're not from California, you may use the words "highway," "freeway," and "expressway" interchangeably. Crazy-ass Bay Area has different definitions for all 3. Here is my version for each:
Expressway - Two lane roads where the speed limit is 50mph, but you better hurry your ass up when you get on because the merge lane is short and you might get hit by a jerk that doesn't want to make space for you. There will also be the occasional stop light.
Highway - Two lane roads where the speed limit is 55mph, no stop lights, and people either dangerously speed past you or dangerously crawl in front of you after they get into your lane.
Freeway - Big-ass roads where there are 4 or more lanes, ridiculously crowded during rush hour, and drivers are not looking out for motorcyclists.
So yesterday I rode on the highway for the first time! As usual, I woke up early on a weekend (best advice ever) and headed for Highway 237. I was unsure of how many RPMs my 250 Ninja could safely handle so I had my BF ride first with me on the back while I watched him switch gears and play with the throttle. He merged on the highway and exited a couple of times before heading back home so I can try it myself. It's really important for me to debrief after riding so I can get feedback or go over what I just learned. Oh and to celebrate my successes of course!
Headed to the entrance, which is a 3-way stop with a yield sign for my side. A car was approaching and my already nervous self stopped hard and my bike started to lean to one side like it was going down, but I was able to stabilize it. Dangit! We're not off to a good start. The highway was pretty empty, which made me feel better as I began to merge. I pushed my bike to 7000 rpms. Vrooooommmm!! I was not used to my bike making that sound, but apparently it's a "normal" sound. All I remember was switching gears as fast as a could trying to keep it above 5000rpms. I managed to do it, but by the time I was actually on the highway, I was only going 45mph...definitely not fast enough. I bumped the speed up to 65mph, the fastest I've ever gone woohoo! Felt pretty good. At this speed, I can feel how light my bike and I are. A strong gust of wind would be very bad news. I exited, came to a yield sign, stopped hard, did the bike lean thing again...but didn't tip over. Ugh! Not feeling very good at this point. I went forward and my bike started jerking. Guess I forgot to put into 1st gear, AGAIN! Enough of this...I'm going back home! On the way there, I told myself to keep trying. "You can twist the throttle more. You don't want to go home feeling down. You want to go home feeling proud." Good ol' self talk again. 20 minutes later, I'm back on the highway with more confidence. I really cranked on the throttle up to 8000rpms, switching faster, this time making it onto the highway at 55mph which is the actual limit. Ye-YEAH!!! I did it!!! So glad I had a re-do. Headed home feeling accomplished, proud, and adrenaline rushed.
Lessons learned:
1. My bike can handle much more rpms than I thought. I shouldn't be afraid to go higher than 4000.
2. I can do more than I think. Stupid brain. The more you know. *cue shooting star*
Written on 7/24/11
Expressway - Two lane roads where the speed limit is 50mph, but you better hurry your ass up when you get on because the merge lane is short and you might get hit by a jerk that doesn't want to make space for you. There will also be the occasional stop light.
Highway - Two lane roads where the speed limit is 55mph, no stop lights, and people either dangerously speed past you or dangerously crawl in front of you after they get into your lane.
Freeway - Big-ass roads where there are 4 or more lanes, ridiculously crowded during rush hour, and drivers are not looking out for motorcyclists.
So yesterday I rode on the highway for the first time! As usual, I woke up early on a weekend (best advice ever) and headed for Highway 237. I was unsure of how many RPMs my 250 Ninja could safely handle so I had my BF ride first with me on the back while I watched him switch gears and play with the throttle. He merged on the highway and exited a couple of times before heading back home so I can try it myself. It's really important for me to debrief after riding so I can get feedback or go over what I just learned. Oh and to celebrate my successes of course!
Headed to the entrance, which is a 3-way stop with a yield sign for my side. A car was approaching and my already nervous self stopped hard and my bike started to lean to one side like it was going down, but I was able to stabilize it. Dangit! We're not off to a good start. The highway was pretty empty, which made me feel better as I began to merge. I pushed my bike to 7000 rpms. Vrooooommmm!! I was not used to my bike making that sound, but apparently it's a "normal" sound. All I remember was switching gears as fast as a could trying to keep it above 5000rpms. I managed to do it, but by the time I was actually on the highway, I was only going 45mph...definitely not fast enough. I bumped the speed up to 65mph, the fastest I've ever gone woohoo! Felt pretty good. At this speed, I can feel how light my bike and I are. A strong gust of wind would be very bad news. I exited, came to a yield sign, stopped hard, did the bike lean thing again...but didn't tip over. Ugh! Not feeling very good at this point. I went forward and my bike started jerking. Guess I forgot to put into 1st gear, AGAIN! Enough of this...I'm going back home! On the way there, I told myself to keep trying. "You can twist the throttle more. You don't want to go home feeling down. You want to go home feeling proud." Good ol' self talk again. 20 minutes later, I'm back on the highway with more confidence. I really cranked on the throttle up to 8000rpms, switching faster, this time making it onto the highway at 55mph which is the actual limit. Ye-YEAH!!! I did it!!! So glad I had a re-do. Headed home feeling accomplished, proud, and adrenaline rushed.
Lessons learned:
1. My bike can handle much more rpms than I thought. I shouldn't be afraid to go higher than 4000.
2. I can do more than I think. Stupid brain. The more you know. *cue shooting star*
Written on 7/24/11
New found motivation: Ice cream!
I practiced last Sunday and it's now Tuesday. I guess I should practice again...but I'm (fill in excuse here)!! My BF asked, "Do you want ice cream?" I said, "Yeah sort of." This is when he suggested something so wonderful...riding to the ice cream shop! This sparked motivation in me and soon we were riding to the downtown area to our favorite gelato place.
I get nervous and excited driving through the busy streets of the local downtown. We got there and I approached a stop light. I came to a full stop and went forward but my bike started to shake and make a weird struggling noise! Oh no! All these people turned around to look at me and my crazy sounding bike, I got flustered, and found myself driving further and further away from the main road. I pulled into a parking lot and said a few angry words to myself in my head. "What the f***was that??? You're better than this now!" I told him that when those people were staring, that made things tons worse. He told me that I can't worry about what other people think. My safety comes first. I totally agree, but easier said than done. He checked to see which gear I was in: it was in second. I tried to go from 0 to 25 in second gear. I've made this mistake before. In an old post, I even said what I was going to do to prevent making that mistake again. I was disappointed in myself, but I suppose that in life we do that sometimes...make the same mistake twice. I'm still in the learning curve and I can't keep beating myself up over every wrong thing I do. I gotta focus on things I've done right, which is a lot actually. That'll move me forward. So will end this post on a high note.
I will continue to make it a habit to make sure I'm in 1st gear before going. I'll downshift just to be sure.
I practiced twice in one week (instead of the usual one or none), which I haven't done in a looooong time. This will only bring me closer to my goal. I had to do two sudden stops in the busy area because of pedestrians, and I did them super well! I didn't lose my balance or jam on the breaks.
*exhale* I think I'm good now =)
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| Picture courtesy of Yelp.com |
I will continue to make it a habit to make sure I'm in 1st gear before going. I'll downshift just to be sure.
I practiced twice in one week (instead of the usual one or none), which I haven't done in a looooong time. This will only bring me closer to my goal. I had to do two sudden stops in the busy area because of pedestrians, and I did them super well! I didn't lose my balance or jam on the breaks.
*exhale* I think I'm good now =)
Tracking My Progress
I forgot about one of the main reasons I started this blog...it was to track my progress. I got caught up in the "I need pictures for every post!" or "I don't have anything really cool to share!" But you know what?? Screw all that!!! I got my license in January, it's now July and I don't have much to reflect on other than what's in my head...which isn't much because it's filled with Filipino recipes. So sorry folks, many of my future posts will not have pictures, will be short, and may lack those cool "a-ha" moments. But hooray for me for writing in my blog again and filling it with neat mini moments!!! Here's one I'd like to share:
I haven't ridden on my bike for like 3 weeks straight. I've been traveling and had family over for a while (that's what I tell myself...of course it's not because I have jitters again...) My poor bike was collecting dust and spider webs! If I was going to take a trip at the end of summer, I needed to practice. So last Sunday I waited until 9:30pm when there was less traffic and cruised the local streets with my BF riding behind me. "Hey this isn't bad" I thought. My muscles still remembered how to do everything. It was sorta fun! I headed towards my usual parking lot when I saw a bunch of "Closed" street signs. "Aww crap." I couldn't go forward anymore, there wasn't any place to turn, so I was forced to do a U-turn. I haven't done one of these since my safety course! "Ohhh NO! I forgot what gear I'm in!!" Oh well it's too late, here we go! I just kept telling myself, "look to where you want to go." I turned my head back as much as I could and I completed the U-turn! Sure my leaning wavered during it, but whatever! I did a freakin U-turn! That made my day =)
Written on 6/12/11
I haven't ridden on my bike for like 3 weeks straight. I've been traveling and had family over for a while (that's what I tell myself...of course it's not because I have jitters again...) My poor bike was collecting dust and spider webs! If I was going to take a trip at the end of summer, I needed to practice. So last Sunday I waited until 9:30pm when there was less traffic and cruised the local streets with my BF riding behind me. "Hey this isn't bad" I thought. My muscles still remembered how to do everything. It was sorta fun! I headed towards my usual parking lot when I saw a bunch of "Closed" street signs. "Aww crap." I couldn't go forward anymore, there wasn't any place to turn, so I was forced to do a U-turn. I haven't done one of these since my safety course! "Ohhh NO! I forgot what gear I'm in!!" Oh well it's too late, here we go! I just kept telling myself, "look to where you want to go." I turned my head back as much as I could and I completed the U-turn! Sure my leaning wavered during it, but whatever! I did a freakin U-turn! That made my day =)
Written on 6/12/11
Original Inspiration
On my "About Me" page, I explain how I became interested in riding motorcycles. I left out an important detail. I spoke with other riders to get me to be open to learning, but the thing that really got me excited about riding was the movie "The Motorcycle Diaries." If you've ever seen it, there's actually very little riding in the film. But the few scenes they had were so moving for me that it really gave me a push to learn. The rolling hills. The isolated roads. Simultaneous feelings of peace and excitement. It all looked so damn liberating! That is what was missing from my life: freedom. Soon after watching that movie, I made a promise to myself. I said, "For my 30th birthday, I want to take a trip to Europe and ride in the countryside."
I made that promise when I was 27. Here I am, 28 and a half and MUCH closer to my dream. Feels damn good. There are days when I still say to myself, "I can't believe I'm actually doing this." Never thought I'd have the courage, confidence, or commitment to learn. My first hobby in years. Yaaay!
Getting Lectured By Others...
Being lectured sucks! I should know, I used to do it to my old boyfriend about him wanting to ride a motorcycle. (Oh how things have changed!) I had the same arguments as others who cares such as "I trust you, but not other people!" or the dramatic, "But it's dangerous!" or the uber dramatic, "But you could die!!!" For some reason, I didn't anticipated others (strangers and friends) to be lecturing me on riding. I got my first lecture a while ago, but thought it'd be worth sharing with all of you today.
I was at a party and just met this person. She used to be a rider (not sure if just passenger or rider or both) and lectured me about how dangerous it is and proceeded to show me all of her scars and burns from the crash. I told her that I took a riding class and wear all my gear all the time. It didn't matter to her. She still wanted to tell me these things. My bias before was that only non-riders lectured about the "dangers of motorcyles"! When I say lecture, it's more of the tone of trying to convince me to stop or to say "you really don't know what you're getting yourself into." I couldn't help but feel insulted. I wanted to get defensive and tell her all of the things I'm doing to be smart about riding, but I'm not a confrontational person. I also figured that there was no point. I'm not going to change her mind, just like she can't change mine.
For you riders, is this something you deal with? If so, how? Why do some people feel the need to lecture others? I understand if it comes from someone who cares about you. They are just sharing their concerns with you. But what about strangers?? How can you listen to an important message without getting annoyed by feeling like you're getting lectured?
Written on 6/3/11
I was at a party and just met this person. She used to be a rider (not sure if just passenger or rider or both) and lectured me about how dangerous it is and proceeded to show me all of her scars and burns from the crash. I told her that I took a riding class and wear all my gear all the time. It didn't matter to her. She still wanted to tell me these things. My bias before was that only non-riders lectured about the "dangers of motorcyles"! When I say lecture, it's more of the tone of trying to convince me to stop or to say "you really don't know what you're getting yourself into." I couldn't help but feel insulted. I wanted to get defensive and tell her all of the things I'm doing to be smart about riding, but I'm not a confrontational person. I also figured that there was no point. I'm not going to change her mind, just like she can't change mine.
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| Okay okay "scolding" is a bit of an exaggeration. But lecturing does NOT help me! Makes me want to rebel! RAAaarRR! |
Written on 6/3/11
Graduation!
If learning to ride a motorcycle was structured like school, I would've just graduated from middle school. Ladies and gentlemen, I went from riding the local roads to an "expressway"!! This deserves a ceremony complete with a grad cap toss.
In the midwest, our definition of "expressway" is that 8 lane road where you drive 65mph with the giant green signs up above. Here in the bay area, "expressway" means a 4 lane road going 45-50 mph with stoplights once in a while. So in my opinion, that's still an accomplishment! I felt like such a big girl! Normally I practice at 8am on a weekend to avoid traffic, but this time I went at 10:00am in real traffic and everything! When I approached stoplights, the cars behind me were lining up, giving me the usual jitters. I was nervous about stalling on this major road or not moving forward fast enough at a green.
So here's my story. It was around 9am, light traffic. I was cruising down the expressway at 45 mph and it felt good. It didn't feel too fast. I'm getting used to higher speeds. Feeling more confident. I slow down for a red light, first in line. "Here's my chance. I'm better at handling the clutch and throttle. I can do this." Green light, GO! I jolt forward on first, switch to 2nd in no time with a larger jolt forward, switch to 3rd and jerk forward again. I'm really gunning it!!! Never thought I could switch gears that quickly. I'm actually freaked out at this point. The loud "vrrrooom" and forward jolting confused me. Thoughts raced through my head: "Is this what's supposed to happen? Does that mean I'm lacking control? Is this bike too powerful for me? If I'm jolting like that, does it mean I'm not switch smooth enough?" At this point I need to stop and take a breather. I have no idea where I'm going but I turn on a few streets, find a large parking lot, and hit my safety red "stop" button.
One of the best things I learned about growing your confidence in riding is, "Go back to basics." I was confused by the stoplight thing and needed some of my confidence back, so I practiced starts, stops, and swerves in the lot. I felt a little better and called my BF to come and get me. It was later in the morning and there was no way in hell I was riding back in heavier traffic. He arrived shortly, gave me a big hug, and asked me if I wanted to ride home anyway. "Uhhhhhmmm." I swear I was quiet for a full 2 minutes when I unconvincingly said, "Okay." I didn't want to wimp out. I still had some confidence left! I sucked it up, straddled that bike and rode.
This is just the thing I needed to keep my motivation going. Reminds me of why I wanted to learn to ride in the first place. To challenge myself and feel that freedom in the wind. Sounds corny? Well, too bad!
Thanks for reading! More stories to come!
Written a long time ago but Blogger lost this post and I had to write it again.
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| Woohoo! |
So here's my story. It was around 9am, light traffic. I was cruising down the expressway at 45 mph and it felt good. It didn't feel too fast. I'm getting used to higher speeds. Feeling more confident. I slow down for a red light, first in line. "Here's my chance. I'm better at handling the clutch and throttle. I can do this." Green light, GO! I jolt forward on first, switch to 2nd in no time with a larger jolt forward, switch to 3rd and jerk forward again. I'm really gunning it!!! Never thought I could switch gears that quickly. I'm actually freaked out at this point. The loud "vrrrooom" and forward jolting confused me. Thoughts raced through my head: "Is this what's supposed to happen? Does that mean I'm lacking control? Is this bike too powerful for me? If I'm jolting like that, does it mean I'm not switch smooth enough?" At this point I need to stop and take a breather. I have no idea where I'm going but I turn on a few streets, find a large parking lot, and hit my safety red "stop" button.
One of the best things I learned about growing your confidence in riding is, "Go back to basics." I was confused by the stoplight thing and needed some of my confidence back, so I practiced starts, stops, and swerves in the lot. I felt a little better and called my BF to come and get me. It was later in the morning and there was no way in hell I was riding back in heavier traffic. He arrived shortly, gave me a big hug, and asked me if I wanted to ride home anyway. "Uhhhhhmmm." I swear I was quiet for a full 2 minutes when I unconvincingly said, "Okay." I didn't want to wimp out. I still had some confidence left! I sucked it up, straddled that bike and rode.
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| Me gearing up. Can you feel the self-talk going on in my head? |
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| Okay no turning back now! I've committed! |
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| At one of those dreaded stop lights. BF was driving behind to make sure I was safe =) Wow I can completely touch the ground with that bike! |
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| Woohoo! I'm going 45mph! Feels great! |
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| I'm riding on the "expressway" like a big kid! |
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| Parking the bike after a successful ride! |
This is just the thing I needed to keep my motivation going. Reminds me of why I wanted to learn to ride in the first place. To challenge myself and feel that freedom in the wind. Sounds corny? Well, too bad!
Thanks for reading! More stories to come!
Written a long time ago but Blogger lost this post and I had to write it again.
Bike Shopping take 2
Oh gosh I'm feeling salty already. Remember that word "salty" to mean embarrassed? Haha I'm old. Okay moving on to bikes. Besides hittin' up friends, the only, and I would say best, way to find affordable used motorcycles is through Craigslist. In general, I think that Craigslist can be a breeding ground for creepers, scammers, and cheaters. It's sorta scary to email folks who post ads about selling their bike and to meet them in an unfamiliar place. Well I suppose I posted an ad needing a roommate on Craigslist and I'm no pervert. But what I'm trying to say is that you gotta be cautious! A guy in San Francisco was selling his 250 Ninja. Damn in SF?? That seemed far. But from what I understand, sometimes you have to travel "far" when hunting for bikes. Just part of the game. I might miss out on something good if I just stuck to the southbay. This is what the bike looked like:
It was okay looking. The more I look at 250 Ninjas, the more I realize how "meh" they are. I want a shiny bike! I want a bike that says "Damn. I am sexy." But I know that should be lower on my list of priorities. Right now I just need something to learn on. The sexy bike will come later...I guess...
I responded to the ad and spoke to the seller over the phone and he seemed really cool! He told me he wanted to meet in a public place because of his safety and mine. He encouraged a friend to come with me for a second opinion because buying a bike can be a big deal. Best of all, he was okay with moving to an empty parking after so that I could test ride it. I was really liking this guy! Or was I being scammed? I can be such a gullible fool.
Brought my BF with me to San Francisco to check out the bike. We all met at a Borders parking lot. I noticed that he brought a car with 4 dudes in it...for protection?? I liked that it was silver, but not digging the orange. Scratches here and there, but no major dents. Physically it was in better shape than the last bike, but my BF said he wasn't sure if it was maintained well. The exhaust pipe was damn rusty! Also when he rode it, it puttered a lot. Sounded like, "putt, putt, putt, putt" instead of "putt-putt-putt-putt." Know what I mean? It's like the poor thing was struggling! Eh, decided that I wanted to test ride it anyway. We went to a deserted parking lot, I put on my gear, sat on the Ninja, let out the clutch, aaaaand I stall the bike of course. I forgot that these lower powered bike need some throttle when you start! The last time I rode a 250 was in the MSF course back in December. I try again and off I go smoothly! The first thing I noticed is how weak this bike feels! Going from a 600cc bike to this is like "BOOOO!!! GIMME MORE POWER!!!" However, I did love how light and maneuverable it felt. It really is a great beginner bike. I rode around a couple of times and tested out the brakes. I took the bike back and had my BF test it out. When he came back, we all noticed that the back tire looked flat. The seller rolled the wheel and found a nail in it! Someone ran over it! I'm actually pretty sure it was me since I noticed the flat-ish tire before my BF got on the bike. Whoops. You could actually hear the "hissssss" from air escaping. Man I felt salty! The guy said he was going to fix it and we agreed to meet in an hour. During that hour, we got Thai food at Chaba, which has one of the best Pad Kee Mao's I've ever had, and I've had a TON. I took this opportunity to really think about the bike. Here are some thoughts that were going through my head:
Do I want a 250 at all? They seem underpowered and so far I can handle a 600cc motorcycle.
Are bike tires really that weak? I didn't hear a pop and a tiny nail busted it!
The look of Kawasaki Ninjas are not impressive to me. Should I go with something else?
I have no strong feelings about the bike. Is this normal? Or am I supposed to gasp when I see "the one"? Or am I waiting for a feeling for a bike that doesn't exist with beginner bikes?
This guy seems to be trustworthy. I'd rather buy a bike from him than some cheater.
Gaaahhh! I was really conflicted. What really helped me make a decision was when my boyfriend said:
There will be more bikes. It's better to wait than to rush into buying one. He was right. I had no strong happy feelings about it, so I texted the dude, apologized for the busted tire and passed on the bike. Sure I felt like a total a--hole for the accident, but that's the risk you take when selling...right? I'm just glad that I didn't buy it, then notice the flat.
At the end of the day, I did make the right decision. So my important learned lessons for the day:
1. Take someone with you when shopping to help you process. I didn't want my excitement to cloud my judgment.
2. Yes there will be more bikes, especially during this time of year. No need to hurry.
My bike is out there somewhere! I hope when I meet her, I'll feel tingles.
Written on 4/5/11
It was okay looking. The more I look at 250 Ninjas, the more I realize how "meh" they are. I want a shiny bike! I want a bike that says "Damn. I am sexy." But I know that should be lower on my list of priorities. Right now I just need something to learn on. The sexy bike will come later...I guess...
I responded to the ad and spoke to the seller over the phone and he seemed really cool! He told me he wanted to meet in a public place because of his safety and mine. He encouraged a friend to come with me for a second opinion because buying a bike can be a big deal. Best of all, he was okay with moving to an empty parking after so that I could test ride it. I was really liking this guy! Or was I being scammed? I can be such a gullible fool.
Brought my BF with me to San Francisco to check out the bike. We all met at a Borders parking lot. I noticed that he brought a car with 4 dudes in it...for protection?? I liked that it was silver, but not digging the orange. Scratches here and there, but no major dents. Physically it was in better shape than the last bike, but my BF said he wasn't sure if it was maintained well. The exhaust pipe was damn rusty! Also when he rode it, it puttered a lot. Sounded like, "putt, putt, putt, putt" instead of "putt-putt-putt-putt." Know what I mean? It's like the poor thing was struggling! Eh, decided that I wanted to test ride it anyway. We went to a deserted parking lot, I put on my gear, sat on the Ninja, let out the clutch, aaaaand I stall the bike of course. I forgot that these lower powered bike need some throttle when you start! The last time I rode a 250 was in the MSF course back in December. I try again and off I go smoothly! The first thing I noticed is how weak this bike feels! Going from a 600cc bike to this is like "BOOOO!!! GIMME MORE POWER!!!" However, I did love how light and maneuverable it felt. It really is a great beginner bike. I rode around a couple of times and tested out the brakes. I took the bike back and had my BF test it out. When he came back, we all noticed that the back tire looked flat. The seller rolled the wheel and found a nail in it! Someone ran over it! I'm actually pretty sure it was me since I noticed the flat-ish tire before my BF got on the bike. Whoops. You could actually hear the "hissssss" from air escaping. Man I felt salty! The guy said he was going to fix it and we agreed to meet in an hour. During that hour, we got Thai food at Chaba, which has one of the best Pad Kee Mao's I've ever had, and I've had a TON. I took this opportunity to really think about the bike. Here are some thoughts that were going through my head:
Do I want a 250 at all? They seem underpowered and so far I can handle a 600cc motorcycle.
Are bike tires really that weak? I didn't hear a pop and a tiny nail busted it!
The look of Kawasaki Ninjas are not impressive to me. Should I go with something else?
I have no strong feelings about the bike. Is this normal? Or am I supposed to gasp when I see "the one"? Or am I waiting for a feeling for a bike that doesn't exist with beginner bikes?
This guy seems to be trustworthy. I'd rather buy a bike from him than some cheater.
Gaaahhh! I was really conflicted. What really helped me make a decision was when my boyfriend said:
There will be more bikes. It's better to wait than to rush into buying one. He was right. I had no strong happy feelings about it, so I texted the dude, apologized for the busted tire and passed on the bike. Sure I felt like a total a--hole for the accident, but that's the risk you take when selling...right? I'm just glad that I didn't buy it, then notice the flat.
At the end of the day, I did make the right decision. So my important learned lessons for the day:
1. Take someone with you when shopping to help you process. I didn't want my excitement to cloud my judgment.
2. Yes there will be more bikes, especially during this time of year. No need to hurry.
My bike is out there somewhere! I hope when I meet her, I'll feel tingles.
Written on 4/5/11
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