Simplify

All I said was, "I think I might want to save up for a scooter...a pink scooter".  My husband said, "Where would you ride with a scooter?"  "Around", I said.  "Maybe I could putt around with you when you take one of our granddaughters on a little ride."  Well,  that is all it took and the very next day I was in a motorcycle shop staring at a very large (huge gas tank), long, fat, heavy motorcycle.  I humored my husband and sat on it but there was no way I could even lift it upright, let alone get it off the kickstand!  I know he was a little disappointed because he wanted me to get something that was a good product and would keep me safe.  Secretly he has been studying up on what kind of bike would be good for a woman to drive.  We looked around and saw this magenta-colored bike that looked kind of a like a girl's bike.  It had 650cc's just big enough to qualify at the DMV for a motorcycle license with no restrictions - pending I could pass the driving test.  It was thin and easy enough for me to get off the kick stand on my own.  We paid cash  and the Susuki S40 was mine.  

We went down to the parking lot at the church to let me practice.  I was a little wobbly and kept killing the bike when I let out the clutch but after a bit I got the hang of driving straight.....but not turning.  I went around the corner of the building and I was gone for a really long time.  My sweet husband kept waiting for me to come back.  I had a little bit of problem trying to pick up the bike on my own.  I was so embarrassed to have tipped it over and worried that someone saw me that I used all of my adrenalin to pick it up off the asphalt and start the engine again!  I had not yet learned, the clutch is your friend, the clutch is your friend.

So...he bought me cones, bright orange cones to navigate around.  I promptly ran the motorcycle off the asphalt, over the curb, up the rocks on the side-hill and bent my pretty new bike.  That was it...there was no taking back damaged goods.   However, it took a while for the large bruise on my knee to heal up.  No pride was involved.  I knew from the beginning that this was going to be ugly.  

So I practiced and practiced on our man-made cone course.  I thought I was ready, my husband thought I was ready, and we made an appointment to take the motorcycle driving test over at the DMV.    I passed the written test with flying colors but failed the driving test miserably.  The course was half the size of the one I had practiced and the cones were closer together.  There was no way I could make that right hand turn and keep the bike running and up-right!  The driving inspector at the DMV suggested I take the motorcycle course at the college or come back in a few months when I could handle the bike better.  But the motorcycle course was only scheduled for weekends, including Sundays and I just didn't want to do that on a Sunday.  So I persevered on my own.

I became the "Cone Queen".  We practiced every day after work.  Winter was coming and I wanted to get my license before the rain and occasional snow made the roads a hazard.  I knew that if I had to wait until the next spring or summer I would forget everything I had learned and I wanted to ride!   So we made another appointment and while I was waiting for the DMV official to finish up her work with another individual, I drove the obstacle course making those right hand turns well within the lines.  I stopped and started on a dime.  I zigged and zagged through the cones leaning my little bike to and fro. And I did it over and over one time right after another.  The DMV official finished up helping the other person and came over with her little clip board.  She had me do a thing or two and then checked me off, signed her name and said she had been watching me for a while and I was good to go.  Happy day!  

Now 8,000 + miles, a bigger, better and more expensive  Kawasaki 900cc motorcycle later, I am feeling a bit more comfortable, more confident, having more fun, but always watchful and remembering that as a motorcyclist I am invisible to the cars around me.  I really don't want to get smushed!