Biker Babe in the Making

Okay, so the "babe" part is open to interpretation. But still.


I had my second lesson on the motorcycle today. This time I was on Darling Husband's Honda 919. I was really nervous to try to ride on this thing since it's a sport touring bike and can REALLY go super fast in a hurray. I could see myself trying to ease onto the throttle and still managing to shoot down the road like a rocket. Thankfully when I tested the throttle sensitivity while in neutral I saw that it would be possible to still be very gentle with it. I did really well! Well, considering it was ME on it. I got up to 20 miles an hour this time. Woohoo! That's double the speed I was willing to go when I first tried out my mom's bike. I even shifted into 2nd gear a couple times! Pretty soon I might be able to pass those little mopeds that are always blocking traffic.

Technically you're not supposed to ride with a passenger until you are very well trained on a bike and can do so without endangering yourself or the other person. Bikes handle a lot differently when you have a passenger! But I'm still too scared to ride without him behind me telling me what to do and when, in case I panic and forget what to do! It's only further proof of how fearless he is that he was willing to ride with me at the helm.

But the part that I'm most proud of? I TURNED! FOUR TIMES! And I did it well each time. It was so thrilling to be able to do it. I was giggling like a schoolgirl and laughing out loud with glee. I was so proud of myself. :) And no freaking out this time - no tears or panic. I wonder if I'm the only one who is so scared of trying to turn on a motorcycle. I don't even think about it when I'm on a bicycle, but for some reason it really intimidates me to try doing the same thing on a motorcycle.

I made sure to stop while I was ahead this time instead of pushing it until I got overwhelmed. Every little step is really helping to build my confidence. I never thought I'd be able to handle DH's bike since it is so sporty and fast. But it's nice and light and narrower than my mom's bike, so that actually made it pretty easy to handle. I'm starting to understand why he loves it so much on twisty, winding roads!

Motorcycle Mayhem, Part II

I just got my motorcycle permit!  Woohoo!  Look at me, I'm a wild woman. :)  Now I just have to put it to good use and try another bout on the bike. I'm going to be so excited if I can actually learn how to ride a motorcycle.  Of course having to shell out the money to eventually buy a bike and for the insurance won't be as fun, but it will be a necessary evil eventually. There is a motorcycle riding class I'm looking into that a friend took a few years ago and really enjoyed. He took the intermediate course, but I'd need to start from the very bottom!  They stress safety a lot, which I really like.  He said it even makes him drive his car more defensively. 

I'm on a roll with this "taking on the world" thing I started recently.  I've got my eye mapping and eye exam scheduled for this Thursday for my LASIK.  I've been out of my contacts for nearly 2 weeks in preparation for it.  And I should be able to have the surgery done at the end of February.  Hooray, no more contacts or glasses!  That's going to be especially appealing after being stuck in my glasses for so many weeks.  I was also finally able to decide on a design for a tattoo, and I have a friend who knows a tattoo artist from a local shop who is going to give us a great deal on tattoos.  So now I'm even going to get a tattoo!  Two, actually.  I've thought about getting one for several years now, but never seriously considered it because I just couldn't decide on what to get and where to get it.  I don't want to have something I'm going to regret in a few years, or something that won't be relevant to me in 30 to 50 years.

So here I am, tackling tattoos, LASIK, and motorcycles all in a short span of time.  If they weren't things I'd thought about and wanted for several years I'd be worried I might be having a mid-life crisis. I told my friend that if I come home with a red convertible sports car she needs to plan an intervention. :)

Cozy Comfort

Because sometimes sleeping on the pillows just isn't good enough.

(That's one of my Chihuahuas, Gypsy, snuggling between two pillows.)