It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.

So, I've been riding now for 3 years. I bought the 450 Rebel on July 28, 2006. I saved the email from the transaction, which is also why I know I have put about 14,840 miles on the bike since I've owned it. It has occurred to me that I have a different level of comfort on the the bike this year. I've never felt very intimidated by my bike. I'd learned to ride years before so I didn't really have that anxiety about it when I got it. I knew I liked riding before I got the Rebel. It's always fit me very well too. I can flat foot it which means I can comfortably move it around without dropping it (usually). Or if I drop it, which hasn't happened since that first year, it's because I did something dumb, like forget to put the side stand down. My lovely hubby has customized it to my desired needs or wants. :-) He's the most fabulous hubby of all! :-) It has become "mine" and I feel very in control and comfortable on it.

The thing that is different for me this year is something more vague. Most of the time, after a ride, I'd come home and talk to my hubby about it. We'd basically have a debriefing to discuss the ride with each other. It could be good or bad things that happened, how we'd change what we did or didn't do, situations that we should continue to watch out for, that sort of thing. For me especially, this was part of the learning process. Riding, for me, isn't just the act itself. It is about being able to understand what's going on around you, and understand how your actions create reactions or put you in situations to make the ride better or worse. It is the ability to control your own situation to create a better one. (I think that's what I'm trying to say although that might be a bit too deep.)

This year, I haven't felt the need to debrief as much after every ride. Maybe it's because I'm riding more and after a while it all sounds the same. I think it's because, I feel more comfortable and in control of my riding than I did previously. We do have discussions about specific situations - the day I rode home in the lightning storm was one example. But, not so much after every ride. Now I just enjoy the ride and don't feel as though every day is a learning experience. Most days now, it's just fun to ride. :-)

That's not to say that I think I've learned it all. That will never happen for me. I'm not that kind of person who thinks I can't learn something every day. In fact, I think now would be the perfect time to take a more advanced motorcycle course. I'm starting to feel comfortable and that's when my mind starts to wander and I drop my guard for a second. That's when things can go wrong. I think it was the Hurt Report that mentioned the group of riders most likely to get into an accident had a smaller cc bike and had 3-5 years of experience.

So, now my challenge is to pay closer attention to myself. How do I get from point A to point B? Am I listening and looking? Am I still scanning well ahead? Did I even see that car behind me? How long has that Don't Walk sign been flashing? The bike I can control. It's all the other things around me that I can't. It is time to refocus my learning so I can continue to enjoy the ride.

PS
Name that movie quote in the title of this blog post!

Thoughts on an ADV Rider thread

I don't know what prompted me to read the posts in the "Faceplant" section of this board but... The idea behind this section of the board is to learn from the mistakes of others. The rules are you can only post things that either happened to you or some one close to you so there is a personal connection and some follow up answers to questions. Two posts caught my attention recently.

The first was about mesh pants. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=488246

I wear mesh pants and am quite happy with them. They are comfortable in all seasons and offer armored protection in the knees and padding in the hips. They are not inexpensive either, so in the you-get-what-you-pay-for (YGWYPF) realm, I'm hoping I'm getting enough. Then I saw this post with pictures of mesh pants (of a different brand than mine) melted after a crash. The rider goes on to say what a piece of junk they are. Many folks agreed, leather is the only way to go for them. Kevlar leather being even better. In the YGWYPF scheme of things, this is the top of the line. MotoGP racers wear full suits of tight fitting leather. Others mentioned the heat factor of wearing leather and that they could never do such a thing or they'd crash from heat stroke. They put in a bid for wearing what you are most comfortable with - physically and financially comfortable. They are of the mind that any gear is better than no gear. Still others claimed that mesh gear versus leather isn't simply a matter of what the stuff looks like after the crash. Mesh gear, they say, is designed to be disposable. It is supposed to take the brunt of the crash to protect you. If your pants melted but you got up and walked away, they did their job. Racing leathers are designed to take more than one crash. It is designed to be more durable so you can get up, get back on the bike, and get back in the race. All in all it is a very interesting thread to read and quite educational. I'll have to do some follow up research on this topic for my own piece of mind.

The other post was "I very very nearly died today..." http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=481931

Why I clicked on it I don't know. But, I was glad I did. The story is by a woman who was nearly taken out by a 4x4x8 that came off a truck at the woman and her husband. He was able to swerve and avoid it. She was not and it hit her head on. She managed to stay upright and not drop the bike, coming to a safe stop. The piece of 4x4 smashed into her headlight. She, knowing she was going to get hit, tucked down with her face next to her tank bag, and held on. Bravo to her for being in control of her bike and her wits at the same time! Wow! it was quite the adrenaline rush just reading her account of the event. I can't imagine being in the situation.

I read this one after hubby and I returned from our Colfax ride and it got me thinking. We take turns being the leader on our weekend trips. I think who ever is following has the most stressful part of the journey. I'm constantly worried about traffic around us, particularly around him. It's weird actually, because we're both fairly responsible riders, have taken multiple rider courses, and are very aware of our surroundings. But, being the one behind the other makes you more aware of how close cars are to the other person because you can see them. When a car is passing me, I barely even notice, even if it seems close. I feel like I can take action if needed and I dont' stress about it. But, it is another thing entirely to watch that some situation happen to your significant other. Get away from my husband you crazy drivers!!

We all accept the responsibility of riding. We wouldn't do it if we didn't know what we were getting into. It's one thing to know those dangers and accept them for yourself. It's another thing to know those dangers and accept them for the person you love. Anything can happen on the road whether you are in your car, on the motorcycle or walking across the street. Stay aware. Stay alert. SEE - scan, evaluate, execute - and be seen. ATGATT! Do what you love. Love what you do. And kiss your loved ones every day.

Ride, have fun, and come home at the end of the day. :-)

Grrrr... grumpy me

So, the story in the previous post just got worse and worse and began my downward spiral into grumpiness.

The good news is there is absolutely nothing wrong with the bike. The bad news is my memory is worse than I thought and ain't getting any better. After determining that my gas tank was actually empty, I thought, ok, I was just distracted by the extra miles and forgot to fill up on the way back home. But then, I found a receipt proving that I did fill up that day. So, we wondered what could it be. I posted on the Rebel board looking for advice which was promptly given. (I am so glad I have them!) Obviously my gas tank was empty so what could have happened? What indeed.....

What happened was, I rode more after filling up. And I forgot all about it. I filled up, proved by the receipt, on 1/19. I'd forgotten about my ride to Boulder to play hooky from work to watch the inauguration on the 20th. I rode quite a bit that day. But, it must have slipped my mind. Anyway, bike problem solved.

Lately I've been quite grumpy after driving my cage to work everyday. I find myself swearing at other drivers (which is normal really) but it puts me in a not so happy mood after arriving at my destination (work or home). Sigh. I need some warm weather so I can get some good vibes and good miles on the moto! It has been warm and sunny but really windy too. Really windy. Too windy to ride. For me anyway. Grrr. Maybe Sunday I can get a good ride in.

Paying attention - acting or reacting?

So, the other day, on the way home from work, I had this experience where I correctly evaluated a situation but chose not to take evasive action. Turned out fine, no problem at all but it was a situation that given again, I would have done differently. Here is a crudely drawn map showing the situation.

I am the yellow motorcycle following a safe distance behind the red car. Following a safe distance behind me is the purple car. There is no other traffic behind it. The red car signaled its intention to turn right. I travel this route every day and am usually in this lane and am anticipating cars making this turn, either onto the street or into the parking lot of the vet on the corner. As I scanned in anticipation, I noticed the blue car wishing to leave the parking lot and make the right turn onto Broadway. What I've determined is that the red car will probably also see the blue one and might make the turn more slowly into the parking lot and that I would have enough time to slow down. I've also determined that there is no traffic in the lane to my left and that it would be safe to change lanes should the red car decide to stop. I've also determined that the purple car is also slowing and is also far enough behind me to not pose a problem should I change lanes.

All of those deductions were accurate and indeed the red car did slow a lot and nearly came to a stop wishing to allow the blue car to leave the parking lot before it entered.

However, despite the fact that I made the proper evaluation, I maintained my position and did not slow nearly enough in time for all of it to play out. I didn't have to slam on the brakes and didn't even almost rear end the red car, but I put myself in a position that I should not have been in. I didn't react to my own correct interpretation of the situation.

Was I distracted? Not really listening to myself? Was I simply not really paying attention? Thinking about it shortly after the event played out, and it was hardly an event, I think I was just thinking of too many other things. I was not yet out of town but was still processing my day while on the bike. What I should have been doing was processing my ride as it was happening.

And it wasn't a close call by any stretch but just something that made me realize that I wasn't listening or paying attention. I was too comfortable in the predictability of the route perhaps. I need to not just pay attention but be fully engaged and ready to act and not just react.

A good lesson and not a painful one.