Here's what I wrote...
I want to drive a motorcycle.
Shhh, don’t say it too loud. It’s one of those highly charged statements
that elicits a strong reaction, typically towards the “what are you CRAZY?” type
of reaction.
You see, I have had this dream
for many years. I had even gotten my learner’s permit more than 15 years ago. It
expired though. But the dream keeps
living. It’s my freedom ride dream and it’s a woman’s version of “Easy Rider” –
just me on the open road. Seeing this magnificent country in a way I never have
before. Also in the dream, I am a rugged woman cowboy and instead of getting on
my horse, I’m getting on my motorcycle and riding off into the sunset. Then
reality creeps back in. Oh yeah, I’ve never driven a motorcycle before. Who am
I to handle such a big machine? And how can I possibly even do this? Especially
since I don’t know anyone that rides or anyone that can teach me. But the dream
keeps living on.
Something has happened to me in
these last two years. Perhaps it has something to do with moving past age 40 and/or
getting closer to 50. I have wholeheartedly embraced these three special words:
“Yes You Can.” So yes I did. One day I stopped by the Department of Motor
Vehicles and picked up the latest Motorcycle Handbook and studied. I got my
permit, again. And since I had never actually driven a motorcycle, I thought it
would be a good idea to take the three-day Motorcycle Safety Foundation course
held at SUNY Adirondack. It was a perfect place to start and an excellent class
taught by two expert motorcyclists, Pete and Rich. I learned a lot as I got to
ride my first motorcycle.
Part one was classroom study
where we reviewed the basics of riding, managing the associated risks of riding,
and how to equip yourself with the right gear. There is a lot to learn about a
motorcycle and the equipment you wear while riding. We spent most of day two on
a motorcycle in a cordoned off parking lot specifically set up for
training. It also seems, there is a lot
to do while driving a motorcycle. More than I ever imagined. From the clutch on
the left hand, to the brake on the right hand, to the brake on the right foot
and to the gear shift lever on the left foot. Working all four in unison and
keeping your eyes ahead of you - it was clear, this is going to take a lot
practice and time. It’s also very important not to look at the ground right in
front of you as you will never go where you intend. On the third day of class,
we took a written exam and a skills-based test on the motorcycle. Upon successful
completion of both, I earned my New York State motorcycle license. Now, I had
my motorcycle license but no motorcycle.
Back to my dream. In my freedom
ride dream, there was only one motorcycle present and it was a Beemer. Some people
dream of Harleys, Hondas, and Ninjas – for me, it was a BMW. The closest BMW
dealer was in Troy. I got my license on a Sunday and I was there “looking” on a
Tuesday (it would have been Monday but they were closed). A tip for future
riders, if you are looking to buy a used motorcycle, June is NOT an ideal
month. All the good used bikes were gone by then. At MAX BMW Motorcycles in
Troy, I met Craig, the salesperson who helped me buy my first motorcycle. We
spent a lot time trying on bikes - which meant for me, just sitting on them. Craig
encouraged me to take the bikes out for a test ride and I just smiled. I shared
with him I only received my license two days earlier and I was not ready to
take them out for a spin. And as soon as I was done sharing this with him, I
found “the bike.” It was a perfect fit and a great match. And then these words
just came out of my mouth, “Do you deliver?”
Yes, they do.
I received delivery of my first
motorcycle about three weeks later and boy was I nervous. I actually just
looked at it for hours. It was a lot bigger than I remembered. I got suited up
with a helmet, protective jacket and pants, special boots and gloves. I live in
Glens Falls and the neighborhood streets with a stop sign at every block was a
godsend. I never thought I’d actually
hear myself say that. I got to know these blocks very well. It took me two days
to finally make it to second gear (the motorcycle has 5 gears). And on the
fifth day, I opened her up to 40 miles per hour. Feeling the wind blowing on me
for the first time was a truly wild experience. I wanted to secure myself to
the bike with a seatbelt but there was none.
The motorcycle is a complete
paradigm shift — from riding inside a comfy 4-wheeled vehicle to open air on
two wheels. My rides started to get longer and my journeys a bit further. I
actually made it outside the city limits and ventured into Washington County. My
friend Pat told me to go into farm country where there aren’t a lot of cars and
you can just ride. He was right. I always enjoyed Washington County but now I
was on my motorcycle and seeing it through a new set of eyes. My smile was
large. What I didn’t know is you get to experience all the smells of the
country and the road, too. The flowers, food cooking on the stoves and
barbeques, the clothes in the dryers, yes the manure too, but it was all
different. My senses were heightened and the smells seemed so much greater and more
beautiful.
I ended up taking a private lesson
with an expert motorcycle coach, Steve. He was amazing. The one-on-one was
invaluable. I got to ask everything I wanted to know and he helped to move me
to another level of riding. I put on 1,000 miles for my first summer. I was
excited and was proud when I put the motorcycle away for the winter.
This spring, I got the motorcycle
out of storage and when I took off the cover I said, “It’s a lot bigger than I
remember”. But that didn’t stop me. I made it over to a school parking lot and
started to practice. Slow maneuvers,
figure 8’s, braking, shifting — starting to build the memory again in my muscles
and reflexes. I have big plans this year.
Remember that dream of mine? It’s
still going. I’ve always wanted to go across country and see this great country
of ours. There is so much to see and so much to do. I bought a map of the
United States and it’s pinned to a wall in my home. I have started to place
markers on it to identify the places I would like to see. I figured these
markers will help set the roads to take on my journey to Salem, Oregon for the
BMW owners’ rally. I made reservations at a hotel there and have started to see
myself in Oregon. A couple of must stop places…Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota, a
horse ride in Montana, and many hikes in the mountains either in Montana, Idaho
or Washington State. I would also love to see friends and family that I have
been missing for many years.
The road trip across country is slated
for July 2013. You should know that I
figure if I make it to New York City, it will be much further than I have ever
gone. And if I make it to Pennsylvania, great, I rode my motorcycle to another
state. It seems just getting on the bike is success and I’m really looking
forward to it. I also keep getting asked this question about the road trip:
“Are you going alone?” I mentioned my road trip to a client and he said,
“Rachel, this has always been a dream of mine and I’m going with you.” He’s
retired, just turned 70, and has been riding motorcycles for 30 years. I am
excited to have a companion. He will be
coming up north the first week of June so that we can attend Americade together
and discuss our plans for “The Roadtrip.”
