I'm still reading Riding in the Shadows of the Saints by Jana Richman. On page 94 she says, "The relationship between motorcyle and rider is more like an affair: intense, charged with energy, demanding a great deal of attention and an acute sense of awareness. A relatively small mistake can have large consequences"

It's this small mistake large consequence thing that makes me the most nervous about being a new rider. There's so much to remember- T-Clocs, FINE-C, clutch, gear, brake, brake, keep your head on a swivel, look where you want to go, slow look press and lean in curves. So much to remember. I'm terrified that i'll forget that ONE thing that will keep me safe.

I struggle with wanting to be "good" at this sport, and in wanting to be "good" at it, i get lost in the persuit of perfection instead of focusing on being SAFE.

In Riding in the Shadows of the Saints, Jana Richman says, "The last thing a woman motorcyclists wants is to fit  the stereotype of the woman motorcyclist-- the one who can't make tight u-turns, who can't answer the question 'How many cylinders?' when she takes the bike for emissions testing, who most definitely cannot fling that tool packet open with one quick movement, pull out a wrench, tweak this and that, and get the bike back in working order"

I am by no means a handygal, but I have learned some things already about bike maintenence. I do know how to change the battery. I am also intriciately aware of how to change the spark plugs (including "testing for a spark" which was scary at best). I can do the little stuff-- checking tire pressure and the like. I can also change/check fuses. But that's about the extent of my mechanical knowledge.

I'm looking to learn more!

I ordered rain gear. I ended up ordering from amazon because i had a gift certificate there. This is the one i ended up with:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002MWU9EQ/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

I'll post a review of it once i get it and try it out!

And yes, of course it's pink!

So... MJ (my riding mentor) and i headed out to a Bike Blessing this weekend. We didn't end up riding because the windchill was 39...and then minus the 10 from being on the back of the bike and add in the potential for rain? Yeah no.

The blessing was interesting...but it was too "Christian" for my tastes, which sounds odd considering I'm an ordained minister. But evangelical-in-your-face-jesusjesusjesus stuff just makes me crazy.

It got me really thiking about the bike blessing i'm performing for the Furies in a couple of weeks, so i've been working really hard on how i'm going to word it all.

But then I got to thinking about the blessing of bikes in general...and how in some ways it seems incongruous--like aren't bikers supposed to all be outlawy and mean and stuff? Of course not! Those who ride come from all walks of life, and MANY of us are Christians, so why NOT bless our bikes and ask God to keep us safe?

Makes perfect sense to me! I need all the help i can get.

    So, a few days ago  I was out riding and a young person in an SUV (who was probably talking on the phone or texting) came into my lane and hit me. Her tire left some lovely marks Babybike's saddle bag, but otherwise, there was no damage to me or the bike. BUT I DIDN'T GO DOWN! I got the bike uprighted, I got myself under control, and I got off the road. I didn't go down.
    The extra fun was when the driver, convinced she had done nothing wrong, followed me off the road and tried to run me down so she could take a picture of my license plate. 
    There was no damage to her car, no damage to the bike and therefore the police were not amused by the call. Afterwards, and after the requisite visit to the police station to exchange information but to not file a report because there was no damage done, it was time to get BACK on the same road where i had gotten hit and drive home.

Um? Really? I just got hit by a dumb cager on my first real trip on real roads and now i have to ride home IN THE DARK on the same road where i got hit while my heart is pounding out of my chest and i'm a nervous nellie? Really?

Yes, really. And i did it. I got right back on the bike and rode home.

I had major nightmares for 2 days and anxiety for a week or so. My heart still pounds a little bit when i think about how bad things COULD have been.

So here are some of the lessons i took away from the day.

• keep your "head on a swivel"--always looking at what's around.
• don't get too comfortable or too confident. Confidence is great, but don't let it control you.
• ride with friends. Having my riding mentor nearby when this all went down is what kept me from  really getting upset or or completely paralized by the fear.
• Wear your gear-- i was fully geared up-- chaps, armored jacket, gloves, and helmet. Had i gone down i might have had a chance at survival. Without my gear? I don't know.

Ultimately, I'm still a little shaky about riding next to giant suv's on curvy roads, but I'll keep learning and keep practicing.

AND I'll keep wearing all of my gear :)