3rd Day

Well, we made it through the 3rd day with no major issues. My fear of course is locking up the front brakes again.  so unfortunately I am not using all my front brake, the cool thing is I am building some confidence back on thinking about the 7 things you have to do while breaking.  I am not the only one struggling either, everyone is , because it is a planned near accident with an escape plan. At least I stopped trembling.
We did a lot of counter steering which came pretty easy, for most of us.Now the exercise you see in this picture below, is a real stickler, its called the  Sickle....I remember from last class how much I detested it and so did others. I saw many a bike dropped in this one.

What it is, is that you are stopped with your front wheel  pointed left., and then having to switch right immediately to go into a sharp you turn out.. Sound simple, looks simple, but as Abdul, the racer  who wanted to pack  it in for the day as he already had had enough. We convinced him to stay and try and he could  be the first to enter,...not so easy after all. All in fun, he stuck  it out for the rest of the day.

We spend the afternoon going through the whole proficiency course working on areas any of us had prolems with. We lost one gal, she was just burned out by noon, had had enough. Hopefully she will return tomorrow. Also we lost a guy, due to work, but I am sort of wondering, if it was do to the fact, it wasn't going to well. We shall see. As for the gal that is having so much trouble, you have to give here credit for taking the course, and she has learned alot now just needs to practice it maybe in bigger measurements on her own bike.

I love the teachers, the are alot of fun, and very very patient, no one feels intimidated by them at all. Gotta run now, wish us luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day two....F.I.N.E.

Day 2

The day starts out looking not to good weather wise. It was for sure rain gear day. We all arrive at 8am sharp. Most were still hurting from the day before. Biird and I were ready to do it!! Excited, feeling good, and doing good as we went through all the exercises from the day before. I didn’t seem to be having any trouble, after the first couple attempts at any exercise, other than keeping the steady even throttle and friction zone. Sure we are knocking down the odd cone as we become comfortable with each exercise. I was amazed at how well she was doing as I never saw her do it before other then in the beginning back in Campbell River, when I was teaching her the RLAP. The great thing about Biird is she has had no bad habits to break. From RLAP to NWMS, to NWMS.

I had remembered all the dreaded exercises from the last class that was giving me a hard time. The Dog Bone…I hated it, still don’t like it but the first 4 attempts I didn’t knock a cone down. Then came the Eliminator, Biird and I call it the wall of shame, it is doing U-turns at a cement wall. Boy, do you have to use the head and eye to the fullest there. Actually all these exercises you do. Sharp u-turns left and right some seem harder but its mind over matter.

Of course because we have taken the class before, it is coming easier. One gal is really struggling and can’t seem to not look at the cones or keep her feet up. I feel bad for her but proud of her for attempting this class, admitting she is having trouble. I see her turning her head now but then she looks down. It will be interesting to see how she makes out at the end of the class. I tell ya she is a trooper and says she is bruised everywhere.  I know she is exhausted as are the men even. For me I just get more wound up and want to keep going. Biird and I seem to feed off each other and keep going.

Okay so all is going great, except for the fact, it’s raining now and Ed says…Okay it is time to go to the braking. I HATE BRAKING…I said, and I do. It’s not that I hate braking; it is something we all have to do. I hate being tested on braking as I started to have flash backs of 2 years ago when I couldn’t get the timing right. I was 2 seconds short. Mind you in was about 100 degree out we were dead exhausted and I just couldn’t get it.  Anyway, off we went, trying to remember... if you lock up your front, release and reapply, if you lock up the back, keep it locked. Easy peasy…no problem!! First couple runs…good job. I rode away with a huge smile on my face thinking I can do it. This is going to be a piece of cake. Hell, I do it on the highway all the time…Wrong!!!

It was my turn, to show the class what NOT to do!! Keeping in mind you have this one area you have to stop in, the roads are slick, I am talking to myself, picking up a little more speed as I know in the end we have to go 40 not 25, feeling cocky you might say, and then the last thing I remember is hearing my head hit the road, it felt like I was sliding down the pavement, with bike still in hand traveling behind it. Crap!! I’ve gone and done it now I thought to myself; I had this instant pain, in my elbow, right buttocks and was afraid to move. The sound of the crashing bike could be anywhere, hit anyone. There were two gals there, one a motor officer and one an officer, plus of course our instructors. They came over and everyone is telling me not to move. I honestly didn’t think I was going to be able to at first. It took the too of them to get me up and over to my bike. What hell did I do??? I locked up my back brake didn’t I…No Flo, ya locked up the front. Holy Crap!! Sure don’t want to do that again, but someone had to show, them what not to do! Once I realized, I was just badly bruised and was going to have to suck it up Princess to finish the day. I started to fell better. Off I went, to sit on some ice packs for the butt, elbow and ribs. Biird came over to help and give me a big pep talk that things would be okay. By the time everyone finished their practicing it was almost time to go for lunch. I could barely walk by then. Bob the instructor comes over and says…Hey there Crash, are ya FINE?? F.I.N.E. F’D UP-INSECURE-NEUROTIC-EXCITABLE LOL!! I say the entire above but exhausted instead of excitable.

Lunch was a good rest for everyone, but getting up was the hard part, so I knew as long as I was on the bike I could still do the exercises, it actually helped with the bruised rib.

Everyone was great to help me swing my leg off when I had to get on the bike.

I didn’t beat myself up too much mentally, what was done was done, secretly hoping we would not have to go back and do more braking for the rest of the day. At one point Ed suggested it and Bob says no, it’s too slick I think. Oh what a relief!!

They added some new exercises, now you could really see things take shape what we were in for the final day. We would go from one to the next and keep practicing. If anyone needed help in any area, they were there for you. I wanted to play follow the leader, so Biird and I followed Ed while we were being filmed. We were doing pretty darn good and feeling darn good. The thing about following the leader you are not over thinking of tire placement, you are just following. Especially if it is an instructor, you got to be very aware.

Two of the guys went home early because they were tired. The other gal she was just done too, but hung around to watch and learn and take videos. Okay so we followed Ed, now I wanted me and Biird to go through all the obstacles. We were doing awesome, just the two of us, for quite sometime, I was smiling doing stuff I had never done, wondering if she was going to make it. It was so great playing with her. I knew the students and teachers were watching us and tried hard not to look. At one point, Biird left to avoid a cone, and in jumped the instructor Bob. He was following me. I was showing off, it felt good, I had it, was doing it. Biird jumps back in, we were doing it, we were dancing like Angels…Whooo Hooo!!!

Biird originally said she was going to go home early too as people were leaving and she had along ride home. She is an addict, just like me. Now here is the funny part. I knew we were frickin exhausted, but couldn’t seem to stop. I was getting a little sloppy, but we still had 40 minutes to play. We wanted to follow Bob again, after we finished what we were doing. Whelp, I hit one of those big cones going through the barrel exercise , it knocked me over hard as hell, right on my soar elbow. Remember, when one rider goes down, you have to get off your bike to help them pick it up, which ever is the closest. Biird to the rescue!! Yikes Biirdie, put your kickstand down first would ya????

I knew for sure I was going to have a hellova bruise on my elbow, but I couldn’t stop laughing, neither could she. Bob walks over and says…So I guess you are done now eh Flo, we wont be playing follow the leader!!! Biird and I just looked at him with a frown and said …Hell no, let’s get fueled up and ride! WTG girls!!! We went to full up, had to take a rubber hammer to the bent highway bar, and off we went!!

What a ride!!!!

NEXT DAY…In the truck again, back to Grand Forks, feeling pretty darn good as far as bruising and all. I believe getting back in the iron saddle and moving it all around help tremendously. I can’t wait till next weekend to go back!!

Day one North West Motorcycle School

Well getting ready for day to as I gaze out the window hoping the rain will go away, so that we can have a little more fun in the parking lot. We survived day 1 as I new we would but was very concerned of how we would survive it, especially after not practicing any for the last couple of years. The last time I practiced was in Cheyenne, Wyoming with Doc for about 10 minutes before we did a demo for the rest of the Conga gang. Believe I was rusty, and didn't  realize how much I needed her to yell at me...Snap you head  Flo!!! I hadn't practice with Tanya in CR for a couple years either, any way, getting off track here.
Here we  were, we arrived at the same place for orientation. There was Biird all ready to go and with in seconds, there was Ed our instructor on his big purple gold wing. It felt like yesterday, me and Biird go give him a big hug and nearly know him of his wing. We stood outside chatting awhile. Ed told us there was 3 gals and 3 guys. Cool! He chuckled a bit and said, I don't think we should tell anyone that you two  have taken the course before. We were pretty excited about that and say yeah...That didn't last long because as soon as we walked in, Zolt, says...Hey Flo, would that be you. Here we have Zolt on the left and Ed on the right, fantastic instructors and patients like you would not believe. Never make you feel like a tool even when you know you are one, lol!

Anyhoo, so after the orientation we are off to the parking lot. Once I got there it felt like I never left, still had some knots in my stomach, but was so excited about taking the course and improving my skills, and more excited that Biird was with me. Now you have to remember, I had not ridden anything but a 49 cc scooter since September, so these bikes were all of a sudden looking pretty huge to me. Me and my short ass. They say ok  folks pick a bike cuz that is the one you will be riding for the next 4 days. Ha!..I quickly looked for the lowest bike and jumped on her. Wow, did she feel awesome. We got to play and get the feel of it and then the fun began.

It is totally amazing how many people do not know what the friction zone is...Totally amazing, every time I take a course like this it is unbelievable to see how many people have been riding all their lives and winging it. It actually amazes everyone that is in the course too. I think it is great especially for a man, that can admit he has room for improvement in his slow maneuvers around parked cars. First off we learn of the gray area (friction  zone) and as many of us know you dont learn it over night or in one day. Believe me, with out it, you are not going to make it through. Believe it or not, you finally find it to make it through the day, not after dropping your bike a few times. Yup there was a few bikes dropped yesterday. One in particular spilled out a fair bit of gas, which I didn't realize at first the light it on fire to get rid of the spill. I just remember looking, thinking...yikes....who don dat?? When you are riding around, I can't really make out who is who, we all look the same mostly unless of course you got a pony tail.

Anyway, I was feeling pretty good, double checked had my little Angel stone highway. Zolt always says, when you ride your motorcycle you should feel like you are dancing with an Angel.. To me that was my reminder. So when ever I get tense, I hear his voice...like dancing with an Angel, and my shoulders relax and I do so much better.

With each excercice that came, I scope it out, listen to every single word they say, about using the whole area,  about tire  placement, and yeah....done deal. I am not saying I was perfect, I was nervous, but I will say, I was pretty damn good, lol. I was worried about Biird, and wanted her to feel equally as good. So there I was giving her my motherly instructors words before she enters the figure 8 for the first time. she looks at me and says...Flo!!!! In other words, I got it sista, and she did, she went in, and aced it. I have to say with out a doubt she is a faster learner than I . We both have the same huge will and desire to be the best we can, but she sees it absorbs and does it. I see it...hard to absorb it, and then do it and surprise myself when I do ...

so the long and short of it was, yes there is room for improvement, but I feel more confident but not over confident and cocky that I will ace it. It is that damn old braking that caused me grief by two miserable seconds and I don't know how many tries the last time. So I told myself, listen up girl, listen to every damn word, don't miss a dang thang. There is a reason you a having trouble, figure it out.. They all knew, the instructors that is, where my biggest problem was last time, in the braking., So here it was, my run, my turn, before me, I saw guys locking up their front and back brakes, and I thought no way, not this time...I did my run, and Zlot nodded his head, and said...Whoa Flo....way to go!! Away I went with a big smile.

That was when we did follow the leader and I kept right on his ass, he told me I was getting real good. Anyway it is time to get my ass in gear and get out to the WET PARKINGLOT this morning. It is going to be different that is for sure. I love this parking lot stuff and I love being in control of my machine... Catch ya later!!!

Northwest Motorcycle School with Biird

Northwest Motorcycle School

Here I am 2 years later, living in Grand Forks, B.C. I just returned from 3 months in Mexico on the 4^th. Now I am heading to Renton, Washington again, to take the Ride Like a Cop course again. I haven’t had much parking lot practice in the last couple of years, so I am nervous about taking it again. I know I can do it, it is only 3 techniques, I know them, I just have to use them to the fullest extent ever.

The cool thing about this time around is I am taking it with my good friend Karen Allen, whom I had met on Conga 2. She took the course last year and passed it, when she had only been riding a year. Now that is a whole story in itself. I know how hard this course can be even if you have had parking lot experience before. It’s more about having faith in yourself, that you do it right. Take control, be the boss of your Hoss as the Motorman would say, don’t let the bike boss you.

Some people would say, why you have to take it again, you have taken so many courses already. My response is…even the Pros practice. If you don’t use it you loose it. I don’t want to loose it, especially when you are riding an 850lb bike; you want to be the boss. It is also a hobby of mine being in complete control of my machine.

So back to why it is so special this time. I will refer to Karen as Biird, or Biirdie. We only live 4 hours away from each other now, that I have moved off the Island.  When I met Biird on line through my blog, she said to me…Flo, before I found you all I could think about was dying, now all I think about is living…to ride that is. Wow…in a long story short, Biird had been diagnose with terminal lymphoma and didn’t know how long she had. Two years have gone by and last year after taking this course, she led the pack of pink ladies to Cheyenne, Wyoming from Wenatchee. How frickin cool is that??? She is now in 100% remission. So, she emails me this year while I am down in Mexico, that she is taking this course again, could I join her. Financially it was not possible in my eyes, but how could I not. Especially with her, and know how much I enjoy it too.  So I caved in and made it happen, I am sitting in the truck now, heading to Renton.

I am so happy to be doing this with her, and apparently there are 3 other women doing the course to. Last time I was the only woman, this time, I think there is one man.. Poor guy, lol!!

It is this Saturday and Sunday for 10 hours each day and the same the following weekend. Stay tuned for pics, clips, laughing and possibly a little crying

Okay just had sushi with the  Biird, going over our last 2 year friendship and how far we come and how excited we are about tomorrow..Totally one hundred percent stoked!!!