Yamaha Champ Day FTW

    Have you ever dreamed of having a track to yourself?  Do you long for some one on one coaching from qualified and experienced riders?  Do you enjoy having a full day on a track without the hyper-ego riders and prefer a group of like minded individuals all focused on improving their skills rather than mashing the throttle?  Hard to believe such a thing exists, right?  Well it does and it can be yours for the low, low price of $375.  

    I know, I know, it seems like a chunk of change.  I had my reservations, but I was lucky enough to have won a free Champ Day at Femmewalla, an all female track day event, which has the BEST raffle prizes at the end.  The guys I ride with prepare their wallets annually for my eventual winnings because what I get for free somehow ends up costing them hundreds of dollars to join in on the glory of my good fortune.  Sorry boys!  Committing to this class was a no brainer for me, as it was free, but I became very concerned that the boys would not get what they wanted from it and be a little miffed at me for urging them to fork out the cash and commit to a new program from Yamaha Champions that none of us really knew anything about.  Each of us are at different riding levels, but we all felt we had some plateaus we needed to overcome.  My boys are highly experienced, long term riders with ample street and track experience, but I am a fairly new rider, so I need improvement and guidance in many areas.  I have come a long way in less than two years of swinging a leg over a motorcycle for the first time, but bad habits happen fast and I am a huge believer in continued education, especially in a high stakes sport such as this.  For everyone, novice and expert alike.   

Buttonwillow Raceway.  
We had the place to ourselves!!! There were more tumbleweeds than people.

    We rolled into Buttonwillow Raceway bright and early on a Monday morning.  We were shocked by the lack of trucks, RV's, and shiny bikes that normally litter the raceway parking area.  We unloaded, rolled the bikes through tech inspection and then headed to the riders clinic where they go over some basics on safety, tires, lean angle, traction, and braking.  Everyone in our class identified as a B group rider, so they divided us up into small groups of 2-3 people per instructor.  There were only about 12-13 people signed up for Champ Day and around 6-7 instructors available at all times for coaching and lead/follows.  

    The day started with some very spirited lead/follows around the track.  They have the students alternate who is behind the instructor, having the previous one fall back as the next rider pulls forward on the straight.  They identify some of your areas of weakness during each lap, then pull over, give some instruction on track, and right back out you go.  They did two sessions with multiple laps of grouping like this and then pull everyone in for a break and class time covering different areas each teacher worked on with their students.  After that it was free track time to work on your skills with plenty of instructors on and off track to follow/lead you around, as well as, instructors parked along the track to view and acquire feedback as you ride by.

Group class time between sessions.  With an almost 2:1 ratio of students to teachers there was plenty of opportunity for personalized instruction both on and off the track.

    I was so excited when they let us free on the track.  I was having a hard time keeping up with the pace while working on the adjustments to my body position.  I was feeling really overwhelmed in the beginning in the group setting because I was surrounded by bigger displacement bikes and did not feel comfortable keeping up with the speed while making these changes.  It was a lot to try to think about while moving at high speed.

    Once they gave us the green light for free practice, they gave us 30 minutes on the track and 30 minutes off the track.  I found a great strategy for myself. I would race out to be the first one on the track so, #1, I could pretend like I had my own private raceway, #2, I could have some space to start out a little slower and get comfortable with shifting my form at a lower speed before the big bikes came flying by, and #3, not feel like I am in someones way.  It's a mental problem I have done a fairly good job of shaking, but on a 400 you always feel someone breathing down you neck.  "Ride your ride" is instilled in my head from my boys, but it's a skill that you learn in time.  With so few people on the track it was much less intimidating than a regular track day.  Everyone was there to learn, so there was a very amicable attitude among riders.  At times, though, it was hard to resist the urge to chase people, but we were there to practice and improve, not to race, so I think most everyone tried to stay focused on our goals, not the carrot.  

    The three of us are very familiar with Buttonwillow by now.  It has become our home track and we all know our lines fairly well.  It's the perfect track for us to focus primarily on our skills and not worry about learning the course.  For myself, body position was on the top of the list.  I am totally square on the bike and have really been trying to work on this.  Each track day I think I'm off the bike only to go look at the photos after and realize that it was all in my mind.  Having someone follow me around and critique me in real time helped me make those changes while on track, instead of making this grim discovery at the end of the day and having to wait until the next track day to make adjustments.  Second on the list was my foot/leg position.  I was on the balls of my feet, but I needed to tuck my heel in to the bike and rotate at the hip more.  Lastly, my upper body needed to rotate out towards the turn, my outside arm needed to extend, my inside elbow needed to come up, and my head needed to move towards the inside mirror in a turn.  I believe one guy explained it as I should "shine my tit light where I want to go."  😂. I believe that's a Neil Diamond song?  Wait, no, never mind.

    Below are a series of pictures taken at a track day at Buttonwillow prior to attending Champ Day and the after pictures are from another track day at Buttonwillow a week after we attended Champ Day, so you can see the progress I made from one day of coaching.

Before:  
Pros:  Looking through the corner, on the balls of my feet.  
Cons: Square on the bike, not rotating my hip, not extending my arms.

 

After:
Pros:  Getting off the seat a little, on the balls of my feet, tucking in my heels, rotating my hip out more, looking though the corner.
Cons:  Need to get off the seat more, could tuck my toes up more, upper body still needs a lot of work, but it's improving.

Different corners on the track, but in the "after" photo you can see I'm getting off the seat more, rotating my hip, locking in the outside leg, and tucking my heel.  I could probably scoot my toes back a hair more and upper body still needs some adjustment.

   

I can see a lot of improvement in my lower body in the after picture and some progress in my upper body.  A little more extension in my outside arm, but my tit light is shining on my tank, not the corner and that inside elbow is far to tucked inside and needs to move up and out in order to for everything else to happen.  I've been really focusing on getting my lower body in line.  I'm going to start to focus on my upper body in future track days.  Little by little I'm making some improvement.  At least I have their words of wisdom drilled into my head for direction.

  Overall, this ended up being a hugely successful day for all of us.  We were all smiles by the end of the day and no one was mad at me for dragging them along.  It felt worth every bit of the $375 I didn't spend, lol.  No complaints and all of us saw huge improvements when we returned for a regular track day the week after.  

    After Champ Day, I was able to move up to B group with confidence and ended up not only shaving a good 10 seconds off my lap time, but was dragging my knee in several places on the track.

Three happy customers!!!😁

    Their typical Yamaha School of Champions class goes for a tremendous amount more.  I think it was about $1k for one day.  It's pretty hard to commit that type of money when you are raising a family on limited means, especially when you have a track habit that is already consuming a good portion of your funds.  Champ Day is a much more accessible and affordable alternative and you get the same access to high caliber professional riders in a very intimate setting.  I really enjoyed having the opportunity to work with different teachers throughout the day and find the one that fit best with me, but also loved learning from a variety of different teachers and teaching styles.  Having different perspectives and approaches to teaching the same skills makes it absorb much easier than hearing it from one person.  Someone might approach and explain a skill in a way that it finally just clicks.  The tit light just turns on!😂  They make it very clear from the beginning of the day that this is YOUR day and do not be afraid to ask for what YOU want.  

    Even though I am a new rider that needs a lot of work and my boys are long time veteran riders, the teachers offered something for all of us and were able to meet us at each of our individual levels, helping us all reach our goals.  I would definitely sign up for this again in a year to help continue to improve my skills with some quality instruction and feedback from professionals that truly are passionate about helping, sharing, and growing others skills and making us all safer and smarter on the track.

    I highly recommend signing up for Champ Day if you are an avid track rider and want to refine your skills and get quality feedback from professionals at a reasonable cost.  If you are a beginner to street riding, they also have a new program called Champ Street, which looked like a great supplemental course to the MSF program.  I have no doubt their Yamaha School of Champions is an excellent program, far more detailed and structured, and great if you have an extra grand or two laying around to spend. 

A great shot of my man and I from Champ Day!  I'm so glad he agreed to come along.
Learning, growing, improving, and doing what we love together💕

    Thank you, Yamaha Champ Day for all the amazing instruction and attention.  We are very grateful for the time and dedication you've given to making us all safer, stronger, and skilled riders on the track.  Kudos!!  Look for their class offerings here: Ride Like A Champion

The Gifts of Spontaneity

   

"Spontaneity is being present in the present." -Wei Wu Wei

    When I set out on my errands this day, I had no idea the path I would end up winding down.  I had the odd week off from work and was busy catching up on my many to-do's around the house.  By Wednesday, I needed to mix some business with pleasure, so I threw on my helmet and gear and settled on the Buell for a little run around town.  Just before I fired it up, I had a little visitor.  I love that this little guy landed right by the "B".  His little butt was bobbing up and down on the tank, as if speaking to me in morse code.

I think he's saying ... "bee in the moment, bee present, bee here now."

    I desperately needed a ride, but didn't feel like committing the time to ride through Malibu Canyon, so I settled on a fun treasure hunt to get at least a few miles of wind therapy in.  I had seen on instagram a picture of a mural of the "Bernie Meme" here in Los Angeles.  It turns out it was only a few miles away, so I did a little 405 practice and headed towards Washington Pl and Inglewood Blvd to find the mural, hopefully before someone tagged over it.  It was super easy to find heading west from the freeway.  He's just chillin on the side of the wall looking thrilled as ever to be there.

I have to admit, I had a good chuckle at all the Bernie photoshop pictures that came out after the inauguration.  

    Turns out this mural was a few blocks from where I lived when I had both of my children. 💛

I especially enjoyed the photoshopped pictures where people had Bernie riding bitch on a bike 😂.  I think the country needed a little levity after last year. 

    While taking pictures, a guy comes strolling by smoking a cigarette and I said hello.  We ended up having a nice exchange about murals and things.  It feels like it has been so long since I've had the opportunity to have an engaging conversation with a stranger.  I miss it terribly.  Positive, random interactions are fun and often there is so much to be gained from chance meetings.  He told me about an organization called Beautify Earth and how they were responsible for most of the murals you see in Santa Monica.  He recommended I go check it out and so I did.  Santa Monica was just a hop, skip and a jump down Lincoln Blvd from where I stood.  Why the hell not?  I didn't have any locations, I was just wingin' it and figured I'd ride around and see what I see.  

    If ever I needed a sign that this was good decision, I definitely found it.  I mean, BUBBLES!!  HELLO!!!! 😍😍😍. I turned the key off and the engine quieted, as I lifted my visor a homeless man (I'm assuming) walked by pushing his cart of randomness (the reason for the assumption).  He turned as he passed me, paused for a moment and said, "That has a Harley engine in it, doesn't it?"  Well, sir, you had me at hello!  That made me grin from ear to ear.  I gave him the peace sign and replied, "Sir, you sure know your bikes!  Right on!"  That surprised me in the best of ways.  Again with the random, positive interaction with strangers. 💗

I believe this is just west of Lincoln on Arizona?  I'm not positive, but it's a cross  street off Lincoln Blvd towards the beach just after you cross into Santa Monica from Venice.

I'm doing my best to blend in.  Where did Bubbles go???😜

    As I left my homage mural and headed towards the ocean, I randomly turned down 7th St.  I saw this vibrant, pink, 80's infused Santa Monica mural on the opposite side of the road.  It was accented by a lonely, discarded Byrd scooter (if you know, you know) leaned up against a parking meter and a homeless man laying spread eagle, face down, across the entirety of the sidewalk, looking equally as lonely and discarded.  And most likely wasted.  I continued on, mainly because it was on the other side of the street, but also because it just felt kinda yucky.  I drove around a bit and ran into lots of stop signs and stop lights, enough to make your clutch arm quiver.  Then, highlighted in neon orange road blocks, I realized what day it was.  It was Farmers Market day.  When the city shuts down several city blocks of 3rd St near the Promenade.  Honestly, it's actually a pretty legit farmers market, but if there were a sign that it was time to skedaddle, that was it.  It didn't take long for me to remember what it was about Santa Monica that I didn't love.  I've spent some time here and while there are things I do enjoy and appreciate, it leaves me with an unpleasant aftertaste.  Besides, I had already found the mural that would perfectly sum up my feelings and the area.  I headed back to the happy, pink portrayal of the city, waking up the passed out prince of pavement with the rumble of my v-twin as pulled in.

I was hoping I could get a picture with the homeless guy sprawled out like he was.  It was just so striking and sad.  I also would have liked to frame the shot, so you can see the Byrd scooter better, but like I said, it was yucky and I woke up a man who was currently mumbling incoherently, so it was a snap and zap situation.  
Santa Monica is notorious for having Byrd scooters all over the place and people discard them randomly anywhere and everywhere.  Often in the middle of sidewalks, like our dear homeless friend, making it a hazard for disabled people and wheelchairs to get around. I'm not a fan of those things at all for several reasons.  I'll spare you my old lady list of complaints for now.
I think this was on 7th St near the Venice and Santa Monica Border. 

    Leaving the freshly awoken man to his mumbling, I headed down Ocean Blvd towards Venice.  Venice was a no brainer.  There are oodles of murals out there.  I lived on a walk street off the Boardwalk in Venice for a brief time.  I knew if I headed down Brooks Ave and turned left down Speedway, the alley that parallels the Boardwalk, I would have a variety of art to choose from.  I didn't stop at all of them, but I picked a few of my favorites to photograph.  

The rare sighting of a Saint in Venice.  However, you will see many Hare Krishna wandering around.

I guess this was on the corner of Speedway and Zephyr.

       I was in search of my favorite, and arguably, the most famous mural in Venice.  The depiction of Jim Morrison.  He is as iconic as this city, his legacy tightly intertwined in the Venice culture, which still reflects his vibe today.  This area is always moving, but in many ways stands still in time.  You don't need a way-back machine to revisit the past, you just need a trip to Venice Beach.

"Are you a lucky little lady in the city of light? Or just another lost angel?"
Such incredibly apropos lyrics for this city, then and now.

    A little further down, I spy the Red Hot Chili Peppers and hop off for a quick shot, letting the bike idle.  So many of their songs address the underlying drug culture and addiction that is so pervasive in this town and all of LA.

"And if you want these kind of dreams, it's Californication"

    Muscle Beach and Venice are synonymous.  I couldn't resist taking a picture of my muscle bike with all the muscle men and women.  Truthfully, I loved how all the orange complimented my pretty rims.

   

That girl knows a pretty bike when she sees one.  Even Mr. Muscle can't draw her gaze away.

    I was getting to the end of Speedway, but I couldn't pass up this classic mural of the Governator in his chonies.  It's hard not to chuckle.  I can't help but wonder  who lives in Arnold's crotch?  If I lived there, I'd have an awful time not reaching out my window and sticking "something" on the wall.  Use your imagination kids.  Make sure it's your dirty one. 😂

 

 I'll be back, Venice.  Stay weird!

    As much as I wanted to stop and do a little lap down the Boardwalk, hunger was knocking on my belly.  I swung by the bank, so I could still count this as an errand run, and headed home for a bite to eat.  There was still some daylight left and I had one more thing on my list of to-do's.  I was having so much fun cruising around exploring the local beach towns that I genuinely wanted to continue on this adventure.  

    One thing I noticed immediately as I set out towards the South Bay, is the lack of murals in the more "upscale" beach towns.  You definitely find more art in the areas that are more seedy, for lack of a better word.  It's disappointing.  I think the affluent areas are a bit too uptight and regulated to allow color and art to decorate the streets.  It's not as bad as some cities in the valley where everything must be a similar shade of beige, but you can feel it's restriction of free, artistic expression and there is an air of compliance and order.  It took me a bit of exploring before I stumbled on this stunning piece on the side of Hermosa Beach Brewing Company.  I mean, it's a brewery, I'm definitely stopping!

I absolutely love this piece.  I'm a surfer at heart.  I love having my two passions in one picture together.  Now I need to go back and try their beer. 😛

    

    On towards Redondo Beach, where I know Wyland, the infamous marine artist, has painted a beautiful and enormous mural of the grey whale migration that has been towering over the oceanfront drag near King Harbor for many, many years.  It is an iconic backdrop for the city that beautifully disguises the industrial power plant that sprawls out behind it.  Sadly, it is far too big, covered by trees, and there's no great place to park to get a decent shot.  I have heard rumors that it is to be painted over and the power plant is potentially set to shut down (read more about the debacle here if you're interested), so I highly recommend a trip to come see it in person before it is gone for good.   Redondo has been getting a little crazy on their path to renovate and revitalize their pier and Fishermans Wharf over the past few years.  It has been met with much controversy, understandably so.  King Harbor, which by the way is my favorite pier to visit, has always been a little bit dingy and raw, but therein lies its beauty.  On any given weekend you could walk around and see families enjoying time together on the pier, playing games at the (now closed for good) Fun Factory, and listen to live mariachi bands while slurping down some oysters or crab legs with a cold beer at Quality Seafood.  Clearly, I'm not for the renovation.  It's meant to be the way it was, that's what made it wonderful and accessible to so many.  It's a multicultural melting pot where everyone could come and enjoy a little food, fun, and a nice ocean breeze without breaking the bank.  I'm sure many of the other businesses that adorn that wooden wharf will soon follow the fate of the Fun Factory, as they are driven out by increasing rent and the financial impact from covid.  I guess everything can't stand still in time like it seems to on the Venice Boardwalk.

    After realizing I couldn't get a shot of the Whale Wall, I flipped around and headed up Hernando St, back towards Manhattan Beach to catch the sunset near home. Apparently, It's been a while since I have been down that street.  The whole wall that  blocks another side of the power plant mentioned above, has little sections of murals along it.  If you know me, you know I love (borderline obsessed with) The Simpsons.  I was so stoked when I found this mural!!  It was the perfect piece to end my day of mural hunting through the local beach cities.

Accurate depiction of me when I see my bike after too many days of not riding. 😛
I think this might be my favorite. 💖

    With the sun slipping down below the clouds, I made my way towards Manhattan Beach Pier, hoping that it being Wednesday and rather chilly, would secure a spot for me in the lot with a birds eye view of the sunset and pier.  After a day like today, I had no doubt the perfect spot was waiting for me to roll in, relax, and watch the beauty of the day sink into to the sea and into me.

It's easy to get lost and overwhelmed in the fast pace and pressure of living and surviving in this city.  It's moments like these when I am filled with so much gratitude and love for this place that I am so fortunate to call my home.

    This was one of those special sunsets that went from amazing to phenomenal.  After the sun dipped into the sea, the sky let loose in color, and the clouds painted the horizon with shades of orange, pink and purple.  It was as if the universe was unveiling a live mural painting just for me.  I stayed until the last hues of pink gave way to deep blue.

I don't know who painted this mural, but it is absolutely stunning.💛

    I never would have imagined this is how my day would go when I pulled out of the driveway early that afternoon.  It's a reminder to slow down, be present, take time to listen to the signs, and go with the flow.  It's easy to get caught in the rush of the city and life's never ending demands.  Sometimes letting go of the reins and allowing the universe to guide you leads you on the most epic journey you may never have imagined yourself on.  I'm also reminded to take the time to be a tourist in my own city.  I have never gone around looking for murals or even taken pictures of them.  I've appreciated some as I have walked by, but never actively looked for them, photographed them, or learned about their background, origin, and significance.  I have lived in Los Angeles now for the greater part of my life, but I know I won't stay here forever.  A day like today helps me to appreciate what I have and I hope to continue to take the time to be a tourist in my own town and see the multitude of offerings and beauty it has available throughout its urban landscape.  Sometimes it takes a sunset to recognize the highlights of every city, see all its many colors, dark and light, to appreciate the beauty they behold.

    I took a short video of the sunset to capture this beautiful moment to share.  Absolutely no filter, just pure sol.

    I hope you enjoyed following me on my spontaneous mural adventure through the streets of Los Angeles.  I enjoyed myself so much I may even do this again sometime.  Hopefully this inspires you to have an adventure of your own, be a tourist in your own town, or just pull out  of your driveway and go wherever the wind blows.  Adventure awaits those who meet it with an open heart and open mind.  

Learning to Ride With Life's Twists and Turns

    "Life is not always perfect.  Like a road, it has many bends, ups, and downs, but that's its beauty." 

    -Amit Ray

Lassen Volcanic National Park

 

    Life is full of surprises.  Some welcome, others not so much, but it's these unexpected side roads that life leads you down that seem to shape us the most.  The things we aren't ready for push us out of our comfort zone and require us to react and adapt in ways we haven't prepared for.  They highlight our areas of strength and weakness.  We have to think on our feet, be in the moment, and hope we make good decisions as we navigate through these uncharted areas presented to us. 

    At 44 years young, I am no stranger to life's little surprises.  As a single mother of two, I can say for sure that life didn't go exactly as planned.  There is no white picket fence, no husband, there isn't even a dishwasher.  As it turned out, I was pretty content this way.  A surprise side road I ended up continuing down and enjoying, even with it's struggles.  After many years of being single, another unexpected road appeared.  I fell in love with a long time friend and amazing human.  I continually wonder how I got so lucky to have his attention and admiration.  This has been the most fun surprise road I have wandered down to date. This turn has presented a road with so many branches to so many areas of myself that I never would have explored.  His favorite method of travel was light and on two wheels.  I never had the desire to ride motorcycles.  I favored four wheels and had the cage mentality that it was an unsafe method of transportation.  Being that he was a very experienced rider, I had great trust in him.  Being the adventurous and curious person I am, I reluctantly, but willingly swung my leg over the back of his bike one day, wrapped my arms tightly around him, and let him whisk me off down the road and into my future.

My kiddos and I in Big Sur

A little cruise on the back of his bike around a bit of the Grand Canyon before I learned to ride myself.

    I don't know when it happened.  When my mind changed, when I stepped out of my cage and decided I needed to learn to ride.  I wanted to hold the handlebars and feel the wind head on.  Before I knew it, there I was at 42, sitting on a rental BMW 310, picking my feet up on the pegs, and turning the throttle on my own for the first time.  I started on a quiet little street.  Back and forth, back and forth. Another rental and a permit in hand, I ventured into traffic.  Still pretty sure I signed my death certificate and was going to leave my children motherless, I enrolled in a MSF class at Bartels Harley Davidson to get more coaching.  I had two amazing teachers, got some quality riding instruction, and walked away with my M1 license.  Feeling confident as I entered this world of motorcycling, I did what any normal over 40 mother of two with less than 10 miles of real riding experience and no bike of her own would do and signed myself up for a track day at Buttonwillow Raceway.  I bought a used leather suit off a small man, some tall riding boots, rented a Yamaha R3, and headed to the racetrack. 

My first time on two wheels.

April 2019

Graduation day from my MSF class.  Ready to ride!

July 2019

   

     On the track I was slow, very slow.  And scared, very scared.  Life presented me with another amazing teacher from the TrackDaz crew, who was patient, kind, and took the time to teach me the lines and how to ride safely on the track.  How this day didn't overwhelm and terrify me and have me running from the track swearing never to go back, I'll never know.  Instead, I was exhilarated.  I wanted more.  I was on Craigslist bike shopping before we even left the track.  A theme that would repeat itself again and again in future.  They say be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.  My soul was all aglow that day.  Riding ignited a blaze within me and I wanted to continue to stoke the flames.

First time on the track at Buttonwillow Raceway with Stephen Ludwig kindly and patiently showing me the lines.  I look so locked up and scared in this picture.  
August 2019

    As a single mother of two, the idea of me racing around a track at top speed, commuting on the freeway, or cruising down steep and narrow canyon roads has not been met with much support or optimism from everyone.  

"It's dangerous.  You'll be hit by a car.  You'll fly off a cliff.  You'll crash and die."

"What if you get hurt?  What about your children?  Aren't you too old for this?"

    So much fear and and negativity.  It's hard not to let that filter into your head.  It's that fear that I'm trying to get away from.  I was literally trying to ride through it.  Obviously, I'm afraid of these things and wish to avoid them. I do understand my obligations at home and I want to return there safe and unharmed.  I also need to be strong, healthy, have a clear mind, and be allowed to pursue my passions.  I want to be an example to my children that you can do hard things, you can improve, you can overcome your fears, achieve things you thought you'd never be capable of, and find calm and peace in a chaotic world doing something you love.  I don't feel this is negligent or foolish.  I feel this is perseverance. 

    You see, I know fear.  I know fear all too well.  Life gave me another surprise 14 years ago.  At 5 months pregnant I learned my daughter would be born with a Congenital Heart Defect and would need open heart surgery at birth and throughout her life to survive.  She also had a tethered spinal cord that required surgery to release, and at one point there was fear that she had an encephalocele that would require brain surgery, which thankfully she did not have.  She has survived two open heart surgeries (she will need another one soon),  spinal surgery, two heart catheterizations, and later in life was diagnosed with high functioning Autism, ADHD, and anxiety.  Fear found a home in my mind for a long, long time.  It still comes to visit on occasion, but I know what it can do to your soul and spirit if left to fester and brew unmanaged.  I know there are things we cannot change and things that are far beyond our control.  I know now that fear is not one of them.  She is a constant reminder to not waste this precious life worrying over things I cannot control.  Not to spend life needlessly bound by fear and abandoning the glory found on the other side.  We can choose to live in fear or we can choose to face it head on.  Fear is necessary, but it does not have to be all encompassing.  As Nelson Mandela so eloquently stated, "The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."  I think riders are a lot like warriors.  We suit up, dress ourselves in armor before we mount our steeds and head into battle.  The warrior knows he will face danger and potentially death or injury, but he rides despite this fear.  He rides right into it in hopes to emerge through to the other side successful, towards the horizon of freedom. Of course, I could just feel this dramatically about it because I have to survive riding in L.A. traffic.

Post second open heart surgery.  Pretty sure you can see the fear in my eyes.

She is a warrior and an inspiration to me.
  

        

    A year and a half, four motorcycles, a dozen track days, and over 10,000 miles later I'm committed to this side road that once was foreign and daunting.  It has become a place of freedom, of peace, and connectedness.  I've had to overcome many doubts, face my fears, find courage and mental strength.  I continue to have a driving desire to be a solid, safe, and smooth rider, not just on the road or racetrack, but in my life, as well.  There are so many lessons in riding that can be translated to life.  Steady roll on the throttle, loose on the handlebars, ease on the brakes, look far ahead.  Just as in life we shouldn't rush in, don't try to force things, think before you act, and look at the bigger picture.  I believe it's this connection to life that attracts me to this sport.  

Recent track day at Spring Mountain Raceway.  I have made a lot of improvement in a year and a have, but I still have so much improvement to make and skills to learn.
October 2020

   

    As a surfer, I can draw many similarities between these activities.  Both are solo sports that completely connect you to the elements and you must learn to stay in tune, read the waves or the road, and go with the flow in order to be successful in riding them.  It creates harmony between your mind, your body and the elements around you.  Eventually, you don't have to think, you just feel and react naturally and smoothly.  You enter the zone.  It's not an escape from reality, but a connection to things beyond what we can see.  A healthy way to both run away and reconnect.  The perfect training ground for your mind and your will to grow stronger in knowing you can maneuver through whatever roadblocks or detours life throws your way and you can learn to navigate them with confidence.  It forces you to be honest with your limits and know when to say when.  To know some roads and some conditions are unsafe to ride through.  You learn when to turn around and find another way, when to rest, when to seek shelter, when to slow down and take time to appreciate the view.  You may break down or need to take a break and stay in one place longer than you anticipated.  And sometimes you just have to move on.  When traveling on two wheels riders have to be adaptable, plans and schedules have to be malleable.  As every rider will tell you, it is more about the journey than the destination, so you may as well enjoy the ride.

Taking a moment to just take it all in.  Maupin, Oregon with Mount Hood on the horizon.

Slowing down for the sunset in Jenner, California.

Looks beautiful, doesn't it?  It was a place of nightmares.  I almost met my death here at the aptly named "Hurricane Alley" along the coast in Big Sur.  It felt like my bike was going to set sail when 50+ mph wind gusts came bursting at me as I came around the mountain.  I pulled over and refused to move.  It was terrifying.  In this case fear probably saved me from a most certain disaster.  
(btw, Ninja 400's SUCK in the wind!)

No chance taking our planned route down PCH South this day.  The Dolan fire had burned up the itinerary.  We sheltered in place at our campground until we came up with a new plan.

    Maybe I am crazy to find this sport so late in life.  Maybe I am too old to be racing around a track or riding thousands of miles on nothing but two wheels and camping in the middle of nowhere.  I don't expect people to understand.  I don't need everyone to be a cheerleader for me and my adventure.  I do, however, hope that I can be an inspiration to others.  To anyone who wants to try riding, but has been too afraid to swing their leg over the bike for the first time.  Most especially to others like me, the middle aged mom who has given everything to her family and needs a slice of freedom and adventure.  A surprise side road paved and waiting to lead her into her future.  I started this blog for her and for me.  I never could have imagined 20 years ago that I would be on this two wheel journey today.  Now I look 20 years into the future and all I can see is a silver haired women, with a big grin you can feel through her helmet, riding off into the horizon with a destination unknown.  The future looks fun.  I'm excited for more miles, more smiles, more lessons, and more adventures.

I hope to continue to share as many riding experiences as I can here with you. Thank you for joining me on my crazy, two wheeled adventures!💓