Rocket ride

I'm in my 4th month of bike ownership. So it's kind of sad to admit that in that span, i've only clocked up 3 months of riding time.

Aside from the 10 days or so that i had to hide the bike for my parents' visit, i must have lost about 2 to 3 weeks of not riding to simple fear. Despite my progress update in the first week of January indicating improvements, i didn't mention that i never took really long rides. My commute to work takes 15 minutes each way. Apprehension - of dropping the bike, traffic, my frustration at not being able to ride smoothly - fueled the reluctance to really get out there, losing me a fair bit more practice than i should have had.

Really early on, there were days i'd get on the bike, and have so much difficulty just taking her for a jaunt around the block that i'd not touch her for 3 - 4 days after, because i was convinced i'd drop her in the middle of the road and die a dreadful death. So despite my planning a further ride for ever, it took me that long to get up to the hills to get a feel of the twistier roads, and even longer to hit Mundaring Weir road - errant fauna being something else to worry about.

I was seriously freaked out and i didn't know anyone involved with motorcycles, so my only help on this was the internet. Being someone who doesn't learn very well from books, i had to teach myself to ride again from 'zine articles.

However, a review of what i've gained at the 4 month mark:

• My hands don't ache anymore. It was apparently a strength thing - i can open jars on my own now. Hah.
  
• Gloves are still too short at the thumb though
• Cornering. I can corner at decent speeds. Still got my chickenstrips but i get a nice lean angle for the most part, and right hand turns at roundabouts are getting better as i get up the guts to take them faster
• Still can't lanesplit, but am not so scared of traffic anymore as have discovered that diligent observation and defensive road placement pays off. Have learnt to relax. Mostly
• General riding around is much, much smoother
  
• My first ride in the pouring rain yesterday and it was a long one. Got drenched, but i'm starting to think that as long as one is properly outfitted, riding in the rain isn't actually as bad as i keep thinking it is

I've been wanting to ride with others for a while though, because i don't push myself riding alone. Going to York, while fun, wasn't much of a group riding experience because i was on my own most of the way.

So i bit the bullet and invited myself along to a local riders meetup last midweek. It was called a newbie-friendly ride, so when i rocked up and tried not to fall off while parking (sigh), i was seriously alarmed at being the only 250 there.

Fully expecting to be left behind, i was quite surprised at the end of the hour, that i had not only managed to keep up in general, i was getting the thumbs up from the people behind me. The ones who had to deal with my lagging at standing starts, coming out of corners, chugging right at roundabouts and struggling to keep my road position. The pace was way faster than anything i've ever come across (my poor little beast has never been worked so hard!), but limits were observed, group ride rules were followed and the group looked out for its members.

My first real group ride, was a truly excellent one. Am totally hanging out for the next.