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When people ask me how I started riding, I answer, “A sheer determination to ride and I was pissed off.”
Growing up, I had never been around a motorcycle. I was known as a responsible, nice, sweet girl. I was also a girl scared of most everything. Then, I met a biker guy. He was free-spirited, and not afraid of anything. He took me on my first ride and I fell in love with riding. And boy did I love that Harley. I couldnt wait until we could ride again. I loved being on the open road. I felt so free.
Eventually, after a few riding seasons, we broke up. I was addicted to riding by now so I found another biker boyfriend, Mark, shortly after and began making plans to ride with him. Unfortunately, we broke up two months later. I was devastated, not just because I wouldnt be able to ride, but also because I really liked him.
I was now facing the prospect of never riding again. Maybe, it wasnt meant to be. I wanted to learn, but I was deathly afraid that I couldnt do it. I would change my mind on a daily basis. Yes, no, maybe. By late March, the weather was getting warmer and motorcycle fever hit big. The ladies had encouraged me to ride on my own. They told me, “Its the best feeling in the world, and you will never go back to riding two-up.” The guys would tell me, “Start small, and buy a Honda,” to which I emphatically replied, “Its a Harley or nothing!”
I was now extremely pissed I had no biker boyfriend and in that sheer determined moment in my life I said, “Screw-this, Im buying a Harley and Im going to learn to ride.” I went into the Harley shop and bought a Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 Hugger. It was a perfect bike for me. Of course, I had absolutely no idea how to ride the thing. I signed up for the MSF course.
I was so excited the day I lifted my feet off the ground riding a Buell Blast in the Riders Edge class. My first loss of control came as I was shifting from first to second and froze up in a turn, forgot how to brake and ran straight into a concrete piling. I left the instructor with a near heart attack. I refused to be deterred by the mishap and by the end of the day I was very proud of the thigh bruises I had sustained from clenching that Buell so tightly. I did pass the class, but I wanted more training. I bought that very same Buell and repeated the course the following weekend.
Now, remember I had that still un-ridden Sportster at home in the garage. I was intimidated by that huge, powerful machine, yet at the same time in awe of its beauty. Having finally worked up the nerve to ride it, I lost focus while backing out of the garage and dropped it. I began shaking like crazy telling myself, “Youre nuts. You cant do this.” I called a biker friend who came over and taught me how to pick up the bike (a lesson that came in extremely handy in the months ahead).
With the bike now upright, we went out for my first street ride. It was awesome! I was a nervous wreck, but I loved that Harley.
My next ride was a solo outing to work. With my co-workers watching, I dropped it not once, but twice first over on the right and then right back over on the left. I was shaking so badly.
Again, I was losing the will to ride when Bailey, an unlicensed biker friend, insisted that both me and my motorcycle license endorsement accompany him around town. He rejected every excuse I could muster to avoid riding, telling me, “You have to go!” What a blessing that turned out to be. Little did he know that I was more dependent on him then he was of me. Each time Bailey made me ride I built more and more confidence in myself and the Harley.
A month later I was off to my first HOG Rally in Palmer 400 miles away. I rode a total of 1,200 miles on that trip, I on the Sporty and a brave biker buddy of mine on the Buell. Now thats a great friend! There is another reason the Palmer ride was so memorable. I got back together with my biker boyfriend, Mark, that I had broken up with six months earlier.
As my first full-fledged riding season came to a close, I went to the dealership to replace the 89-cent seat screw that had fallen off my Sporty. Two hours later I had traded my Buell for a 2005 Softail Heritage Deluxe. I really loved that Harley. Three bikes in five months! Not bad for a nice girl scared of everything. My mom says that when I was 5, I said I was going to ride motorcycles when I grew up. Seems I knew even then, riding motorcycles would be my passion.
This past June, on the two-year anniversary of that run to Palmer, Mark and I were married. Sure, he misses riding two-up, but hes totally supportive of my independence and totally impressed that I didnt settle for the Honda and went straight for a Harley-Davidson despite his initial suggestion to the contrary. I love riding with him. What a wonderful feeling to not only find your soul mate, but one who rides so perfectly with you.
So ladies, if this scared woman can do it, you can, too. Dont ever settle and dont give up on your dreams, whatever they may be.
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