Becoming A Biker Chick

[wlotus]

By 7:30 yesterday evening I had had it, but I pushed through another 30 minutes of work to make up for a slightly shorter day on Tuesday. At 8PM sharp I submitted my work log, logged off the system, and shut down my computer. Fifteen minutes later I was in my motorcycle gear and pulling off from the curb in the dusk to do a couple of passes through our neighborhood.

At the end of an hour (which seemed like just a few minutes), I had gradually broadened my scope to about a quarter-mile radius. I successfully navigated up and down hills, including restarting without stalling from a dead stop at a sign or signal. (I even remembered to cancel my turn signal...most of the time.) I safely signaled and turned both left and right in traffic. I both gave and accepted the right of way. I appropriately used the horn.

Not only that, but my mental exhaustion had lifted and was replaced with meditative calmness.

I have never been one to enjoy driving a car just for the sake of driving. Driving a car bores me. I had hoped learning to ride a motorcycle would help me appreciate driving for pleasure. After seeing how soothing riding was for me last night, I am sure I'm on the right track.

Comments

[sandokai.livejournal.com]

I can't believe I'm posting about anything other than biker chickdom on this post!

But anyway, do you have any dining recommendations for the Times Square area? My gf will be there tomorrow and she likes vegetarian and all sorts of ethnicy food.

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

Would you believe I don't eat out enough to have any recommendations? Oh, wait: there is Uncle Nick's Greek Cuisine (http://unclenicksgreekrestaurant.com/)!

747 Ninth Avenue
New York, NY 10019
Tel: 212-245-7992
Fax: 212-399-7027

Cross Streets: 50th & 51st.
Subway: C, E at 50th St.

Hours:
Monday - Friday
Lunch: 12pm - 3pm
Dinner: 4pm - 11pm
Saturday - Sunday
12pm - 11pm

(By the way, you can always send me private messages, and I believe my email address is in my profile.)

[sandokai.livejournal.com]

Is that your way of saying where you live is confidential?

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

Not at all! I don't post my address and telephone number, of course. :-) But it's no secret I live in New York City.

What I mean is, if you don't want to post something off-topic on a post, you can send me a private message or an email.

[audrabaudra.livejournal.com]

Yay! I always found being on a motorcycle to be very meditative and nerve-calming. It must be a combination of being so "in" one's environment with being totally "in" the moment, paying attention to everything going on, with thinking clearly about one's hands and feet and what to do to control the bike. All of it equates being totally present.

Enjoy yourself mightily! I'm going to be on my little Sportster soon, zooming around behind Ross on his bike. Fun fun fun :-D

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

Totally present, yes! I got more out of that one-hour ride around and around our side streets than I would have gotten out of any other meditative activity at that point.

I was nervous about getting back on the bike, because our MSS instructors made sure we were well aware of the risks inherent of riding. I used the temptation of a local park to get me back out there. One of the things I had a lot of trouble with during the course was slow, tight turns. There is a large parking lot at that park where I can practice that skill until my heart's content. The challenge is that I would have to navigate several very busy streets to get there. It stands to reason that the more I ride the side streets, the sooner I will be steady enough to safely navigate the main streets. So I'll keep taking it a block at a time until I'm ready.

[audrabaudra.livejournal.com]

You'll know when you're ready! I still remember the day I had to go get fuel for the first time--I was so worried about pulling up next to the gas pumps and doing everything just right to get started again after fueling up!

I do enjoy being totally present and thinking about NOTHING else. My mind goes a million miles an hour in a dozen different directions all the time--I'm so rarely present in the moment. The bike forces that issue, though, and it's therapeutic for me.

You'll get to that park to practice your slow, tight turns soon!

[acoustics1220.livejournal.com]

Sounds fantastic. :)

[queenlyzard.livejournal.com]

I do love to drive a car just for the sake of driving. But now I'm thinking I should look into motorcycles, too!