And We're Rolling

Daylight saving in full swing, I'd get an extra three odd hours of daylight after work each day, so as soon as I got home from work, I would quickly get my chores out of the way, throw some dinner together and get the kids fed, then round and round the block I would go.

I was certainly no expert, and we all have to start somewhere, so there were a few, quite a few wobbly moments and the odd tip over's here and there, but with lots of practise and determination I was getting the hang of it.

When the kids went to their father's for the weekend, I would gear up and head off on little adventures, travelling a little further each time. Before I knew it, I was out all day, and then out all day both days of the weekend. I had found my happy place. All my troubles and cares would simply go away. I'd be concentrating so much on what I was doing and where I was gong, working on getting better and more confident with each ride. Keeping up with the traffic, starting without stalling, stoping safely, taking that bend better, having whoo hoo moments all the way.

I found a couple of friend's to go riding with, they would critique me, and teach me things they had learnt along the way. I was having so much fun.

Motorcycle riding is certainly a time waster, of the good kind! Time would just tick by so quickly.

Before I knew it, I was racking up the k's on the clock, planning rides to be a little longer each time, missing turn off's and ending up way off track, but what adventures.

One particular day, I thought right, I'm going to go the furtherest I've been yet, and challenge myself. I like to set myself little goals and then just try and push a little further, push a little harder each time I've achieved the last goal. I'm planning a ride out to Lake Ferry, which is about an hours ride from where I lived at the time, and then I will head out the back roads of Martinborough and find my way to the Gladstone Pub. This is going to be about a four hour ride all up ticking touring through the back roads. What you won't realise is, there are some challenging roads along the way. I wanted to see if I could find my way to the Gladstone, "The Gladdy" a biker friendly country pub. I Know the Wairarapa main areas very well, and had ridden them many times, but I didn't know some of the back roads that well, and I know they are good roads to ride haven ridden them sitting on the back seat, I wanted to ride them from the front seat! I'll get to the Gladdy, I'll stop and have a cup of coffee then head back home. Well, I completely missed the turn off, and ended up way out the back of Masterton. Ironic really as I now live in Masterton, but at the time, I didn't know the area very well, and had no clue how to get back on the main road, but in my world, that's just another adventure. When I figured out where I was, I realised I had added another hour onto my trip. I was going to be late getting home in time for the kids, it was going to get dark and the wind was picking up and I had that hill to get over to get home.

Well!! it was a great ride, and a new route to ride, so I added this ride to my library of "places to ride.

I was was creating a nice little library of rides, I have made some maps up to show you where I would venture out to.

Six months had rocked around pretty quickly, so I could start getting ready to prepare for my next licensing test, my restricted test. You have to have held your learners licence for six months before you can sit your restricted test. Your still restricted by the cc rating of your bike, to a 250 but there had recently been some allowances made for higher CC rating of up to 600cc 0r 650cc I think, as long as they are LAMS (Learner Approved Motorcycle Scheme) Still no 883 for me! I didn't really want to spend more money on a bigger/better bike if I couldn't get the one i wanted. My Harley Sporty 883 - Thats what I was aiming for.

This leads me into a funny story, I have to share with you, I don't know why its popped into mind, but does make me smile. When my two younger children were younger, we'd be out driving around in the car, Jack, my younger son and I would spot bikes and call them out, oh look mum, that's a CR 250, there's a ninja 250, that's a GN 125, you get the picture right, my daughter, wanting to join in the conversation one particular day, yells out, oh look that one's a CMQ 375!!!!! I can't actually remember what she called out, but is was certainly nothing to do with ANY kind of bike. Jack and I look at each other with complete blank looks on our faces, and say WHAT??? She say's well you guys are yelling out letters and numbers and I don't know what your talking about so I just made it up! We killed ourselves laughing. Probably a kind of "had to be there" moment. but made me smile remembering that.

Anyway, I've started to plan for my restricted test, I have the date booked, I've got some time up my sleeve before the test, and I REALLY want to pass it as that will take me another step closer to getting my full licence AND MY HARLEY - So what's a girl to do while waiting for that day to come?? MORE RIDING of course!