The Malahat is Easy to Ride

June 29th: Our Canada Day Ride

This was an awesome experience for me. To begin with, Vic and I met up with a few friends from the forum at the Husky Station, just 6 kilometers from our place. Ed, Carl and his wife, Lolis, and Mark and his son, Ross, were waiting when I got there, and since Vic was dealing with a customer, we had a brief wait for him to join us. The fun thing here is that these guys are called Cabana Boys on our Vancouver Island Lady Riders Forum. When it was time for us to head to Chemainus where we expected to meet Flo and Jenn (Draggie), Anna and Janice, I asked who was going to take the lead. The guys said: "we're your Cabana Boys, so you'll have to lead." And I did! I had a grin from ear to ear riding the highway with the three big motorcycles and Mark's spyder behind me. All of us had red shirts on, and flags on the bikes and we sure got some attention. I felt like the proverbial Queen Bee.

It didn't take long for us to see other bikes heading north as we wheeled south and we got big waves. Of course, concentrating on the ride and position of the bikes behind me, I wasn't quick enough to realize that one pair of riders waving at us belonged to Jenn and Flo. I was actually nervous about doing the Malahat. But that proved to be a very ridiculous fear because it was an easy and fun ride. Jenn actually posted about the ride on our forum, and I've chosen to copy and paste her entry here. She's right when she claims she's the only one who knows where we went. I can say that the twisties on the backroads out to Metchosin were far more difficult than that old Malahat. But they were a delight and had me constantly leaning my bike left and right. Thank goodness the Dragon wasn't hurrying through these twists and turns. We newbies would have crashed for sure. But she took great care of us.

Jenn's Report:

Alrighty then, guess I have to carry this on as I was the only one who knew where the hell we went!!!

Anyways started off with Roadie, Flo and I heading north to meet with the northern boys and the Chemainus Gals. We stopped in Duncan for gas and met the Victoria SCRC group. Many hugs and chatting then it was time to leave again.

The Victoria group pulled out before us and then the 3 of us headed north. We arrived at the meeting spot in Chemainus but the group was not there yet, so we decided instead of sitting still in the heat we would head towards them and circle back if they passed us. Sure enough we were almost to Ladysmith when this group of 4 bikes and a spyder all in red went by us. We whipped around and then met them at the origianal meeting spot. After waiting about half an hour both Anna and Janice joined us and it was time to go.

At this point we had: Myself in the lead, Jos, Janice, Flo, Vic, Gearjammer, Roadie, Blingos, Anna and Spydermark bringing up the tail for me. Awesome job Mark did for a group of misfits that never rode together before! We headed for Mill Bay and an Ice Capp break before heading over the Hat. A few of the newbies needed to psych themselves up for the trip.

At this point Roadie left us and headed home. The rest of us set a good pace and headed over the hat en route to Langford to meet others.

We arrived in Langford in an orderly fashion. Jos was bouncing out of her seat, so happy for conquering the Malahat! What the hell was the big ordeal anyways! Flo was still waiting to go over the Hat. We were met shortly by Wyz in her Ladybug as the pickle was being pissy as per usual (can anyone say that 5 times fast? I can barely type it!) Shortly thereafter we were joined by Tee, Gazelle and finally our baby, Mir. More hugs and chat all around then finally our Cabana boys needed to return northwards.

Thanks SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY BOYS!

After this a few gals headed in their own direction and the remainder headed out on a ride. So at this point it was Vic and the Chicks!

I lead the group out the back end of Millstream road, to Munns and Prospect Lake then out to W. Burnside, picked up the Colwood Crawl and down to the Lagoon for a photo op. Beautiful day and scenery and nobody was ready to stop. So we continue out Metchosin Rd to East Sooke and Gillespie Rd Ending at the 17 Mile for a refreshment. Great Ride and everyone did awesome. You newbies are doing great and we Mother Hens are proud of ya!

We headed back into Langford and Mir headed off to her home at Jacklin road while the rest of us headed back up the Hat (yes Flo we did the Hat twice!!Little playing on the way up the hill but all in good fun.

Over all it was a great day, great ride and great company!

Thanks y'll for coming out to play on our little pre Canada Day ride!

Cobble Hill Ride

I rode out to a party on Saturday, and I sure wished I'd had some kind of saddlebags on my bike. I had to stop at the liquor store to pick up some coolers (couldn't show up empty-handed), and these got put into my backpack. It's not lined, and the weight and angle of that dang box on my back was truly unpleasant. But the ride to Cobble Hill was delightful. The weather is finally hot. I had my little red suede jacket on and wore the 3/4 helmet. When I tried to put the full-face job on I thought I'd pass out, and have to say that it felt soooo very constricting in this weather.

The party was for one of the teachers at Stu"ate Lelum. It was a birthday bash for a great woman who is leaving us for a principal ship in Tahsis... a good 4 hours away from here. I'd love to ride up there, but apparently a good long part of the way is simply gravel road and I doubt that the Little Hussy and I would enjoy that overmuch.

Karen had gone all out making us a splendid dinner that included salads, barbecued salmon and steaks, baked potatoes and well, let's just say that it was yummy beyond belief. I'd allowed myself two drinks before dinner, and then switched to water. I really enjoyed this gathering with the folks I've so enjoyed working with over the last few months. They are truly welcoming. Karen offered to let me stay overnight suggesting wine with dinner and finishing my coolers, but I opted for a ride home. Vic was planning to escort me home, and I had said I would call him. But it was a lovely warm evening and I knew I could make it home before dark if I left on time, so at 8:45 I made my goodbyes and headed out. I think I might have made it halfway, keeping my eyes open in case I saw Vic. I thought for sure he'd be looking for me too. It turns out he was, but he was looking for a rider wearing a black jacket and completely forgot that I was in red, and my black jacket was in his own saddlebag.

I got home, made Mom happy that I was back, and settled down to read forum mail. Vic got to Karen's discovered I'd left and turned around. He didn't regret the ride, because like I said, it was a gorgeous night to be out on a bike. There wasn't much traffic at all, and the air felt so very good. Ah, the riding life is really sweet!

New Front Tire

We love to support local business, so we bought my new tire at Cedar Tire in, you guessed it, Cedar. We live in the Cedar-Yellowpoint area, some of which is considered part of Nanaimo and some of it, like our area, is Ladysmith. It's a terrific community with lots of trees, ocean views, and a terrific community of people. Cedar Tire doesn't however put the tires on the bikes, so we contacted Dragon Cycle, just across from the airport and about 5 minutes away from our place. I had mistakenly thought that they were a custom bike building and painting shop. But they had a display at the Cassidy Show 'n Shine last week Sunday and we discovered then that they're a lot more. They were great about putting my new tire on, though I think it gave a little trouble. It must have been stacked with other tires for a bit, and so it was a little out of round. That caused problems in getting a good seal onto the rim. It also needed a new inner tube. But Brent (I hope that was his name) was great about doing the job while I spoke to his girlfriend Christa. They do extremely great work there, and I'll definitely be hoping for a bit of a custom paint job on my Little Hussy sometime down the road.

Once I had the new tire on, I figured I should start to wear it in a little before Sunday, so I finally got a chance to ride into Nanaimo once again to exchange my cell phone. What a saga that has become. About 5 weeks ago, I needed to access my e-bill and was shocked to discover I could no longer remember my password. I contacted someone at Telus and got what I needed, but the rep told me that I should exchange my old phone. I admit it is a bit of a dinosaur as cellphones go. Anyway, I told her that I was happy with my existing phone plan and didn't want to spend money on another phone. She assured me that the exchange would be at no cost to me. I could keep my plan, but I would have to sign a contract to continue with Telus Mobility for another three years. I have their most inexpensive plan and expect to stay with them anyway, since no one else offers such a light plan. I went into the Telus shop and told the clerk there my story and she said that this couldn't be done. I would have to pay for it. Needless to say, I didn't do it. However, I was peeved that the Telus rep got this started only to have me disappointed in the end. So I finally got around to calling them again, spoke to a guy called Jeff, and he too assured me that I could have this done. He said they'd charge me $25 at the Telus shop, but that they would credit me the same amount on my account. Imagine how much more peeved I became when I went the 80km roundtrip back to the Telus store to be told: "Telus will charge you $25, and they can credit you that, but we also have to charge you $35 ourselves. In addition, it says right here on the file that you MUST change your plan." Those idiots, two of them by now, totally lied to me on the phone.

When I got home from this useless trip to the Telus store, I called and let them know how angry I was by this time. I'd wasted two 80km plus roundtrips, and wondered who'd pay for my fuel. I'd made it abundantly clear that I wasn't interested in changing my talksaver plan. I'd made it ultra clear that I wasn't interested in paying a fee for any change, and I'd be assured both times that the only thing required was an agreement to continue with my plan for another 3 years. Of course the representative I now, someone called Mel, had on the phone needed to get a manager involved. Within a few moments I was speaking to someone called Aziz. I went through the whole thing again, and he said he'd be writing a report on the two representatives who had made this mistake. I asked how that was going to help me. I explained again that it wasn't me who had suggested the phone exchange in the first place, and told him in no uncertain terms that I'm quite a clear communicator... for crying out loud, I have a Master's Degree in English. I know that I expressed myself clearly and repeatedly with both the representatives I'd dealt with.

Aziz was apologetic, and offered to send me a new Samsung phone. He explained a charge would show on my next bill, but it would also be credited back to me. He said I would not need to sign a contract, nor would I need to change my phone plan. He went on to tell me that Telus won't be earning a cent on me for the next year, since the phone value $150 was coming to me free and my plan costs me only $10 per month. Well, if he thought that was making me feel bad for them, he was wrong. I was only satisfied that they were going to exchange my phone, and after all, the whole thing was their idea in the first place. I think they want folks with the TalkSaver plan off their system and hope to suck them in with their promises. I wasn't about to be sucked in.

But as for the ride, it was glorious. The weather is so warm that I actually chose to ride with a three-quarter helmet. The full helmet nearly choked me in that heat. I can see that summer riding is going to be quite different than the spring stuff has been. I may have to start wearing a lighter jacket too, and who knows, the chaps might even end up being too hot and I'll have to go with just bluejeans. I'd better be extra careful out there. I wish the RCMP around here would make a huge effort to educate drivers about the fact that there are motorcycles on the roads and they need to keep an eye out for them. Too often we hear of cars turning left right into a motorcycle, and then the typical statement made is: "I didn't see him." I can only hope and pray that I keep myself visible!

Last Days of School

Wednesday and Thursday were the last two days of work for me at Stu"ate Lelum for this school year. I rode in on Wednesday, while James brought his car. We worked like maniacs at switching classrooms, with James taking over Cameron's room. Since I've been there on Cam's behalf, it was logical for me to be doing the work with James. But I have to say that it was a total nightmare. Cameron's old room is large, James had the smallest room. Imagine the mess of moving all the books, the tools from the carving classes, the wood, the art supplies, and all sorts of student work... and that's just the beginning. We took shelving units off the wall and re-attached them by the ceiling in order to make room for computer desks below. We also filled the dumpster!

Of course the new room Cam is going to need was filled floor to ceiling and I figure he's in for a huge shock upon his return. By the end of that first day, I was KAPUT. I'd thought of riding to Nanaimo to see about switching my cell phone, but in truth, well I really was kaput. I had numerous bruises on my arms and legs. Lifting and moving desks and chairs and huge pieces of lumber took their toll on me. We decided to leave the desks on the porch until the janitor cleaned the floor, figuring it would make the job that much easier.

I rode in again on Thursday, taking the cell phone with me and once again expecting to ride into Nanaimo. On my way in the rain began to spit slightly and the skies weren't looking altogether friendly, but I still had hopes. James rode in as well. It's really quite delightful to see two motorcycles parked in front of that little building. Once again we got to work, and this time we pulled out the paint to touch up some of the mess from moving shelving and the like. I spilled a drop and took a damp cloth to wipe it off the floor and to my horror the cloth came up black with dirt. That prompted James to take a little cleaning spray and attempt to see what difference that might make to a small square on the floor. Would you believe that the dark spots we'd assumed were part of the congoleum pattern were simply there from years of grime. Poor Philip was asked to scrub the floors over the summer months. He's done his best with a floor mop, but I think it's merely moved dirt around and never really cleaned it. The principal brought him in to show him James' clean spot and explained that perhaps it was time for the floors to be stripped and he might just have to rent some kind of machine to help him get it done. I felt really bad for him, but hoped he understood that he'd taken over this job after years of neglect and with Len's desire for a cleaned school, he's going to be in for a summer of work. He's a wonderful man and seems more than willing to do what he's asked.

Meanwhile the rain was truly starting to come down, so now James decided it was time to put our bikes up on the porch too. And he went and got a cloth to dry them off so they'd be ready for us at the end of the day. I was delighted when the rain finally stopped and thought I'd be able to make that run to exchange my cellphone after all.

By afternoon, I began to try my best to organize Cameron's disastrous room somewhat. He'll have to go through everything anyway, but at least I had some kind of order back. The work was well underway, and we finally managed to get desks back into James' new, almost professional looking, classroom. At 3:00 pm, I glanced up at the highway and saw that it was at a standstill. Phil said that there was another huge accident up at the Husky Gas Station. It seems that there have been more of those since they put the lights in then we ever saw before. People just want to beat those yellow lights and while one is turning into the gas station, another comes flying through. I knew that there was no way I could head north and expect to get home without sitting in traffic for at least an hour. I left the school at about 3:35 and headed south to Chemainus to pay a bill in Saltair. It was quite a nice little trip down the highway for me. Kind of a long ride considering the Old Chemainus Road is torn up at the north end, and riding all the way to Chemainus is the only way to get to that little part of Saltair which is so much closer to Ladysmith and was where I needed to go. Of course I then had to turn around and head south again before I could head north. ( A little rant here: Now I'm hearing that the road is torn up so that Pamela Friggin Idiot Anderson can have some land developed for her own liking. She also wants variances that will allow Miss Boobs to have higher buildings and to build closer to the beaches. She's an embarrassment to this community and I wish she'd just stop letting the world know she's from Ladysmith and that she'd buy and develop her land in the USA where she's busy going back to her abusive ex Tommy Lee. ) When I came back up the highway, I took the turn-off to the road running along the highway, figuring I'd turn onto the highway by the school. BIG MISTAKE. That road was totally backed up too. I guess a lot of other people had hoped to cut their stalled-on-the-highway time by using it.

I kind of motored along on the side of the road for a while, thinking I'd head back to the school and wait it out. But at one point I came up to another motorcyclist riding a gorgeous Honda Sabre 1100cc bike. We got talking as we inched along, and she introduced herself as Charlotte and told me she works for the Town of Ladysmith. I'll be calling her to go for a ride with her one of these days soon. She convinced me to stay with her and try to get my way onto the highway. I actually did not get home until 5:20 pm. As you can imagine, I had no desire to go to Nanaimo anymore. I'd ordered a new front tire for my bike, and figured I'd ride into the city once that was on in order to get it worked in a little before the big ride to Victoria on Sunday. I'll be doing the Malahat for the very first time. Am I nervous? Heck ya! Am I excited? Oh yes!

My Skulling Friends

Oh how delicious... my friend Flo has decided to add some kind of skull to her beautiful bike. She and another of the forum friends were heading for the Woodgrove Mall where there's a belt boutique selling, among many other things, skulls... some with lots of rhinestones. I thought it would be a great opportunity to meet up with them, and since I was somehow expecting they'd get there by 11:30, I set off. I actually got there at 11:00, early as almost always. The ride in was delicious, though I sure felt a few blasts from the wind.

I headed off to Starbucks (still thanking Pat for giving me that gift card for my birthday), and then went to get some halibut liver oil pills for the dogs. I went into a couple of shoe stores until I found some red shoe polish for my riding boots. But then, out of things to keep me occupied, I went to the belt boutique. No sign of my friends. I told the guy working there that I was expecting to meet up with a couple of biker women, and to make sure he told them not to take off without me. I seemed to be hanging around a lot. I wondered into one store after another, but wasn't really in the mood. I even went into LaSenza and tried on a few new bras. In between I kept heading back to the boutique. I waited until 12:45 pm and finally decided I'd better get home and get some work done. I really felt bummed about not seeing Flo and Linda, but what could I do?

After working on the computer for a little while, and trying to rehearse some choir music, I got a call. Flo and Linda were in Ladysmith. Linda had decided to go into Bayview Framing and Prints, figuring the folks at this gallery might know us, and sure enough, we got a call. Within 10 minutes we got to town and headed for coffee in the Ladysmith Bakery. It's amazing how quickly you can blast into town on a bike. And this time Vic came along for the ride.

We sat in the coffee shop talking, and of course began to discuss Flo's Conga Ride. She just didn't seem to understand why we're all so into this. I explained that while her ride was happening, I'd think of her and say some prayers for her at bedtime, and then wake-up in the morning to race to my computer to see where she was or if there was any news of her. Linda said she'd done the same, and Vic admitted that her journey was constantly on his mind as well. We explained that she'd gone and done something most people only dream of doing. Every single person on our forums, and many of our male partners too, lived her journey with her. She proved that you can do something that seems outrageous and crazy to others, and she'd put her faith into the universe, and it had responded in spades. She found friends every step of the way, and we all became friends too. I can honestly say that I now have friends in practically every State, and I know if I show up and tell them who I am I will receive an open-armed welcome. She has been a magnificent inspiration to riders all over North America. She might have been the one picking up a bike in Florida and riding it up to Campbell River here on Vancouver Island, but we were all with her in spirit, and the love that we all sent must have gone a long way to making this a huge success. We cried when she cried, we laughed when she laughed... though Linda had to add: "But we didn't drop our bikes in sympathy with you."

Here we were, 4 bikers, all crying in the coffee shop, and Linda said: "Hey Jos, whatcha doin makin a tough biker bitch cry?" Ah yes, some tough bitch! We're full of love for all the riders involved in this.

When we left the coffee shop, we decided to take Linda and Flo on a nice little tour of Yellowpoint Road, and actually managed to ride to the Malaspina University cut-off with them before saying goodbye and seeing them off. Linda's home is in Port Alberni, and Flo lives in Campbell River. It sure was wonderful to lead them through my local riding territory. We agreed to get together again on the weekend. It's Stephen's birthday coming up, and we're going to make it a family event.

You'd think that was enough riding for one day, but I no sooner got home before it was time to head out to the Potluck with my womens' circle. What a treat to ride there on my Little Hussy. Sheila was really impressed with my blond hair and my leathers. Actually everyone loved the leathers! It was a hoot having to tie a jug with soup on the back of the Little Hussy. I had a freaky moment when I tried to park her where Connie suggested on a hill. I felt like she'd slide away, and soon decided to move her to a safer spot on a terrace behind a wall. She's too precious to lose! So yes, it turned out to be a day of riding for me. A glorious day with friends to boot!

Vic totally loved Linda's bike too, it's a Kawasaki Drifter, a purple one, with a gorgeous fender. It's sitting here next to his... he just had to have a picture of the two Kawi's side by each! I have to admit I love the way she has it decked out. She's been riding for about 27 years, so I'm hoping she'll teach me a thing or two before long.

Fabulous Weather, Wonderful Riding

Wow, now this was a great day to be out on the bike. We needed groceries, so Vic and I rode our bikes and Mom followed in her car. The weather was perfect, and though I felt nervous (after all, I knew Mom was watching my every move), the ride went smoothly. I told myself to relax, after all, in another month or so, I'll be riding with ICBC examiners following me, and that ride will take close to two hours. I'd better be relaxed then, so this was good practice. And Mom was really happy with my riding ability!

We got to Costco, managed to make it a very worthwhile trip, loaded the car... and I do mean loaded, and then I thought we'd head straight home. Not so, Mom wanted to go to Save-On Foods as well. The hilarious thing is that she didn't actually need anything there. But we made that into a quick stop for lunch and enjoyed their deli. Then it was off to Wal-Mart for cat food and a few other odds and ends from their grocery section, and finally off to home. Mom spent much of her time being a protective follower, but at one point she took the lead. I was fairly close behind her, but apparently not close enough for several idiots to decide to squeeze in. I really wonder, do they see us at all when we're on our bikes?

The ride was delicious, and incredibly short for such a day, so as soon as we unloaded the groceries, we headed out again. This time Stephen came with us, and since we both needed fuel, he decided to hit the Chevron. They have a great high octane that the bikes really love. I can feel the difference when I use it: my Little Hussy just seems to sing and delight in speed after such a fill-up.

Then for the question: Where to? We headed for the Beach Hut at Qualicum Beach. Had I known we were going that way, I'd have contacted Flo and her brothers to see if they'd like to meet us there. It's sort of a half-way point for us, with Flo coming from Campbell River. The Beach Hut is a great spot for treats, including Dutch krokets. The beach is gorgeous, the surroundings are amazing, truly panoramic with snow-capped mountains visible both north and south, and lots of islands to see as well. I know my friend MaryJoy would be thrilled to sit and relax at the hut or on the beach! It's becoming a favorite ride just for that spot alone.

But we weren't the only riders today. My Spirit Daughter, Raven, spent the night and this morning her little guy (Mattias is only 5) had his first ride, and later Stephen also took Raven out. Mattias came back saying he didn't want a car, he just wanted a motorcycle. He looked absolutely adorable on the back of Stephen's bike. For that matter, Raven looked pretty sweet too. All in all, this was a fabulous day. The Hussy got some nice speeds up, and I feel better and better riding the curves regardless of speed. Yippee!

Riding alone is good for me. It allows me to concentrate on myself and traffic and it allows me to get into the Zen of it all. However, in truth, there's just nothing as wonderful as riding with my family.

Saturday Morning Ride to Cranberry Farm

Today's ride was all too short. Vic was setting up for a small craft show at the Cranberry Farm and I followed in on the Hussy. She's pretty today because she got washed and polished yesterday afternoon. I parked her and walked round to help Vic with the booth, and soon Grant and Justine came out to see who had come on a bike. They sure liked her, and made me feel great about having brought her over. Justine told me they had dreams of having bikes by the time they're 40, but they can't see that happening, cause they're already 37 and really don't see how they can manage that within the next three years. I had to laugh, telling Justine: "I'm 57 and just started this year, so don't get rid of your dream... there's lotsa time."

Such a little ride, but at least I got out today.

A Friday Run into Nanaimo

Well, I said I'd record my first year of riding, and so here I am. But at this point, there's really so little to tell. I took off to Costco to pick up a prescription. Since I've now made that ride so often, there's no real excitement anymore... or is there? I decided to do the back routes. Made sure that I had lots of stopping and starting, including some on hills. I'm delighted to say that I didn't stall my Hussy once on a hill (and that was a problem just a few short weeks ago). That's not to say that my ride was completely problem free, because I did stall the Hussy once. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I tend to slow too much for corners, and the stall happened when I was still in too high a gear for the slow turn, and suddenly the Hussy died. I'm so glad that there wasn't anyone behind me. Dang, this had not happened for a while, so it really got me down. But the ride along Hammond Bay Road and Stephenson Point Road was beautiful. I kept my eyes peeled for deer, and did see a few, but they were safely off the road and munching away.

Before too long I was home again. The ride helped me relax and I needed that! Ah, the Hussy is great therapy. And "Therapy" is what Draggie calls her bike... good name.

Riding to School

I managed to ride into school on Monday and Tuesday. Actually it started to rain on Monday, just as I was getting onto my Little Hussy, and I have to admit that I had a moment of "oh good grief, maybe I should take the truck," but then I thought about riding to meet Flo in the pouring rain and decided to go ahead and ride anyway. I was thinking about oil slicks and fresh rain, but decided not to let that hold me back. And as you know, seeing as how I'm writing about it, that wasn't a problem.

There's not a lot to say about these rather short rides, other than that I made them. However, on Tuesday I also had to go to my choir practice. We meet from 7 to 9 pm in Nanaimo, and I knew that the sun would not have set as I left there, so chose to take the bike for this too. The hilarious thing about this is that Stephen was worried. "Mom, it will be dark when you're riding home." I told him that isn't so. We have yet to hit June 21st, and the days are getting longer, not shorter, and since it has not been dark when I've left choir for a few weeks, I knew I'd make it home before dusk. "Yes, but Mom, it's at dusk that all the deer come out, and you need to be extremely careful." I started laughing, and said: "Hey, the umbilical chord has been cut." His answer: "Oh no it hasn't!"

In truth his warning was appreciated. I have to admit that I was really watching for the deer, though I didn't spot a single one. I found the ride home rather chilly, and windy too. But I had a great ride, good speed on the highway, though you really have to fight the wind on some of the longer sloping turns. It's all good experience and I'm proud of my independence. Stephen was relieved when I got home! Vic had not been worried at all, but then again, he's been riding with me a lot more than Stephen has lately, and he knew the chord had been cut.

It was fun walking into choir practice wearing my leathers and the chaps! And I know that I'm getting a reputation as one gutsy broad. Apparently the kids at school having been talking about me too. At the graduation banquet last night I heard that they'd wondered which of the teachers would have the courage to go out on the ziplines at WildPlay, and they'd decided that I'd probably do it because: "she's got guts." Nice to hear, and it makes me proud and happy to know that I'm not just existing, but I'm grabbing life with both hands and yelling wooohooo as I go!

Qualicum Beach, Fanny Bay... a great riding day with friends

A beautiful sunny Sunday, and a message from Flo and Dragon: "wanna play?" Oh yes, we did. That message on the Women Who Ride forum from Flo was all it took. We knew we were heading out a little earlier than our friends, so we made a stop in Parksville and enjoyed our favorite coffee shop (I'm going to have to reload that Starbucks card very soon). There were a couple of Triumphs in the parking lot we had to admire, and would you believe a Norton went by. That brought back some memories for both of us. I might have been all of 19 when Vic had his candy apple red 750 Norton Commando. The bike looked a lot smaller than I remembered it being back then.

It seemed that everyone who owned a bike was out there on the roads today... and they all seem to stop at the same places. We soon found ourselves in Qualicum Beach at the Beach Hut and I might have counted 30 bikes there. Whenever a few left, others took their place. The sun was glorious, and there were puppies playing in the ocean, and some kids too, but I have to admit the dogs were hilarious to watch. We even saw one on the back of a Harley. We arrived a bit early, so Vic suggested a ride up the road, and before long we were in Fanny Bay. I love the old highway. It runs along the water and it's absolutely breathtaking scenery. We finally turned around and headed back to Qualicum Beach, and sure enough, Flo and Draggie were there. What a treat to sit and have some nibblies with them while we waited for Flo's brothers who weren't long in coming. They both had their sons with them; a real father's day pleasure for them. We spent time chatting and looking at all the bikes and taking pictures, before deciding to start our ride back to Ladysmith. That was in good company, because Flo and Eric and Carl travelled to Parksville with us. We needed to stop for final Conga line pictures, wishing for an ocean view and finally settling for a field!

Then it was time to head for home and Jenn and Vic and I took off down the highway. Vic really put speed into this run, and I have to admit that I was a little freaked by the time we managed to pull off the highway. He's usually a grampa on the road, but my little bike was registering past 70 miles per hour... that's miles not kilometers... and we were weaving in and out of lots of traffic.

I got an email from Jenn (Draggie) who was behind me, and she said I'm doing really well, though she's got some pointers for me and has promised to ride with me and teach me what she knows. I don't mind a short burst of speed, but I felt like I had the throttle full out from Parksville to our turn-off on Brenton-Page Road. One thing for sure, I got a lot of high speed highway practice today. I also told Vic that next time he's in the mood for speed, he's going solo! There was just too much traffic for my liking, and though I managed all that weaving back and forth from lane to lane, I'd rather take it a little slower next time.

I am delighted to be able to ride with Vic. He's thrilled to have me for a riding partner too. Life can be so full and delicious. I seem to end many of my posts here saying that I feel lucky. I'm simply ecstatic. We've been blessed!

Ride, Ride Some More, And Then Some More

What a fabulous day. I had to follow Vic to the Maritime Festival this morning, to help him set up for the day. It felt so good getting out on the road and riding in... and I'll admit it, seeing the admiring looks of all the men helping to set up for the show. They're always somewhat surprised and delighted to see women on bikes. I don't particularly want to impress them; yet there is a sense of pride that comes from being a woman on a bike.

While we were setting up, I realized that Vic didn't have enough display stands, so that meant a ride home to pick some up, and of course a ride back to bring them. The small helmet that Stephen bought last year wasn't here when I headed out first thing, and I had to use the three-quarter helmet we bought last year. But I've become used to a full-face helmet now, and really didn't enjoy riding with my face so exposed. Did I need an excuse to go for a longer ride?

Well, I found me a wonderful helmet at Spunky's Motorcycle Shop in Parksville! Yep, a nice long run down the highway all by my lonesome. Once I had found a helmet that fit and felt ever so good, I had to ride just a little further up the road into Coombs to visit my friends, Lyn and Shannon and Shannon's girls, Kenna and Maddie. What a great feeling, going to Coombs on my own, grabbing my freedom and celebrating my skill. I got a great email from Lyn saying that Maddie loves my bike and the girls are both impressed that I'm riding! Yippee. Now that's who I do want to impress, young girls! I'm thrilled to set this example for them.

The ride itself was splendid. There's a section of the highway that lets you do 110 km legally, and of course traffic tends to go beyond the limits. My Little Hussy is so fast. She didn't complain at all when I gave into the need for speed. There were so many bikers out there, and I loved getting all the waves and giving 'em back--the camaraderie among bikers is really delicious! I was actually disappointed when I finally got home. I felt sad having to stop. But the house needs some cleaning and I had to start on that job (not that I finished it).

Before I got half the job done, it was (thank goodness) time to go and help Vic pack up. I managed to ride right up to our booth, and I saw pride on my husband's face. Some of our acquaintances came over to chat... I heard Trevor say "hey there Motorcycle Mama." It seems Vic has been bragging about me. Gail Middleton also came over to chat, and told me she'd heard from Bev that I've been teaching at Stu"ate Lelum. I had the new staff jacket on under my leathers and got to show that to her. I am feeling so grateful... this job and the bike... wow, I'm lucky.

Vic wanted to have a ride too, so once we got home, and changed my spark plugs, we set off for another ride. We enjoyed a nice coffee at the Starbucks at the north end of Nanaimo, picked up some milk, and then headed down the old highway. It was rather windy on the way up, so I chose a slower route home, down the old highway. That's actually great practice because there are so many stoplights to contend with along this route. We decided to take a nice long ride on Yellowpoint Road... a familiar path for me, but I am taking it much more easily then I used to and I'm delighted with my progress. I put quite a few miles on the Hussy today. What a fantastic year this is turning out to be. Yippee! Oh, I'm including a little video Vic took of me leaving for school on Friday morning. And one of me coming home too. The next time he takes a video, I'll be wearing my new "Darth Vader" helmet. That's what Lyn said it looked like to her. I love my new helmet! Since I need to use a backpack to take stuff with me, I guess I'll be saving up for saddlebags next.

Lucky Friday the 13th -- I ride alone!

I'm so delighted with myself. I rode into work again today, and I see the students looking at me with respect and even a little envy. We had a great morning, working on the beautiful art posters for next week's grad ceremony. Then we had a huge lunch delivered, Chinese food. We had guests, some parents, and the co-op employers and trainers to lunch and they stayed for the student awards ceremony. I was truly pleased that one of my students got an award for his artwork... though I was also disappointed one of the others did not get that award when I thought she deserved it too. I may just have to do a certificate for her myself! Another wonderful little tidbit about this day: I was given a new staff jacket. But this is supposed to be about my riding experience.

At the end of the school day I got onto my bike and headed for the north end of Nanaimo. I was about a quarter of the way down the highway when my bike ran out of gas. I had to switch to the reserve tank... but I was stunned. I had counted on getting to 130 miles on that last tank of gas, but actually only got 115 miles out of it. I'm hoping that changing my spark plugs will help. Golly, I did get 129 miles on the tank before. I was so glad that I was close to a gas station and could pull over into the left turning lane and get petrol quickly.

Once the tank was filled, I was able to blast along! Yep, blast is the right word. Traffic was pretty heavy, but I found that the freedom of riding alone made it even easier than it is when I've got to keep Vic or Vic and Stephen in mind as I change lanes.

It's a delight to pull into a parking lot, pull off my helmet, and see the reactions of people who just aren't expecting the rider to be a woman... let alone a woman my age. I had a delicious cappucino at Starbucks (Pat's gift for my birthday was a pre-paid Starbucks' card), and then went into the shopping centre hoping to exchange my phone (which I ended up not doing). Then I went to Canadian Tire to pick up new spark plugs for the Hussy. I have to admit that I even felt great pulling out my manual and going into the store to buy them for myself. After that it was time to go get my prescription filled. I had called Vic and told him I was in Nanaimo and he offered to come meet me there, but I really just wanted to do this trip solo all the way!

Traffic on the way home was even heavier than it had been going, but again, it seemed easier than ever. I can't begin to count the number of times I had to stop for lights and take off again, and all without any hesitation. My comfort level is definitely going way up, and there's a real sense of pride and freedom in riding on my own. Just writing about it here makes me want to go out again. Ah well, tomorrow morning I'll follow Vic's truck with my bike, help him set up for the Maritime Festival Craft Show, and then head home alone. I'll have time to clean the house and keep the studio open in the hope of some customers. More riding tomorrow. I'm happy!

June 12th -- Solo Ride to Stu"ate Lelum

I'd been waiting for the right weather to ride my bike to school. After all, the students knew I'd passed my MST, and I'd promised I would ride in when the weather permitted. My leathers were finally dry, the weather was clear, and I finally got my chance. My only complaint: the ride was far too short. The school is not all that far from our place, and I should have left a little earlier so that I could take a longer ride. That said, it was sheer joy to ride in. It was pure heaven to head out on the highway all by myself. And what can I say about the looks on the faces of the students in the parking lot! They came over to look at the bike. One of our bus drivers, Stan, was right there too. He saw me lock the wheel and asked: "don't you trust our students?" I had to laugh. I do actually trust them not to damage my bike, but I also know that there would be at least one who'd get on. I told Stan that locking my wheel is a habit. It was something that the training course I took with High Rides stressed. They warned us that it doesn't take very long to steal a bike, and that we should just make it a habit. That's no lie; I really do lock the wheel wherever I stop and park my bike. I also had the pleasure of seeing one of my students, Jerome, sitting on the bike within a few moments of my having parked it. Yep, locking the wheel is smart. I'd hate to see a teenager think he can roll the bike around for a little fun. And who could blame him? It's such a temptation.

It was fun to walk between the buildings and see my pretty little hussy sitting there waiting for me. One of the teachers, who also has a license, came to me at the end of a stressful afternoon and said: "I could do with a little therapy... any chance I could try out your bike?" I gave him the key with a sense of pride and pleasure. I also offered him my helmet, but he was just interested in getting the feel of it in the parking lot. He was back within a second: "the cops are here, and I think I'd better get that helmet after all." Despite the fact that it isn't actually illegal to ride in a private lot without a helmet, we did both agree that it didn't set a great example, and when he got the helmet on, he was also free to take the hussy out for a little bit more than just a parking lot run. He came back with a big grin on his face. Yep, she's a great bike.

At the end of the day, I had another short ride home... much too short! But it didn't end there. Before long Vic was also suited up and we made a quick run into Nanaimo for some supplies from Costco and Walmart. There was quite a lot of traffic on the highway and in town too, but my comfort level is so much greater that I'm not the least bit phased by that anymore. What a pleasure to be able to feel that great sense of freedom. I feel hugely blessed. I'm one lucky woman and it's sheer delight to get out on the road.

Flo's back on Vancouver Island

I'm so happy to have been able to meet Flo's ferry today. Mind you, we had to go twice, and it was absolutely pouring rain both times.

We got there at about 2:15... had a really nice interview with Bill MacFarlane from A Channel. Lisa also arrived and got interviewed. We were waiting with total excitement, expecting Flo and her brothers and Jenn and BC Biker guy to arrive at any minute. Good job I'd passed on the cell phone number for A Channel's producer, cause before too much longer we were told by them that Flo and Company had missed the 12:45 ferry and would be coming on the 3:15 ferry. Dang, we got soaked for nothing that time out. Well at least I got to ride my bike there. It was a baptism of sorts: my first ride in the pouring rain.

Silly me, I was wearing chaps, and let's face it, they don't cover your crotch. I got soaked! My boots got soaked. The chaps got soaked. The only thing that didn't get wet through and through was my jacket. I have to thank Stephen for waterproofing it some.

We turned back for home. I had to put my jeans and both pairs of socks in the dryer. Vic got soaked too... his rain pants didn't do much to keep his feet dry, and somehow the bottoms of his jeans were also drenched. Our gloves could be wrung out, but certainly would not get dry for our return to the ferry at 5:15 pm.

Yep, I rode "bitch" for that return. Not sure I like that expression, but it means I was Vic's passenger. This time out I wore my yellow rain suit, rubber boots over several pairs of socks, several sweaters under my leather jacket, and that under the rain suit. But the gloves I tried to warm and dry before leaving for this second run got terribly soaked again.

A Channel was there again, waiting for the riders to come off the ferry. Vic managed to speak to one of the ferry workers, and she called the boat to see which deck they'd be coming off and arranged for Vic to be able to ride out just ahead of them so he could lead them down the road to the A Channel van for an interview. It's going to air on the early evening news tomorrow and should be a great feature. Flo is looking beautiful, and her brothers are terrific. Jenn was there too, and Lisa. BC Biker Guy, another Victor, was there, but didn't stick around for the interview. A Channel filmed us riding toward the Tim Horton's at Southgate Plaza, and they followed us there too.

We were wringing out soaked gloves and creating a small lake in Tim's... but all soooo happy that Flo had arrived. Poor girl has about another two hour ride up to Campbell River. The forums are filled with posts about her... everyone South of the Border aching to know she's safe and sound at home. She's going to have a hot bath once she gets there, and then the trooper that she is (with almost 6000 miles under her belt and almost 3 weeks of riding), she'll go online and make everyone happy to know she's made it safe and sound.

I'm thrilled to have been a very small part of this wonderful Conga ride. Way to go, Flo, you make us all so very proud. You've shown us that we can do anything we set our minds to. My hat's off to you sweet Tumbleweed.

June 6th -- Ride up island for coffee

Got home from school and realized that we'd better have a quick ride cause there wasn't going to be any free time on the weekend. It felt soooo good to head out to Nanaimo, though it was another windy ride. Lost Vic at one point because I made a yellow light (it changed just before I entered) and he was too far behind to catch me. That was kind of neat. I knew he needed gas and that he'd find me at the Co-op, so just went on. Nothin like knowin I'm legal and don't need him riding closely by!

We went to Starbucks and had a great cappucino, and then headed home again. But at least we got a nice ride.

June 2 -- I passed my Motorcycle Skills Test

I did it. I can't believe how very nervous I was, and it didn't help that I was on a bike I really had not been using. My tummy was in knots, and I felt like I was going to throw up, but I did it. I'm so relieved. I can now get out there on my own... don't need a chaperone with a class 6 licence anymore. I do still have two restrictions until I do the final road test: I may not carry a passenger (like I'd want to? NOT), and I will still turn into a pumpkin if I go ridin after dark. Well, I'm not in a hurry to do that either.

It was amazing to drive back from Nanaimo, listening to Jana Stanfield singing "on the wings of Eagles, I can fly... all it takes is a little faith, and on the wings of Eagles I can fly." I felt like bawling my eyes out.

The woman at the counter at ICBC was sooooo kewl. She was born in Holland in 1951. Her family moved to Australia when she was a toddler. She ended up here in Canada. Wow... we were both stunned, neither of us had ever met anyone else with the exact same background.

I hugged Dave McKeown after I passed the test. I had been so nervous that I did have a couple of minor errors... put my foot down once, and also revved the throttle a little when I made the emergency stop. I felt sick and thought, "oh no, he is gonna fail me for this." So when I was finished I looked at the examiner with fear and said: "did I fail?" He gave me a huge smile and said, "no, you squeaked by." Dang bike, so unfamiliar, cause the one I hoped to ride needed some work and they didn't finish it last night. It's difficult with the Yamaha TW (an enduro) to roll back the clutch properly when you're slamming down on the front and back brakes to prove how quickly you can make an emergency stop. I was so happy I felt like crying right on the spot. Don't know how I held it all together.

It was so wonderful to see my Mom pulling into the parking lot at the end of my test. She'd been there before we even headed over to ICBC, when we were still at the Superstore parking lot for a last warm-up. I was freaked, and thought she planned to stay and watch, but she only wanted to wish me luck. It was a thrill to be able to hold up my new license and wave it about for her to see while I had a huge smile on my face. We quickly had a coffee and then I headed back to Stu"ate Lelum (Chemainus Native College where I am a teacher on call) to pick up a jacket I left behind. The staff that was there all congratulated me on my success, and I headed out the door. Just as I was about to drive out of the parking lot, the bus carrying our P.E. students arrived. I should have been with them this afternoon, and the acting Vice-Principal had to take them instead (they have their PE class at the Chemainus Native Centre down the road from our house and they're bussed back and forth). Natalie opened the window and called out to me: "did you pass?" When I said yes, with a great big grin, the whole bus load of students and Natalie and the driver all started hollering and waving their hands in the air to congratulate me. Danged if that didn't make me cry. What a great bunch to show me their happiness for my success.

Since I'm legal on the highway now, we made a quick run to Chemainus after I got home. The winds were insane and as Mom said, that was a baptismal experience for me. I hung on to my handlebars so tight. The bike was great, she didn't mind, but I felt like I might just get blown off the little Hussy. Yikes! And it was cold to boot. I thought we'd better take the Old Chemainus Road route home, but when we reached the construction zone, and knew we'd be in for about a 20 minute wait before they let us through, and all we were on was gravel, well... yes, you guessed it, we pulled a U-turn and headed back into Chemainus to take River Road out to the highway again, and got blasted by more winds all the way home. But it taught me that I can control that bike even under such windy conditions. Yippee. It's too bad the forecast is calling for rain all the rest of this week. My students are hoping to see me ride to school, and I'd sure like to do that for them... but not if it's raining. Ah well, there's still next week too.

High Rides

Last year, in November, when it was cold and miserable and my fibromyalgia was kicking in, I took a motorcycle training course through Ziggy's in Nanaimo. It was my first exposure, and with a slight fibro flare, my muscles tensed, and my heart in my throat... well, let's just say I learned some, but not nearly enough to pass the Motorcycle Skills Test at ICBC. I did get over my initial fear, and I really enjoyed riding, but though I managed to do the slalom course correctly now and again, I just couldn't do it consistently.



Winter cold quickly followed and I knew I'd need to take another course in the spring. Dave McKeown, the instructor at Ziggy's at that time, was really encouraging, and told me that I'd be able to do it once I got calmed and relaxed. He suggested I come back. I'd heard he was planning to start his own riding school this year, so a few weeks ago I tracked him down and asked if I could do the course with him. My timing was perfect, and that alone told me this was the right thing to do. It's the way things that are meant to be fall into place. Dave and his new partner Brian were starting their first course on May 30th.



At 6:00 pm on the appointed day, I met with the four other students who would be taking the very first course offered by High Rides! Dave spent the evening reviewing our motorcycle knowledge, understanding of the rules of the road, rider formations, etc. He also made sure we saw the results when people don't dress right, or don't follow the rules. We all saw the grim reminders in graphic photos of accident victims--one of them actually beheaded. Yes, riding a bike requires focus, skill, defensive riding techniques, appropriate gear, and far more concentration than most drivers of cars could ever imagine. We were given some frightening statistics, again reminding us that we will be out there without a steel cage to protect us. Lots to think about, but for me, it was all familiar. I just couldn't wait to get out on the range.



Saturday morning at 9:00 sharp we were gathered and ready. High Rides invested in 5 different student bikes. Unlike Ziggy's there were choices and we weren't stuck with the hard to ride little Yamaha 250cc cruisers... now nick-named Viagra by our class because they're so much tougher to learn on. There is just one of these bikes at High Rides. Dave and Bryan have a few enduro cross bikes that are perfect for learning the tight curves and slalom techniques.



One of the bikes is a Buell, manufactured by Harley Davidson. This was the most difficult bike for Allison and me. The clutch action is self-adjusting on this bike, and so Dave, an excellent mechanic and bike builder himself, was unable to soften it. I rode the course just twice on this machine. For the rest of the day, my thumb ached. Of course, when you spend the day riding the clutch in the friction zone, you're bound to get sore hands. You have an iron grip and by day's end, it is painful. I raced home after the first day to get some ice on my hand, and then follow that up with heat. But I was so happy. I'd managed every instruction, felt comfortable, made ever tighter turns, and only knocked over a pilon on two of the rides. By the end of the day I was comfortable about the first two parts of the ICBC test. I felt that I needed to start concentrating on the speed run and emergency stopping. But I felt good!

Day two and we all came and practiced. I noticed that Maurice, who had been doing so well the day before, was struggling, and it wasn't long before I recognized the symptoms he was experiencing. He'd expected to be better at it, and his initial failures to do the slalom on this second day were upsetting him to a point of extreme tension. Gosh, I felt bad for him. But in truth, by the time I realized he was working himself into a state, it was already too late. Sadly, he ended up dropping our favorite bike, breaking the clutch lever. When he went down in the turn, Dave raced to him to help him up. I didn't hear a single word of concern about that bike, and certainly there was no suggestion that Maurice should pay for damage. Instead, there was concern about Maurice. Dave and Brian wanted him to relax, not to worry, and not to give up. They suggested he rest a while, but not leave. Maurice was so disappointed in his performance, and bravely did attempt another ride after a short break. But he realized he couldn't do it that day, and Brian and Dave arranged for him to come back again, at a really good price. I really was so impressed. I may have the same instructor I had at Ziggy's but the atmosphere and attitude to the students here is completely different. We're being empowered to learn.

We practiced the four parts of the test for a while, and then Dave tested us each individually. Ian, Gary (he's a hot dog and great rider), Allison and I all passed our test. All knowing we can do it at ICBC too, and the reward was a group road ride. Vic joined us, so there were seven of us out on the ride. Man oh man, the first part of this ride was, perhaps, the worst I've ever done. In part perhaps because I had to switch to my own, much heavier, motorcycle (my choice). In part because I was riding in the back where Dave could see everything I did, right or wrong. I stalled my bike within two blocks of leaving the range and that set me up for stress and it went downhill from there. I can't believe how many times I stalled that poor Hussy. The worst incident was when I was about to merge into highway traffic and I was in too high a gear and she stalled and stopped dead with all sorts of traffic coming up behind me. Poor Dave could have been rear-ended. But though authoritative in his approach to me, he was also extremely empowering. We rode to the Malaspina campus, all struggling. Allison later told me she stalled her bike about 15 times that day... but I could not tell from where I was, so I was just freaked about me.

At Malaspina, Dave made me practice taking off on a hill a number of times, making sure I understood how to use the rear brake, clutch and throttle to prevent the bike from stalling out. What a difference that little session made. From that stop on, we all seemed to ride better. We also relaxed and began to enjoy the experience. We ended up going to Quiznos for lunch, and riding up Hammond Bay Road past the school where Ziggy's students were training. They all waved and we honked hello as we rode by. The ride back to the range was perfect. We all felt huge confidence in ourselves by the end of it. And at the range we practiced the test maneuvres yet again. It was great that this exercise was broken up by a road ride... gave our hands a break from the constant friction zone riding. But I have to admit, I still needed ice and heat on those hands once I got home.

And today is the day I head out to ICBC for the test. I'll report on my results later. Barring examination nerves, I should pass this test with flying colours and from tomorrow on, I'll be able to ride with or without a class 6 riding companion. Freedom... here I come. Yippee.