Back on the horse with info from this forum! Thanks

[sablesurfer]

Still not totally comfortable, but I am on the bike and on the road.

So this week is the first real week I have been back on the road since I went airborne. (Testing out my superman skills.) Still getting used to the saddle and how the road feels but wanted to let the forum know things that are help me that I found here.

First is practical riding advice. I have always done this bit out of habit, but now I find my self fixating and not planning my lines correctly. The bit of advice that has helped the most is to look through the curve. Plan your line out way a head and look where you want to go.

Right now I am at the stage of having to remind myself of this....usually right as my gut squeezes up and twist in panic knots at the sight of a concrete berm. Yep...I find myself tyring to fixate on the road...on the asphalt...looking ahead of myself. Then I realize how fast that concrete wall on the corner is coming up and that cold sweat cramping thing hits! Have to almost physically force my eyes and head to look around the corner...look at where I want to be at end of the curve.

It is helping a lot and I always think of this forum after I get out of the corner.

Second is just this place. I have always been a get back up and dust yourself off person, but the attitudes and support here are great. Just reading everone's stories and everyone's love for riding adds to the desire to recapture that for myself. Ya'll support the other riders, ya'll take care of other riders, ya'll just be yourselves and it is great. This forum has helped me get through the month of rebuilding the Green Damsel, the weeks of trying to get a new tire. Now she is running again and I even have plans for a new paint job....(actually I 'blame' you all for that one.) :^)

There are a few things I have to work out still. This morning I had to spend time telling myself...'i will not speed, i will not speed, i will not speed.' I have a tendancy to really go at things I fear, to push through and to keep going with....well somewhat dumb tenacity. I have found in my last three outtings that I am pushing the bike A LOT. Pushing myself. The number of times the speedo has topped 100 have probably been equal to all of the summer. So I have to force myself to relax and start enjoying the road again...not to see it as an advisary(?).

So...thanks you all for who you are and I'll try to be a bit more responsible with my cruiser.

[joeVulcan]

Welcome back to riding Dave! So glad you got it all put back together.

Stronger, faster, better. We have the technology.

This was still funny...to some of us.

[cmptrmn.1]

Well, it sounds like you know what you're doing and what you need to change. Glad you are back in the saddle. Some would not do that. And remember, it all comes back after a while.

[Hardwire]

Welcome back into the fold..

[V2K_CCTX]

welcome back...trust your gut and you'll do fine

[mcwrath]

Best of luck brother! Get your wheels under ya and earn some confidence back so we can meet up again next summer!