How cool is that!?!?!?
Congrats on the progress and for sticking by his side. Awesome!!!
Congrats on the progress and for sticking by his side. Awesome!!!
An Incredibly Proud Moment
My fellow riders.
It has been a total of two weeks worth of on and off training in parking lots for Charles, learning the absolute basics. Well, he finally got his permit a couple days ago, and today, he used it to finally leave the safety of that confined space.
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It was an incredible sight as I rode on his wing, watching him track along the relative safety of a neighborhood road. My choice was a good two-mile straightaway with five stop signs along the length. I kept close on his heels, running interference when necessary, motioning traffic by at the intersections, and offering tips whenever we stopped at the end of the each run. I made it as easy as possible on him, so that he could focus solely on doing what was required.
I could tell he was nervous as hell throughout the session, but still, he did extremely well. Nothing dropped, nothing was dinged. For now, that's more than enough. 8)
Watching him explore this new realm brought back a lot of momories, when I took my shiny new Vulcan 500 down that same street for the first time. I could actually feel what must've been going on in his head - the apprehension and fear of something so far back in his life that it's virtually brand new. I let him set the pace, urging on only when absolutely necessary (ie - holding up traffic). Silently, I cheered him as he up'd the speed a touch more or leaned a little more at the next turnaround. Garnering confidence is so important at this early stage.
Sorry for the lengthy and melodramatic-tone of the related story, but I am so proud of what he did today. My bud's riding!!! :biggrin:
It has been a total of two weeks worth of on and off training in parking lots for Charles, learning the absolute basics. Well, he finally got his permit a couple days ago, and today, he used it to finally leave the safety of that confined space.
It was an incredible sight as I rode on his wing, watching him track along the relative safety of a neighborhood road. My choice was a good two-mile straightaway with five stop signs along the length. I kept close on his heels, running interference when necessary, motioning traffic by at the intersections, and offering tips whenever we stopped at the end of the each run. I made it as easy as possible on him, so that he could focus solely on doing what was required.
I could tell he was nervous as hell throughout the session, but still, he did extremely well. Nothing dropped, nothing was dinged. For now, that's more than enough. 8)
Watching him explore this new realm brought back a lot of momories, when I took my shiny new Vulcan 500 down that same street for the first time. I could actually feel what must've been going on in his head - the apprehension and fear of something so far back in his life that it's virtually brand new. I let him set the pace, urging on only when absolutely necessary (ie - holding up traffic). Silently, I cheered him as he up'd the speed a touch more or leaned a little more at the next turnaround. Garnering confidence is so important at this early stage.
Sorry for the lengthy and melodramatic-tone of the related story, but I am so proud of what he did today. My bud's riding!!! :biggrin:
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that's good stuff 
i remember back when i first got my learners permit and hit the road for the first time on my powerhouse 1978 model Z200 :lol: :lol: I started riding late'ish in life.... i was 34 when i got my first road bike, and i hadn't ridden anything bigger than a small trail bike for about 19 years. i certainly remember riding to work at the learners speed limit of 80kph (50mph) on the highway and having a line of cars fair up my date....... scary stuff!!
Good to see the lad is finally off and riding i can see why it would be a proud moment.
i remember back when i first got my learners permit and hit the road for the first time on my powerhouse 1978 model Z200 :lol: :lol: I started riding late'ish in life.... i was 34 when i got my first road bike, and i hadn't ridden anything bigger than a small trail bike for about 19 years. i certainly remember riding to work at the learners speed limit of 80kph (50mph) on the highway and having a line of cars fair up my date....... scary stuff!! Good to see the lad is finally off and riding
i can see why it would be a proud moment.Awww....how nice!
My brother is really the one that got me out on the roads. No training or preparing, he just said get on that bike, and let's ride!!!! It was like a "sink or swim" kind of training!!!!
He taught me to drive when I was 16 years old too. He taught me in his big old Ford truck with a manual transmission! He sat there as patient and calm as could be when I would take off from a light and jerk the truck all over the place trying to learn that clutch!!!! "Sink or swim" training again! I am SO grateful to him too, because after that I could drive anything :lol:
I just hope he wasn't the one to teach you to swim!!!! :biggrin:
:biggrin:Actually....I used to go out on his boat alot as a kid!!! He taught me to water ski the same way....let me fall, hang onto the rope and get dragged across the water until I figured out I had to let go!!!!! :lol: Same as always though, I eventually learned to get up on the skiis!!! Then he couldn't get me to let go and give someone else a turn!!!! He'd slow the boat down to stop to MAKE me fall off!!!!!I just hope he wasn't the one to teach you to swim!!!!
Okay...so, if I had a brother like Alex though, I would have learned things in a more gentle and caring way!!!! :biggrin: Want to adopt a sister Alex?!
Ask your brother to teach you to sky-dive!
...no wait....we want you here!
...no wait....we want you here!
There will be more in the immediate future to be sure. As he lives in the city, he needs to really learn hills, which will be the big challenge. I figure after he proves his mastery in that aspect of riding, I can finally feel good about releasing the bike to him.
Awww... you guys don't want a friend like me. Remember Cycledude's experience with me in an airplane? :twisted:
Again... Cycledude with me in an airplane. :lol: :biggrin: :lol:Okay...so, if I had a brother like Alex though, I would have learned things in a more gentle and caring way!!!! :biggrin: Want to adopt a sister Alex?!
Oh yeah!!! He knows he's stuck with that! Now if the weather would just warm up...
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