Yesterday was the worst day of motorcycling riding I've experienced in 8+ years of riding. I'm grateful that it came now and not in my early days. Over the years, I have picked up many tips from fellow seasoned bikers which have not been wasted on me.
"RIDE YOUR SKILL"
Tim H., road captain for a day, said that to me one time when we were out riding in a group of 17 bikes. It was my first big group ride and he knew I was scared to death. Being scared has never stopped me from going but it does cut down on the level of fun. I'm glad I was riding that day to hear him say that to me. I think about it every single ride.
"LEAVE LOTS OF ROOM"
My hubby says this to me on a regular, annoying basis. On the ride home, I got to see first hand how following too close can result in a bad outcome. There was a 50 car pileup on both sides of I-82 due to a sudden microburst of wind that made visibility go instantly to zero. We were fortunate to have not been involved in it. There were no fatalities but I'm quite certain we would have died if we had been involved. I use this advice in all my affairs.
"WHEN IN DOUBT, DON'T"
This is my phrase and I live by it daily. When we got home, we discussed how we would have handled the situation if we had come upon that dust storm. We would have pulled over to wait it out, especially on a motorcycle and double especially on the highway. I never ride when I'm tired, hungry or have too much on my mind. I just don't.
"LEAN INTO THE WIND"
Once again, a tip my hubby gave me. I've never had to use it until yesterday. Between the wind and the rain, it was a miserable ride but it was do-able. If it had gotten only slightly worse, I would have insisted on pulling over but slowing down and leaning into the wind made it possible for us to get home.
"CARRY A SWEATSHIRT"
I usually have an extra sweatshirt on my bike for elevation climbs. Not yesterday. Bad move. Luckily, he had a headband in his bag I put around my neck to keep the cold air from going down my jacket. It's a good idea to carry an extra sweater or shirt anywhere I go.
"GRIT YOUR TEETH"
Sometimes you're going to find yourself in situations you'd rather not be in. Grit your teeth. I'm a believer in life experiences! I used to live in a place where the temperatures got down to 50 below zero on a regular basis. It's what I'm made of.
Okay. What three word pieces of advice have gotten you through situations? Tell me, please!
love, susan
Great post Susan! "Follow Your Gut" has been, and always will be, my life-saving motto. I've been in many situations, some of them quite dangerous, where I did not follow my gut, but had I, things would not have turned out the way they did. Fortunately I learned to follow my gut very early in life (in my 20s) so that I've managed to stay out of danger for the rest of my years, so far.
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