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joflasherI spent all of Saturday & Sunday doing the Motorcycle Safety Course. It was fun and I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to learn how to drive a bike. The only prerequisite is that you have to be able to ride a bicycle. Everything else they teach you as you go along.
Saturday was really nice. Cloudy and somewhat cool, all of the storms passed us by and the day was completely uneventful outside of the random bike falling over and a lot of stalling. Sunday was extremely hazy, hot and humid. I all but died in my leather jacket and I wasn't smart enough to have brought along a long sleeve shirt (the minimum clothing requirements were long pants, helmet, over the ankle boots, basic leather gloves and a long sleeve shirt). Despite the heat the conditions were good for learning, though. I now have a V shaped sunburn from my collarbone to chest where my jacket left off and the shadow from my helmet began.
Being New England, however, the weather couldn't stay that way. Everything was fine until we were lined up to take the final skills examine. Then the skies opened and lightning cracked all around us and the wind started whipping the trees sideways. It went from a distance rumble of thunder to full out downpour in about 7 minutes. We all got drenched before we made it to the available shelter, a semi-trailer that they used to haul the bikes in. So we were all soaked and huddling while New England tried to convince us that the end of days was at hand. After about 20 minutes, the water works shut off and we had blue sky again ... just long enough for everyone to get out to their bikes and started up. Then the skies opened up again. Rinse, repeat. After about an hour of this, it finally stopped down pouring on all of us long enough for the group to get through the skills evaluation. It was still raining but at least it wasn't a lightning show any longer.
So yeah, we got to learn everything in perfect dry conditions and then test on wet pavement, puddles and active rain. Thanks, New England.
At least I'm fully licensed now. Or at least I will be once my sticker shows up. Now to go play on my bike and figure out how much of it transfers.
Saturday was really nice. Cloudy and somewhat cool, all of the storms passed us by and the day was completely uneventful outside of the random bike falling over and a lot of stalling. Sunday was extremely hazy, hot and humid. I all but died in my leather jacket and I wasn't smart enough to have brought along a long sleeve shirt (the minimum clothing requirements were long pants, helmet, over the ankle boots, basic leather gloves and a long sleeve shirt). Despite the heat the conditions were good for learning, though. I now have a V shaped sunburn from my collarbone to chest where my jacket left off and the shadow from my helmet began.
Being New England, however, the weather couldn't stay that way. Everything was fine until we were lined up to take the final skills examine. Then the skies opened and lightning cracked all around us and the wind started whipping the trees sideways. It went from a distance rumble of thunder to full out downpour in about 7 minutes. We all got drenched before we made it to the available shelter, a semi-trailer that they used to haul the bikes in. So we were all soaked and huddling while New England tried to convince us that the end of days was at hand. After about 20 minutes, the water works shut off and we had blue sky again ... just long enough for everyone to get out to their bikes and started up. Then the skies opened up again. Rinse, repeat. After about an hour of this, it finally stopped down pouring on all of us long enough for the group to get through the skills evaluation. It was still raining but at least it wasn't a lightning show any longer.
So yeah, we got to learn everything in perfect dry conditions and then test on wet pavement, puddles and active rain. Thanks, New England.
At least I'm fully licensed now. Or at least I will be once my sticker shows up. Now to go play on my bike and figure out how much of it transfers.
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no subject
Date: 2008-06-30 07:29 pm (UTC)How'd the quick stop go on wet pavement?
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Date: 2008-06-30 07:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-30 08:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-30 08:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-30 11:07 pm (UTC)