Biker Betty?

One would hope that a gal who can't even walk around the block without falling down, would know better than to engage in more risky behavior...like riding a Harley. But, hey folks, I never claimed to be the sharpest knife in the drawer, did I? I could easily have added this post to the collection of "Stupid Things I've Done."

You see, I have something to prove. When we were dating and first married, my husband owned a bike...not a Harley, but a nice, clean, unscathed motorcycle. It just so happens that I enjoyed riding with him. And it just so happens that one day while I was waiting for my ride, I decided that I'd sit on the bike by myself. Afterall, I rode dirt bikes growing up...how much different can this be? Little did I know that his bike weighed just a mite more than a dirt bike! I straddled the bike and disengaged the kickstand, simultaneously dropping the bike to the ground and scratching it up. Oh, yeah. Dumb. Humiliating. And not exactly the way to endear myself to my new husband.

I've never lived that incident down and it has been told repeatedly in a variety of social settings. Though I ceased to be embarrassed by it after 10 years, I still felt I had something to prove. So...recently I asked Steve to teach me to ride his Harley which, I was duly warned, is considerably heavier than the previous bike. Trust me...it is.

He gave me the chance anyway, and after successfully stopping and going halfway across the yard, I simply "laid the bike on the ground"...very very gently, I might add! Yet somehow, I ended up with these...

...6 bruises in every shade of blue, green and yellow on my left calf. OK...so I get it. Maybe I just wasn't born to ride! But darn it! I will NOT BE DEFEATED BY AN INANIMATE OBJECT!!!! Fortunately, Steve was willing and even encouraging me to try again a couple days later. This time I took a dry run on the grass first, then graduated to the asphalt! Much better! I never dropped the bike :-) and I even got into second gear - woot! woot!

I'll have to seriously consider a cooler helmet and some biker-babe outfit if I'm gonna keep this up, dont'cha think? The hub didn't tell me he was videotaping, or I would've at least TRIED to be a little smoother and cooler!