Most Improved Staller

So I am amazing! Well, basically. Last Thursday, Friday, Saturday I went through Motorcycle Training classes and TOTALLY PASSED! So, basically, I'm amazing. Hah!

I was sooo nervous. This has been something that I have want to do for such a long time and never actually went through with it. I think my secret obsession with motorcycles started in high school and I only shared it with a few people. And now, look at me, one DMV written test away from having my license and TONS of money away from actually owning a bike, but hey, I'm one step closer now, aren't I?

I was just thinking about how I have never been on an actual motorcycle before going it solo during this class. Scooters and four-wheelers, yes, but not a motorcycle. That's kind of thrilling actually. My first experience was all by myself. I'm a lone rider. I don't need anybody else.

The class was fun, thrilling, scary, nerve-wrecking, and everything else. Every time I approached the bike (it was a white, Honda Rebel, totally cute) I thought I was going to die! The instructors would explain what we would do and in my mind I would freak out and then they would demonstrate what we were going to do and I would think I was going to explode and then they would tell me to get on the bike. And I would mentally scream as I would attempt to do what they told me. It was ridiculous! And oh, how much I loved it. HAHAHA!!!

I'm pretty sure that I was the only one who ever stalled my bike, this gear thing is sooo complicated! The only exposure to shifting gears and clutches and whatnot was when Mike, Joshua and Nate taught me how to drive Mike's car in a parking lot. Basically, they just laughed at me. The motorcycle essentially stalled every time I even looked at it. I think I witnessed one other person stall their bike, but that may only be wishful thinking on my part and an overactive imagination. The coaches got used to me having to walk my bike out of other people's ways. So sad. Although, they kept reassuring me that it happened to everyone, even them, and not to worry about it.

The final testing part was the scariest thing I have ever done. I would have taken a grumpy full-house that wants comedy when you are killing every actor onstage. I somehow made it through though and passed...I am telling you now, I don't want to EVER have to make a tight u-turn again in my life. WORST - THING - EVER !!!

My group was very supportive and fun to be around. They were mostly older guys that took me under their wings and told me I was doing great (even though I wasn't). There were two girls and guess what! Her name was Ashley and my name was Ashleigh. It sometimes was confusing because who can really hear the "gh" over a motorcycle. In the end we were a happy family (with one tic that I wanted to push off his motorcycle...and run over). I miss them too. You get to know these guys so well. They shall be missed.

In the end Ashley got Valedictorian and Ashleigh (that's me!) got Most Improved. It was a very victorious moment. My instructor told me that it took me so long to start up after a stall and then in the end I could do it so quickly. Just think, I got so much experience starting up again after a stall, like two seconds to get going again (seriously), and everyone else that didn't get all that practice will be out on the street stalling and taking so much time trying to get going again (sucks to be them). I'm basically amazing.