All my advanced training kept me safe and in control
Pushed me to my limits on roads I detest
They say nothing grows in your comfort zone. Well Mike Richardson (IAM RoadSmart / RAMG) pushed me to my limits today on some very challenging country farm tracks with gravel and tight turns. All the roads I detest and I told him I hated him lol. I obviously don’t because this man has pushed me and educated me while being very patient with me at the same time. I thank you Mike (sort of ).
On my way home from Ross-on-Wye, on my own, I got caught in a storm – again! Except this time it rained and hailed so heavily and so fast, I was actually terrified. The roads flooded and I couldn’t see a thing out of my visor. I was really unnerved and full of fear but all my advanced training kept me safe and in control.
I’ve always been very honest about how I’ve struggled with my confidence but today when I pulled up on my drive like a drowned rat I felt like a badass. I love riding and every day is a school day.
Thank you Mike Richardson – even though I’m still cursing you.
And as a side note – I’ve done 5,000 miles on my new Rebel since getting it last September, even with a short winter break. I’ve been on a happiness mission after losing someone that I loved to my core. This bike has saved me and so have all the people I ride with.
Challenges, self-doubt and good times - Michelle Waldron
I like to enjoy life and new challenges. Learning to ride a motorcycle was a big challenge. I completed my CBT on the 13th July 2018, soon after acquiring my first motorcycle – a Suzuki Marauder (called Mercia) and taking my first solo ride, nine days later (went for a coffee and to a car boot sale). Thirteen months on, I became a fully fledged biker, passing both my Module One and Module Two first time and with a clean sheet. Very soon after that, I took my first ride without learner plates on my shiny Honda Rebel.
The truth is that every moment of this journey had challenges, with many moments of self-doubt and wanting to hand the bike keys back. I’m glad that I persisted and happy to be sharing a few of my stepping stones with you via this BikeSafe blog. Crucial to my journey has been choosing good instructors and this especially true, having attended my first BikeSafe and opting to advance my skills through my local IAM RoadSmart group in Redditch (RAMG). Michelle Waldron.
