Another AWESOME looking day! WARNING - Fill up on the way to the meetup! No gas stations close by... (only about 50 miles of ride, max) NEW RIDER dedicated ride Meet HERE (near the fountain, at Starbucks - warm coffee!!) Dedicated new rider ride, end at Ava's for TNC prior to sunset! Can't believe the weather! Question - what do you guys want to talk about this week? *More comfortable in each turn? *Body position / dynamics? *figuring out the best lines for each situation *how to handle those dreaded 'oh SHAT' moments? :scared ? Plan to roll no later than 6, I will try to be there about 5 pm for new riders that want to discuss some specific topics surrounding your progression! Seeya'8)
YO! If you're planning on hitting it - speak up? toss a pm if you don't want 'them' to know you aren't perfect... (I'll keep your secret - we can even split up before arriving @ tnc if you're that worried 'bout it)
How about not-so-newbs who are still have plenty to learn? I can get there by 6 for sure, but prob not 5...
small group last night! Even though, it’s the little things that are important! Inexperienced (on a motorcycle) riders are the specific people that I am trying to help. When a new rider sees his friends, that have been riding a few years, rippin’ down the road - the first thought is ‘why can’t I do that?’ Which is also a very common last thought before a crash... Props to my man last night! He had soo much experience in another area of hand/eye coordination & is the type of guy to focus and excel at something, it enabled him to recognize that he has some limitation that prevents him from performing at those levels! So, he wisely doesn't try. And now, he has some great ways to safely practice honing those skills! Still amazes me how few people take the time to exploit the resources available though - specifically: BOOKS! Exposing new riders to the simple concepts of learning how to recognize their limits makes HUGE differences! Suggestion for other's: when you say "Ride your own ride." to a new rider - take a minute (or an hour) and make sure they get it. It may be second nature and obvious to you - but HOW? HOW do you know if you are or aren't riding your own ride? Discussing that question alone before a ride may make the difference between life and death for someone! Hope the weather keeps being this awesome!
+1 on books. Lee Park's "Total Control" and, of course, the big papa "Twist of the Wrist 2" helped me make huuuge strides in my riding ability.
:mfclap:Yep, Total Control is an excellent book. I'd actually recommend the Twist of The Wrist 2 DVD over the TotW2 book. Once you get past the cheesy acting, the actual technique and physics explanations are extremely well done, and totally worth the price to be able to see the concepts visually. +1 Clay for folks investing a bit more effort in the "Ride Your Own Ride" mantra, as I agree that too many new riders don't understand fully what that means, and too many ride leaders use the quip as an "out" for being responsible for their group. I hope plenty of newbies join up on your rides this year Clay. (I may have to tag along on a couple for a refresher...it's been quite a while since I rode with "Soil") 8)
