It's been quite a week and I'm still very much a beginner.

I didn't go out every night but I probably put another hundred miles on it this week. I find I'm slow and cautious on twisty, turny country roads, especially when all of that is happening downhill. Still, I think there's been some improvement.

I still drive around the four mile loop that circles the state office complex. The speed limit is 40 mph, it's usually pretty quiet and a good and familiar road for me to practice leaning in on turns (or whatever the technical term is for that). I think I'm making progress.

What I find I really enjoy doing is just driving around the city of Albany. The speed limit is 30 mph. It's relatively straight and flat and I get the opportunity to just ride in a way that's comfortable. So usually I go out and challenge myself on some roads and then just ride around on others.

The worst part is when the ride is over. I find I still want to stay out there.

Lately, I've been wanting to go out for a late night ride but I'll save that for when I have a little more experience under my belt. For now, when the sun goes down I take it as my cue to go home.

 

I'll tell ya tlaw, man, this brings back the the beginnings in me. Nothing wrong with that! Sounds like you are doing the right things. Man, I live way down here in Texas where its so flat you can watch your dog run away for five days, but there was a time 25 years ago when I lived in NY. In Cooperstown, the country miles would stretch beyond belief and you could ride the beautiful country hill sides until dark set in. Keep doing what you are doing.

 

Sounds like you're having fun!

Empty parking lots are great for practicing emergency stops...a really good thing to develop muscle memory on, whether new or veteran rider.

Glad you're enjoying the wind!

 

This remark caught me off guard and I just busted out laughing.

Tlaw, it sounds like you're doing it right. Gradually adding experience. Maybe someone in the near future you stay out riding a little longer to get more comfortable with night riding. I enjoy night riding a lot. I bet you'll really enjoy it when you feel you're ready for it.

I agree with DK, too. Find a parking lot and practice sudden stops, and maybe a quick swerve maneuver, within your comfort zone. Where I am, the riding test required you to ride in a tight circle. I don't remember the box dimensions, but it's good practice to maintain those skills, even if you don't use them much.

 

Keep it up - better to gain experience and confidence in your own way and in your own time.

I love pootling around town too - especially when it's quiet and you can hear the exhaust rumbling off of building either side. Riding at night is great too - I had an MX5/Miata which I used to love driving at night with the roof down - riding the bike at night with an open face (we are not allowed no helmet here in the UK) is about as close as I can get to the Miata experience and it's awesome.

 

Keep riding your own ride. Better to learn slowly than get in over your head.

Don't ride at night if there are deer around.

 

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate your comments and support.

And yeah, my idiot dogs would be the ones I'd see going and going and going. At least in Texas they'd be easy to find.

Cooperstown is beautiful and exactly one of the rides I look forward to making when I get more experience. It's really not that far from Albany.

The safety course instructors really reinforced the need to continue practicing safety stops and the other maneuvers. Going at this at an older age, I think it's really important to develop the muscle memory needed to get out of a jam. Your words were a good reminder not to let those skills get rusty, especially since the brakes on my Sportster are a lot different than the bikes we had for the safety course. I'm also fortunate to have an empty parking lot in my backyard (literally), completely at my disposal at night.

I'm finding I like the feel of an open face helmet, if for no other reason than I feel the shields distort images too much.

And deer are plentiful out here. I don't want to mess with one with my car much less my bike. Somehow I don't think I'd come out on the winning side of that encounter.

Has anyone noticed that non motorcycle riders seem to love to share stories of horrific motorcycle accidents? I know the underlying message is to be careful but honestly, I don't know of a motorcycle rider who doesn't take this kind of thing seriously (okay, I'm done venting).

I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

 

tlaw..........Brings back good memories. Compared to many ole timers here I still got my training wheels on. 3 years behind bars and counting.

"its so flat you can watch your dog run away for five days"

Sounds like SW Fla.

 

There are a lot of pretty good videos about riding on Youtube. I avoid the ones about crashes though. Some of them are pretty funny too. I ride around a regular circuit in my town most days and vary it a little sometimes. It helps when you are familiar with the curves and hills and traffic.

 

It's great your enjoying the new ride and the wind. You're never too old to start a new hobby. I was about your age when I started as well.