Humble Pie

Thanks for the new header photo Irondad.

I passed my skills test this morning and get to move forward with my training, although I did not receive a "perfect score" I was well within the passing curve.

I went out with Trobairitz after coffee Saturday and practiced the off set cone weave just to make sure I had the technique down before the test today. Trobairitz mastered the technique and was doing the weave on her bike within a couple of passes.


There is a swivel of the hips required to master the maneuver that a certain instructor in the Advance Rider Training taught us. If you ask him and no one is looking, he does a great Elvis impersonation, even wearing full gear.



Fortunately the class today was full, so there are only twelve bikes allowed on the range at a time, which meant I had to share a bike with someone and was able to pick the bike. Oh darn, I guess I'll share the TU250, heh heh.

Needless to say, I nailed the off set cone weave, the emergency braking and the avoidance swerve portion of the test. ART class paid off, but the instructors just wouldn't overlook the fact that I came into the cornering portion "a little hot". I was afraid I may have been a wee bit too fast into the turn but they did say "to exit rapidly" and that little TU250 is just too willing. Can you blame me?

I also have to work at shaking that dirtbike mentality in the tight 90º turn, even though I made it, they dinged me points for not turning my head. Stupid move, because I knew it the moment I did it too. Had the instructor asked me, I could've have told him exactly what I did wrong before he told me.

So I'll keep practicing. Besides, it's for the better, a perfect score would have gone to my head and this keeps me humble. I'm looking forward to auditing my next class and the interview.