Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Little achievements.........
Progress! As of yesterday, I'm changing gear on my little yellow GasGas without watching my foot doing the gear change - hurrah! I'll be an enduro rider yet!! Have successfully tackled some banks and ditches without ending up cloud gazing!!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Star Wars versus Batman!
At some point when acquiring a new skill, it is essential to get the right gear. Having always been wary of the ‘all the gear and no idea’ adage – I’ve been begging, borrowing and stealing to date - well not the last bit!
Yesterday, I had my first adventure into an ‘Aladdin’s cave’ of the off-road and enduro world of clothing by way of TWH Bike Store (www.twf-bikestore.co.uk) in Baldock and Danny Mayes the helpful and patient owner (realising that whilst I knew one end of a bike from another of the road variety anyway - as far as off-road was concerned - very little!).
Having already been influenced by my seven-year-old daughter, I have some white and lilac boots - not very macho biker but works for me, or my daughter at any rate! As of yesterday I also now have a lovely pair of Acerbis gloves – I have a passion for nicely designed Italian items any day, so that works.
However, it has occurred to me from initial ‘window shopping’ as it were that I’m going to have to be very careful that I don’t end up looking rather more dodgy Star Wars extra than intrepid enduro rider about to take on the Pyrenees! As if to echo my thoughts when we came out into the sunshine from Danny’s shop, another customer had arrived in an extremely striking if austere and meaningful looking Audi R8. Now if that car wasn’t made for Batman………..fabulous!
So, back to reality from my foray into the movies, if anyone can advise on gear - technical, comfortable, breathable, warm etc…….. be much obliged!
Have gloves will travel - off for Sunday afternoon practice now!
Yesterday, I had my first adventure into an ‘Aladdin’s cave’ of the off-road and enduro world of clothing by way of TWH Bike Store (www.twf-bikestore.co.uk) in Baldock and Danny Mayes the helpful and patient owner (realising that whilst I knew one end of a bike from another of the road variety anyway - as far as off-road was concerned - very little!).
Having already been influenced by my seven-year-old daughter, I have some white and lilac boots - not very macho biker but works for me, or my daughter at any rate! As of yesterday I also now have a lovely pair of Acerbis gloves – I have a passion for nicely designed Italian items any day, so that works.
However, it has occurred to me from initial ‘window shopping’ as it were that I’m going to have to be very careful that I don’t end up looking rather more dodgy Star Wars extra than intrepid enduro rider about to take on the Pyrenees! As if to echo my thoughts when we came out into the sunshine from Danny’s shop, another customer had arrived in an extremely striking if austere and meaningful looking Audi R8. Now if that car wasn’t made for Batman………..fabulous!
So, back to reality from my foray into the movies, if anyone can advise on gear - technical, comfortable, breathable, warm etc…….. be much obliged!
Have gloves will travel - off for Sunday afternoon practice now!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
In my work as an executive coach, I regularly get feedback that I enable people to do more, get out of their comfort zone and do something different that will make a difference ultimately to achieve and succeed in whatever guise success means to them.
So, my husband and I and a friend (should anyone else care to join us - let us know?) are embarking on an Enduro Challenge in 12 month's time (I've just has a baby) to raise at least £25,000 for two children’s charities …… charities that for various reasons are close to our hearts…..more on that later.
Now, my husband has been a bike fanatic since he was a child, and has a lot of motorbike experience, albeit on the road. Our mate also has a lot of experience off road and on road. I, however, whilst having a motorbike licence, haven’t ridden a motorbike for about fourteen years. Apart from perhaps sitting on one or two – but that doesn’t really count as being in control of one now does it!
So, when we announced to friends and family that we were planning a five day entirely off road challenge in mountains or desert, challenging terrain and potentially challenging weather, I was viewed as insane, mad, gutsy and everything in between. A friend pulled me aside and quietly said, ‘Have you ever been on an endurance bike?’. ‘No’ , I replied. He looked slightly aghast, looked as though he was going to speak further and then didn’t. He competes in Enduro most weekends. ‘You have to push your boundaries in life though don’t you’ I said, he wasn’t convinced.
Last Sunday was training day one. I have booked my husband and I onto an off-road day in the Peak District in four weeks time. When I chatted with the guy that runs the place, he said 'Well so long as you’re bike confident that’s fine and then you’ll get a lot from the day'. My husband has done some off roading already, 50% there then? !?
Sunday afternoon in the glorious Spring sunshine I spent some time on a little yellow GasGas - stalled about 8 times, kick starting it back into life – well I don’t think I’ve quite got hang of that yet and as for what gear I was in? Absolutely no idea – so for those of you who don’t ride a motorbike - I had to do the uncool rolling it backwards and forwards thing to check whether it was in gear or not (if it was - it wouldn’t!). I nearly got unseated by a large rabbit hole too!
I was on a field near my home with my husband who was looking after our daughters and starting the bike - time and again - when I stalled it. When I finished a final circuit, he asked if I’d been using the back brake much. Hmm – oh yes – I’d forgotten about the back brake. That would explain why on more than one occasion I almost propelled myself over a fence when the front stopped and the back didn’t - remember that from learning some years ago. Not as dramatic as it sounds but a learning curve nonetheless. A somewhat worrying tendency to glance at my foot when I change gear has developed too- bit like glancing at your hand when one changes gear in a car! Not useful or very clever! I feel there may be a number of those learning experiences on the horizon.
As Lao Tzu said ‘ A journey of a thousand miles starts begins with one step’.
So, my husband and I and a friend (should anyone else care to join us - let us know?) are embarking on an Enduro Challenge in 12 month's time (I've just has a baby) to raise at least £25,000 for two children’s charities …… charities that for various reasons are close to our hearts…..more on that later.
Now, my husband has been a bike fanatic since he was a child, and has a lot of motorbike experience, albeit on the road. Our mate also has a lot of experience off road and on road. I, however, whilst having a motorbike licence, haven’t ridden a motorbike for about fourteen years. Apart from perhaps sitting on one or two – but that doesn’t really count as being in control of one now does it!
So, when we announced to friends and family that we were planning a five day entirely off road challenge in mountains or desert, challenging terrain and potentially challenging weather, I was viewed as insane, mad, gutsy and everything in between. A friend pulled me aside and quietly said, ‘Have you ever been on an endurance bike?’. ‘No’ , I replied. He looked slightly aghast, looked as though he was going to speak further and then didn’t. He competes in Enduro most weekends. ‘You have to push your boundaries in life though don’t you’ I said, he wasn’t convinced.
Last Sunday was training day one. I have booked my husband and I onto an off-road day in the Peak District in four weeks time. When I chatted with the guy that runs the place, he said 'Well so long as you’re bike confident that’s fine and then you’ll get a lot from the day'. My husband has done some off roading already, 50% there then? !?
Sunday afternoon in the glorious Spring sunshine I spent some time on a little yellow GasGas - stalled about 8 times, kick starting it back into life – well I don’t think I’ve quite got hang of that yet and as for what gear I was in? Absolutely no idea – so for those of you who don’t ride a motorbike - I had to do the uncool rolling it backwards and forwards thing to check whether it was in gear or not (if it was - it wouldn’t!). I nearly got unseated by a large rabbit hole too!
I was on a field near my home with my husband who was looking after our daughters and starting the bike - time and again - when I stalled it. When I finished a final circuit, he asked if I’d been using the back brake much. Hmm – oh yes – I’d forgotten about the back brake. That would explain why on more than one occasion I almost propelled myself over a fence when the front stopped and the back didn’t - remember that from learning some years ago. Not as dramatic as it sounds but a learning curve nonetheless. A somewhat worrying tendency to glance at my foot when I change gear has developed too- bit like glancing at your hand when one changes gear in a car! Not useful or very clever! I feel there may be a number of those learning experiences on the horizon.
As Lao Tzu said ‘ A journey of a thousand miles starts begins with one step’.
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