I am seriously in love with motorcycling.

Lucy in the pumpkin patch

Today was so fabulous, I am floating on clouds.  It was my day off and after I did all my chores I deserved a treat.  The treat was a long ride all by myself on my motorcycle.  The weather was perfect and it was just the kind of day for a ride.  I left the house at about 1:30 and went out West Saanich Road and along the Pat Bay highway.  I have ridden this ride on my scooter and it is this route that provided me with my first scooter adventure.  I have to say Vixen was awesome as my first ride, but I now know what I was missing on the ride; POWER.  West Saanich Road is very windy and and has long slow curves and its in the country, so it is pastoral and beautiful.  I was hoping that the leaves would have changed a bit more to provide some eye candy for my camera, but things are just starting to change.

I bought riding pants when I started my course and I wore all the gear today and it was perfect.  I wasn't too hot or too cold, just right in fact.  I actually feel safer as well and better protected.  Any way back to bike Nirvana.

At first I was a little tentative, but once I got the feel of Lucy and really figured out our rhythm we gelled.  Everything Motorcycle man has taught me and I have learned from my motorcycle novice course makes sense.  Clutching and shifting is totally working for me now and I completely understand it and using the friction zone and up and down shifting.  Lucy has 6 gears, I LOVE OVERDRIVE!!!!

I wound my way through the beautiful countryside and was in total bliss.  I stopped and took a few pictures of some pumpkins.  At one point I was riding beside Pat Bay and it is gorgeous out there.  I made my way out the Peninsula and ended up at Lands End Road and it truly is Lands End.  That is where the ferry comes in at Swartz Bay.  I hadn't really thought about a return route and decided to brave the highway.  Off I go, with all my senses sharply aware.  This is the first time I have ever been on the highway on my bike.  IT WAS AWESOME!!!!  I thought I had cleared the ferry traffic, but apparently it was ahead of me.  I rode along smoothly and had good lane positioning and was shifting like butter.  At a few spots it was stop and start, but I have to say I didn't even think about it at all, I just did it.  This is where the Vancouver Island Safety Council Novice course was invaluable, everything my instructors taught me gelled and came together.

I decided to celebrate my Moto Diva-ness by going to get a Pink Diva cupcake from the Cupcake girls.  It was perfect!  I love my motorcycle!  I think this blog name may change to Princess Motopie.  I can hardly wait until my traffic course tomorrow.  Yup I am now a biker chic.  

I used to be the scooter in the parkinglot!

Lucy had to have her Diva cupcake!  

750 cc here I come!

Tonight Motorcycle Man was off early and I had Lucy out on the street warmed & ready to go. We did some stopping & starting on a hill practice & then a short jaunt by the water. On the final leg of the ride he ACTUALLY LET ME RIDE HIS 750 MAGNA!! Holy moly it is a nice ride, she sits really comfortably and I know she is going to be my next bike. The throttle is twice as responsive than Lucy's and is a completely different ride. Nice and smooth, its like driving a barcolounger. Seroiusly I never knew I would like riding this much. 9 months ago I felt daunted by the prospect of riding a 50cc scooter. Fast forward to today and I am in total bliss with my motorcycling experiences so far. I have a very healthy respect of what cc's bring to the table and that I still need to gain experience and add more defensive driving skills to my aresenal and happily lots of practice ;) (any excuse to go for a ride)