So much fun. Laugh didn' we laugh...
Things heard/things done...
Powerwalking proved difficyult for them. First time I had so many complaints about seat height/pain from Ex 1& 2. Big Burly guys whining about pain in their hips...funny. Became a running joke of the class.
Day 2 before beginning: ADAM: So, Trent, could we satrt out with a 20 minute exercise on powerwalking?"
Later in classroom, Norm was bitching about powerwalking.
RYAN (after skipping a question): I just got so excited....
ADAM: That's your Vietnam (laughter).
No, serious, you're gonna be tellin' kids about powerwalkin' - how youhad to ............(laughter).
NORM: You're hurting my feelings.
ADAM: Yeah, but ya just got that one..............
(During instructions on new execrise) (FART) "...I hear ya........." (continues...)
RYAN (during eval 1 debrief): Thank you for clarifying that I got the max on that one.
RANDY: I learned five timers more than I thought I would.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
I'm Sorry I Put the Bikes Away!
Don't know why I bothered with this crazy mild weather we're having. Talk about a short Winter!
I could have ridden today! AGAIN!
I'm seriously considering getting at least one bike out of storage and putting it back on the road this weekend. I mean, why not?
Nice problem to have, really!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
A Wing and a Prayer
I never thought I would own a Goldwing. I was just looking for a bike bigger than my CX 500 that had some storage capacity for the long trip to my BRC classes (1:20). After an acquaintance picked up an old one for $500, I started thinking. They have a great reputation, so why not look around for an affordable one and see what happens?
Well, shortly after that, I found one an hour or so away. "$1000, needs TLC." So I called the guy and the needed work sounded straight forward and affordable: a broken mirror, has been sitting a while, etc. "Does it run?" "Oh yeah, it runs."
So we made an appointment.
My friend Chris was going to provide the truck. The trailer, well........... I had one guy but the day we were supposed to go down to look at/pick up the bike, he couldn't supply it. I was pretty sure I was going to come home with it, so I started asking around, making phone calls. Finally, a friend at work said his dad had one he would lend us. He was an hour or so away and I had neither met him nor been to his shop. A bit awkward! Anyway, I called and changed the time frame a bit for that night and it looked like everything was going to work out.
When Chris got to my place to pick me up I went right out with some tools, my riding gear to test ride the bike and, of course, the cash. Chris was fixing the windshield wiper when I got out to the driveway. The windshield wiper. (Judging by its size, it was evidently from a 1978 Datsun B210 wagon - rear window.) This was probably because it had started raining.
Later, it was raining harder. And then, all the way down there, it was raining. The windshield wiper was on his side so I really couldn't see the road although I was pretty sure we were all over the lane from the strong gusts of wind that had picked up. It was okay, though, because by that point it was snowing and raining. After all, it was November.
First stop was to pick up the trailer. Turned out the ball Chris had was 1 7/8" and the receiver on the trailer was 2". We tried to get the ball off and change it out but it was frozen on there. My friend's father said it would be fine. "I've seen it done before. Should be all right." Hmm. Should be. That phrase kept echoing through my mind the rest of the night.
After a few phone calls and U-turns we finally found the guy's house. The first encouraging sign of the night was the sound of a four cylinder motorcycle running in the garage. It was the Goldwing. Looked pretty good in the garage lighting. On closer inspection, it had a few issues besides a missing mirror. The brakes were grabby, the engine was hesitating a bit on throttle-up, the paint showed evidence of seeing the weather for a long while, the windshield was cloudy and would need to be replaced, fork seals were blown and, worst of all, it was leaking oil. Also, it had every accessory you could possibly put on a motorcycle. It looked like a big, heavy old bike. In my mind I was stripping all the accessories off, rebuilding the forks, going through the entire brake system, ordering a windshield and mirror, and tracking down and eliminating the oil leaks. The addition was getting pretty high. Still, I saw potential. It was running and it was a Honda. It had to have a good heart. Unfortunately, with an inch and a half of wet snow on the ground and no possibility of a test ride, I had to wonder about unknowns. The price would have to be right for me to buy it.....
I looked and thought, looked and thought. Then came time to negotiate.
I noticed a sport bike on the other side of the garage. I then found out that the Goldwing had belonged to his grandfather. Looking around the place to make a guess on his financial situation, considering the time of year, the fact that I was the first one there, his preference being sport bikes, I let offers rattle around my brain. I had a lot of legitimate reasons for bargaining down the price which, one by one, I named to him. "With all the work it needs and not being able to test the bike...... I can't give you a thousand for it." He digested that for a while, then asked me to make him an offer. I didn't want to be the one to name a figure first, but after ten minutes of waiting (and ten more minutes of wet snow) it was obvious that someone had to make a move. I looked over the bike again, a pained expression on my face, then came out with, "I can give you $600 for it." This would set the tone for the rest of the negotiation. He could have freaked out. Or, maybe the offer was too high and he would immediately say okay. He winced a bit, said, "Oh, man....." A long pause while he swallowed that. "Can you go $700?" YES!!!! I had him now. I waited an equal amount of time, staring at the Wing, no expression on my face whatsoever. "Well, I guess this is where we meet in the middle....... I'll give you $650 but that's all I can do."
He seemed to suddenly feel that we were premature in discussing price. Apparently, he had not seen the truck and trailer in the road below the driveway. "Are you talking about tonight?" "Yeah, I'm ready to go, man. I've got cash." This surprise was an advantage to me. I pulled out the Benjamins, which he noticed. I started to fan them out a bit to get him salivating, to let him know that $650 cash could be his with just a word. "Okay."
I was ecstatic but I spared him the jumping up and down. We still had to sign the deal.
The next magical trick was to get the bike on the trailer without dumping it and get it home in one piece. Conditions were not ideal. It had turned to rain again. The wind was still blowing pretty good.
Long story short, we secured it with a pile of ratchet straps, then headed out on a wing and a prayer. I just needed to get that bad boy home and I was good to go. I looked back at the bike the whole way home, watching for any little movement or loosening of the straps. And there was the ball that did not fit the receiver exactly. Should be all right, he had said. I was afraid of thinking about the project, the end result, riding it. Until I got that baby to Headquarters I was nowhere.
A few hours later, we backed up the trailer into my driveway and got the bike into the garage. It was late, completely dark out and, you guessed it, still raining! I thanked Chris profusely. Then we made plans to return the trailer.
After Chris left, I just stood in the garage looking at it. Admiring, imagining, smiling! A little kid with his new toy. It was sinking in. I had it! It was home........my bike!
Little by little, the stress of the ride home dissolved and the excitement of a great buy, a new project, a Goldwing took over. We had done it. We had weathered the storm, navigated through a porthole for a windshield, worked with borrowed gear, negotiated like aces, and successfully arrived home with the goods!
And all on a wing and a prayer........
Well, shortly after that, I found one an hour or so away. "$1000, needs TLC." So I called the guy and the needed work sounded straight forward and affordable: a broken mirror, has been sitting a while, etc. "Does it run?" "Oh yeah, it runs."
So we made an appointment.
My friend Chris was going to provide the truck. The trailer, well........... I had one guy but the day we were supposed to go down to look at/pick up the bike, he couldn't supply it. I was pretty sure I was going to come home with it, so I started asking around, making phone calls. Finally, a friend at work said his dad had one he would lend us. He was an hour or so away and I had neither met him nor been to his shop. A bit awkward! Anyway, I called and changed the time frame a bit for that night and it looked like everything was going to work out.
When Chris got to my place to pick me up I went right out with some tools, my riding gear to test ride the bike and, of course, the cash. Chris was fixing the windshield wiper when I got out to the driveway. The windshield wiper. (Judging by its size, it was evidently from a 1978 Datsun B210 wagon - rear window.) This was probably because it had started raining.
Later, it was raining harder. And then, all the way down there, it was raining. The windshield wiper was on his side so I really couldn't see the road although I was pretty sure we were all over the lane from the strong gusts of wind that had picked up. It was okay, though, because by that point it was snowing and raining. After all, it was November.
First stop was to pick up the trailer. Turned out the ball Chris had was 1 7/8" and the receiver on the trailer was 2". We tried to get the ball off and change it out but it was frozen on there. My friend's father said it would be fine. "I've seen it done before. Should be all right." Hmm. Should be. That phrase kept echoing through my mind the rest of the night.
After a few phone calls and U-turns we finally found the guy's house. The first encouraging sign of the night was the sound of a four cylinder motorcycle running in the garage. It was the Goldwing. Looked pretty good in the garage lighting. On closer inspection, it had a few issues besides a missing mirror. The brakes were grabby, the engine was hesitating a bit on throttle-up, the paint showed evidence of seeing the weather for a long while, the windshield was cloudy and would need to be replaced, fork seals were blown and, worst of all, it was leaking oil. Also, it had every accessory you could possibly put on a motorcycle. It looked like a big, heavy old bike. In my mind I was stripping all the accessories off, rebuilding the forks, going through the entire brake system, ordering a windshield and mirror, and tracking down and eliminating the oil leaks. The addition was getting pretty high. Still, I saw potential. It was running and it was a Honda. It had to have a good heart. Unfortunately, with an inch and a half of wet snow on the ground and no possibility of a test ride, I had to wonder about unknowns. The price would have to be right for me to buy it.....
I looked and thought, looked and thought. Then came time to negotiate.
I noticed a sport bike on the other side of the garage. I then found out that the Goldwing had belonged to his grandfather. Looking around the place to make a guess on his financial situation, considering the time of year, the fact that I was the first one there, his preference being sport bikes, I let offers rattle around my brain. I had a lot of legitimate reasons for bargaining down the price which, one by one, I named to him. "With all the work it needs and not being able to test the bike...... I can't give you a thousand for it." He digested that for a while, then asked me to make him an offer. I didn't want to be the one to name a figure first, but after ten minutes of waiting (and ten more minutes of wet snow) it was obvious that someone had to make a move. I looked over the bike again, a pained expression on my face, then came out with, "I can give you $600 for it." This would set the tone for the rest of the negotiation. He could have freaked out. Or, maybe the offer was too high and he would immediately say okay. He winced a bit, said, "Oh, man....." A long pause while he swallowed that. "Can you go $700?" YES!!!! I had him now. I waited an equal amount of time, staring at the Wing, no expression on my face whatsoever. "Well, I guess this is where we meet in the middle....... I'll give you $650 but that's all I can do."
He seemed to suddenly feel that we were premature in discussing price. Apparently, he had not seen the truck and trailer in the road below the driveway. "Are you talking about tonight?" "Yeah, I'm ready to go, man. I've got cash." This surprise was an advantage to me. I pulled out the Benjamins, which he noticed. I started to fan them out a bit to get him salivating, to let him know that $650 cash could be his with just a word. "Okay."
I was ecstatic but I spared him the jumping up and down. We still had to sign the deal.
The next magical trick was to get the bike on the trailer without dumping it and get it home in one piece. Conditions were not ideal. It had turned to rain again. The wind was still blowing pretty good.
Long story short, we secured it with a pile of ratchet straps, then headed out on a wing and a prayer. I just needed to get that bad boy home and I was good to go. I looked back at the bike the whole way home, watching for any little movement or loosening of the straps. And there was the ball that did not fit the receiver exactly. Should be all right, he had said. I was afraid of thinking about the project, the end result, riding it. Until I got that baby to Headquarters I was nowhere.
A few hours later, we backed up the trailer into my driveway and got the bike into the garage. It was late, completely dark out and, you guessed it, still raining! I thanked Chris profusely. Then we made plans to return the trailer.
After Chris left, I just stood in the garage looking at it. Admiring, imagining, smiling! A little kid with his new toy. It was sinking in. I had it! It was home........my bike!
Little by little, the stress of the ride home dissolved and the excitement of a great buy, a new project, a Goldwing took over. We had done it. We had weathered the storm, navigated through a porthole for a windshield, worked with borrowed gear, negotiated like aces, and successfully arrived home with the goods!
And all on a wing and a prayer........
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Quite a Weekend
A typical weekend in this part of the world. Rainy, chilly, then sunny and beautiful.
I was hesitant to take the bike on day 2 of a BRC. I had not ridden day 1 because of weather so I was looking forward to it the next day.
A bit of fog, overcast skies, chilly, rain in the afternoon forecast, but I rode anyway. Too many times I had driven the car only to have the skies clear toward the end of the day and miss out on a great hour long ride home.
As I was leaving for home at the end of day 2, it started raining. It looked bad, but the way I read the sky, I thought I would be better off to ride out of it. I was right. Ten minutes of rain, then I rode into sunny skies. The sun was starting to set and as I got closer to home, everything went orange. I let that poem we learned in school, She Sweeps With Many-Colored Brooms by Emily Dickinson, float through my mind.
The way I look at it, there's good rain and bad rain. If it becomes a safety issue, I stop riding. If not, I don't mind it. I've sure done enough of it over the years.
I enjoyed the ride. All of it. When the weather broke there was a sense that you sometimes have to take the good with the bad, earn your way, ride through the storm to come out the other side. I guess I was getting philosophical, my ride becoming a metaphor for life.
I often reflect on the things I'm going through in life when I ride. It helps me sort things out. Maybe that's one more reason I enjoy it so much.
I only let rain almost produce a crash once. I was making a left turn from a stop, accelerating in a lean when I crossed over a manhole cover. The rear whipped around for an instant and I had to correct my balance quickly. Another lesson to relate to life!
I was hesitant to take the bike on day 2 of a BRC. I had not ridden day 1 because of weather so I was looking forward to it the next day.
A bit of fog, overcast skies, chilly, rain in the afternoon forecast, but I rode anyway. Too many times I had driven the car only to have the skies clear toward the end of the day and miss out on a great hour long ride home.
As I was leaving for home at the end of day 2, it started raining. It looked bad, but the way I read the sky, I thought I would be better off to ride out of it. I was right. Ten minutes of rain, then I rode into sunny skies. The sun was starting to set and as I got closer to home, everything went orange. I let that poem we learned in school, She Sweeps With Many-Colored Brooms by Emily Dickinson, float through my mind.
The way I look at it, there's good rain and bad rain. If it becomes a safety issue, I stop riding. If not, I don't mind it. I've sure done enough of it over the years.
I enjoyed the ride. All of it. When the weather broke there was a sense that you sometimes have to take the good with the bad, earn your way, ride through the storm to come out the other side. I guess I was getting philosophical, my ride becoming a metaphor for life.
I often reflect on the things I'm going through in life when I ride. It helps me sort things out. Maybe that's one more reason I enjoy it so much.
I only let rain almost produce a crash once. I was making a left turn from a stop, accelerating in a lean when I crossed over a manhole cover. The rear whipped around for an instant and I had to correct my balance quickly. Another lesson to relate to life!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
That's the Breaks!
After completing my prep I called my insurance company to see if they offered a discount to RiderCoaches.
Nope. But, oh yes, if you complete the BRC successfully, you get a discount. I tried to explain that I teach the course. Surely that is above and beyond what a student accomplishes by taking the course, right? I mean, I must be able to pass one if I teach it.
I got the dreaded phrase as a reply: "That's not our policy, sir." Seriously. "Well, you could take the BRC and mail us a completion card." Right.
Then I got an offer in the mail from another insurance company. They wanted me to call and get a quote. Sure, why not? My first question: "Do you offer a discount to RiderCoaches?" He put me on hold for a minute. "Yes we do." Now we're getting somewhere.
The only problem was, even with the discount, they could not beat my current insurance company's price. Hmph.
I called some other companies. Turned out, they did not offer an insurance break for RiderCoaches either. Crazy.
When is MSF going to educate these people as to who we are and get all of them to give us the same discount (or more) that our students get?
Nope. But, oh yes, if you complete the BRC successfully, you get a discount. I tried to explain that I teach the course. Surely that is above and beyond what a student accomplishes by taking the course, right? I mean, I must be able to pass one if I teach it.
I got the dreaded phrase as a reply: "That's not our policy, sir." Seriously. "Well, you could take the BRC and mail us a completion card." Right.
Then I got an offer in the mail from another insurance company. They wanted me to call and get a quote. Sure, why not? My first question: "Do you offer a discount to RiderCoaches?" He put me on hold for a minute. "Yes we do." Now we're getting somewhere.
The only problem was, even with the discount, they could not beat my current insurance company's price. Hmph.
I called some other companies. Turned out, they did not offer an insurance break for RiderCoaches either. Crazy.
When is MSF going to educate these people as to who we are and get all of them to give us the same discount (or more) that our students get?
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Dan
Dan was in one of my first BRCs. He wanted to be reunited with his motorcycle, which was back in Central NY. It was the only wheels he had and he needed it to get to work.
I wracked my brain trying to think of all of my friends from home, college, and family members who lived in NY who might have been able to help him somehow. Didn't come up with much.
He was a nice guy in a tough spot. I really wanted to help. Even thought about riding it back for him the next time we went to NY for a visit.
Then I started thinking about what would happen if something went wrong. What if I crashed the bike on the way home? What if I got there and it had mechanical problems? Plus, should I get involved with a student? Maybe it wasn't such a good idea.
Sometimes the heart says yes but the mind says no.
Looks like you're on your own, Danny Boy.
I wracked my brain trying to think of all of my friends from home, college, and family members who lived in NY who might have been able to help him somehow. Didn't come up with much.
He was a nice guy in a tough spot. I really wanted to help. Even thought about riding it back for him the next time we went to NY for a visit.
Then I started thinking about what would happen if something went wrong. What if I crashed the bike on the way home? What if I got there and it had mechanical problems? Plus, should I get involved with a student? Maybe it wasn't such a good idea.
Sometimes the heart says yes but the mind says no.
Looks like you're on your own, Danny Boy.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Zap Law
So we got some weird lookin' vehicles out there, folks.
I'm curious about that recent memo from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Sure, by strict definition, in the state of Maine the Zap car and the Zap truck are motorcycles. But one has to wonder if ability to operate a two-wheeled motorcycle is going to be of great use to a "Zap-driver". "Zapper"? "Zappist"? "Zap-Jockey"? There it is: Zapjockey. Oh, wait a minute.......ZapGirl. With the right sunglasses, that could be something.
Anyway, it will be interesting to see if it changes. In the mean time, I wonder about the morale of people who want to drive a Zappy and have to take a BRC but who never wanted to ride a motorcycle in their lives. And how about those helmets while your Zappin'?!!
Weird looking aside, check out the features, prices, and longterm savings available on their website. There's a good slide show and audio-lecture about where things are heading for gas vehicles and for their company. By the way, "ZAP" is for Zero Air Pollution.
I'm curious about that recent memo from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Sure, by strict definition, in the state of Maine the Zap car and the Zap truck are motorcycles. But one has to wonder if ability to operate a two-wheeled motorcycle is going to be of great use to a "Zap-driver". "Zapper"? "Zappist"? "Zap-Jockey"? There it is: Zapjockey. Oh, wait a minute.......ZapGirl. With the right sunglasses, that could be something.
Anyway, it will be interesting to see if it changes. In the mean time, I wonder about the morale of people who want to drive a Zappy and have to take a BRC but who never wanted to ride a motorcycle in their lives. And how about those helmets while your Zappin'?!!
Weird looking aside, check out the features, prices, and longterm savings available on their website. There's a good slide show and audio-lecture about where things are heading for gas vehicles and for their company. By the way, "ZAP" is for Zero Air Pollution.
E-K-G or Thumb/Key/Valve?
Some RiderCoaches use the abbreviation "E-K-G" to refer to the shutdown procedure for the motorcycles. Engine cutoff - Key - Gas. In the student workbook for the Basic Rider Course, however, the same procedure is described as "Thumb/Key/Valve". I started thinking about this difference and which term might be more effective.
I liked E-K-G at first because it's a combination of letters that a lot of people know. So, it's memorable. "E" is also used previously in FINE -C to denote the engine cutoff switch. On the other hand, how many folks have good associations with an EKG? Hmm.
I have seen E-K-G taught to students through a number of BRCs now and I've noticed that even after numerous exercises some people are still slow at hitting the engine cutoff switch when they come in to staging. Why?
Then I realized the important strength of Thumb/Key/Valve. The first part of it is "Thumb". It reinforces where the switch is and makes an immediate connection in the mind with the first thing you do when you come in to staging. Simple......Thumb.
I'll betcha they knew this at MSF! It's right there in the workbook. That old experience thing kickin' in.
And so begins a new RiderCoach mantra: "Read the fine curriculum!"
Side note: The more I learn about and work with the BRC program, the more I realize how good it really is. After all, they're the experts. They know more about this stuff than I do. I think it's questionable to deviate from the curriculum for a number of reasons, including student response. What might they think about the program if you substitute what's in the book with your own thing? The last thing you need as a RiderCoach (or they need) is for student confidence in the program to begin to erode. RTFC/RTFC.
I liked E-K-G at first because it's a combination of letters that a lot of people know. So, it's memorable. "E" is also used previously in FINE -C to denote the engine cutoff switch. On the other hand, how many folks have good associations with an EKG? Hmm.
I have seen E-K-G taught to students through a number of BRCs now and I've noticed that even after numerous exercises some people are still slow at hitting the engine cutoff switch when they come in to staging. Why?
Then I realized the important strength of Thumb/Key/Valve. The first part of it is "Thumb". It reinforces where the switch is and makes an immediate connection in the mind with the first thing you do when you come in to staging. Simple......Thumb.
I'll betcha they knew this at MSF! It's right there in the workbook. That old experience thing kickin' in.
And so begins a new RiderCoach mantra: "Read the fine curriculum!"
Side note: The more I learn about and work with the BRC program, the more I realize how good it really is. After all, they're the experts. They know more about this stuff than I do. I think it's questionable to deviate from the curriculum for a number of reasons, including student response. What might they think about the program if you substitute what's in the book with your own thing? The last thing you need as a RiderCoach (or they need) is for student confidence in the program to begin to erode. RTFC/RTFC.
RiderCoach Prep - Getting the MOST Out of Training - Part Three
I'm lined up for Evaluation 3. I think I'm doing well so far. All I need is a good quick stop and corner and I'll have passed. A monkey off my back for the rest of training and one step closer to a successful finish.
We had been working hard for the last two days and riding a lot. I had a red Eliminator, a good, friendly bike.
Here goes; he's waving me on............ Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirst.. seconnnnnnnnnd. YEEEOWWWWWW! What the... The roaring sound was tremendous...feeling things go sloppy for an instant made me let off the brakes...not even time to think. Then I felt upright and gradually but firmly reapplied the brakes. Good thing, too. I was in a front tire skid! I couldn't believe it.
By now my heart was pumping. Bob, over my left shoulder, slowly walked up to me, paused, and said, "So, how fast are we supposed to be going for the quick stop?" I thought..... "12 to 18 miles per hour." "Yep. How fast do you think you were going?" "Um, over 20?" "Oh yeah." Then he calmed me down a bit. "It's just a bit of nerves. What I want you to do is take a deep breath, turn here and get back in line. Then you're gonna do a nice quick stop and then you'll be all set." His being so calm about it really helped me out. I can do this. "Okay." So I cleared my head and refocused. Everything got quiet and I tuned in to what I was doing.
I was a bit conservative on the rerun just to be sure I didn't mess up again and be assessed the maximum. I purposely took it easy on the brakes. I figured I had room in my score thus far that I would be fine if I went over a few feet. Sure enough, I went over six feet but it was a respectable stop. Those were my only points on the riding eval.
PHEW!
Later I was reflecting on the skid. How could I do that? I had never skidded the front tire in 20 years of riding! Maybe it was that the bike was so light compared to what I had ridden in those twenty years. Then again, I had been riding that bike for two days.........NO EXCUSES. It was the nerves.
And you gotta deal with it.
* * * * * * *
The rest of the prep went well. It was a lot of work and a lot of testing. I had a marginal sat on the final (the full class taught to actual students) on exercise 15 with Stan (he did a good job with the whole prep. A really smart guy who got even the details right. I was relieved when I got paired with him!) We got a little off our game when someone waiting in line revved it up to the redline and dropped the clutch. She crashed into the rider in front of her, who proceeded to also rev it up and drop the clutch, only she set the bike down on its side and did two and a half 360s before finally letting off the throttle. Pretty spectaular. Stan blew the whistle. A lot. After, John told us that wasn't the problem. He said, "She was just waiting in line when she did that. It wasn't your fault. That stuff happens sometimes." What was our fault was that we had mixed up one of the transitions, and our lack of experience and communication created a situation in which riders were going the wrong way and one of us was not ready to receive them. We handled it but it was far from perfect.
For graduation we were all invited to a reception in a conference room at the BMV. Congratulations, a dinner, and certificates. We also got to see some pictures Eric, the man in charge of driver and rider education for the state, had taken during the prep. It was nicely done.
All that time and effort had payed off. Now I was a RiderCoach.
We had been working hard for the last two days and riding a lot. I had a red Eliminator, a good, friendly bike.
Here goes; he's waving me on............ Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirst.. seconnnnnnnnnd. YEEEOWWWWWW! What the... The roaring sound was tremendous...feeling things go sloppy for an instant made me let off the brakes...not even time to think. Then I felt upright and gradually but firmly reapplied the brakes. Good thing, too. I was in a front tire skid! I couldn't believe it.
By now my heart was pumping. Bob, over my left shoulder, slowly walked up to me, paused, and said, "So, how fast are we supposed to be going for the quick stop?" I thought..... "12 to 18 miles per hour." "Yep. How fast do you think you were going?" "Um, over 20?" "Oh yeah." Then he calmed me down a bit. "It's just a bit of nerves. What I want you to do is take a deep breath, turn here and get back in line. Then you're gonna do a nice quick stop and then you'll be all set." His being so calm about it really helped me out. I can do this. "Okay." So I cleared my head and refocused. Everything got quiet and I tuned in to what I was doing.
I was a bit conservative on the rerun just to be sure I didn't mess up again and be assessed the maximum. I purposely took it easy on the brakes. I figured I had room in my score thus far that I would be fine if I went over a few feet. Sure enough, I went over six feet but it was a respectable stop. Those were my only points on the riding eval.
PHEW!
Later I was reflecting on the skid. How could I do that? I had never skidded the front tire in 20 years of riding! Maybe it was that the bike was so light compared to what I had ridden in those twenty years. Then again, I had been riding that bike for two days.........NO EXCUSES. It was the nerves.
And you gotta deal with it.
* * * * * * *
The rest of the prep went well. It was a lot of work and a lot of testing. I had a marginal sat on the final (the full class taught to actual students) on exercise 15 with Stan (he did a good job with the whole prep. A really smart guy who got even the details right. I was relieved when I got paired with him!) We got a little off our game when someone waiting in line revved it up to the redline and dropped the clutch. She crashed into the rider in front of her, who proceeded to also rev it up and drop the clutch, only she set the bike down on its side and did two and a half 360s before finally letting off the throttle. Pretty spectaular. Stan blew the whistle. A lot. After, John told us that wasn't the problem. He said, "She was just waiting in line when she did that. It wasn't your fault. That stuff happens sometimes." What was our fault was that we had mixed up one of the transitions, and our lack of experience and communication created a situation in which riders were going the wrong way and one of us was not ready to receive them. We handled it but it was far from perfect.
For graduation we were all invited to a reception in a conference room at the BMV. Congratulations, a dinner, and certificates. We also got to see some pictures Eric, the man in charge of driver and rider education for the state, had taken during the prep. It was nicely done.
All that time and effort had payed off. Now I was a RiderCoach.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Bikes and Beer
Today, by coincidence, I was reading an ad this morning about a tour of Austria and Germany by motorcycle, and then, this afternoon, watching a show about the history of brewing beer. Why is it that bikes and beer seem to go together?
I've heard it said that when "bikers" (meaning the gruff, hulking nogoodniks on two wheels....I think this stereotype goes back to "The Wild One" starring Marlon Brando) get together beer is inevitably chugged down in great quantities. Of course, we all know that drinking and riding has fatal consequences sooner or later.
But what about that expression, "Drinking and riding"? Or more commonly: "Drinking and Driving"? Why do people insist on bringing those two ideas together in a handy-dandy slogan?
I think this started being popular sometime around 1980, at least in my experience. I can't tell you how many times during high school in health class, at assemblies, in TV ads, I've heard those two ideas paired up: Drinking and Driving. Who thought this up? How about "Drinking OR Driving??? "OR" I said! Don't combine the two with "and"!!! Who's with me on this?
Who is willing to make up the bumper stickers? "Drink OR Drive" ? I'd even be willing to put, "Not both." in parentheses after.
I've read a number of articles in British motorcycle magazines where they talk about being on tour in Europe or elsewhere and they drink fine wine and beer at the end of a long day on the "tarmac". Superb. Enjoy your riding. Then enjoy a beer. Life is good. Just don't get mixed up!
The title of this should be "Bikes OR Beer"!!!
I've heard it said that when "bikers" (meaning the gruff, hulking nogoodniks on two wheels....I think this stereotype goes back to "The Wild One" starring Marlon Brando) get together beer is inevitably chugged down in great quantities. Of course, we all know that drinking and riding has fatal consequences sooner or later.
But what about that expression, "Drinking and riding"? Or more commonly: "Drinking and Driving"? Why do people insist on bringing those two ideas together in a handy-dandy slogan?
I think this started being popular sometime around 1980, at least in my experience. I can't tell you how many times during high school in health class, at assemblies, in TV ads, I've heard those two ideas paired up: Drinking and Driving. Who thought this up? How about "Drinking OR Driving??? "OR" I said! Don't combine the two with "and"!!! Who's with me on this?
Who is willing to make up the bumper stickers? "Drink OR Drive" ? I'd even be willing to put, "Not both." in parentheses after.
I've read a number of articles in British motorcycle magazines where they talk about being on tour in Europe or elsewhere and they drink fine wine and beer at the end of a long day on the "tarmac". Superb. Enjoy your riding. Then enjoy a beer. Life is good. Just don't get mixed up!
The title of this should be "Bikes OR Beer"!!!
Excuses, Excuses.
Today the wife and kids were off to the Children's museum. I had to stay back and study for an upcoming education test. Finally I got overloaded and I was fading away, losing concentration. Needed a break. What I really wanted to do was go for a ride........but I was supposed to be studying. I guess I was tired of looking at the written page.
I checked the radar quickly as there was rain in the area AGAIN, some of it pretty heavy. Looked okay for a while. Next thing I knew I was getting ready to ride.
I took to the highway and sped along trying to enjoy myself while at the same time diagnosing a problem I've been having with engine sputter at around 7100 RPM. The highway speed was perfect for this but I still wasn't sure whether it was electrical or fuel-related. Hmm. At least I was riding.
As I got closer to my destination, I looked skyward. Dark, rolling clouds loomed overhaed. Uh oh. And then, suddenly, I didn't care if it rained at all. I rounded a bend coming in to Hartland. The gentle curves and encroaching pines made me feel good. Maybe it wasn't an exotic locale on a BMW 1200 like in those magazines - it didn't matter. I realized how much fun I was having just riding. That feeling of balance, the wind...being on two wheels is o.k. by me.
It didn't matter that I never found the camera. It would turn up eventually.
Oh, to ride! Any excuse will do!
In fact, I've been reading a lot about motorcycling lately in magazines. One American, one British. Interesting stuff. They talk a lot about techniques, test rides and "the like." It really wets the appetite but with a lot of rain and some thunderstorms in the forecast these days, I haven't been out as much as I'd like. Time to stop reading about it and just RIDE no matter what the weather!
And then, it occured to me...recently we lost track of our 35 mm camera. The only place we hadn't looked was camp. We had gone there a week ago, and where else could it be, really? Problem was nobody was in the vicinity. It's about 30 miles or so away. I suddenly thought of going to take a look..........
I checked the radar quickly as there was rain in the area AGAIN, some of it pretty heavy. Looked okay for a while. Next thing I knew I was getting ready to ride.
I took to the highway and sped along trying to enjoy myself while at the same time diagnosing a problem I've been having with engine sputter at around 7100 RPM. The highway speed was perfect for this but I still wasn't sure whether it was electrical or fuel-related. Hmm. At least I was riding.
As I got closer to my destination, I looked skyward. Dark, rolling clouds loomed overhaed. Uh oh. And then, suddenly, I didn't care if it rained at all. I rounded a bend coming in to Hartland. The gentle curves and encroaching pines made me feel good. Maybe it wasn't an exotic locale on a BMW 1200 like in those magazines - it didn't matter. I realized how much fun I was having just riding. That feeling of balance, the wind...being on two wheels is o.k. by me.
It didn't matter that I never found the camera. It would turn up eventually.
Oh, to ride! Any excuse will do!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
RiderCoach Prep - Getting the MOST Out of Training - Part Two
In fact, the RiderCoach Trainers were tremendous. Bob and John definitely had different styles to a point but as far as the training principles and content, they were on the same page. And they worked seamlessly together. Like one mind.
It's funny - you see someone do something so well sometimes that it looks easy. And then you try it.
So we started off with 13 candidates, ended with nine, a couple of them passing by the skin of their teeth.
The format was: study the RC Guide and know your stuff - that's the classroom content, all the details of the range exercises, how to deliver and teach in the classroom and run the exercises...........it was a lot! (Before the prep even started, we had completed a lengthy pre-course assignment to get the ball rolling.) We would divide the classroom up into sections, then perform it, using the other candidates as our students. For the range, we paired up as C1 and C2 and ran the exercises with the other candidates riding as students. Then we would get the damage report from Bob and John. In the middle of all this we would take a written test on BRC knowledge. There was also a riding evaluation we had to pass. It was the same one the students of the BRC would take but we were only allowed 10 points or less (students are allowed 20). The final evaluation for us would be to divide up the entire BRC, classroom and range, and take twelve real students through the whole course. Youch.
During training when we had question after question, Bob and John had a mantra: "What do the cards say?" Soon it sank in. The philosophy behind the process was that we needed to be responsible for our own learning. Just like the students would be.
Being an experienced High School teacher gave me a big head start on doing the classroom. Some folks stumbled, though, with the classroom instruction. Nervousness, not talking loudly enough or, especially, talking too much. A few candidates had experience teaching the MMSC course. While that prior knowledge could have served them well, it provided opportunities for them to veer off the BRC track. During the final evaluation, when we taught the actual class to students, one candidate was talking about crossing over obstacles. A student had asked why you do that. The candidate said that if you don't rise off the seat and use your legs as shock absorbers "you could compress your spine." Oh, dear. I had to look over at John and Bob to see their faces. And then I saw some of the students wincing. In my evaluation of his classroom I quoted that part and wrote, "You're scaring people." Others tried to add color with personal stories from their past. I could almost hear the instructors thinking, "Tick-tock...tick-tock......" At times it was not good.
It was challenging to try to figure out the range. The hardest thing for me was understanding transitions and RC movements during the range exercises. Maybe it's because I was a wrestler in school and never played organized basketball, football or other sports where you developed the ability to work in concert with others. It took a lot of figuring to see the whole picture and how it would all work. Having to sort it all out made us aware of the "whys" of each exercise. Some things just weren't explicit in the cards. In 10, I puzzled over how to split up riders at the two start points. It was also hard to picture the staging at the end of 3. One exercise says, "Encourage riders to weave on the perimeter." Encourage? It's not optional. Later I figured out that what was meant was remind. I guess I'm too literal. As for repeated splits, they were repeatedly causing a split right down the middle of my brain!
Of course, all of this seems painfully obvious once you've done it. In fact, knowing how to do it now makes me wonder how difficult it would be to watch someone else struggle with learning each step. It's testament to how patient and accommodating our instructors were.
John was part cheerleader, part in-your-face football coach, part tough dad, but supportive when needed. Bob's style was different. Calm, understanding, reassuring. And it worked. They were a great team because they recognized that everyone responds to different motivators. That's one of the skills in being a teacher. And they got the balance right. I think criticism is highly underrated. It has gotten a bad reputation in our squeamish, easily-offended society. People think it's mean. I hate it when I need valuable criticism and I get fluff. You also need some praise and encouragement for things done right. One way or another, they would get you back on track. With so much on the line, excellence was the goal, and rightly so.
I had a lot on the line, too. I was missing time from work, which was a sacrifice considering it was the period right before final exams. It also meant lost wages. I was sponsored by a BRC school who would repay my lost pay in exchange for me working for them for two seasons - but only if I passed and could do the work. The State was going to reimburse candidates for the course tuition - again, if we passed. There was also pride.
Unfortunately, some did not finish. Here's a summary:
#1 - This candidate was a truck driver, so she had been through trainings before. She said she was scatterbrained and had ADD. The next time she got confused on the range, she said it was old age (she was probably in her late forties, not old at all!). We called it Age-DD and she laughed. The next day she said it was all too much and packed it in.
#2 - This guy had come quite a distance to take the prep and was determined to complete it successfully. He was getting frustrated practicing for the riding evaluation. The first one was not successful. After a lot of work on his riding and on the prep, he took the second and final eval. When he sputtered on a Nighthawk on Evaluation 3 in the middle of the curve, he swore. He was at the breaking point as that would have ended his prep. With the mechanical problem fixed, he went through fine but his score overall was not a pass.
#3 - Did not pass the written test. Too bad, too. Knew the range inside and out.
#4 - Had one unsatisfactory score in the classroom. Just kept going off track and going on and on and on..........actually had to be cut off because he was killing the whole class on time. The second unsat was on the range. It was exercise 15. He blew the demo. Then, after some prodding, the C1 had a conference with him. He blew the demo a second time. They switched and the C1 rode it - again, it was done incorrectly. John signaled Bob to ride the demo, who was already putting his helmet on. By then, these two were on the run. Bad stress, confusion. The running of the exercise was not much better. John was practicing what he calls "Whistle Control." Second unsat. Six foot four, 280 lbs., in the men's room crying. It meant a lot to him but he was prone to nervousness and just couldn't pull it together at a critical time. He was not the only one to be reduced to tears during the prep.
It was tough. A lot to learn and not a lot of time to do it. It was one of the most intense, challenging, valuable things I've ever done. And I loved it. It's given me a lot of things to think about. More than just teaching the BRC. It has influenced how I relate to people, how I view learning, and how I teach. It has also allowed me to do something practical: to help folks gain the skills and knowledge they need to become safe, responsible riders and to enjoy something I, too enjoy and always have...........MOTORCYCLING!
Thanks Bob and John and thanks to Terry and Larry for believing in me and giving me a great opportunity!
See "Part Three (or How I Did My Only Front Tire Skid Ever During My RiderCoach Evaluation)" in a later posting.
Got ChiPs?
When I was a lad, I used to watch the adventures of the California Highway Patrol officers Frank Poncherello and Jon Baker on the TV show "CHiPs". They would catch the bad guys and come to the rescue of the meek on their Kawasaki police motorcycles. The theme song was great and their were plenty of stunts. I, of course, would imagine myself on the bikes zooming around with them.
These days my motorcycle chips have to do with teaching the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Basic Rider Course. I use the numbered poker chips to divide up the questions in the classroom workbook, an idea I learned in my training. (Thanks John! John the RiderCoach Trainer, not Jon 7-Mary-3 of the CHP.) It's fun and hands on and saves time - everyone knows what questions to do and when their turn is up.
Ahhh, growing up...
Check out the official chip case. MSF and Huggies teamed up on this one. It is waterproof, has an industrial strength hinge and custom fliptop guide. Sweet.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Like Family
John told us in training to treat students like you would want your own family to be treated. "How would you want someone to treat your mother or your brother if they took this course?" That really makes sense to me and has been a good guide for handling situations that come up during the BRC.
You may find yourself a little frustrated with the student who can't seem to focus during the demo and then consistently goes the wrong way during the exercise. Or get a bit fed up with the guy who keeps revving the throttle while he's waiting in line. You might wish that somebody would just quit and go home because they're just not up to it.
But how would you feel if your dad or your daughter called you up and said they didn't get a fair shot at the BRC they just paid $300 for? How would you feel if you were stressed out learning something beyond your comfort level, doing your best, only to be told (in words or indirectly through someone's attitude) you weren't wanted there.
That would stink, wouldn't it?
You've got to be compassionate. You've got to be patient. Even when you're tired. You've got to give them the benefit of the doubt. And be nice. Because we're the professionals. And they're paying for a service. And they're going to be riding motorcycles in traffic. Soon.
It's all about what they need.
Hell, I'm just going to treat everybody I meet how I want members of my own family treated! I mean, they're somebody's family, right? And the way I look at it, we're all in this together. On and off the road.
You may find yourself a little frustrated with the student who can't seem to focus during the demo and then consistently goes the wrong way during the exercise. Or get a bit fed up with the guy who keeps revving the throttle while he's waiting in line. You might wish that somebody would just quit and go home because they're just not up to it.
But how would you feel if your dad or your daughter called you up and said they didn't get a fair shot at the BRC they just paid $300 for? How would you feel if you were stressed out learning something beyond your comfort level, doing your best, only to be told (in words or indirectly through someone's attitude) you weren't wanted there.
That would stink, wouldn't it?
You've got to be compassionate. You've got to be patient. Even when you're tired. You've got to give them the benefit of the doubt. And be nice. Because we're the professionals. And they're paying for a service. And they're going to be riding motorcycles in traffic. Soon.
It's all about what they need.
Hell, I'm just going to treat everybody I meet how I want members of my own family treated! I mean, they're somebody's family, right? And the way I look at it, we're all in this together. On and off the road.
The Long and Winding Road
I've been longing for a long ride.
Time to air out, get away, clean out the mental junk drawer, do some long division in my head to figure out my gas mileage while I ride to nowhere in particular.
Take some lazy curves at 55.
Really doesn't have to be that long a ride. Hour and a half. A long break. Mosey back a different way. Smell the air. Feel the temperature changes at dusk. Warm on the hilltops where the sun is still hitting the road. Cool in the shadows in the low areas.
A little time to stop all the words. Worries.
Chill out. See a deer just standing there on the side of the road, looking at me.
And then to be glad to pull into the driveway.
Home sweet home.
Time to air out, get away, clean out the mental junk drawer, do some long division in my head to figure out my gas mileage while I ride to nowhere in particular.
Take some lazy curves at 55.
Really doesn't have to be that long a ride. Hour and a half. A long break. Mosey back a different way. Smell the air. Feel the temperature changes at dusk. Warm on the hilltops where the sun is still hitting the road. Cool in the shadows in the low areas.
A little time to stop all the words. Worries.
Chill out. See a deer just standing there on the side of the road, looking at me.
And then to be glad to pull into the driveway.
Home sweet home.
The Journey Begins...
...with the smallest step.
A coworker needed a Range Aid to help set up exercises for his motorcycle school. Would I be interested?
I have been riding since I was a teenager. I love bikes and riding. "Sure."
Weeks went by. Our schedules didn't coincide for a while. Then, he came to me and said that what he really needed was another RiderCoach. He would pay the expenses if I would take the training. It would be during the summer vacation. Perfect. This had much more appeal. I would be teaching people to ride and making more money. Great! At the same time this would give me an opportunity to improve my skills (my biggest strategy - SKILL = SURVIVAL) and finally see what the "MSF" was all about.
I had heard of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation before. Once upon a time, I researched how one could improve riding skills and had discovered the MSF. I had wanted to take a class for a long time but did not know which one was right for me. The Basic Rider Course was apparently for beginners. I then found out that the Experienced Rider Course was not about advanced skills per se, but rather basic skills for people who needed a refresher. This was discouraging. I wanted to know about mastering braking techniques, expert cornering, road strategies, high speed swerving.........I wanted to be challenged and figure out ways to protect myself. I wanted the good stuff. (Little did I know at the time, I was lacking fundamentals that would prove to be very valuable and could have been learned or perfected simply by taking the Basic Rider Course.)
There were a lot of hoops to jump through in order to get ready. I was informed late in the game that the training course to become a RiderCoach would be held in June, not July as was previously thought. I was still working during June. This was going to be tricky. I had to apply for personal leave. I had to prepare for over a week of absence. Difficult to do if you do it right. Resonsibility. Would I even get the leave approved? The State had requirements. There were forms, papers, fees.......
Then I learned more about the program. It was rigorous. Not everybody made it through ( this seemed sensible to me but not exactly reassuring..... I had a lot riding on it because if I didn't pass, I would not get reimbursed by my sponsor or the State, I would have lost wages, I wouldn't be working as a RiderCoach making money...........etc.). There was pre-course work. There was homework. You had to pass a strict riding evaluation. Wow.
On the other hand, I thought, I wanted a challenge and one presented itself. I may have had a lot to lose but I also had a lot to gain. I also got lucky. The RiderCoach Prep would be held in Maine not far from me! "Okay," I thought. Let's do this!
A coworker needed a Range Aid to help set up exercises for his motorcycle school. Would I be interested?
I have been riding since I was a teenager. I love bikes and riding. "Sure."
Weeks went by. Our schedules didn't coincide for a while. Then, he came to me and said that what he really needed was another RiderCoach. He would pay the expenses if I would take the training. It would be during the summer vacation. Perfect. This had much more appeal. I would be teaching people to ride and making more money. Great! At the same time this would give me an opportunity to improve my skills (my biggest strategy - SKILL = SURVIVAL) and finally see what the "MSF" was all about.
I had heard of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation before. Once upon a time, I researched how one could improve riding skills and had discovered the MSF. I had wanted to take a class for a long time but did not know which one was right for me. The Basic Rider Course was apparently for beginners. I then found out that the Experienced Rider Course was not about advanced skills per se, but rather basic skills for people who needed a refresher. This was discouraging. I wanted to know about mastering braking techniques, expert cornering, road strategies, high speed swerving.........I wanted to be challenged and figure out ways to protect myself. I wanted the good stuff. (Little did I know at the time, I was lacking fundamentals that would prove to be very valuable and could have been learned or perfected simply by taking the Basic Rider Course.)
There were a lot of hoops to jump through in order to get ready. I was informed late in the game that the training course to become a RiderCoach would be held in June, not July as was previously thought. I was still working during June. This was going to be tricky. I had to apply for personal leave. I had to prepare for over a week of absence. Difficult to do if you do it right. Resonsibility. Would I even get the leave approved? The State had requirements. There were forms, papers, fees.......
Then I learned more about the program. It was rigorous. Not everybody made it through ( this seemed sensible to me but not exactly reassuring..... I had a lot riding on it because if I didn't pass, I would not get reimbursed by my sponsor or the State, I would have lost wages, I wouldn't be working as a RiderCoach making money...........etc.). There was pre-course work. There was homework. You had to pass a strict riding evaluation. Wow.
On the other hand, I thought, I wanted a challenge and one presented itself. I may have had a lot to lose but I also had a lot to gain. I also got lucky. The RiderCoach Prep would be held in Maine not far from me! "Okay," I thought. Let's do this!
Helmet Hell
So I was recently at a bike shop discussing motorcycle helmets with a store employee. She's quite knowledgeable about the products and does a lot of riding herself.
I was looking for a replacement face shield for my full face Bieffe. Nope, no gots. Apparently they don't make that model anymore. I resisted the temptation to say, "So what? You're telling me you don't stock some shields for it? It's not like this thing is old, you know!" Can you believe, she said that they don't continue models very long and then some parts are harder to get..........? It gets worse: She was also telling me about a workshop she went to that discussed, among other things, the fact that helmet effectiveness drops greatly after they age 5 years.
Are you kidding me!!?? Five years and out? I mean, I know it's my head and all, but jimminy......I broke off the moss to get a real nice helmet and..........now what? Some jackass with a microscope is worried about the space age foam breaking down?!! Wasn't the space age foam what made it cost so much in the first place? Or are you just trying to sell me a new helmet? You're killing me.
I'm in Helmet Hell!
More research needed.
I should have asked her if a twenty year old snowmobile helmet bought for $5 at a garage sale was a bad idea....
I was looking for a replacement face shield for my full face Bieffe. Nope, no gots. Apparently they don't make that model anymore. I resisted the temptation to say, "So what? You're telling me you don't stock some shields for it? It's not like this thing is old, you know!" Can you believe, she said that they don't continue models very long and then some parts are harder to get..........? It gets worse: She was also telling me about a workshop she went to that discussed, among other things, the fact that helmet effectiveness drops greatly after they age 5 years.
Are you kidding me!!?? Five years and out? I mean, I know it's my head and all, but jimminy......I broke off the moss to get a real nice helmet and..........now what? Some jackass with a microscope is worried about the space age foam breaking down?!! Wasn't the space age foam what made it cost so much in the first place? Or are you just trying to sell me a new helmet? You're killing me.
I'm in Helmet Hell!
More research needed.
I should have asked her if a twenty year old snowmobile helmet bought for $5 at a garage sale was a bad idea....
*** Exercise 1 ***
For some reason (it certainly wasn't from training because they didn't show us this way..... I just forgot how they did it), I always thought that you had to have students point out all the controls before they mounted the bike, then get on and point them out all over again and operate them.
It's the part that says, "Walk around motorcycle identifying controls." I remember having them point out everything. I would read the entire list right from handlebars to ignition switch. Then they would get on and do it all over again!
Now I realize that that instruction is for them to do on their own. It's a discovery process for them. You don't need to hold their hands right then (DON'T CREATE A DEPENDENT LEARNER!). The RC then has them "Identify and manipulate the following.........." So why would you have them do it before they mount, too? It's just a waste of time.
Hello, McFly?!! RTFC!!!
My other thought on 1 is that we should make it light and fun. Sure, they've got to learn this stuff, but I think it can become a bore if the RC delivers it too dry. For me, it helps to remember that for beginners who are on a bike for the first time, it's a real thrill. As for experienced riders, the RC doesn't have to apologize for boring them as long as it's fun. Also, I've found that most of them go for the key and neutral instead of doing THUMB-KEY-VALVE when they shut down. Learning a new way that makes good sense might make them realize that the curriculum has something to offer everyone on every exercise, even if it's something as simple as using the front brake when you mount/dismount. That might open them up a bit to get all they can out of the BRC.
It's the part that says, "Walk around motorcycle identifying controls." I remember having them point out everything. I would read the entire list right from handlebars to ignition switch. Then they would get on and do it all over again!
Now I realize that that instruction is for them to do on their own. It's a discovery process for them. You don't need to hold their hands right then (DON'T CREATE A DEPENDENT LEARNER!). The RC then has them "Identify and manipulate the following.........." So why would you have them do it before they mount, too? It's just a waste of time.
Hello, McFly?!! RTFC!!!
My other thought on 1 is that we should make it light and fun. Sure, they've got to learn this stuff, but I think it can become a bore if the RC delivers it too dry. For me, it helps to remember that for beginners who are on a bike for the first time, it's a real thrill. As for experienced riders, the RC doesn't have to apologize for boring them as long as it's fun. Also, I've found that most of them go for the key and neutral instead of doing THUMB-KEY-VALVE when they shut down. Learning a new way that makes good sense might make them realize that the curriculum has something to offer everyone on every exercise, even if it's something as simple as using the front brake when you mount/dismount. That might open them up a bit to get all they can out of the BRC.
Burning Daylight
One day in training (and I've heard him say it during a BRC as well) John said, "Let's go! We're burnin' daylight!"
One of my favorites, too. John Wayne said it in the movie "The Cowboys". Something I say myself. Brings a smile and is a good, no nonsense way to remember that you have to manage your time.
And not just on the range!
One of my favorites, too. John Wayne said it in the movie "The Cowboys". Something I say myself. Brings a smile and is a good, no nonsense way to remember that you have to manage your time.
And not just on the range!
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