Motorcycle training...

...is a good thing.

I did my motorcycle training class this weekend and I have to say, if anyone rides a moto or is thinking of getting a moto: Take this class. It's a great class and I learned a huge amount.

Despite the fact that you get to waive the DMV skill test and you save money on your insurance, it's invaluable just for the opportunity to have 10 hours of intensive one-on-one coaching and instruction. The guys who run the Palomar College class are very good.

Anyway, enough plugging the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.

The class was set up like this: Friday: 3 hours in class learning about how a motorcycle works and how to ride it.
Saturday: 5 hours of motorcycle trainging, another 3 hours of classroom time plus a knowledge test similar to the DMV test but without the long lines and disaffected DMV workers.
Sunday: Another 5 hours of motorcycle training and a skill test.

I drove to the Saturday sessions because I was late and the class went till 10pm and I did not want to ride on the freeway or ride that late at night. Based upon how freakin' tired I was by the time I was done with class, not riding to the class was a REALLY good idea.

Sunday, I slept in and then took my time riding (my moto) to class. I thought it would be fine. I would have some extra riding time and work on those newly acquired skills right after I learned them.

But here's the rub: Riding a moto is pretty demanding on your hands. Your left hand works the clutch and the right hand works the throttle and brake. It's pretty tiring if you are not used to it. Even with all the wrenching time and and using my hands all the time, My hands get pretty tired after about 30-45 of riding.

So, I started off on my ride to Palomar College in San Marcos where the training class was. I took a nice long route: I essentially did the SDBC ride route to the end of Stud Loop and made my way backwards on the Swami's route till Luecadia Blvd which turns into Olivenhain and then turns into Rancho Santa Fe and crosses to San Marcos Blvd. Nice ride but I am telling your my mits were sore.
I then began to realize that this riding to the ride wasn't such a good idea. I got pretty tired during the 5 hour training session and I had to down a couple of big diet cokes to get through. We sat around for a bit after the final skill evaluation (I got the 2nd best score BTW. I only did worse than a guy who's been racing motos all his life). Oh, they supply the motorcycle and I have to warn you, they are such beater bikes. I mean seriously. They all suuuuuper funky. They go, stop shift and turn and that's about it. They say: "if you can ride these bikes, you can ride anything".

So after doing all the final stuff and getting all the paperwork done, it was time to ride home. I was pretty excited to get on my moto after riding the POS bikes. The instructors liked my bike and the senior coach there (who has been riding motos almost as long as I have been alive: ALMOST 40 FRIKIN' YEARS!!!!!!!!) said my bike was a hoot to ride.

I was pretty stoked about everything in general and started to rid back home. I went back pretty much the way I came: Back to the Swami's route, then backwards on the SDBC route. Fun roads for bikes and motos. All was good: I was practicing my newly acquired skills and then about 40 mins into it as I crossed Carmel Valley Road, my left hand started complaining profusely about squeezing the clutch. I mean it was really painful.

Since I still only have my learners permit, I am not suppose to ride at night or on the freeways. But after a couple of stalls due to my left hand not responding like it was supposed to, I decided the safer thing to do was just get on the freeway and give my hand a rest.

So, onto the freeway I go! I got on the 805 at Mira Mesa and bolted home. I actually got my bike up near 90. Did you know there is a lot of wind (90mph to be excact! :) )when you are going 90mph on a bike? Who would have guessed????

Good thing I did that because my left hand needed that rest. When I got off at El Cajon I could tell my hands were feeling better. But I still only had about another 20 mins of traffic time in my hands.

Of course, I spend all day typing like mad and my hand are VERY tired right now. I need to go ride my road bike to recover from typing this post. OIY!!!!!