![\"sm-20130901_152451\"](\"https:\/\/wend.ca\/wp-content\/2013\/09\/sm-20130901_152451.jpg\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In conjunction with taking formal lessons, dP has agreed to give me extra bike time. He’s a really good instructor (not surprising given his years of teaching EMS); and, as an added bonus, if I do something really stupid he can keep me alive until I get to the hospital. My only fear is wrecking his bike.<\/p>\n
The first ride was rather anti-climatic. I’ve heard so many horror stories about people ditching their bike the very first time they ride… or crashing into a curb… or worse, hurting themselves. I expected something momentous and spectacular but it actually wasn’t that hard. <\/p>\n
I was able to start it (even after attempts to trick me), get up to 20km, go in a loop, stop, and start on a hill. Though later I did stall it twice on a hill (first ride) and 5 times (second ride\/next day) when I was challenged to get moving faster (instead of taking my sweet time finding the catch point between clutch and gas).<\/p>\n
The only notable thing was that for some reason (I still can’t figure out why) towards the end of my first ride we started to draw a crowd of boys who seemed to want to watch. Maybe it’s the jacket.<\/p>\n
Honestly, the hardest part was sitting on the back of the bike as dP drove to the parking lot. I don’t know how women in India ride on the back of a bike… sideways… sari blowing in the wind… holding a child or two… with laundry… and not holding onto the bike. <\/p>\n
Here’s me in the now infamous 80s rocker jacket, which none of you are looking at because you’re all looking at the bike:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"