David and Teri's ride to Kendrick

Teri's afraid to ride.

It's understandable. She passed the MSF basic course using a Honda Rebel 250. We own an 800 cc Shadow and a 500 cc Ninja. Both bikes are faster than the Rebel, the Ninja is taller (she can't flat foot on it) and the Shadow is a lot heavier.

Shortly after she got her endorsement, we rode past Potlatch and to the end of White Pine drive. The day was windy and there was (as always) moderate traffic on Highway 95. She also mistook a gravel pit for a gravel road and dropped the Shadow. This particular ride did not help with her riding confidence.

On September 30, several months later, we got a babysitter and planned another ride. This time she took the Ninja, which is lighter and easier to control than the Shadow. Even a day before the ride she was getting nervous. I tried to comfort her and remind her she always has the option to back out. I also told her that she needed to go her own pace and not worry about me or any other traffic. We picked an easier path too, Moscow to Troy on Highway 8, then South to Kendrick (which includes a neat little canyon road that has very little traffic).

Teri never got any faster than 5 miles per hour under the speed limit all the way to Troy. We had a bit of a parade going, but I stayed close behind her and towards the center lane in an effort to hide the traffic and keep her from worrying about it. She did pretty good, though I could tell she really needed to learn to trust the lean in corners.

When we stopped in Troy she told me that she still thought the bike would tip over if it leaned much at all (which isn't true). She also suggested that she get on the Shadow with me and we ride two-up the rest of the trip, picking up the Ninja on the way home. I did not like the idea of leaving the Ninja alone like that and offered to just head home. She decided to ride the rest of the way. Her body language revealed that she was pretty wound up and stressed.

The traffic, though not bad on 8, was even lighter on the highway between Troy and Kendrick. I think this made things easier on her because she brought her speed up a little. Her corners were still incorrect - she would slow down in the middle of a turn rather than lean a little harder. She took the canyon road at the end of the stretch into Kendrick surprisingly well. I could tell she was learning to trust the bike and her skills. She even tried a small swerve.

We stopped at a park in Kendrick to rest and talk. Teri said she was still nervous and I don't think she realized that she was doing just fine. I tried not to give too much advice; I thought she just needed time in the saddle to get confident. After a short rest and drink, we took off for home.

I watched a completely changed rider in front of me this time. Teri kept her speed up, took corners at a proper speed, and rode with much more confidence. I pulled up next to here at a stop sign in Troy and gave her the thumbs up. She had a big smile on her face.

From Troy to Moscow was even better. Teri even safely passed a slow motorcycle.

Both of us were really excited about the progress she made when we got home. It was great to see her start to believe in the skills she gained while taking the motorcycle training course. I hope to do it again soon and often.