Edith & Motorcycles: we've come a long way!

Over a year ago my friend Melba asked me if I liked motorcycles, my response was an emphatic "I do not like them a bit. They are dangerous". She was just wondering, she told me. Some other day she asked me if I would ride on a motorcycle with someone that was a very safe rider. A "no way, José; not in a million years!" was my response.

I had never liked motorcycles. When I was a kid we witnessed a motorcycle incident: motorcycle police chasing two guys also on a bike in Mexico City traffic. To make the story short it ened up with a bad accident. This incident made me scared of motorcycles, especially when I hear the engine revs up when speeding up.

Of course later I started going out with Michael, who enjoys riding bikes. I told him that bikes were not my thing. One day he invited me to take a short ride with him on the bike. I was not very sure about that. He has a Goldwing which is one of those big touring motorcylces designed for long and comfortable rides. He gave me a short lesson on safety and how to ride as a passenger. He had a helmet for me too. He said he would not go fast because he knew that I did not like motorcycles. Of course he also wanted to make sure I had a good riding experience so that I would ride with him again.

I did go on the short ride. Needles to say I enjoyed it a lot. Feeling the air on my face was so nice. I now realize that we probably did not go over 40 mph. The panorama is different than from riding on a car: I am always surprised on how many birds/falcons/eagles we see while riding. When you are riding, other motorcyclists wave at you, it does not matter if you are on a scooter, a HD, a Goldwing or crotch rocket, you are riding and that is what is important.

Shortly after this first trip, we rode on the bike to the 4th of July fireworks, to the monthly Bike Nite gathering, even to go grocery shopping. When I would tell my friends that I was riding as a passenger with Michael they would be speechless as they knew well that I did not like motorcycles. [Hmm, hmm, that I did not used to like motorcycles.]


A few weeks went by when I found out that those "out of the blue" questions Melba asked were part of a recon mission. Since she knew that I did not like bikes, she had possed those "hypothetical questions" as she knew that Michael was interested in me. Well, this just shows that "a million years" are not as long as one would think. Michael and I have been together for a year. I now own a motorcycle. I have a motorcycle driver permit (I passed the written exam on the first try!), and I am learining to ride my bike. Once I practice more and gain more confidence I will be able to ride my own and we can go on more adventures on our "Wings". Edith