hlxbravo: Thank you for the heads up on brakes! I get to have a play on the test centre area soon so will bear this in mind!
As some of you have seen... we PASSED! Hoorah! It was a bit of a damp and dull day heading over to Swansea and I was awash with sleepiness, nerves, want-for-a-pancake (shrove tuesday) but it was a lovely day all the same!
Smart Motorcycle Training in Swansea were phenomenal. Ianto, who we have met a few times before, cracked me up so much throughout the day! He really knew how to blow away the nerves! With very clear, concise and simple instructions the guy was full of beans and keeping us on our toes all day!
As I had the Get On hour on the friday previous I felt a little bit more confident in what I was doing but the thought of pootling along on the open roads amidst traffic didn't half put the heebie jeebies up me! Ianto managed to build my confidence though and with Sam pootpootling along aside me in the car park I was more than happy!
We made our way out onto the road and things seemed much easier gear changing than they had in the car park... I'm guessing this was due to more room for acceleration and movement! I was constantly chatting away to myself in my helmet though reminding myself of the actions (alongside Ianto talking to me all the time on the comms... he was such as star at reassuring me, such an absolute star).
I did, however, manage to stall three times on my first roundabout...
First Stall... Me: "Oh Bugger bum poop and fudge... right... must be the nerves... start her back up again... brumm"
Second Stall... Me: "Seriously!?!? Seriously! Maybe too much clutch again!?"
Third Stall... Me: "Whaaaaaaat the MONKEYS is going on!?! Getting biting point... accelerating enough... why?! WHY!? I need to get my butt into gear.. oh. Oh hang on... gear. FUDGE I've been sat in second! YOU PRATT SOUTHERN!"
Hahahaha! I felt like such a muppet! I think that was probably my only major glitch (on the busiest roundabout in history too... what a nincompoop!) I did have the odd boshing the gear into neutral as opposed to second but after an hour or so out I was much much smoother!
Sam had a good day too! He enjoyed being back on a bike as it's been a while! He found it odd having to do exaggerated movements to check mirrors so the instructor could read what you were doing but other than that (and finding it odd not to stand up over humps... he's used to off roading in his KTM 990 Adventure) he loved it! I did think he might find it all a bit tedious seeing as he's ridden for 8 years and done half way rtw already... but Ianto and the team made it interesting enough for us both which was awesome of them! Sam was nervous though about not passing! I guess the pressure is on when you have an expectation of 8 years riding! Curse Dubai licence and being unable to transfer!
Anyway, I yabber on! A wet sticky-rain day but a great one all the same! Am still smiling now and excited about Mod 1 (although remain nervous in a good way!) Our first big step though...
Some piccies of the day for you:
Ianto, my Welsh instructor from Smart Motorcycle Training in Swansea and I outside prior to the day starting!
Me riding into a container! Haha! I did manage to turn... it's just the way the pic looks! Honest gov!
Both Sam and I on the bikes! Couldn't be a happier duo!
We'd just gone out on the roads for our first ride about and had stopped for a warming cuppa! I was only just properly settling in and eager to jump back on asap!
POOCH giving Sam and snog! Chris - another Smart Motorcycle Swansea Instructor - had a beauuuuuuuuuutiful malamute husky pooch! He was ENORMOUS but stupid friendly! Absolutely adorable hunky man of fluff!
The website is due to be launched over the weekend where there will be much more information about the day and what we're doing/riding/gear etc so please take a look in the future at
www.chasinghorizons.co.uk
In the meantime, you can see more piccies and videos here:
Chasing Horizons Facebook Page and regular updates on
Twitter - Chasing Horizons. Please pop on and take a goosey goosey gander at our frollickings! We'd love to see people on there
Thank you so much for all your support and well wishes!
