Motorcycle Accomplishment!

I've been working in a motorcycle dealership for over three years now.
I've only ever ridden an ATV that was manual and I don't think I really knew what I was doing.
For the past three years I've been explaining to customers how to go about taking our ABATE course.
It's a beginner's motorcycle course that the State of Indiana puts on almost every weekend in the summer in our parking lot.
I've always seen them come in on Friday nights to start their two and a half day course.

Finally after working on it for years they were able to put a class together for the employees free of charge!
They came around and asked who wanted to take the class with limited space.
I jumped at the shot, as well as my two sisters.
Last week was the classroom portion of the class. We had about 162 questions to answer in the book during classtime.
There were a lot of things I didn't know or understand in that book.

Monday morning we got here bright and early to begin our riders portion of the class.
I was extremely nervous but hellbent on doing it because it's something I've always wanted to do and have promised myself I would learn one day.
It was a hard day, but so much fun.
It was HOT outside and even more so on the black top of our parking lot.
They gave us the basics about the friction zone on the clutch first thing and had us learn how to let the bike take us across the parking lot in the "friction zone" as a power walk.
After we learned the feel for the clutch they had us try to start riding with our feet up!
By the end of the day we had practiced U-Turns, turning in small spaces, corner, swerving, weaving in and out of cones and of course shifting and braking properly.
I had a great time even though I was probably tense the whole day making sure not to screw up royally in front of my other co-workers that would never let me live down dropping a bike.
I did sit out two of the exercises and had thought I was going to be a motorcycle class dropout because I felt like I was going to pass out from the heat and my ears were ringing.
Some of the guys rallied for me and had the instructors let me take the final riding test since in reality I had already ridden the whole day except for the last maybe thirty minutes.
The eight of us that started the class all took the test one by one and passed!
I was scolded throughout the day for not going fast enough and making sure to look where I was going and not down at the ground.
I think that what I learned if I do ride again will be invaluable information.....especially since I've never REALLY driven anything manual.
We took our written test after the driving which was 50 questions multiple choice and I got a 94, missing three questions.
There is something to be said about doing something you've always wanted to do and actually succeeding at it!
I'm pretty proud of myself.

I am now able to go and get my permit with the state written test and hold that for thirty days and then I will have an "M" on my licenese and be officially motorcycle endorsed!
I may not ever ride again, but knowing that I got that "M" is a pretty big accomplisment for me.