Copy Cat

[RogerTOWM 0]

I’ve watched both Dirt Dame and Honda Pilot ride and I wondered how I could ride as well as they do. Someone told me that I just needed to get as much riding in as they have and then I would be just as good. But seeing as how they started off as kids and I’m already 51 years old, I’m not sure I have the time left to get all those years of practice in.

So what is the next best thing I can do to get as good as them? Thinking about it I realized that they both had something else in common beside years of riding experience. It is something I can do quite easily and will not take years to do. Here is a link to what they have in common that I could also do.

http://www.dualsport-sd.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1610

I’ve always been confused as to whether I was the man. Or was I working for the man? Maybe it was that I was the man working for the man? Just so confusing! So as of Tuesday evening the 28th of October 2008 they can “Take this job and shove it. I ain’t working here no more!”

Before you start thinking I was so brave (or stupid) for quitting a job in poor economic times. I have been hired for another job that starts on Monday the 3rd of November. So yea I’m playing it safe. I will not get the time off to do the long street rides I’m use to doing the last couple of years. I probably won’t be able to go to Alaska with DigDoug this coming summer and I may not be able to go to West Fest with Craw Daddy either. But quiting my job like Jon and Mimi did, will this improve my riding abilities?

[dirt dame 561]

Quitting my job didn't make me ride better.

[tntmo 905]

Way to stick it to the man! It's going to be a while before I get to do that, but I hope my riding skills improve by leaps and bounds like yours will.

[Barry 0]

It would be a good time to take RiderOrange? and Carguy's Dirt Bike School and learn the basics.

[PastaPilot 17]

I like at least 3 continuous days emersed in off roading to really feel an improvement in my abilities. In fact I think there is a 3 day trip coming up soon. funny that

I thought you were retiring this year. What's the new job?

[bikeslut 1]

I agree with jon... immersing yourself in motorcycles for a couple of days really makes a huge difference... you start making small corrections, and they actually turn in to muscle memory before you know it...

you'll say some people are "naturals", and while they MAY be, what they also are is experienced... learning to ride as a youngster means the habits are formed, and you learned through trial and error... and casts and stitches... too dumb to know any better and young enough to heal

learning new things at an older age really does require either immersion (like a TAT ride) or a class... where they give you challenges, and make you go ride around the barrel 20 times with one foot off the peg, and no clutch (or something) by the 20th time, you "have it down"... the first 3, you fell, the next 3 were sketchy, and you generally got it down... the last 5 turns were "making it stick"

I lack the focus to run the same obstacle 20 times... I know it would improve my skills, but just don't have the resolve... the other day at Corral, I stalled going up a rock step; nothing that should've bothered me, but I chuped it... fell off the side of the bike, landed on my feet, and kept the bike upright... I SHOULD have ridden it again the right way... instead, I just bulldogged it over the step... obstacle cleared; nothing learned

[Jaynen 0]

Well from what you told me about your hours Roger I dont blame you. Good luck on whatever you do next.

I think that riding back to back over a couple days is definitely the way to go to learn the most. I know that riding every day to work has taught me more and more of the little things of riding my bike on the street, but I need more corners and more dirt maybe Crawdaddy can make me a GPX for a to work workout route

[RogerTOWM 0]

Way to stick it to the man! It's going to be a while before I get to do that, but I hope my riding skills improve by leaps and bounds like yours will.

I sure your skill will improve tremendously. Don’t forget I owe you a brew at your friends pub when you get in.

It would be a good time to take RiderOrange? and Carguy's Dirt Bike School and learn the basics.

I actually did that already. Maybe a refresher course might be in order.

I like at least 3 continuous days emersed in off roading to really feel an improvement in my abilities. In fact I think there is a 3 day trip coming up soon. funny that.

I thought you were retiring this year. What's the new job?

My wife will not retire from her job for four more years. So I still need to make the same income for that period. With my retirement income and the income from the new job I’ll actually take home more.

MY new job is working for Pacific Marine Credit Union. I will be driving a mobile branch at Camp Pendleton. It is something completely new for them. The truck looks a lot like my motor home. It is scheduled to be delivered on the 5th. I’ll get to help figure out how a mobile branch will work, schedules and such. I will drive the truck to the different locations and be responsible for the upkeep of the branch (truck). When I’m not driving or up keeping I will take a car back to the main office and be stock boy or something. Heck I don’t care if I even have to clean toilets (come to think of it I will be cleaning toilets, it has one on board). As long as I get paid it doesn’t matter. A bonus is I get to work in an office full of pretty girls. Now what could be better then that?

As for that three day trip. I would have to ride the KLX 300 because I can’t find my Husky anywhere. I start work on Monday the third. It might be bad form to ask for my first Friday off! But the most important reason is that a good friend of mine just passed away and Saturday we are having a celebration of his life. I’m not missing that for anything, even a new job!

Well from what you told me about your hours Roger I dont blame you. Good luck on whatever you do next.

I think that riding back to back over a couple days is definitely the way to go to learn the most. I know that riding every day to work has taught me more and more of the little things of riding my bike on the street, but I need more corners and more dirt maybe Crawdaddy can make me a GPX for a to work workout route

Yeah the hours were long but I got more days off in a row then most people. Besides I did it for over twenty years so I got use to it. You just don’t do anything else but work on the days that you work.