Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Ever get cold feet?

Well, I am not really talking about boots here...just a slightly larger size boot than you usually wear and thin socks, and you feet don't have to be too cold...

I have been struggling with cold feet about being "responsible" to lead a ladies ride. Guess there isn't much that can make me feel like a big chicken like this ride has been making me feel. It's really no big deal too! Soren saw me struggling to make the flyer, and she made me a really nice one...then I was struggling with the route to choose, and he put it together for me. Really looks great too! Now I am only days away from the ride and have been so freaked out, that I really think I don't want to go, and have been thinking about riding my own way where none of the other riders would see me ride.

Anyone else get like that? I know I am probably going to be just fine, and will probably feel great and look forward to next year's ride when it's done, but right now I am actually scared of going.

I've always been one to ride alone, until I met Soren. I had a really bad experience riding in formation a few years ago. THe bike in front of me suddenly siezed as we were crossing a bridge and I had to veer to the edge of the road, seeing the water below, and the bike behind me skid right up to the back of the bike I had been following. Thankfully the little Honda Shadow I had was light enough to get out of the way like I did. Now I ride with my husband, but usually put too much distance between us. When I ride with others, I get nervous for the first few miles or turns until I can read how they ride. I still don't like them to ride too close and spend too much time worrying about where they are in relation to me.

It is even worse than the nervous feeling I get when I put my daughter on the back of my bike. I don't relax like I should because I'm responsible for her.

Anyone else get nervous like that and how do you get past it? My ride is Sunday and I really don't want to be chicken like this.

I should add, our rides are never led rides and we don't ride in formation. I enjoy the TRAP rides.

One of the ladies is a prospect in an all ladies group and has invited all the group to join us and they are GOING to ride formation. That has me more freaked out than anything else. I intend to ride my own ride and not be in the group, but it still has me nervous.

Laurie,

First off I think you will be fine. (I'm sure Soren has told that numerous times already.)

Second, If it is going to be like all TRAP rides I've been on, everyone goes at their own pace, correct? Have points along the way where you pull over and get a head count, so you don't lose anyone, especially if you have any inexperienced riders with you. If you have some more experienced (and perhaps faster) riders let them know where to wait until the whole group has caught up.
If you are tense you shouldn't have your daughter on the back, being mentally distracted can cause mistakes you normally wouldn't make.

Do you have an idea yet, on how many ladies are showing up? Maybe, if there is someone you know, you could have a co-leader to take some of the pressure off. Just a thought.

Relax and have fun, you are way over thinking this.

Yeh I tend to ride alone or just with a few mates for the same reasons. If cornered into going with a big group, I would probally hang back and keep plenty of distance. I hate having someone riding really close behind and I find myself looking for them in the mirrors all the time, not enjoyable.

There is a chapter pertaining to group rides and being captain as well of the group in the book by David Hough, "Proficient Motorcycling", maybe you could pick up some strategies there?

I dont know what you have been told or already know so here is a crash (pardon the pun) course.

As Ride leader, hold a pre ride talk. Tell the groupe that you want at least 3 or 4 bike lengths between you and the rest of them. Do not use road gaurds, if a light changes, stop for it. make sure all have a RT map.
this way if someone does get behind, they will know where your going.
*******If you have not thought of it, have a lined sheet of paper and a statement at the top releasing you from any liability that all must sign to do the ride.******

this is pretty standard for most large orginized rides. You or the entity holding the event will not be held responsible for any accidents or otherwise that happens during this event.

PS. remember if your doing 55 in front, the last guy of the groupe will be doing about 65+ to keep up. If the ladies are a regular bike club, then they will have a Tail Gunner. review basic hand signals. main ones being to pass and to single up and double back up. if they are riding, dont know how your state is, but STATE POLICE STAGERED. IS THE SAFEST. IT SHOULD LEAVE ENOUGH ROOM FOR BASIC ERROR ADJUSTMENTS. oops didnt mean to leave caps on.
any other questions, refer to this http://www.ridemyown.com/articles/safety/handsignals.shtml

hope this helps. the biggest one in my opinion is to make sure that the passing style is all agreen on. best is to signal your wanting to get in a lane, have it relayed back to the gunner and let the gunner secure the lane.then the pack can move over. either you firs and then all behind or the one in front of the gunner and up.

YOU'LL BE FINE. HAVE A GOOD TIME WITH IT!

CHEERS

Your thread got moved to 'Helmets and Gear'.... hmmmmmm. Maybe John's trying to tell you it's all about what you wear that day, Laurie! That's it, right John?

Hey, Laurie... you're back in the Lounge, did you even notice you got moved? WTF? And.... best to ya on Sunday!

I'm not much for large group rides either. Weird things happen then others get a front row seat to the event. My favorite rides are about a tenth of a mile or more apart. I remember one group ride in GA where every time we would enter a corner, the knucklehead behind me would accelerate & come alongside. I was keeping exact pace of the pack ahead of me, but I would look down and there is a front wheel by my right leg. Maybe he was showing he could go faster than the pace? I don't know. I don't mind if I know who is there, but I didn't know if this guy had ten miles or ten million miles experience.

My first group ride was at the Georgia Rally in '07. It was fun except for some old guy that kept slowing down going into the curves, making me run up all over him (just kidding Bucky...I don't think it was me)

Seriously, I don't know you or know anything about your riding ability, so I can't give you advice on what to do...but here goes. Please do what you feel is the right thing and the safe thing. Don't take your kid along if you're preoccupied with worry about this ride. Don't lead the group if you're that worried about it; pass out the information and let everyone know you'll be bringing up the rear to collect stragglers or something like that. If you really don't feel it that day, tell the group you don't feel well and you aren't riding. Only you know what you're capable of doing and what you really want to do. If you decide to do the ride, enjoy it; do it because you want to, and have fun with it.

Will

Be careful with a Release of Liability or Waiver , it actually constitutes an organized or sponsored ride and is usually not worth the paper it's written on . Make it known with several "ears", that it's just a group of friends on a ride .
Sorta like a "Beware of the Dog " sign , it just proves you have prior knowledge of a potential liability .

You call it "Ride for Toad's Rights" or whatever , and some dweeb crashes everyone and lawyers up , it could get ugly .

Laurie, we ride with groups all the time. Some rides are better than others. Just make sure everyone knows the hand signals and uses them. We ride staggered with a 2 second gap between the bike in front. Never criss-cross in the pack to change positions, just move forward to fill it. Also we usually split ourselves into small groups of 6-9. Works better for traffic and twisties. But most of all, have fun and relax. I too have led a couple of short rides through town and it can be nerve racking, but before I know it, it's over and I've done a good job and your confidence will be soaring and you can check another accomplishment off your list. I agree with the other's, leave your daughter at home and don't over think this. Maybe share the ride leadership with another couple of women. There are probably others that are nervous as you are. I await your post on Sunday.

Enjoy and my prayers are with you for a really fun day!! Kathy

Laurie, here's a couple of "rules" very high on my list to follow when in a pack ride.

1-Check your mirrors and quickly swivel your head to check for those riders who may venture into your blind spot at least twice as often or more as you normally would while out there on your own. And, be especially sure to do this just before and whenever you might want or need to change your lane position...even within the same lane you're already in.

2-Don't be shy about using hand gestures(PG-rated "hand gestures", of course ), not only for turns and other normal maneuvers, but ALSO for things such as motioning with a quick "shooing away" motion at any rider[s] who you might feel are too close to you, or maybe, the ol' "Okay, go ahead and pass me then" swing of the left hand motion as another example.

Thanks for all the advice. Sounds like the group that may join us is almost a dozen ladies. I've never ridden with them. They will probably be fine, because they are all used to riding together, but I still get a bit concerned. Usually in our rides (Like my husband's back in the saddle ride) we have a staggared and drawn out ride length. Lots of room between bikes, but I've had bikes right on my rear tire in corners, and in my concern about where they are, have drifted into oncomming lane trying to watch out for them. Most of the time everyone is leaving enough distance.

Before each of our RAT rides, we have a speach telling everyone that although it is an event, it is NOT a led ride. However, even with maps, people all pack up and follow. I am hoping that sending our really amazing Liz ahead, the more experienced riders will have more fun riding after her. I swear she can ride the tires off of ANY bike! Then I should only have a few people who are in the staggered groups folllowing. I hope that stretches us out over a number of miles, and makes it safer.

I always try to ride my own ride. I just feel better riding alone and not worrying about anyone else.

Also, my daughter has stopped riding with me and now lives in California with her dad. Although I enjoy sharing love of bikes with her, I really cherish the down time on my bike when I don't have to be a mom too.

I will let everyone know how the ride went.

So far looks like it is going to be raining...so we will see how many show up. Kinda hoping it is just a few of us brave enough to ride. Shhh! I didn't say that.

Laurie, I can't give you any advice about organising or leading a ride, having never done either.

However, if you find you're stressing over it, just run this through your head until your head is sorted

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mACqcZZwG0k

BTW, we'll want a report WITH pictures

Here are the basic rules for our club rides...
Ride your own ride at your own pace. Really. We meet at the shop. Everyone gets a map. Before everyone takes off, the rules are made clear to everyone... here is the basics...
This is not a led ride. We are not riding in any type of formation. Ride your own ride at your own pace. Everyone had a map or knows exactly where we are going. See you there. You are responsible only yourself. Do not ride faster than you are comfortable with.

If the other gals that show up (the non RAT club members) decide that they want to ride in their silly parade formation, fine. But, that absolutley does not mean anyone else should at all ever. It's just more proof that HD riders are sheeple.

One more thing, on our TRAP rides, nobody is really leading. Yes, we have someone that is in charge of that ride, but on the road there is no real leader. RIDE YOUR OWN RIDE AT YOUR OWN PACE!!!!

How did your ride go?