Balance

When you start a new job you are filled with excitement and enthusiasm, just rarin' to go. And if you have half a brain you hit the ground running, trying to learn new systems, new cultures, new people. Add to that the confusion of living in a new town in a new State - you don't know where to find the grocery store, post office, cheapest gas or any of the other bazillion things that are a part of everyday life and you end up running out of gas.


Although there are many important secrets to riding a motorcycle, the most basic is balance. In the Motorcycle Safety Foundation basic course one of the things often asked o fthose who have never ridden a motorcycle is "Can you ride a bicycle?" If you can then learning to ride a motorcycle is just a matter of adaptation because you already have the most basic skill: balance. all those years of my childhood riding that Schwinn I had no idea I was in training for riding a motorcyle. Pretty cool.


The curious thing is that it is easier to maintain balance on a motorcycle at high speed than it is at slow speed. A motorcycle is built to travel in a straight line and if you just point it straight and give it a little throttle, you will have no trouble keeping your balance. People think going fast is the hard part, but it ain't. I've ridden tens of thousands of miles and never once come even close to tipping at high speed. But in parking lots at about one mile an hour ... I once dumped a bike before I even got it started. Had ten things going on in my head, wasn't really paying attention when I jumped on the bike, leaned it too far right as I mounted and over she went. Nothing like a parking lot full of people thinking "Yikes! If he can't even keep it up before he starts it I never want to see him on the road!" to keep your ego in check. Moron.

Try walking straight ahead at a fast pace. No problem, right? Now stand on one foot and lift the other up as high as you can. Big problem!

We all know of the danger of losing balance when we are going fast, when work or school or something else consumes us, but I want to suggest that it the transition points of life, when we are slowing down and coming to a halt, that are potentially more dangerous. We think we are safe, we think we are in control, but it actually takes more mindfulness and skill to handle the parking lot than it does the fast lane.