My first ride was dreadfully slow.

But I loved the NOISE it made....


I travelled up and down that bumpy backroad, then merged into Sunday traffic...oooh that fist time joining the rest of the world on Lawrence Hargrave... up through Scarborough's winding road, past the Hotel, which was still open before the renovations, with a couple of bikies hanging out the front. Yes, I sound good, don't I?!

But of cause they could'nt care less... they were Harley riders...probably totally immune to the siren's call of my yoshimura pipes. ZXRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

That mental moment passed quickly and my first time over the bridge, the Sea Cliff Bridge (how original?!!), was a dream. Nobody in front to dictate the speed and no-one behind to watch my corner line. It felt great and... I got to do it all again on the way back too.

I rode along the coast road past the Austi cafe strip (the beach was packed) and then into Thirroul, past Beaches, where the beergarden was chockeblock and the band was playing and the BBQ was going. I was getting quite hot on that 30 degree summer's day, in that leather jacket and my black kevlar cargos, whilst everybody else lazed in their beach gear....It was time to head home to take a dip in the pool.

Heading into the hills, I conquered that steep winding road to my place and was shaking with adrenalin. I had done it!!! I looked back down my driveway with a sense of self pitty. Why did I give it so much thought, so much fear factor, so much of my valuable energy???



I had finally found courage...