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Ride Your Own Ride |
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Rollin' eZine Volume 1, Number 11 March 2001 =============
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Long Distance Riding: It's Caught, Not Taught by Carol "Skert" Youorski This is a letter I sent to Monte Hart, an author friend of mine, who was concerned about my fever to ride long distances. Monte since has been diagnosed with lung cancer, had surgery, chemo therapy and is getting his bike ready to ride to South America. Fran Crane has inspired me as a woman and a long distance rider from the first time I saw her picture in a book about women who ride. I never knew the abilities that I have until my 30's. Seeing another woman do something that I found interesting gave me the courage to try harder to attain one small step toward the big picture (of which I still don't see all ). I don't imagine myself riding to Daytona for dinner, then turning right around to go back home, butt you never know. I see guys do all kinds of amazing feats and don't feel like "I could do that". When I see a woman do something incredible I realize if she can do it, so could I.
The inspiration that I get from others is one of the biggest driving forces in my accomplishments. It doesn't mean that I will do just what I saw them do; it does means that I will try.
About long distance riding: I am obsessed! It is caught, not taught. Did I catch it from Fran? No. I remember when I did my Butt Burner Gold. It was a fever. I was not trying to beat anybody else. I wanted to obtain a goal that I thought was possible for me and not die in the process. Now I want to do more.
My best friend, Cindy Walton from La Fayette, LA, taught me a long time ago to "ride your own ride". That lesson was the basis for everything I have learned about riding and surviving. I since have learned that was also a quote often used by Fran Crane. I remind women and men all the time to do just that. It is what has kept me alive. So Cindy also is a personal hero to me. I have followed her footsteps in learning to ride and am now riding my own ride. I remember once when I made a significant jump in my riding ability. She got mad at me for riding over my head. I wasn't. I had progressed faster than she expected. It didn't take her long to realize that I had indeed been riding my own ride, not hers. I want to inspire others as have Cindy, Fran and Voni. Yes I want to be like them... To "ride my own ride" Atlanta, Georgia USA RMA #1 Red Motorcycle Association, '95 BMW R1100RSL "Dancer", 2000 BMW GS1150 “Miia”, Iron Butt Association SS1000, BB1500, BBG, ButtLiteII... AMA #328269, BMWMOA #64389, BMWRA #20648, MOM#1 Skert demo's picking up a fallen bike "A woman who rides a motorcycle is in tune with the universe, a candidate for high adventure." Celestine Sibley |
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Fran
Crane is my inspiration because she was a woman and did not let any
distance stand in her way. I don't know personally if she always used her
best judgment, butt I seriously think she did. So shall I. I must learn my
own limitations, where my "wall" is, and how to handle it. I
plan to do that. I don't plan to do as Fran Crane or Voni Glaves did. I
will do as Carol does. Yes, they are certainly my heroes, butt do you know
what I want to copy the most about both of those women? I want to give
other women the inspiration to achieve. That is what they have given to
me.