Modern Vespa

OK, I keep saying I need to go faster. I'm still a newbie and refuse to drive faster than I feel I can react. I'm faster every time I go out, but I have trouble getting out of my own head and just riding. I think too much. So this weekend I went riding with my husband and we rode up to Amicalola Falls and he was in a foul mood and he just pissed me off. So I geared up and roared out of the park and I rode PERFECTLY - AT SPEED! When I finally stopped for gas my hubby kind of fussed at me because I had peeled off and he had to chase me a little. So now I just have to get someone to tick me off before I get on my bike. Unfortunately I am a pretty happy elementary schoolteacher type by personality, and I really don't get mad very often. Gotta work on that :P

Now you have found out the very best thing about riding - 100% concentration on what you are doing clears your mind, and is the best therapy you can have.

I bet whatever gremlins were in your mind to start with seemed insignificant when you stopped.

And I also bet you were grinning.

glad your getting up to speed but please don't ride the scoot pissed off. cool off under a tree and when your head is clear then go for a ride.

Maybe its possible to think too much when riding, but I sure think riding when P-O'd is a dangerous combination because you may be too narrowly focused on one train of thought. I'd like to think other riders I see on the road have presence of mind for the task at hand, for my safety as well as theirs. I sure know that's not always the case... The rider course I took some time ago was pretty clear about being in the right physical and mental condition before rolling the throttle, and for good reason.

That said, I can also understand how the anger you may have felt at the time helped you to really have at it and get your speed on! Now its just a matter of control and balance. Have fun but be safe!

A butt kick should straighten things out........"please no riding while angry....upset" (saw that in a fortune cookie, me thinks ) Be careful Georgia.....pleeeeeze

It's possible to ride while pissed off without riding in a pissed off way, and I'm with jimc that it can be really therapeutic.

Still, there are plenty of cases of anger making people reckless.  I think the trick is to know what kind of rider you are and what kind of angry you get and plan accordingly.

Georgia Girl, congrats on the epiphany, I think.    Just beware the lure of the dark side of the Force!

There have been many times that I started my ride angry or upset. I ride to clear my head - forces me to concentrate plus I love riding. Have never stayed mad or unhappy for more than a minute or two. How can you ride thinking about that crap when you get to feel the wind and all.

Dale

Forgive me, but what exactly is "at speed"? How fast were you going?

"At speed" = "making progress" = "The safe fastest speed the road and conditions allow - without taking the piss".

So, was that a road enabling 35, 60, or 75 mph?

Ya'll don't freak out - the road from Amicalola to Dahlonaga is just sweepy curves. It was more what jimc was talking about - I couldn't think about being angry and ride at the same time, but I also was way too ticked off to think about I should be doing this or should be doing that - I just rode. Speed limit was 55 and I was going 60 or 65. For me it was more just a funny experience because I'm not lying, really very little makes me mad. I wasn't being reckless or risky. I just think too much while I am riding and psych myself out. I need to pick my lines and not doubt them, just ride on through - apparently a task that I can accomplish when I am angry enough

Thanks for the answer. You can always think of this as another way your spouse helps you achieve things you won't have otherwise done.

I find these helmet covers make me go faster.
http://www.crazeeheads.com/

I'll take that under advisement.

Georgiagirl,

I rode behind you last week and watched how you set up for each curve perfectly, then throttled through the curve just as you are supposed to. Keep practicing the proper technique and before you know it you'll be continually "at speed". Don't try to go fast for the sake of going fast, it will get you in trouble.

Besides, I was very comfortable keeping pace with you and enjoying the ride tremendously. If you go faster, I may not be able to keep up.

Yep, just leave the "little voice in the head" behind and ride. You have the skills. Soon that anger will turn to pure joy.

My buddy here in Dallas commented, "You are riding the curves a lot better than before your trip." Well Duh! My twisty riding went up a huge amount on the trip. Nothing in Dallas scares me except some of the traffic and the Interstates pretty well cured that.j

Keep on rolling, GA girl. You'll be showing us all up.