Earlier this year I did something I would never in a million years have thought I could have achieved. I walked 26 miles from Hampden Park, Glasgow to the shores of Loch Lomond, all in aid of The Kilt Walk charities with Wilma and GymGuyMark. It just shows that when you set yourself a challenge and believe in your own abilities, you can achieve your goal. So why am I bringing this up when that is a fear/goal I have already knocked on the head? Well, today I went back to Loch Lomond but not on foot.
As you will have read in my other Blog http://ginorgym.wordpress.com/2013/09/22/facing-my-fears-5-steps/ I have set myself 5 fears to conquer and today I crossed this one off my list.
Be able to get back on a motorbike as a passenger (long story)
I took the decision to try to face this one first because it has many difficult memories, both emotional and physical, attached to it and I had the feeling that if I could get back onto a motorbike then I can achieve the other goals with ease. I am not sharing the reason why I have not been on bike for years, it is very personal but suffices to say was part of a traumatic time in my life which affected me a great deal. It was not linked to a traffic accident.
A few weeks ago I asked GymGuyMark if he would take me out on his motorbike. I guess that was the first step and thankfully he agreed. He told me when I was ready, just to say the word and two weeks ago I did. He pitched up this morning on a red Yamaha 600 Diversion with a spare helmet in hand. The weather was perfect; almost as if Mother Nature knew it had to be fine and after my sixth trip to the loo, it was time to go.
Now, step one, getting on the helmet! After GGM’s first attempt nearly choked me, the strap adjusted, on it went. No sweaty palms, no shaking, no wimping out yet. Gloves on, bag over shoulder, time for step two, actually getting on the bike! The first good sign was the way that the sound of the bike starting up affected me. Now I am no petrol head but the noise of that engine sparking into life did not bring back a bad memory, it brought back a good one. Could it be that all my hard work, positive thinking and imagery was actually working? Well it must have because I swung my leg over that bike and hopped on the back. GGM took off slowly and then headed off down Great Western Road towards Loch Lomond. It took me from the junction at Hyndland Road to just beyond Anniesland Cross to realise how much I had missed this. Only two miles! For those of you who have been on a motorbike before you will know what I mean when I say that there is a tremendous sense of freedom mixed in with a slight touch of danger when you are out on the road. This feeling hit me like a brick the first time GGM overtook a car. That wee swerve a motorbike does to go round corners, roundabouts or to change lanes is such a good feeling and one that I, was quickly beginning to realise, have greatly missed. The journey out to Loch Lomond was amazing; the scenery is stunning and road not too bad. I love the way that motorbike folks acknowledge each other on the road with a nod of the head or a quick wave. I however was still at the loving it but gripping on for dear life stage.
A quick coffee at Duck Bay, a sit to watch the sea plane land (sorry about the photo, the yellow blob is the plane) and we headed off back to Glasgow however this time, we crossed the Erskine Bridge and hit the motorway. Time for a bit of speed and I guess the best way to describe it is yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! I loved it!
So Fear One conquered and it is on to the next one with a huge thank to GGM for being my chauffeur!
