KIWI RIDER 07 2018 VOL.2 | Page 54

“ With logs, steep rises and big descents (to my novice eyes anyway) it was nothing like I’d ever experienced before on a motorcycle After the 30 minute lesson I was sent off on my first loop of the beginner course for the day. It felt like it was 20km rather than 2km! With logs and steep rises and descents (to my novice eyes anyway), it was nothing like I’d ever experienced before. I was made more nervous by the fact that I felt like I was holding people up. It’s amazing how you can work yourself up over something as small as a 2km dirt bike beginner loop! But I did. At the end of the first lap I had to have a breather after the stressful ride around the first loop – I didn’t really understand how physically demanding riding off road is! But after the first lap I managed to get 54 KIWI RIDER myself into a little bit of a rhythm and we went round again. I have to say, the second time around I did feel more comfortable with the bike and the way it was sliding around underneath me, but the positioning takes a bit of getting used to and I was aching already! Having Ben following me felt like I was being pressured, so I sent him off to do a loop of the larger course and leave me to it so I could go round myself for a while without worrying about holding him up. I went round again, but this time I fell off! It was nothing serious, the front end tucked under on a slow speed, dry sandy corner and, being a complete novice on dirt, I had no idea how to stop it from happening. >