Second month of Planning – By hook or by crook!

It has now been 2 months since I seriously started working on this project and I’m still going strong.  However, this doesn’t quite give the picture of what it is like to actually be planning a project like this.

My main focus this past month has been two fold, firstly to get my motorbike license and secondly to start sending a press release out to the local press.  On both these tasks I can’t exactly say I have met my target!

The motorbike testing has somewhat stalled at the moment.  In the UK the test involved a theory test, which I passed, a Module 1 and a Module 2.  The Module 1 is the control test that takes place in space specific for the test and set up with cones.  One follows a sequence of exercises (exactly the same every time) which test slow control, stop, speed and avoidance.  Sounds easy right? WRONG!   well for me anyway.   Of course I have ability to pass it, I’ve practiced it perfectly enough times, however, I seem to have a psychological issue with tests, and seem to be making silly mistakes.  Of course it is all good extra experience, so I don’t complain, but really would like to get on with the Module2 road test and get the licence so I can move forward with my plans.

I was hoping to have my license before sending out a press release, however, as this happened yet, I’ve been working on it anyway.  We visited Motopodd , who have since offered to sponsor us with training, to at least have some pictures with us and a rig, looking ready to go.  It was also an ideal opportunity to bring Sofia a step closer to the reality of being a monkey (term used for the the person who sits in the sidecar)

We got some lovely pictures on the training bike, and also some little video clips, my favourite of Sofia having her first ride in a side car which I will post at the end of this blog.

The press release is now in review and will hopefully have it out to local press in the next week.  I can’t keep waiting on the test.  I will pass it, but there are so many aspects that need to happen in this year of planning, I have to push ahead so I don’t loose valuable time.

My out look on all this, is that life is always working out perfectly and exactly the way it is supposed to.   I know that this trip is going to happen, so when time lines start to get a bit mixed up like this, then I will find out that it is precisely what needed to happen to get a result I really want for this trip.

Sofia’s first Sidecar Experience

All this talk and videos about sidecars and motorbikes, it was high time that Sofia got to experience the reality.   We needed photos for press releases, so the two came together perfectly.

I posted a note in the Ural group on FB asking if there was anyone in the South East of England who had a rig we could use for photos.  Rod Young of Motopodd Motorcycle Sidecars kindly obliged, and so we paid him a visit.

Rod makes sidecars as well as doing long adventurous journeys with his sidecar, so it was great to meet him and chat.  He also does training for driving with a sidecar, which was great, because I hadn’t actually gotten to researching a session yet.

I didn’t actually drive the bike with the sidecar today as it is so completely different from riding a motorbike on its own that I didn’t want to confuse my brain before I had completed the tests!  ( I will post about my testing experience at a later date, it certainly isn’t without it’s chuckles! )

Anyway, I hope you enjoy these photos and videos of our morning!

 

This wasn’t just Sofia’s first ride in a sidecar, but also her first sit on a motorcycle.  She has be too scared to touch a motorcycle, but finally today, she not only touched it, but after being reassured that it wouldn’t fall over, she sat on it.   You can see clearly in this picture below, the bug gripped her and she wanted to race off into the sunset 🙂  She is such a courageous child to allow me to keep pushing the envelope with her in terms of experiences.  I’m proud of her.

 

 

 

 

 

Sofia Speaks – what a little star in the making!

I have now set up a YouTube Channel to start posting video of our journey, which really started at the point of making the decision.

Here is the first post  which is Sofia talking a little about the trip.  I am so proud of how well she did this!  I think we have a star in the making 🙂  I also think that filming is going to be what will keep her engaged on the trip.

Not only did she venture outside to do the clip, she enjoyed being filmed and then she watched closely as I did the editing.   I think navigator may become camera man as well 🙂