Eric and Phillip have and ride motorcycles. Eric has been riding, with interruptions, ever since he was a teenager. Phillip got his motorcycle license after taking a motorcycle safety course the same time he got his driver’s license – on his 16th birthday. I want to point out that I objected loudly, but nobody ever listens to me. Phil says I sound like Charley Brown’s teacher….

The boys have gone on some cool trips together – a long weekend trip to Big Bend for Eric’s 40th birthday and this Summer to New Orleans for a few days. I stayed home both times.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind being home alone one bit, but those trips do sound like loads of fun. And after Phil took the motorcycle class, I was thinking that surely, what this male kid can do, I can do better. I thought about it for many months, but then, last Spring, Penney’s had the coolest boots on clearance – perfect motorcycle boots.

Of course I cannot wear boots during the summer, too hot for my toes, so I had to wait – and finally, last weekend, I attended the San Antonio Motorcycle School. It’s 2 days of classes – book and riding – and you leave with a certificate that allows you to go to the DMV and, after passing a written test, get your real motorcycle license.

The class was fun – I was scared out of my mind at times. After all, they expected me to make a tight turn going like 9 mph!!!! Things got easier, not counting the figure 8s in the box, but I passed. got 100% on the written test and 88% on the driving evaluation. I don’t care that Phil passed both tests with 100%. Little show-off!!!

I was off today, so I went to the DMV, passed my written test (I missed a few, but who cares – I PASSED) and I never opened the book after last weekend’s classes, and I now have an official motorcycle license. I did, however, fail my eye exam, and that really pissed me off. I spend darn near $3,000 two years ago to get my eyes Lasiked so I don’t have to wear glasses. Beeing old and all, I need help with reading – so I have MONOVISION – that’s one eye lasered for distance, the other for reading. But when I had to look through the machine today and read the numbers of the 3 columns, I read column 1 and 2 perfectly – and 3 had no numbers in it. According to my eyeballs. I went straight to my Optomotrist, my eyes are good. Monday, the Lasik place is sending me a letter for the DMV explaining how monovision works, and stating that I do NOT need glasses, dammit!!!!

And tomorrow, Saturday, I’m going to ride my merry self to the nearest school (it’s less than a mile) and practice in their parking lot. I’ll be practicing with Phil’s bike, which is a bit larger than the school’s bikes, but I know I’ll be fine … in a while.

This is really exciting. Now all I need is a leather halter top!