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Message: [QUOTE="drBill, post: 218145, member: 26844"] [b]Ride Update - Sharon[/b] I really need to get a name... And thanks, Mini127 for your input. (I have a ten-year-old son who rides). Today, Sunday, I took my first long ride in the desert--El Mirage with the XR200--at 43 degrees. Bill took me on two 15 mile loops. So we headed off toward the Shadow mountains. Bill took off like a scared jack-rabbit with my ten year-old son right on his tail, leaving me to pull up the rear. I was a little nervous at first (because my husband likes gnarly trails), but he was good - taking the trails at a sensitive pace for me. Wheew!!!! I did better than I thought. Sometimes I even had to tell him to go faster. I can't ride through sand slow, and also, I don't like stopping once I get going. That's is something I need to work on. Stopping. Today I learned---do not stop on an incline, then stall the bike. When I tried to start it, I threw my weight into the "start" and the bike immediately tipped over on top of me, and giving my head a hard conk on the dirt. My neck is a little stiff. The good news is I didn't crash today, I just had some stupid dumps like the one above. I still can't pick up the bike, as hard as I tried. But I haven't thrown all your suggestions to the wind, I just need more practice. I enjoyed the whoops, the curvy trails, and even the sand--it kinda reminds me of water-skiing--slipping acorss the water. Bill's happy with my progress, and says I'm now ready for a YZ426F(!!!!)Just kidding. I think I'm going to try riding the XR200 for awhile...and not go to a smaller bike after all. Thanks for all the encouragement. I especially remembered the downhill surfing snow hint with a foot on the back break, as I tried despartely not to set a new downhill land speed record in the Mojave desert. Gotta go hit the bath tub, Sharon [/QUOTE]

Verification: Which ocean is California closest to?