Never stop learning

I signed up for the Motorcycle Safety course today in the hopes that I can learn some new ways to ride safer and maybe even faster. They actually have two courses, a Beginner's course for the never-ridden, just-learned, un-certified about-to-be-moto-pilots, and an Experienced Rider Course for folks like me to get a brush-up on the fundamentals and keep sharp.

Actually, my motivations aren't purely driven by my desire to keep riding and keep breathing. If I could describe my dream job, it would have something to do with riding in a way that wasn't mundane, but fresh and inspiring - like teaching people how to ride. More importantly, teaching people how to ride smart and live to ride another day.

As it happens, the local contractor that provides these courses is desperate for more instructors. The demand for the MSF courses is growing fantastically each year and the next nearest offering is a couple hours' drive to the west. I'd be happy as a clam to spend a couple of weekends each month during the spring/summer riding season turning people on to the joys and challenges of my favorite pastime - especially if I can show them how to do it without getting squished by a dump truck or plowing into a tree.

Its a paid job, but the salary pretty much only covers your gas and lunch. The one thing that makes me pause and think twice about going forward with this is the cost of the instructor training. "In case you don't make it," I'll have to pay $200 to take the training classes and another $125 to take the prerequisite Beginner Rider Course - the same fee prospective riders cough up. Even though I'd break even in short order, that a chunk of cash to lay out.

But I'm gonna do it anyway. Shucks, how many people can say they get paid to teach people how to ride a motorcycle? I'm sure most people wouldn't want to have anything to do with it, but if that works for them, it works for me. I hope it all sorts out positively - I'm really excited about this opportunity to give real, useful, and safety-conscious information and exercises to my new brothers and sisters on two wheels.