Riding Motorcycles With My Daughter is Heaven

This year marked a big change that bridged the gap of family and motorcycles when my daughter Chloe started riding.

As a motorcycle lover and a parent the opportunity to ride motorcycles with your kid is nirvana. I wish that there was some way for me to open up my soul and channel out the feelings because I don’t have the power to put the words together that would adequately describe the greatness.

There were moments on our last ride that had me laughing and giving Chloe props out loud in my helmet. Watching her stand up, ready herself and then head for the lumps in the earth to take like a jump… it’s really a wonder that my head didn’t explode.

Hanging out in the woods

Riding in the woods, Chloe worked on navigating through slippery leaves, tackling hill climbs and going down hills.

There was only one moment that made her stop and say, “Mom! I don’t wanna go down that hill!”
I knew it would be coming so as we approached it I stopped at the top. I told her to shut her bike off and that I would go down and walk back up to her.

Chloe at the top of the hill

When I got back up to the top, I stood in front of her bike with my hands on the the handlebars. I told her to put the bike in neutral and put her foot on the rear brake. We were just going to roll forward a little bit and move over the crest of the hill together. I have no idea what the right way to teach someone to go down a hill is but my thought was – like a roller coaster, getting over the crest of that first drop takes the fear of the unknown away and then the fun comes.

With her foot still on the brake I stepped aside and stood next to her. She then started to roll forward, pumping the brake a couple times and then… letting go. I watched her roll to a stop at the bottom of the hill and look back at me. That was the first and last time she wavered going down a hill for the day.

I was really proud of her.

There is a grace that a child seems to have that as an adult I wish I could master. I was saying to Kenny later on in the evening that Chloe will be a far better rider than I could ever hope to be. She will have the mechanics weaved into the fiber of her being. I think it must be different when you learn to do something as a kid compared to picking it up as an adult.

the best day ever

Though we were riding with a bunch of other people, we would split apart and then meet up with the group throughout the day. Chloe seemed to like it best when it was just the two of us, which was fine by me.

Hanging out in the woods

This is my favorite photo of the day – Chloe and I riding off in to the sunset…

Chloe and me riding off into the sunset

I watch Chloe ride and I can see that the love is there. Not because I want it but because it already exists in her. That little flame that was passed down to me from my dad is burning in my daughter.

me and my girl

I passed the torch.

Fuzzygalore

Rachael is the whimsical writer behind the 20+ year old Girlie Motorcycle Blog. As a freelance blogger, she is on a mission to inspire laughter, self-examination, curiosity, and human connection. Girlie Motorcycle Blog can be found on several Best Motorcycle Blog lists.

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23 Responses

  1. Shybiker says:

    This post made me cry with joy at seeing you excel at mothering and your daughter grow in the way we all should. What a beautiful story. It explains why the two of you are among my favorite people in the world.

  2. DUC748 says:

    Awesome!

  3. Best thing I’ve read all month. Way to go Chloe! Already a better off road rider than me! Seems like you guys have somewhere not too far to go offroading? That’s awesome. Good on you for getting her out there. It’s more than just passing the torch. You’re building a bond that will probably last forever.

    • Fuzzygalore says:

      Thanks, Ade-

      I sure hope it does stay with us as a family. I have these fantasies about the three of us riding through California, visiting the big National Parks – enjoying the time together. I hope to make those dreams a reality.

  4. Nick Moore says:

    Absolutely brilliant, many happy years of biking lie ahead : )

  5. GLantern says:

    Great post Fuzz! I could see it all day how happy you were to be riding around with Chloe. She definitely has a knack for riding. Hopefully we can get out there again soon!

  6. Bonnie says:

    Your daughter is a little bad-ass!

    http://www.glamkittenslitterbox.com/
    Twitter: @GlamKitten88

  7. bobskoot says:

    Fuzzy:

    You are soooo lucky. No one in our family rides so you have reason to be proud

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast

  8. Great day for you both! The fun you guys will have.
    Wait till she gets some moves on you, and you try and out-ride her. I Always gave my boys a good run for the money. Both kick my butt now.

  9. I’m teary here, too. Beautiful post. Way to pass that torch!

  10. Dar says:

    My daughter is saying she wants a trail bike, need to rethink where we are going with riding. So I think we need to try off road together.

  11. haron ali says:

    Thank you, Beautiful post.

  1. December 12, 2011

    […] Post: Riding Motorcycles With My Daughter Is Heaven […]

  2. December 29, 2011

    […] Post: Riding Motorcycles With My Daughter Is Heaven […]

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