MSF Almost Broke Us

NOVEMBER 2022: Earlier this year, one weekend in August and two weeks in September, we were in Paducah, KY. While it is rich in history and beautiful landscapes, it isn't on the list of top RV vacation spots. We did thoroughly enjoy our RV experience and encourage you to stop now and read the Peaceful In Paducah blog or check out the beautiful site we had on our YouTube channel.

So why were we in Paducah? We were candidates in the MSF RiderCoach program. If you are not familiar with MSF, please check them out. Our entire family has attended the MSF BRC program, some of us have done it multiple times. We stand behind the program 100%. After some friends of ours had a less than favorable experience; it was decided that we would become coaches. No matter how many times we complained, often times the best way to fix a problem is from within. What we didn't know is...the MSF RiderCoach program almost broke us!

Let me start by saying...we, Tom and myself, took this very seriously right from the beginning. We knew that it would take us away from our home and normal routine. We also knew that it meant we would be signing up to be responsible for other people's safety. We are no stranger to those aspects from our days at Conceal Carry Instructors (before the program went down the drain). We jumped all the hurdles and if you deal with the state you know that is a hurdle! Getting our driving records should not have been so costly and time consuming but thanks to the system, it was but we did it. In the middle of all that, I was also on my annual trip to SC. Deadlines were closing in and there was a lot to get done before the first weekend for the class. We also had to shadow a class at our local Harley-Davidson dealer. We chose to shadow twice even though we had gone through the class essentially twice, the shadowing offered us a little more background into the program. We are VERY grateful to Man O War Harley for allowing us to shadow and the instructors we shadowed made this a very fun and informative experience!

Once we began to tell others, in our social circle, that we were attending the training, we started to hear opinions. We cannot lie, some of the opinions had us a little concerned before. Sadly, MOST of the opinions were centered around the instructor, and as former instructors, we know people can be somewhat jaded when it comes to instructors. Often times, we tend to judge an individual forgetting that they are wearing multiple hats and we have to consider that when passing judgement. Our assignment deadlines came and went and the feedback we got a few times, really had us second guessing what we had gotten into. We shared notes and helped each other study. We were fighting the urge to let the opinions of others influence us. We were told all sorts of horror stories about the test given on the first night. Being as I already have test anxiety, I grew even more concerned about what I had gotten into. Regardless, I had to push all the things we had heard aside and just give it my best. Having been an instructor and teaching in college myself, I knew wearing that hat wasn't easy and you never pleased all of your students all of the time.

Our first session...was Friday night August 26, 2022 6pmCT. Arriving at the sponsoring dealer, Four Rivers Harley-Davidson in Paducah, we were greeted warmly and pointed to the classroom. The instructor, met us with a smile and handshake. Once we began going around the room for the introductions, I started to feel as if I was out of my league. Putting aside that the class was mostly men, 7 out of 10, which is to be expected in the motorcycle industry. I heard the years of riding experience they all had and immediately thought I was not going to be able to complete the riding part of the course. I am not typically one to be 'intimidated' by others; however I also had a small personal hurdle that was tugging at my subconscious. My experience on my own Harley 883Iron was not good. I had dropped it and struggled after that with maneuvers to the left. I mentioned that in my introduction with a chuckle and shimmer of hope that someone in the room, besides Tom, would be sympathetic and helpful in getting me over this hurdle. I wasn't wrong.

By the end of the night, we were presented with THE test. Sadly, the opinions and horror stories entered my head again and I grew even more nervous as the test was placed in front of me. My anxiety level was extremely high. I pushed through and passed...barely. The next morning, we were going to be on the range, butts on bikes. My anxiety was already spiking.

The next morning, 8am CT sharp, class started. Seeing the Harley 500 was somewhat of a relief for me. I knew this bike and I knew that I could handle it. It helped my anxiety a little bit. The intensity of the course was taking over and the heat, the fact that we were in long sleeves, helmets, gloves and boots on blacktop, on black bikes began to wear on me. I felt like we were expected to ride the exercises with 100% precision and my fear of failure, the heat and the hurdle of falling to the left all worked on me. Several times, I was ready to quit. I was cursing the instructors in my head. I was even cursing myself for doing it. I often thought about just going back to the RV and enjoying the camping life and let Tom just chase this dream.

By the end of the weekend, we had ridden all of the BRC exercises, sometimes multiple times, helped coach a few exercises, which was also intense and we survived the heat. The one thing that we both agreed on is, it was pretty intense and almost broke us! Tom said he had seen the "ready to quit" in my face a few times and was glad I pushed onward. On Sunday, we were working our way to the dreaded skill test. Again, those voices inside my head made their way forward. The horror stories others shared from their experience, added to my own personal anxiety, I was very worried. Fortunately, I remembered the night before, at the end of the class, we met individually with the instructors and had a one-on-one. The question was asked, by the instructors, "Do we intimidate you?". That opened a dialogue of discussion. We also learned that we would be able to retake the skill test if we failed it the next day. Those voices were not as loud anymore, as I stood on the hot blacktop in full motorcycle gear preparing to take the skill evaluation as a RiderCoach candidate. I was the 2nd to last in the line. Watched those ahead of me and thought back to my own experience in the BRC course a few years ago. My confidence was growing. My turn came. I approached the T. Go the "go" and took off. Swerving around cones like a boss and turning to the left, uphill slightly, and stopping with my tire in the box! Nailed it!

Second skill. I approached the T. Got the "go" and off I went. I turned that right hand turn from stop. Nailed it. I entered the box, navigated across to the line and reached the cones and turned, uphill again slightly, a U-Turn. I did it! I was celebrating in my head. I was so excited. I had not had much success all weekend on the darn U-Turn box! Celebration caused me to lost focus for a split second and I put my foot down. I stopped in the box beating myself for the foot down. I knew I could make up the points in the rest of the skills. NOTE: I could have sworn I did it AFTER the U-Turn but instructor said I didn't. The swerve exercise. This one I knew I had in the bag. I had practiced it for hours and have video to prove it. I approached the start, got the "go" and off I went. Beautiful swerve and a smile node from instructor. I was very happy with myself. Finally, we reached the quick stop. Thinking I had this in the bag, I approached the start point. Got the "go" signal and off I went. I dumped the clutch and felt the bike jump, jokingly the others would say later, "I was popping wheelies off the line". Sadly, I knew immediately, I had failed. My stop was controlled but way too long. I knew I failed before even talking to the instructor. I was bummed and already worried about the retake. I needed practice obviously and I had no way of practicing between now and the next meeting in September. I was already thinking I was done. Fortunately, the instructors stepped up their game and offered me a few opportunities to get my butt in a seat on a bike that I could maneuver. I was feeling much more confident before the retake.

As I said, this was pretty intense. That first weekend had included a lot of hurdles for all of the candidates. We had seen everyone struggle on U-Turns, figure 8's and most of the slow speed maneuvers. We had experienced candidates with holier than thou attitudes, stress of teaching our peers and fear of failure. One candidate dropped a bike. Each of us were learning that we are not as good a rider as we may have thought. I mean, I knew I wasn't good, but there were some that were learning things about their skill-set that was hard to swallow. Sadly, one candidate was sent home. Suddenly, the room full of folks with years upon years of riding experience wasn't the intimidating factor as much as the expectations of being a RiderCoach.

As to not bore you with the details of the last two weekends, it is safe to say we passed. Sadly, we had to say good-bye to the holier than thou candidate and a few others. Ending the course with about half. I will say that on a personal level, the instructors were absolutely amazing in helping me get over my own hurdle. "Get out of my own head" as it was described. I am my own worse enemy. The day of my skill retake, I arrived at the dealership early and met with one of the instructors. The first thing we did was work on my fear of the left. I didn't master it but I feel like I got better. The extra practice, seen in the video on our channel, and the one-on-one talks is the only way I survived this very intense program. These instructors helped me be a better rider and if I were to never teach a class I at least walked away feeling like a better rider.

Thanks for Four Rivers Harley-Davidson for the range and equipment.