Today… was the beginning… my maiden voyage…

Arlene rides in the middle of formation through the Angeles National Forest
For the first time in 30 years, I was on a bike for more than just a scoot through the city streets. Today was the first time I’ve driven through the mountains, faced winding turns, snakes in the road, indecisive chipmunks and teenage drivers who think they own the road. I was also going more than 45 mph. THAT is an accomplishment for me because one thing I KNOW about myself is that I don’t like speed. You will also remember, I’m the one who dropped a bike 30 years ago and was too afraid to get back on again. It has taken me this long to get up the courage and today was the day. The California Scooter Company invited me to go out on a Friday afternoon ride with them through the forest and what a ride it was not to mention revealing…
Last week marked the day I finally received my motorcycle license. A lot of people are riding without those licenses and I confess to being one of them, BUT, after taking the motorcycle riders course, I was determined I was going to tackle the DMV and finally get that license. You can’t imagine the joy I felt opening the mail this week and seeing my brand new drivers license with that “M1” on it! Oh the sheer pleasure of something so simple and small…
I have been walking around all week like a peacock knowing that I have a motorcycle license and I can walk into any dealership that allows test drives and whip out that license and take that bad boy for a ride! And that’s exactly what I set out to do!
Into the Ducati dealership I went and no sooner did I sit on that bike than I hopped off, excused myself, left the store and got back in my car. As gorgeous as those bikes are, I KNEW that I could never feel confident on a bike like that. Then again, I’m not confident on a 250cc scooter… so much for the peacock!

GoGo Gear Scooter
I’ve spent a LOT of time thinking about getting a bike, one that goes beyond my little “louis vuitton scooter” and into having a bit more “giddyup” when I need it. I’ve been researching and asking people their opinions of their own bikes and what they think I, as a “new” rider should consider. The opinions were as diverse as the number of bikes out there and after seriously considering all of the comments and feedback I received, it ultimately boiled down to my experience today on a California Scooter Company bike…

Arlene and the California Scooter Company model for Arlene’s “CoCo Chanel” GoGo Gear bike
So, WHAT did I learn today? I learned what I am and am not comfortable with. It reinforced my feeling (and KNOWING) that I am not built for speed. I don’t want to go fast and I don’t want to be on the freeway. I don’t want to be on a big bike and I don’t care how much a bike costs. The reality is, I want to be on a bike I can handle and for me, this bike is as much as I can handle. Perhaps that will change over the years but for now, I need a bike I can handle, grow into, feel comfortable with, one that gives me so much pleasure being on it that nothing else can compare. This is something I felt today when I was out riding and I was acutely aware of how I felt on that winding road. I couldn’t have navigated that road on any other kind of bike and THAT is what made me come to the conclusion that THIS was the bike for me.
A lot of people think spending $5,000 for a 150cc bike is crazy but for me, the reality is this… I want something sublime, something so unique that there is only one of a kind… I liken this bike to my Dracula/Matrix coat. There is only one of them and it was made just for me (even though the model in the photo looks better in it than I do!). That is how I feel about this bike. It’s going to have my mark on it, be exactly the way I want it, be one of a kind and not take itself too seriously. THAT’S how I like things!
The other thing I noticed was that I’m not afraid when I’m on this bike. When I was riding today, concentrating on each of the little things I learned in my riding class, I was acutely aware of the size of the bike and how I felt on it. I KNEW that for as long as it’s going to take for me to get comfortable being on a bike again, I need to be on something that is so comfortable for me, that I don’t think about the bike anymore and all I have to do is concentrate on what’s ahead, behind and around me. THAT was a really revealing moment for me because it allowed me to just settle in to the bike, let it do its job and all I had to do was stay focused on the task at hand… riding safe.
I had NO idea when I was creating GoGo Gear that it was going to lead me back into this incredible, wonderful world of riding, FILLED with the most amazing people! As I ride down the street, no matter WHAT I’m riding, people on two wheels always acknowledge me and I them. The language that is spoken without words among those who ride is more powerful than anything I can describe and I am honored and humbled to be a little baby in this crowd, in awe of those around me and just tickled to no end that I get to be part of this.

Arlene and the California Scooter Company guys (from left, Steve, Tony, Joe and Arlene)
To the guys at California Scooter Company, who surrounded me all day on our ride, I felt like I was in a cocoon, safely tucked away in between you all, allowed to ride like a little butterfly among real riders, all the while getting to experience the thrill of the ride! And to you, Joe Berk, leader of the pack, and veteran of the bike AND pavement, you gave me one of the biggest compliments I think I will ever get, telling me I’m a good rider, like I’d been riding a long time. Man oh man, you have no idea how thrilling it was to have you tell me that! I will work hard to make you proud of me Joe and I look forward to our ride to Cabo San Lucas, my “CoCo Chanel” will be dressed and ready for the occasion!
Arlene
The “CoCo Chanel” and “Little Black Dress” Made Just For Me!
The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London, 1947–1957
Lucille Manguin’s idea of “practical” outfits for cycling and traveling by public transport
MY “COCO CHANEL” AND MY LITTLE BLACK DRESS
The GoGo Gear Bike Gas Tank
The GoGo Gear Bike