My father was a rider, and in later years he often tried to convince me to take up the hobby. The kids were little and money was tight, so I had to say no. But every now and then I would look up bikes on the internet and dreamt a little how it would be.

After finally getting the seal of approval from my wife, I got a course this fall. The driving instructor looks like a homeless Santa with half a mouth of teeth - but he used to do track days and enduro trips through the alps, so he knows his stuff. I looked forward to every session and really had fun, even when I got drenched in rain. And now my exam is tomorrow, and I'm super anxious and excited, maybe even a little terrified. A little bit because of the exam, but more so because of what comes afterward!