Confidence and Courage... Keys to My Successful Moto Training Adventure

For a while now I’d been wondering about taking off-road motorcycle riding lessons, so when Jeff Siegers from Jeff Stanton Adventures suggested we add that onto our specialized couple’s adventure riding package, I got really excited. As is usually the case, though, as the day approached, I got more and more nervous about it. Yoga and mindfulness training helped keep the jitters to a low simmer, and my Mantra became, “I want to. I choose to. I can, and I will! 

With a mindset of confidence and courage, I arrived at TwoHats Ranch just before noon on Sunday, June 13, 2021. This is the base for Jeff Stanton Adventures. One other rider (Jake) and the instructors (Jeff Siegers and Jeff Stanton) were at the lodge ready to go. Bill from Ohio soon joined us, as did two boys that work the ranch who had never ridden before.  Triumph Tiger motorcycles are their usual fleet, but they added a smaller Yamaha TW200 for me. 

We got on the bikes and rode out to a grassy field to the short training course. As instructed by Jeff Stanton, we stayed in first gear and stood up the entire time. First, we zigzagged through cones, around a mowed cul-de-sac, and back through the cones. I had good throttle and clutch control, but went wide and put my foot down at first. Soon we all learned to turn tighter without putting down our feet.

Once we all mastered the cones, we rode single file through a mowed figure eight, crossing each other at the intersection. That was easier, especially when I remembered to look through the turn and not at the ground. Our next obstacle was riding up and around a mowed off-camber turn, over two sets of logs, around small boulders, and across a wooden bridge. Jeff placed long boards on either side of the bridge for added challenge. I did good riding the obstacles and was feeling a lot more confident.

Then, they took us into the woods. I was so excited when I entered the woods, thinking "Wow, I'm riding in the woods!" That was short lived. I went around the first tight obstacle pretty well, but the next one I hit too much throttle and flung myself into a tree and onto the ground. They were right there to help me. I sat down for a break while Jeff Stanton rode my bike across the creek and through the hard stuff. I kept my cool and got back on the bike, continuing through the wider, woods path. These were flatter, with only sticks and roots to maneuver. It was fun and I kept smiling to myself.

After break they put me on an 850 Triumph Tiger. I have always been self-conscious about the bigger bikes, and immediately dropped it in the grass. Jeff Stanton told me I used too much front brake and to remember that the "clutch is my friend." Standing up took away some of the bigger bike anxiety. With their riding tips, soon I was coasting around the figure 8 loop. I ventured out to do wider circles through tall grass, across the wooden bridge, and around the upper mowed pasture. I easily rode the Tiger back to the lodge, avoiding sandy areas per Jeff Stanton’s instructions. However, when I pulled next to the other bikes to attempt to park, I again pulled the front brake too hard and went down in the gravel. I felt pretty stupid until I got up and realized the guy behind me did the same thing. 

After a short break we went for a ride on the roads outside the ranch. Jeff Stanton led us over gravel and hard packed dirt roads. I rode the Yamaha with excited fear and smiled the whole time. Near the end he took us down a very challenging deep sand road. It was scary and difficult, but I did it. Jeff asked me halfway what I thought and I said I sure had a lot of adrenaline. He said to barrel through it – but, that is hard to do.

Jeff Stanton leads Rhonda & Mark 

My adventure motorcycle training finished up with a 100 mile ride the next morning. I rode the Yamaha, this time with Jeff Stanton, Bill, and my husband Mark on our own Triumph Tiger 900. Again, I was all smiles and so proud of how well I rode on various surfaces - that is, until we hit another deep sand road. At first, I stood up and barreled through. However, I hit a deeper sandy spot and went down into some small trees along the roadside. I felt a pain in my left wrist, but I got up and right back on to finish the morning ride. Every time I pulled in the clutch my hand hurt more, but I persevered for another 30 miles or so to our lunch stop.

Jeff Siegers grills lunch

Lunch was in a gorgeous natural setting along the prettiest little stream. Jeff Siegers had a pop-up tent set up with table and chairs, plus a cooking table. He grilled me a portabella mushroom with onions and peppers. The guys had McRib type sandwiches. It was good food in a lovely, relaxing location. For added entertainment, gypsy moths crawled all over the tent, table, chairs, and us.

Road through National Forest

As planned, after lunch I rode two-up with Mark on our Tiger and they trailered my Yamaha. It really is a different experience as a passenger, having no control and total trust in the driver. I know Mark is a good rider, but the deep sand is unfamiliar to him on the Tiger. Mostly, though, we were on a variety of road surfaces.

The best was a very narrow one through deep tree cover of maples and beech that canopied a grassy road. As a passenger I got scared on some of the sand roads. Mark struggled and couldn't "paddle through" with my foot pegs and feet in the way. A couple times I got off and walked ahead. I'm not sure I smiled as much as a passenger, though the gravel that used to bother me was now a welcome change to the somewhat terrifying sandy roads. 

We saw lots of wildlife along the ride. Once there were turtles laying eggs on the dirt roadway. We also saw deer, turkey, snakes, fox, heron, and many other birds. I even saw an osprey with a snake in its talons fly over me. Riding in Michigan is beautiful, through mostly forest, with occasional farms and pastures. Lots of boggy areas, with small pond and lakes tucked in here and there. On the seasonal roads we rode through maple, oaks, pine, beech, and birch trees, blanketed underneath with oak fern.

In the end, I did it! It wasn’t perfect and I still have a lot to learn, but after 2 days I do feel more confident about my riding skills, better know my limitations, and a little more about what I’m doing wrong.  I went in with a mindset of confidence and courage. I came out learning that the "clutch is my friend," I can ride a bigger bike, and that I can ride off pavement on various road surfaces – even sand. 

This was an amazing experience that I highly recommend. In addition to riding instruction, we stayed at an upscale hunting ranch, tucked in dense forest where white tail deer openly roamed nearby. They served us delicious meals with lots of time for informal discussion with some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Overall, Jeff Stanton Adventures provided us a skill building venture we will savor for years to come.

Rhonda and Mark Ferree with Jeff Stanton

Jeff Stanton and Bill ride ahead of us

Another Forest  Road

Ferree Tiger with Jeff Stanton van at Two Hats Ranch

More pictures and video found on Jeff Stanton Adventures Facebook and Instagram Pages 

Note: Upon returning home an Xray showed I had a small fracture in my left wrist, though it certainly doesn't deter my enthusiasm for adventure motorcycle riding.