Risk Management Magazine

We planned to head out early on a Friday morning as soon as rush hour was over. The night before, I inspected my bike to ensure everything was good to go. The oil looked good, both tires were properly inflated, and I had my extra glasses, rain suit, a change of clothes, enough tools to almost tear the bike completely down, tire plugs, air compressor, hammock and blanket.

During a recent trip to Acadia National Park in Maine, I learned a few valuable lessons: I am not as smart as I thought I was, and following established rules and policies protects me from harm. These lessons, although embarrassing, later saved me from greater harm in a different national park and may have prevented a tragic accident in my unit a few weeks later.

When I wanted to learn to ride a motorcycle, I set out to discover how “basic” the Basic RiderCourse (BRC) offered here at Fort Riley really was. You see, I was going to need a very basic, from the beginning, baby-step-by-step-style course if I was ever going to become a rider.