Gaining Confidence

Riding home from work tonight, I debated which way to go.  I wanted to stop and swim after work at the club on Hanson and Highway 10.  So far, in three years of riding a motorcycle to work, I have not taken Highway 10.  I don't like to go that fast.  The speed limit where I usually take it is 65.  In my car I can travel at 69 mph and I'm usually the slowest one on the road.  Most of the time the traffic is slow during rush hour and we seldom get that fast.  That is what I thought would happen tonight when I finally got the confidence to try it.  I entered the highway at Foley Boulevard and intended to get off at the very next exit, Hanson Boulevard.  It wasn't the merging that scared me nor the other cars.  What has stopped me before was the speed.  This was rush hour and there shouldn't be much speed.  What I forgot is that school is out of session and traffic during rush hour was not nearly as bad.  As I got on Highway 10, everybody was going 70+ miles per hour.  I got in the right lane and could stay there as that lane eventually exits onto Hanson.  I got up to speed very quickly.  Sometimes you can see bugs flying before they hit you in the face shield.  The bugs come up really fast on the highway.  Ten climbs up to go over Coon Creek and a railroad track.  I got the bike up to (can you believe it!) 69 mph.  Please don't tell the parents.  I traveled down the big hill confidently and zoomed up the exit ramp up to Hanson. Mission accomplished successfully.  After my swim, I had the option of taking Highway 10 home or taking the back roads.  I took the back roads.  I am gaining confidence but I don't want to overdo it.