Quote Originally Posted by Susan View Post
Maybe try this -
Engage both your brakes.
Stand over your bike, one foot on the pedal (usually the left foot). Pedal position for this pedal up, but not at 12 o clock, more at 10 or 9, if you'd look at it from the side.
Keep your brakes engaged.
Now push of your other foot and put weight on the foot on the pedal. You can do it just for a very short time and put your foot back on the ground. If you practice, you can stand on the pedal for quite a long time, balancing, so you are not in a hurry.

If you feel secure doing this, you can release your brakes, and all you have to do now is push down on the foot to get your bike going.

Imagine the pedal you are standing on is the first step of a ladder, it's the same movement.
I see what you are saying, practice first with my brakes engaged just to get a feel for it, I will give this a shot. I think when I've tried this in the past it felt so scary-unstable that my body or brain (or both) just decided "nope"

I think if I can figure out the scootering part, then the rest of it (getting in the saddle) will come naturally.

I rode with my personal trainer and his wife Saturday, they are both avid mountain bikers. She rode in front of me, he stayed behind and coached me. With his help, and some pushing, I was able to ride all of a trail that I've not been able to ride in the past - had a mental problem with the rocky portions and the bits with a drop-off at the side. I have been chipping away at that trail, but it took riding with someone who knows how to motivate me to get me over the scary bits. Now I know I can do it

It is his strong opinion that my current starting position is really going to limit me, which is a good incentive to finally deal with it.