Full Circle

A year ago Pete bought his bike and we looked for a group to join. Partly because Pete wanted to have people to ride with. He's always one for riding, no matter the time of day and wanted to make sure that there were others like him. Partly for friendship. We each had friends coming into this relationship, but not the kind of friends that we did things with. So we found the Dry Riders and joined.

The first outing we went to was the Gun Run (heretofore called the Range Ride). And it was a lot to take in. All new people and learning who they were and how they fit in. Shooting different weapons and that cold morning ride out to the Hutchinson Airport. If you look back I believe I have pictures from it.

Saturday we headed out again for the Range Ride. This time Pete was riding his bike and I was riding mine.

We had all kinds of fun. We rode out from the airport again and all the bikes lined up there and under the tree at the range are pretty cool. Someone has pictures of all of us by the bikes with various weapons. I'm sure we look like hellions.

The guys were shooting trap by the lake. Although Pete thought they looked like a firing squad. To be honest, I sort of agree.

And in true man fashion, it took a gaggle of them to search for a screw. I know that you think there is a joke somewhere in there, but it's true. They were searching for a tiny tiny screw for a sight on one of the shotguns. Eventually they found it, but could never get it out of the grass.

So, we've come full circle.

Embrace The Journey

Embrace The Journey.

I keep thinking of this. I had a lot of time to think this weekend either riding my own bike or on the back of Pete’s.

I thought that embrace the journey related to the idea that you can’t always control what’s going on in your life, but you can go with the flow and hope to learn something.

I thought that embrace the journey related to the idea that you have difficult situation and stopping to really see where you’re at in life may lend you clarity.

I thought that embrace the journey related to the idea that I shouldn’t be afraid of trying something new, I should embrace the unknown.

This weekend I realized another embrace the journey. You know how you’re having a good time in life and you somehow overlook how good it is? How fun it is? Then later you look back at that time and you realize just how good it was, just how fun it was. From now on I want to embrace the journey TODAY. I want to live in the moment where I realize that life is good. Life is fulfilling. Life is amazing.

I don’t know if I’m explaining it right. I do think it comes down to living in the moment and not worrying about the next hour, the next day or the next week. About really being present in your own life. Really being aware of what you are doing and others are doing and taking it in. And not only taking it in, but making it your own.

Memories are good, but living the moment is better.

I'm dreaming

Dreaming of log rides into the sun on a summer days.
Dreaming of laying the mini-camper listening to the birds, the breeze and voices in the distant.
Dreaming of sitting by a fire listening to people talk.
Dreaming of seeing new sights and new places and lots of picture taking.
Dreaming of getting up with the sun, cool and bright and wondering what the day will bring.

I'm dreaming of summer.

My first solo

I love Pete. I love that he is my rock, my protector, my bodyguard.

Ever since I got my cycle license he's ridden everywhere with me. And I appreciated it. I'm still working on getting going when you have no arrow on left turns. I still take a little more time on starts. I go slower than most cars on turns and curves. And through it all, Pete is behind me. He prtects me from irritated drivers. He gives me the space so people aren't crowding me.

Today he got up with me a rode with me to work. Before he left he said "Please don't solo too far." I giggled. It really would be my first solo. Kind of like when someone is lerning to fly a plane - the first solo is a big deal. I took my lunch and drove over to my sisters house to chat with her. I solo'd. And I did great!

Motorcycle...continued

I have bags! Good bags. Saddlebags for the motorcycle. I was worrying yesterday because I asked the dealer to install the bags and put the license plate on the back of one of the bags. Was I making the right decision to punch through the bag with the plate? I knew that I didn't want it on the fender because they'd have to put holes in the fender. So the bags was the only other option. It worked. They look awesome. So now all that I have to worry about is the front controls. They should be in soon so they can be installed.

It's going to get nice next week. The week that I start my month of really not being able to take any time off or leave early. So I told Pete that I'd be riding around the circular drive at work ever break I got!