First off, I am apologizing for not posting on a regular basis lately. We are still going through a lot here and I haven't had much time to blog, and even less time to keep up on everyone else's blogs!! So please bear with me, I will try to start catching up and getting back to business real soon!! LOL
So, onward to my post title. My daughter Christa thinks I am nuts, but when my DH wants something, lets just say that he rarely doesn't get what he wants!! Anyway, he wants me to get my Motorcycle license! Now, before you freak out, its not like I have never ridden a motorcycle before, I used to ride dirt bikes all the time growing up. My family went camping and dirt bike riding all the time, from the time I was about 10 yrs old. But the last time that I actually rode one was about 37 yrs ago when I was 17!!!
The reason I am getting my license is so that I can ride our Motorcycle when I need to get out of the house, and Walt has the truck. Let me back track a bit, I forgot to mention that we decided to get rid of my Honda CRV (boo hoo) and go down to only the truck and the bike. So, in order for me to be able to get out and about when he has the truck, I need to be able to legally ride the bike.
Now the big problem is that the Motorcycle is a BIG BIKE!! I mean seriously BIG!! It is one of the biggest, if not the biggest bikes made. It is a Honda Gold Wing. It weighs about 1000 lbs and sits so high and is so wide, that the only way I will be able to have control of it is to make it a Trike. Basically giving it training wheels!! I can't even sit with my feet on the ground.
Luckily for me, I won't have to take the Riding test at the DMV with our bike! I don't know if you have this program in your states, but here in California, you can take a Motorcycle Safety Course, and when you pass it, all you have to do is take the Written Exam to get your license. The course takes up the whole weekend though. 8:30-5:00 both Saturday and Sunday!! And we will be on the bikes for most of 4-5 hours each day, with the balance being taken by classroom work and tests. The course is given at a local Jr College and they provide the bikes and helmets. Our friend teaches the course and he said that he would be sure to pair me up on a smaller, shorter bike since I am only 5'3"!!
My only problem with this is....Walt insists that I wear full riding gear when we go out riding! I am not one of these people that handles the heat well. Can you imagine me having to wear a full helmet, and full riding gear (pants/top) in 100 plus degree days? Now don't get me wrong, I am aware that safety wise, it is not a stupid thing to expect, but I am not looking forward to having, sweaty helmet hair. Not to mention a heat stroke wearing the full riding gear. Anyway, I will stop whining about this. Keep repeating...it is a smart thing to do, it is a smart thing to do. LOL
So this is what our weekend is going to involve. I will let you know how I do and if I pass!!! You know what they say, it is like riding a bike!!! Once you learn, you always know how to do it! Let us hope that my body and reflexes remembers how to do it. After all, this is an almost 55 yr old grandma getting her motorcycle license after all these years. :)
Tonight, we went for our 1.5 mile walk and it was much more painful than in the past. Even Walt commented on my walking. Even walking downhill, I was having problems. I had stopped taking my Water pills a while back, and my legs/feet have become super swollen again. I didn't think much of it until we went for our walk. Usually I just have problems with my feet going numb. But tonight, I was having pains on the inside of my lower legs, from the ankle to my knees, plus the feet numbness.
I am not panicking about this, but I do have to worry a bit, as my Mom was just in the Hospital for blood clots in the legs and lung. However, the only reason that I am not panicking about it is that I would think that the pain would be in the back of the calf (the muscle area) if it were to do with poor circulation. But to be safe, I am going to go back on my Water pills! I should know better. My family has bad problems with water retention, heart disease, diabetes, etc. I retain water so bad, that when I was pregnant, I was put on Water pills and a salt free diet, and I still retained about 8 lbs of water!!! So to make sure that I don't have problems like my Mom, I need to lose the weight, and stay on the Water pills!!
Here are some photos of our bike. Walt's pride and joy. We will be purchasing a Trike Conversion Kit so that I will be able to ride it too. So, till next time.....
Aloha My Friends :)
Isn't he cute? Now bear in mind that Walt is 6'4" tall, so he makes the bike look normal in size!!
We will be adding armrests to the back seat with a cup holder for me.
We have taken off the black holder that was attached to the back when we bought the bike. The bike will become wider once we add the Trike Conversion.
He is so proud of his bike. By the way, when I told him that because of the economy last year and the high cost of fuel, I told him that he could by a "Commuter Bike" to ride back and forth to work on. He bought this "Touring Bike" instead!!
10 comments:
lol Debi the 'Biker Chick.' Has a nice ring to it. That is an awesome bike by the way (and I didn't know Walt was so tall!)
I reckon you should totally go for it. I agree, full regalia during the heat might be hard to bare but hey, hopefully you wont have to ride on those really hot days lol. That's the idea anyway.
PS Love the new look of the blog. Really pretty and bright.
Nice bike!! Good luck with your test!!!
Nice bike, Goldwings aren't that hard to ride actually. My family owns a Honda motorcycle dealership and I have ridden alot. You can do it!
Wow sexy bike! I can't wait to see you on that thing! You can do it!
I take water pills too - for high bp, but I also have a tendency to retain a bunch of water. I know my weight goes up a bunch if I forget to take them!
OK--It's the mom in me that worries about the bike----It's NOT you-----It's Them!! I hope you live in a rural area.I do agree the bike is pretty amazing looking!
Maybe a ahh-haa moment---I stopped taking my water pill a couple of weeks before surgery and haven't started it back up thinking one less pill is good. Because I haven't been really exercising(swimming)my feet and hands have been swollen. Maybe that is part of the NO WEIGHTLOSS! It's worth a try!
Thanks ladies!
Ride like the wind girlfriend!!!!!!
wow that is one huge bike. You are going to get so good at riding the motorcycle that Walt is going to have to buy you your own :)
Tina
You will be fine in the class, it really is fun! I totally enjoyed it and felt way more confident riding on streets in traffic because of it. It's the same in Texas, you get to just take the written if you've taken the course.
And don't forget, when you get going, it actually is cold even wearing all the gear because of the wind. If it was 80 and I was riding, it would feel like between 50 and 60. If it was under 60 outside, I'd freeze on the bike, so long as it was moving. I couldn't do the bike in cool weather. 100 degrees, on the other hand - it was wonderful.
I still miss my bike but I sold it a few years back and now my sweet hubby won't let me get a new one...
My husband keeps wanting me to take the class, but I'm just too scared! I ride with him all the time, but to actually be the one that handles the bike is a little scary to me. He has a Road King Custom. I've been told that once my son's feet can touch the footpegs, I'm kicked off the bike. LOL
Thanks everyone!!
Cara, it's funny that you said, "biker chick" because it was a running joke when I got my first tattoo that I was becoming a "biker chick"!! Thanks for the comments on the blog look, I just love these colors too!
Walt wants to personally thank Jenny, Southern Belle, Gen and Darlin 1 for your comments on his precious bike!! He loves it!
Thanks Southern Belle for your vote of confidence!
Gen and Darlin 1, I totally agree that I need to get back on my Water Pills and it sounds like you should too!
Darlin 1, unfortunately I don't live in a rural area! We live in a suburban area near a big city. We have a lot of traffic, but I would probably be riding the bike only as needed though. And I do tend to be very conservative in my driving, so I am sure that I will be even more conservative on a bike!! "Thanks MOM"
Thanks Dawn B! I used to love to ride when we were dirt bike riding, but in a busy city, it is hard to "ride like the wind"!! But it will definitely be different!
Tina, yes it is a huge bike!! Now I only wish that we could afford to make it an automatic!! I gave up driving manual vehicles years ago and am not looking forward to going back to shifting a motorcycle!! But funny you say that Walt will have to buy me my own bike, he has been considering this as well!!
LDswims, Thanks so much for telling me this, it makes me feel better about it. Walt told me that he would buy me one of those fancy schmancy jacket and pants that has multiple layers. So you can wear it in different temps comfortably, which should help. So glad to hear that the class really helped you drive confidently in traffic!! Too bad your hubby won't let you buy a new bike, usually it is the other way around!! The guy wants the bike!
Ash, go ahead and take the class, it can't hurt you. Walt said that the class is designed for the total beginner. They are assuming that you have never been on a bike, so they build up your confidence over the two days!! Can you buy a smaller bike for you?
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