It's About Time!! LOL

Hey Ya'll,

Warning, warning!!  I am apologizing in advance, for the many photos below!!!

I'm sorry to have taken so long in posting about my first experiences on our bike.  But as usual, I have been very busy.  Lately, I have been researching 5th Wheels for us.  So far, I have it narrowed down a bit, but still have some more research before we make up our minds.

We were hoping to be able to attend the Annual RV Show here in Sacramento, but so far, they have not posted it for this year.  So we may just have to purchase, based on our own research.  But it is always nice to get to actually go through all the different Manufacturers, and Models to see the craftsmanship for ourselves, rather than relying on photos.  At that point, we will know exactly (or at least in the ballpark) how much we need to save to purchase it.  We will be paying for the RV with cash, no charge or credit (obviously!).

We are turning over my CRV to the Bank next Wednesday morning.  Sigh...  Walt has called them, and spoke with the entity that will actually be picking it up.  And we have agreed to already have the car cleaned out and parked at the curb, making it easier for them to take.  We are also leaving the keys to it under the front door mat.

I guess this will be one of the easiest pickups for a repo man ever!!  I just hope that they pick it up while no one is out watching.  We have not told any of our neighbors about our predicament as yet.  And I know that they are beginning to wonder what is going on, as we have already begun taking furniture out of the house already.  But for them to know, that our car is being repossessed is hard.  But the hardest will be when they see the notice on our door or window advising of the Foreclosure, then of course, with us actually moving everything left out of the house and into an RV!!

Here is my new Helmet, with the Face shields up.  It also has a Chin Guard that can be attached to it making it a Full Face Helmet if wanted.  I wear a material head cap on over my hair to make it easier to put the Helmet on, as well as to keep the Helmet from getting too sweaty.

 This is with both the Sunglass Visor and the front Clear Full Visor down.

 A better view of the Visors down.












We bought my Helmet last Saturday, the 5th.  It is a Nolan and fits really nice.  But when I look at myself in the mirror with it on, I instantly think of Kazoo, the Martian from the Flintstones Cartoon (not the live action movies, with John Goodman!).  Only those of you old enough, will probably know what character I am talking about!!  LOL

We ordered my Jacket and Pants as well as my Headset.  All are to be delivered this week.  So far, I have already received my Jacket.  For those of you not into Motorcycles, and the proper safety riding gear, the Jacket and Pants are made with shields built into them at various places to protect the body in case of an accident.  They are made in such a way, that should you go down, you shouldn't lose all your skin.  You may have broken bones, but your skin should still be intact!!  And of course the Helmet is to protect your Head and Face.

So!  Now onto our rides this week!  I must tell you that until I lost this 40 lbs, it wasn't really feasible for us to ride together.  But now that I have lost my initial weight, we can go riding together.  We took our first ride last Friday as we had to get out of the house anyway for a bit, as I had seen a terrifying bug (which I have since researched and discovered that they are fairly common and are considered a "good bug" as they eat other bugs and spiders).  But still...a bug is a bug, and it was inside the house, so Clarks...I Need You!  So Clarks came out on Friday to spray the house inside and out.  Here is a photo that I took of the bug before I KILLED IT!!  And keep in mind that the main body was about an inch long, not counting the Legs and Antennas!!  It is called a House Centipede.  YUK!!

Anyways!!  Now that I have grossed most of you out, I am getting back to my story!!  We went for a nice short ride around town.  We first went to Carl's Jr for lunch, and I was trying not to freak out on the way there!  Now remember, except for my Motorcycle Safety Class, I hadn't been on a Motorcycle in 37 yrs, and especially not on one, where I wasn't in control of the bike!  But after eating, we continued on our ride, making a big loop back too our house.  The whole ride was about 15 miles just to get me used to being on the bike behind Walt, and most importantly, getting Walt used to having me on the bike behind him!

But like I said.  On the way to lunch, I was terrified, every time we made a turn.  I was just sure that we were going to go down, every turn we made.  But we made it there just fine, and I decided after lunch, that I was just going to have to trust in Walt, that he wouldn't make any stupid mistakes, like turning too sharp or at too high a speed, causing us to go down.  And just enjoy the ride!  The other big concern that I had had, was that because I didn't have my Motorcycle Jacket yet, all I had to wear for protection other than my Helmet, was my Leather Jacket and Jeans.  And it was about 90 degrees last Friday!!  So I was freaking out a bit about having to ride in Summer conditions in heavy Leather!!

In the past, every time that I saw bikers riding in the Summer with Leather Jackets, or full Motorcycle Safety Gear like we do on, I always said that I didn't know how they could possibly wear them in the heat!!  I would die!  But surprisingly, the only time that I felt warm at all, was when we were stopped at a signal for any length of time.

So after our test ride on Friday, we had made plans to go to 4 different RV Dealerships the next day on Saturday, to check out some of the RV's we are considering.  They are spaced all around the area and it turned out to be about an 85 mile ride, in the HEAT!!  Saturday was even hotter, at about 98 degrees!!  And of course we rode the bike.  But again, like Friday, except when we were stopped for any length of time, it wasn't too hot!!  Even in a zipped up Leather Jacket.

In fact, I was hotter just walking around the RV Dealers than I was on the bike.  I can't wait to try out my new Jacket, as it has a zip out liner making it more like a wind breaker with the shields for protection, so it should be a bit cooler but more protective.  And the Pants are supposed to do the same, making them bearable to wear in both the Summer and Winter as well.

The reason we didn't take the freeways which would have made it faster and shorter distances overall, was because Walt wanted more experience in riding in stop and go traffic with my weight on back, and because I didn't have the Safety Equipment to wear, so he felt safer in slower traffic than at high speeds on the freeway in case we went down!!  I will try to get someone to take our picture with us on the bike after I get all my gear.  When I do, I will post them.

Earlier in the post, I said that we have been moving out a lot of our furniture already.  Because of this, our house is beginning to look very bare!!

This is my Bookcase that we gave my SIL.  It was purchased about 34 yrs ago!!

And this is the room where my White furniture is without the Bookcase.  I moved the Love Seat which is usually kept in front of the Window, to the wall where the Bookcase used to sit.

The room already looks bare in comparison!

These next two photos is of our fantastic Entertainment Center!  We loved this piece, and have now given it to our Daughter Kat.  She loves it in her home too.

After this photo was taken, the TV seen here died, and was replaced by an LCD TV.  Which sat on a matching piece to the Entertainment Center, that couldn't be used at this particular time with this huge TV!!

And this is where the Entertainment Center used to sit.  It now has Kat's old Entertainment Center that will eventually go to Russ as well as the TV that is sitting on it.

Here is my Electric Scooter, that now fits in the corner, out of the way.  I have not had to use it since my Surgery and initial weight loss!  Here's crossing my fingers that I won't need it again for a very long time!!

Here is the Red Sofa Sectional that Walt usually plants himself on to watch TV!!  We are giving it to our Son Russ, sometime in the next several weeks.  If you look carefully, or increase the photo size, you can see our beloved cat, Oreo, before we had to have him put to sleep.  He was hiding in his bed, but watching me closely!!

I believe that Russ is also taking the Coffee Table from this room.

These next 3 photos shows our Family Room with the Black Leather furniture group and how full the room felt with it in there.

We have given one of the Love Seats and Sofa to my parents, but we are keeping one of the Love Seats and the Chair and Ottoman for ourselves.  We also gave them the two End Marble Tables and the Rug.  We may end up giving them the matching Coffee Table as well.

And here is how bare the Family Room is now!!

Bare isn't it?  I think that we could almost hold a dance in here now!!  Now we only have one Love Seat, the Chair and Ottoman, the Coffee Table and the Electric Piano.















Well, I apologized early in the post, and I am apologizing at the end of the post, for the massive amount of photos, but it has been a really long time since I made a real post, and a lot has happened.  Anyway, I better go for now, Walt thinks that I am writing a book!!  Till next time...

Aloha My Friends  :)