Mum isnt doing as well, the chemo she has been having has stopped working as well so the cancer on her liver has spread a bit and now the next chemo will start and this time she will be losing her hair. I am crossing my fingers that it will work this time.
So this weekend I spent a lot of time riding my motorbike. I have as you may know a small Suzuki DR200. I have finally settled on a name for her and she is called "Rascal" - very suiting for her and me. Yesterday I rode 150km. I took Rascal out on the highway and I found this time out on the highway I had not worries at all. Since I have been riding to work and back every day, I am gaining confidence on her. Wet roads dont scare me anymore, icy slippery roads still do of course, but not enough to stop me from riding. Now riding in the wind has been interesting for sure - since my bike is so light, 275lbs, we get blown around a fair bit on the exposed highways and close to the ocean on windy days.
I am sure though that all my yucky weather days of riding are good experience for doing road trips later on. I do want to do some road trips and experiencing all the bad weather will mean I wont be surprised and scared of it when it happens. But I have to admit, I sure will enjoy the sunny weather riding when it comes. But getting back to riding Rascal and getting more confidence. I found this weekend being out on the highway and over the Malahat, a twisty windy road over some hills. I found I could keep her up to the speed limits and found that even though she is small, the confidence and the ability to relax meant that she was a lot more pleasurable to ride and felt a little less bumble beeish. haha I know thats not a word but you get my idea.
I may have an opportunity to purchase a friends Vstrom if he decides not to ride it anymore. I am really glad that he is thinking of helping me out by selling it to me and at a good price. He knows of my struggles to finally get my very own very first motorbike. I have been on my own now for ......wow I can't believe it - its now going on 6 years!! I didnt realize so much time has gone by. Its taken me most of that time to adjust to the situation I found myself in after 24 years of marriage in a relationship that had been very trusting, no fights, no real arguments and great parenting to 3 great kids. But never ever be complacent because that is when the rug can be pulled out from under your feet and leave you reeling and in free fall. That is what happened to me and to say that I felt like a boat that lost its anchor in a stormy sea, was an understatement. But maybe another time I will share my story and what I learned from that situation. But today I am a happy person again, I feel free and found the excitement and freedom of owning my first motorcycle.
I took the riding courses for basic and traffic, then got my motorcycle license. I discovered my passion for riding after a friend I met and dated for a while took me out on his motorbike. I was hooked! Wow, I will always remember that first ride. Always! And not just because I got to sit behind him and hold on to him! lol
I had ridden a scooter when I was a teenager and remembered how I loved that too. So after that, I started looking into classes. Now being on my own changed a lot of things and the biggest thing it changed my my financial status. It was tough living on my own financially. But I managed to save up to take the two courses. The main reason I took them was because we rode their bikes and could use their bikes for the road test. So off I went, got my license, but had to wait just over another year before I could afford to by my bike. So October 13th 2011 was the day my little Rascal came into my life. She has been great. I met this friend of mine with the VStrom and have enjoyed his company and listening to his stories from his life and riding experiences. But he has unfortunately run into some medical issues that most likely has to end him riding the VStrom and sticking to his Bergman Scooter - which will make him stay on paved roads and not tempt him to take the gravel roads like he can with the bike. So with him knowing my struggles to get a bike, and the plans I have to do roads trips on my bike. He understands that I want to get another bigger bike so I can handle the road trips. But this is all dependent on the bike being able to be lowered enough for me to be able to handle the bike. I really hope this all works out because even though I love me little rascal, I really want a bike with some more power to be able to do longer trips on.
What I enjoy about riding is that, its expected and accepted that you can be out riding on your own as a single womanm but for me I find I feel more self conscious if I am out in my car or just walking by myself. But on a motorbike is absolutley awesome and accepted as being "cool". haha thats my story and Im sticking to it!
Time for dinner.
Deb you are an awesome strong woman! You should be do proud of what you accomplished and the fact that you are an all weather rider. I like you find the more I read the comfortable and competent I feel. I understand your craving for more cc's because I road a 50cc scooter everywhere. It's amazing to me that I put on 5,000km on that little scoot. There is something powerful and empowering about being a female motorcyclist. Be patient you will be on a bigger bike soon and the experience you are gaining will be an excellent tool for managing a bigger bike.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on naming Rascal. He sounds aptly named.
ReplyDeleteAlso hope the next round of Chemo works for your mum. My fingers are crossed.
Good stuff, good luck with the bike, we al need some some times.
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