Bessie and Me: Shifting Gears

April 28, 2013 Leesburg Bike Fest_2013 Stopped by my mechanics shop on Thursday: Me: “Hey Jerry, are you guys riding up to Leesburg?” Jerry: “No, we aren’t. You going?” I’ve struggled with the concept of ‘going’ to Leesburg Bike Fest since taking delivery of my Bessie2. Last year I never made it; I was scraped off the pavement and airlifted to ORMC with severe head trauma.  Me: “I don’t know....I haven’t decided yet.” Jerry: “You need to get on that bitch (Bessie2!) and ride it up to Leesburg! Stare that demon down and overcome the fear. Ain’t nothin gonna hurt ya.” And there it was....my fear. Since taking delivery of Bessie2 the second week in March, I’ve stuck pretty close to home. Very cautious rides, back roads, avoiding a number of places I normally would go....because I was still afraid, still reserved, still taking baby steps. “You look at where you're going and where you are and it never makes sense, but then you look back at where you...

Lipstick: Its All About the Lipstick Monday, July 26, 2010 As Bessie and Me turned the corner and rolled down the driveway for the first time in three weeks, the odometer turned over 5,835 miles. I switched the bike off, let the silence wash over me, bowed my head, and sat still for a few minutes, thanking God for a safe journey.  It was in that quiet moment, as the engine ticked softly and cooled, that I grasped the concept; it wasn’t just another ‘road trip,’ it was a psychological salvation, it was a spiritual renewal and it was a simple, arduous trip that literally saved my life this summer.  One of my favorite photos is of my grandparents and me taken in 1957 - faded, black and white with those pointy black stickers at each corner that holds it on a page -  when I was about 18 months old; my grandmother is holding me (mom took the photo) and they are standing in front of my grandpa’s 1955 or ’56 Chevy…it was my first ‘road trip’ and little did they know bac...

The weather matched my mood this weekend; funky. Make that Funky. With a capital 'F.' Some days are like that; why... I'm not sure. The planets have not aligned? The Universe is on tilt? Karma is a bitch? Vintage Biker Chick Should I try and run out in between the scant patches of sunlight? Hmmmmm.....ok. I really need the wind therapy today. Pull on jeans, pull on boots, which shirt? It doesn't matter, grab one and ride while it's sunny. The wind is chill, ok, good choice with the Under Armor...always a good choice. The clouds are plump with the threat of rain. Weather man says it will hold off until early afternoon, I'm not convinced. I make it a 'functional' ride; I need underwear. There's only one place I buy underwear - Target. Ha! Gotcha - you thought I was going to say Victoria Secret right?? Only during the semi-annual sale, and only for bras. Boy short underwear from Target. Mission accomplished. Vintage Underwear I take t...

Chopper Chick Don't try to fit me in a box; a hand, a foot, an ear, or an attitude will most likely 'stick out' somewhere. You can't fit me in a political box; I'm a paradox. A gun-toting liberal who believes in choices, who believes everyone gets ahead by hard work - not handouts. I believe in my right to choose; reproduction, gay friends, friends of color,  jobs, hair color, tattoos, and partners. You can't fit me in a parental box; I parented my kids the same way my own parents did - I did the best I could with the awareness and the resources I had at the time. If you fit me in a box, you pass judgement. If you look at my kids and say ,' she shouldn't have done that,' you make the mistake of overlooking all of the things I DID do.  And at some point, our children acquire free will and all of the 'boxed parenting' goes to hell anyway. I look at my daughters as young women and know that, for the most part,  I 'did it right....

'All I Wanna do is have some fun....until the sun comes up on the Santa Monica Boulevard' April 1, 2013 I rode Bessie2 to school today; Teacher Work Day - no students, which means I didn’t have to be there at oh-dark-thirty OR have the hassle of changing from ‘Biker Chick’ to ‘Teacher Chick’ with my apparel. Me; along Rt. 66 in New Mexico Once again, I was reminded of why I ride. I love hitting the road about an hour before sunrise; the air is crisp (even in sultry Florida), a couple of layers of clothing are required, the morning smells fresh, aromatic, and the sunrise from the seat of my Harley Davidson is always a special gift. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen some fantastic sunsets, but I’m a morning person, and I’ll take a front row seat for a sunrise over a sunset any day!  My first cross country trip on my bike alerted me to the sensory experience of riding; I was pleasantly surprised at how alert the olfactory glands are on the open road. The orange b...