It's good to be home again

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"I can't believe it doesn't have a side car."

My nephew gave me a laugh when he said that!  He's fifteen and loves motorcycles. He is also blind. Yesterday, I rode to Osborn's and then to my mom's to show them the FXE. It was a beautiful day!

Robert Osborn is one of the most upstanding men I have ever met. Stubb's referred me to him when I was looking for a part that was missing for my carb repair. He has his cell phone number on his card and
he answers his e-mails religiously. I love that shop! When he came out to look at the bike, I asked him why my headlight keeps popping out. He said I needed to reseat it in the rubber. For some reason, when I looked it over I couldn't see the screws. He told me that I needed to take off the first piece, push the light back in on the rubber, then screw the other piece back on.

Then he did something I will never forget and always appreciate. He asked if I wanted to borrow a flat head screwdriver so I could fix it in the parking lot. He said, "I know you said you wanted to do your own wrenching.  Otherwise, I'd offer to do it for you."

I said, "I would love to borrow one." And then, I fixed my own headlight. I felt ten feet tall afterwards. Oh, I know it's a little thing to anyone who wrenches on a lot more difficult stuff. But I learned something new, and I fixed it myself. No matter how small, it is a big thing for *me* when I can do anything on my own.

*Note to self* ~ carry some tools!  ;)

Robert is a great guy and I highly recommend his shop. They were very busy but he spends time with you when it is your turn.  Even though he's not making much, if any, money off of me, he and his other counter person, Ryan, called me by name the second time I came by. It's a family run business and they treat you like one of their family. One time meeting me and they made me feel welcome and remembered.  Their shop is a good place to spend my time and money, when the time comes. I will not forget the respect he has shown me.

Still need to figure out why the horn and turn signals don't work. I'm working on that. Gotta figure it takes time to learn... but it will happen. I have the manual. I love this learning curve more than anything else I have ever mastered in my life.  I don't understand why, it is something that just feels "right". There is a quiet calm when I'm working on her. I won't try to explain it. Wreching on her is like performing a surgery. When she's back together, it feels like she breathes a sigh of relief. I can feel her heartbeat. I know that most of my family and some of my friends won't understand that. It's ok. Some things just are...

I remember the days long ago of sitting in my front yard up north, year after year, on the big hill climb weekends and watching all the bikes roar by. I remember begging to go and being told no. "Bikers are a different breed," I was told. "You don't want to be around them," I was warned. Well, I am not a biker and never will be.  I am just a girl who loves to ride. Those I have met in this world have been the most interesting people I have ever known. And I love this *world* I now live in!  My world.

This "thing" I have inside of me at the core has always been there. The path opened to me and I ran there as fast as I could, pulling on the reigns as hard as I could, as I was once told.  I was in a hurry to get home... lol

Finally finding *home* is the greatest gift one can receive. It took years and was worth all the blood, sweat, and tears to arrive *here*. For that, for being set free to fly, I will be always and forever be grateful.

After finishing up at Osborn's, I rode over to show my mom and nephew the scoot. My nephew touched her everywhere she wasn't hot and was in awe. He had "seen" my sporty years back and always loved the sound.  He's begged me for a ride for years. I don't feel comfortable having him ride on the back just yet. He so wants to get in the wind. Maybe someday soon...  maybe just around the neighborhood. Maybe just up and down one street.

Showed my mom what "kicking" means and she said, "That looks like a lot of work." LOL

I am still working on my technique, but it has only been two weeks. I'm good with that.

I told my mom that riding is when I feel closest to God. It's just like flying with Him. It is when I feel the most free from everything in this physical world. She worries about me. I told her to always remember that if anything happened to me on the scoot, always remember that I was happy at that moment in time. The joy is overwhelming. And besides, no matter when it's your time...  it's your time. People die every day sitting at home, walking across the street, driving their cars.

Until it's my time, I am going to live.  I will go out living...

Had a lot of practice kicking her. Forgot to pull out the choke and kicked her over after a time at home first thing. When I went to push it in is when I realized I kicked her without it. Good to know I can do that... lol

Died at the second stop light (my fault totally!), pulled over, and after awhile got her going again. Then kicked her again leaving Osborn's and my mom's house. Decided it was as good a day as any to stop and get gas and stop worrying if I'd be able to do it at the pump. Kicked her again after filling up, turned to get on her, and two guys in a pickup truck at the next pump smiled big at me shaking their heads up and down in approval. It was such a great feeling of independence! I did notice that it is not possible for me to kick her on a decline as the bike kept moving so I inched her forward a bit into the incline of the cement by the pump and she fired right up second try.

It was a perfect ending to a perfect day riding except for one thing ~ I forgot sunscreen. Going out in the evening last night, I noticed the burn and had a touch of heat stroke. Oh but it was worth it!

It will be three years this coming fall since Hurricane Ike and losing Hope... my heart... my soul... my love.  Three years of no riding. Three years of barely breathing. Three years of an ache that only two wheels and the wind can relieve. Three years since my core felt totally at peace with my world.

It is good to be home again.