Oh how I wish - as I sit here warming up the computer for another days teaching, I'm thinking it's been a while since I had some "mental health" time. Don't get me wrong, I have painting time - where I'm currently in the Cat portrait mode, and I get weekend time where it's a plethora of chores from the week like dishes, pots and pans (my nemesis) bottomless laundry basket, paying bills, buying groceries, gas for car...you get the picture. The other time consumer, which SHOULD be relaxing, is riding and traveling - but alas 9 hours on Hwy 22 S is not really that relaxing. Let me expand on this.
Yes the first hour or so, great conversation punctuated by excitement of being on a trip, a mini vacation, an Adventure! Three hours into it and the pickup reminds you of an old box of spuds, kind of earthy and mildewy, then realizing it's an endless vista of asphalt, trees, trees, sky, trees...LOL you get the drift. Sciatic starts bugging me ...Ok I'm getting old. But a quick lunch, we're back at it - and then, repeat. We look at the leaves, beautiful. Animals if there is wildlife. on and on Ad naseum. So after 5 trips south this year, one gets weary. However, it's the road we need to take, and on the up side they fixed the pavement on a large portion! LOL
After a particularly long month of working with people who are for all intensive purposes broken, I find it can be draining on me. And with each new intake and tales of ... you don't wanna know ... its harder to fall asleep, it's harder not to rewind snippets of heartbreaking conversations. Its not all bad - honestly some times little acts of encouragement and support make a mountainous difference in their lives. But with fall approaching, and leaves changing colour - I can't help but want to take a break. A few days off. No chores. No responsibility, no demands.
I'm thinking - SPA. Hot tub. Massage. Chocolate mouse body wrap. Soft bathrobes and good wine. *sigh A girl can dream yes?? LOL Perhaps it's time to go to Kananaskis - get a room and spoil ourselves. HAHAHA Well alas this aint in the card for me this year BUT I will replace SPA with URAL.
Saturday is the big practice push! I will prevail! Not ride it like a Hog but totally different animal. a Russian Bear! And our reward at the end of the day? a Steak, a Stoli, and a NEW mattress to sleep on. Ah yes, life is good.
What makes me "me"
My hood - my peeps - my dog!
Friday, 20 September 2019
Sunday, 15 September 2019
Yer All gonna love this Ural!!! lolol or in the words of Jeremy Clarkson "There was a little poo"
So my friends, a whole NEW Chapter in adventerous Marlean's life - and that is in a side car! Yes, alas the last Harley was traded in, along with the last Indian which belonged to the love of my life.
Now if you have never owned a motorcycle, never ridden long distances, never enjoyed the smell of sage on the prairie after a wicked thunderstorm, this might be hard to relate to. But I, alas have seen it, felt it, dealt with it all...and 99.9% loved it! Yes lightening striking a pole across the street from you is indeed scary, but it also reminds you YOU are ALIVE!!!
And now, I've recently celebrated turning 64 - ONE MORE YEAR and I collect OAP!!! (Old age pension) Yup, against all odds, I'm officially a senior. And I ask for senior discounts at all hotels I go to, I order with impunity off the seniors menu and this is great! Oh yes, I'm old and I'm cheap. LOL
The plan is to slow down - in preparation for retirement. Now it seems to me I haven't really "slowed down" much in 64 years, but I need to learn. When hubster and I go ride our former bikes, we would start the trip with - Now no racing, no speed demoning, just stop and smell the roses..... and we'd hit 6th gear, and potatopotatopotato we're gone! No stopping until we needed fuel. No smelling roses. Or anything else! This made me really happy - but I've noticed that the last couple of years it also made me really tired. And sore. Like my knees and hips - they couldn't work like they used to. Needed new gear oil or something? Then at a bike show 3 or 4 years ago we saw these wee Russian bikes with sidecars. Weird? Cool? Urals. Hmm we could each get one and haul a ton of stuff!
We put that on the back burner, we just got my Dyna and his Indian Nostalgia Chief , gorgeous bikes, super comfy, let’s go! But a friend “Fazer”who just was fixin’ to retire had this sidehack, a Ural, the “mobile Chernobyl” and it appeared to be a riot!
Then we found a dealership in Albeeria...started checking out FB groups like Soviet Steeds, and realized these weren’t army surplus bikes...more research required!
So this years bike trip south to ‘Merica was rained out.first time in 40+ years: we’re talking epic Tstorms, flash floods, hail, tornadoes. Nay nay not going to spend a week south of the border in that. Luckily our most excellent friends Dave & Liza said oh hell, stay with us, long as you want. Here, weather sucks, use our pickup....so off we went in the rain to look a little closer at these Russkie bikes. And ya know? We loved them! Made a deal, we’d ride back the next week, trade ours in.
Long story short, we both got Gear Ups, he got the Sahara model, mines O/D Green...and they were ordered. I could ramble on about the factory in Siberia. Yup, made in Russia. You can google it. But 4 weeks later the bikes were in Canada. Sept 7 we collected them, and trailered them up north. I’ll tell you about that trip and the UDF (Ural Delay Factor) another time. Or the amazing red head I met at the bike shop who continues to encourage me on this new adventure.
One truth she left with me: forget anything you know about riding a bike...start from scratch with a sidecar. Leaning? No. Foot down? No. Slow down ...you’re headed left. Counter steer...bwahaha you fool! It’s like wrestling a drunk Russian bear! But omg when you get it right it’s glorious!
What we’ve learned so far is we need more practice before taking them on a public road. Also a Ural can run over a 4’ blue spruce like nothing. And when they’ decided it’s time to go left, best up the revs and steer right! We’re getting better each short ride. Oh yeah, the adventure has just begun!
Now if you have never owned a motorcycle, never ridden long distances, never enjoyed the smell of sage on the prairie after a wicked thunderstorm, this might be hard to relate to. But I, alas have seen it, felt it, dealt with it all...and 99.9% loved it! Yes lightening striking a pole across the street from you is indeed scary, but it also reminds you YOU are ALIVE!!!
And now, I've recently celebrated turning 64 - ONE MORE YEAR and I collect OAP!!! (Old age pension) Yup, against all odds, I'm officially a senior. And I ask for senior discounts at all hotels I go to, I order with impunity off the seniors menu and this is great! Oh yes, I'm old and I'm cheap. LOL
The plan is to slow down - in preparation for retirement. Now it seems to me I haven't really "slowed down" much in 64 years, but I need to learn. When hubster and I go ride our former bikes, we would start the trip with - Now no racing, no speed demoning, just stop and smell the roses..... and we'd hit 6th gear, and potatopotatopotato we're gone! No stopping until we needed fuel. No smelling roses. Or anything else! This made me really happy - but I've noticed that the last couple of years it also made me really tired. And sore. Like my knees and hips - they couldn't work like they used to. Needed new gear oil or something? Then at a bike show 3 or 4 years ago we saw these wee Russian bikes with sidecars. Weird? Cool? Urals. Hmm we could each get one and haul a ton of stuff!
We put that on the back burner, we just got my Dyna and his Indian Nostalgia Chief , gorgeous bikes, super comfy, let’s go! But a friend “Fazer”who just was fixin’ to retire had this sidehack, a Ural, the “mobile Chernobyl” and it appeared to be a riot!
Then we found a dealership in Albeeria...started checking out FB groups like Soviet Steeds, and realized these weren’t army surplus bikes...more research required!
So this years bike trip south to ‘Merica was rained out.first time in 40+ years: we’re talking epic Tstorms, flash floods, hail, tornadoes. Nay nay not going to spend a week south of the border in that. Luckily our most excellent friends Dave & Liza said oh hell, stay with us, long as you want. Here, weather sucks, use our pickup....so off we went in the rain to look a little closer at these Russkie bikes. And ya know? We loved them! Made a deal, we’d ride back the next week, trade ours in.
Long story short, we both got Gear Ups, he got the Sahara model, mines O/D Green...and they were ordered. I could ramble on about the factory in Siberia. Yup, made in Russia. You can google it. But 4 weeks later the bikes were in Canada. Sept 7 we collected them, and trailered them up north. I’ll tell you about that trip and the UDF (Ural Delay Factor) another time. Or the amazing red head I met at the bike shop who continues to encourage me on this new adventure.
One truth she left with me: forget anything you know about riding a bike...start from scratch with a sidecar. Leaning? No. Foot down? No. Slow down ...you’re headed left. Counter steer...bwahaha you fool! It’s like wrestling a drunk Russian bear! But omg when you get it right it’s glorious!
What we’ve learned so far is we need more practice before taking them on a public road. Also a Ural can run over a 4’ blue spruce like nothing. And when they’ decided it’s time to go left, best up the revs and steer right! We’re getting better each short ride. Oh yeah, the adventure has just begun!
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