Who knew it would be so hard?

What in the world happened? Where did they go? Have I been asleep for 50 years? Today I started looking at bicycles, figuring the I need some way to keep my face in the wind and hanging it out the motorhome window isn't going to cut it. All I wanted was a simple 3-speed like my bike growing up. Simple task, right?

Wrong....somewhere along the way bikes went high-tech. Now I was aware of the 12 & 16 speed thing as well as mountain bikes. But what I wasn't aware of was a whole new world out there, a world that had terms I've never heard of: DX-7300 ASR suspension, 18-speed ENZO twist shift, 6-speed FIS deraillur, steel linear pull brakes, steel 3-pc. crank, bash guards. Huh? Okay, guess a bash guard might be like the engine guard on a motorcycle (previously called a crash bar until that was determined to not be "polite") but what the heck is a deraillur and why does a bike need a 3 piece crank? Who in their senior citizen right mind needs 18 gears (although there was a mountain bike with 21!)? My motorcycles only had 5!

There are a few familiar brand names....Huffy, for one. That was the bike that my kids wanted (and got). Schwinn for another. That's the brand from my childhood, single speed and three speed. But there are others that are totally foreign to me...Tomasso, K2, Dekra, Anza and Van Dessel. Then there are the unexpected brands...Polaris, GMC, Jeep, Cadillac and Lamborghini. The manufacturers have obviously taken a page from motorcycle popularity. I saw the several Iron Horse models and even Kawasaki is represented (and for my motorcycle friends, they even have a "Hardtail"). Who knew?

But the biggest shock of all is price....I expected something in the $100-150 range. Yes they are out there (but with WAY more than I need for features) and even a few under $100. But the majority are in the $400-$2000 range with several over $3000. Boy, do ya think they saw us coming? Jeesh!

I don't want a single speed so now have to concentrate on reasonably priced multi-speed bikes and try to find one that has a natural seating position (no way am I going to assume that bike racing position...I'd never straighten back up...makes me feel like a pretzel just thinking about it), and is lightweight so I can easily lift it on and off a bike rack. Right now the mountain bikes actually seem to be the best solution...they have the upright position and are typically lightweight, whereas the "cruiser/comfort" bikes are much heavier. Factor in that I would like to be able to ride in less than stellar road conditions, the mountain bike makes even more sense.

So do I go with the bike crowd and get a Kawasaki, or maybe the sports car group with the Lamborghini, or even maybe my gun friends with a Smith & Wesson model? Actually, right now a Mongoose seems to be at the top of the list. Do you think someone offers training classes to learn how to shift all those gears? ;-)

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna



P.S. Just in case you think I'm not safety conscious, I even found the perfect addition to a bike helmet. ROFLOL!!!

What a difference a day makes....

Yesterday started out warmer than expected (was in the mid-30's at 7 am) and warmed very quickly to the mid 60's, perfect for sitting outside reading, talking a walk, doing pretty much nothing but enjoying every minute. I took a couple of sunrise photos but this is my favorite...sunrise over the Lily Pad. Followed by a quickly snapped sunset photo, almost missed it.



Last night was forecast for mid 20's but at 7 am it was 40. Overnight clouds had moved in, keeping it warmer but at almost 11 am it's still in the mid 40's with much more breeze. Last night the sneezing started and it's continued into today with a stuffy nose for an added side effect. I suspect it's allergies since I feel fine. I thought the clouds would add to the sunrise colors, not so.



Back to yesterday - started on a nice note - a hot breakfast! (It was $2.50, not $2 as I had reported yesterday.) Hot scrambled eggs and homemade biscuits...since I skipped the sausage gravy, I opted for two biscuits. YUM! I sat across from two very nice gentlemen (appeared to be brothers) and we chatted about RVing and motorcycles. The older of the two talked about riding a motorcycle in Tunisia many years ago (I think that was the country he mentioned). He got a flat tire and ended up getting the owner of a bicycle shop to jury-rig a solution. Nice folks...

Later in the afternoon I had some surprise visitors, Russ & Glynna. We visit some of the same forums and they follow my blog. Russ got to break in the door chime...worked great! We chatted for at least an hour, covering a lot of different topics. I tried to convince them to attend the upcoming Gypsy Journal Rally in Casa Grande. I know I'll see them on the road again someday, great folks!

While talking to them I remembered that I saw my FIRST LIVE Road Runner when I was traveling from Marathon to here in Deming. I was so excited....it brought back memories of the first wild coyote I saw. (Remember, I was raised on Wile E. Coyote & Road Runner cartoons ).



My coyote sighting was in 1989 or 90, I think. I was working for Unisys out of NYC (but we lived in Rochester, NY). I was up for a promotion to a wholly owned subsidiary based in Thousand Oaks, CA. If I got the promotion I would work from home and travel to consulting engagements, it was a new division within the company and they had three openings. They flew me out to Los Angeles and my husband used frequent flyer points to accompany me. We planned to do some sightseeing while there.

It was a day filled with interviews....the head of HR, the person who I would report to, another division head, the vice-president and finally the president of the company. Things were going well, it was now late afternoon and we were sitting in his office overlooking the hills behind the building. Suddenly I saw what I took for a small dog....then I realized it was a coyote! I gave the president a laugh as I excitedly asked him if that was really a live coyote!

Well, tonight is the ice cream social...plus I plan to do laundry and just generally get ready to head out in the morning. I will dump my tanks and refill my water this afternoon, no telling how cold it will be in the morning.

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Looking over my shoulder....

A peek into the past...I wrote this article January 1999 after our initial foray into full-time RVing. Enjoy - I think you'll recognize a few things!

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My ReVolutions for the New Year

... did I hear you say it should be Resolutions? Another year is rushing towards us. This past year has been very exciting. Mike & I have learned a lot of new things about RVing, but I know there is always room for improvement. To that end, I have come up with a list of the top 10 things I need to change. I hope you'll have as much fun reading them as I did writing them.

I Resolve:

TO bite my tongue when I know we're lost.
The more people I talk to, the more I know that it's true - men really DO hate to ask for directions. But with an RV, I think it should be different. If you're going to be lost, relax and enjoy it. You may never pass this way again!

TO quit yelling "THE OTHER LEFT" when helping my partner backup.
I used to think I was the only person to have this problem, but now I know better. No matter which way you direct them, they will always go the other way. So, just steer them opposite of where they need to be!

TO use my time at the Laundromat for something better than reading a 5 year old "True Confessions".
Yes, I have been known to be that desperate. Since I'm a writer, this would be the perfect place to "people watch" and build new characters. So, remember that the next time you see a middle-aged woman with pen and pad in hand, staring at you with a crazed look on her face!

TO keep my eyes open when we drive through areas of road construction.
Don't panic, I'm not the driver. But I do have a bad habit of holding my breath and closing my eyes when the going gets "tight". I guess if I'm ever going to learn how to drive this rig (and that is an emergency must), the first step is getting used to those tight spots!

TO make the bed more than once a week (whether I think it needs it or not).
I know, laid back lifestyle & all - once a week should be fine. It sure is with me, but Mike thinks tripping on the covers once a day is much more preferable to tripping every time he walks into the bedroom!

TO learn to cook in my convection oven.
Okay, maybe this is a stretch - cook, that is. I'll just commit to learning how to use it!

TO stop being embarrassed when I can't remember the name of the folks I just met.
I know I should work harder on remembering, but that's a lost cause. Anyway, I think it will make me a more memorable character this way. They'll always describe me as that "crazy-looking, middle-aged lady who could never remember our names". At my age, it's much more fun to be interesting rather than proper!

TO file our bills and other papers more often.
Mike says that making "piles" on the far end of the couch doesn't qualify as filing (which is something I only do when I don't have room for my feet anymore). I have to admit it will make it easier to find that Sam's Club receipt we need - when we need it!

TO make my brother happy by calling the catalog folks and getting off their mailing lists.
He keeps telling us we get more mail in one week than they do in an entire month. This will be a tough one - I think they need to start a "Catalog Shopper Anonymous". I know I'm addicted!

TO "Enjoy Life. This is NOT a Dress Rehearsal!"
Need I say more? Happy New Year to everyone, everywhere!

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Things have obviously changed quite a bit...technology for one thing, having a GPS helps with directions and two-way family radios as well as back-up monitors help with backing (although I'll bet folks still holler about the OTHER left).

I did sign up with an Opt-Out service to start getting rid of the gazillion catalogs that still manage to find me, even after many moves and I now use a mail forwarding service rather than abusing family. LOL!

My current rig doesn't have a convection oven but since I'm only cooking (and I use that term VERY loosely) for one, that's fine. In fact, the real oven will probably get taken out to make room for batteries and an inverter.

I do make my bed every day...maybe not quite as nicely as at home, but that was a quirk Mike had and was one thing I started doing regularly after he died. (I know that gives him a smile.)

I still don't remember folks names...so if you have met me before and see me again, PLEASE remind me who you are. I ran into a couple in Livingston and the lady very obviously remembered me and I was too embarrassed to tell I that I hadn't a clue as to who she was. If she is reading this, I apologize!

My filing still stinks....that is something that will be addressed this winter...sometime. Honest!

As to driving, well, that became a necessity but not the 36' (or 38' - still can't remember) Class A we had...but my little 26' Class C. That was challenge enough for a while.

I am still a true believer in the "Enjoy Life! This is not a dress rehearsal" philosophy. Life is for the living and that is what I intend to do!

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

My own personal drive-in….

Haven't updated since there was nothing much new. They've been working on my suspension but the final hold-up was the air bag system. It's now here and HOPEFULLY all will go well today with the rest of the work and I'll be out of here tomorrow.

The last two nights have been spent nestled in the Lily Pad inside the facility. Upside? Nice and cozy....especially when it dropped to 30 last night. Downside? No satellite television. Sure am glad I have a huge stash of DVDs. The first night I watched Disney's "Cars", "Ice Age" and "Bug's Life".

"Cars" made me nostalgic for the west since it was set on Route 66 and was a play on the old towns of the 1950's and 60's. Diners, neon lit motels and quirky friends....gotta love it. Factor in the beautiful scenery, albeit in cartoon fashion, and it made me yearn for the west.

Last night I watched "Dreamkeeper", a Hallmark made for TV production. I'm not sure when I ordered it or even why, unless I had seen a promo for the show. It was breathtaking, educational, heartbreaking and heartwarming....three hours long, I will watch this again. If you haven't seen it and have any affinity for Native American folklore, this is a must see.

I'm missing my favorite prime time shows, can't TV what the satellite can't "see", but in the grand scheme of things it really doesn't matter. Just keep your fingers crossed that the Lily Pad is standing firm and tall on all legs come morning. Oh, and that her water pump leak is fixed as well (yeah, I know, it's always something!).

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Special Days not always so special....

Today....August 27, 2007. A day like any other. The alarm goes off, I hit snooze...4 or 5 times, then I crawl out of bed and head to the bathroom. Splash some water on my face, brush my teeth and take my morning meds. Toss on some clothes and go get BoBo out of his crate and take him outdoors.

Every morning starts this way...then the variations start. Today's first variation was loading BoBo into the car. He needed to be dropped at the vet's office by 8:30 -- today was the appointment for his neutering. I chatted with the receptionist a bit, she printed out the papers I needed to sign and handed them to me. I looked it over, signed and asked her what the date was. "August 27th," she said, not realizing the significance to me. I wrote the date and quietly said, "My husband would have been 66 today."

How easily the days pass, rushing by like the waters in a stream. Then suddenly you find yourself free-falling down an unexpected waterfall. You hit bottom, shake your head, look back to see where you've been and then you see it.....the rainbow. You smile....they are watching over you.

I had many moments today, some sad, some nostalgic and some full of laughter. I bought groceries, got my driver's license renewed, mailed the paperwork to establish my new South Dakota residency, chatted with the bank about their new account and how it would work well for me, talked to my Toyota dealer about buying my car (didn't make it in to see them because of the amount of time it took to get my drivers license done), made several phone calls (something I tend to procrastinate), and watched an improv reality show that had my laughing so hard I was crying.

All in all, a special day for me.... Happy Birthday, Michael!

[left to right] Mike & his younger brother Dave in 1997

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

A little motorcycle history.....

Not everyone knows the history of my riding so I thought I would post a little about it. First, I come from a riding family....both my paternal grandfather AND grandmother rode their own Harley-Davidson in the late 1920's, early 1930's (cheaper than a car back then). The story goes that my grandfather arrived home with two bikes, one with a sidecar and one without. My grandmother asked which one was hers...he pointed to the one with the sidecar (for my dad and uncle to ride in). She shook her head and pointed to the one without. Guess which one she rode.....LOL!

My dad rode an Indian after the war and in later years Honda and eventually got his Harley, a Sportster. Both his brothers rode Harleys after the war. Currently both my brothers and both their wives, one female cousin, her husband and their son, one male cousin and his son, a step-nephew and his son, one step-son-in-law (bought hubby's bike) and my son & his wife (she's learning) all ride....and they are all Harleys except for my son and his wife.

I learned to ride when I was almost 55. My husband had been diagnosed with cancer (spring of 2001) and I told him it was a bike or a boat....we were going to start enjoying life. He chose the bike. On our way home from his checkups after his surgery, we stopped by the closest Harley-Davidson dealer. They had a gorgeous, used Electra-Glide.....we bought it.

We had several good local rides including our first ever EVENT. Every year Zippo, headquartered in Bradford down the hill from us, sponsors a dice run to benefit Kids with Cancer. We participated and had a great time....our first group ride, our first dice run, our first long ride.

Eventually Mike headed to the Cleveland Clinic for his radiation treatments. He spent the entire six weeks convincing me that I needed to learn to ride my own motorcycle. The more I considered it, the more it made sense. Once again, a trip home for the weekend and we stopped in at our Harley dealer. There sat my dream bike, a 2002 White Pearl Sportster Hugger (remember, I'm one of those in-seam impaired folks ).

Before we left we had not only contracted for the Sportster, but traded Mike's Electra-Glide for a 2002 Heritage Classic Softail.

Things continued to move and change in our lives, we moved to Florida (job transfer for Mike), took the MSF course together and I started riding. I rode the Sportster for 3 months, about 750 miles and HATED it. LOL! Top heavy and quite torquey on the throttle. When we were in Atlanta for the 100th Anniversary Open Road Show, I sat on a 2003 Low Rider and was SOLD! We came home, talked to our salesman, and soon traded in the Sporty and picked my new 2003 Anniversary model Low Rider.

That is the bike that I rode during the Pony Express Relay for Breast Cancer. I ended up with 24k miles on it at 20 months. As I said in an earlier blog, it was sold when I ordered the 2005 Softail Deluxe which I have had just short of three years now.

So, 5 years of riding, 57k miles and now 4 bikes (3 Harleys and one BMW). Wonder what will be next?

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna

Lost in the Fifties Tonight

I was chatting the other day via email with a new friend. I mentioned that the great weather this past weekend brought to mind the song, Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer. I didn't remember who sang it but the tune was stuck in my head. He wrote back that it was Nat King Cole who happened to be one of my mother's favorite singers.

That got me to thinking about growing up in the 50's and being exposed to my parent's music - not necessarily what we were forced to listen to in the back seat of the car (groan), but those delicious slices of Americana from that era.

Our record player resided in our combination den, sewing room, reading room and downstairs sick room (all three kids slept upstairs). Since I was the oldest of three and the only girl, I often lost myself in reading and music and the den was my favorite indoors spot (outdoors was high up in a pine tree in the woods across the street).

A couple of songs stick in my mind to this day:

• Doris Day and Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)
• Tex Ritter and The Red Deck of Cards
• Patti Page and (How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window
• Tennessee Ernie Ford and Sixteen Tons
• Gale Storm and Ivory Tower
• Gogi Grant and The Wayward Wind

A special favorite of mine was The Old Philosopher by Eddie Lawrence. I'd play it over and over and over. Anyone who has ever heard that song will never forget it.

Hiya folks.
Ya say ya lost your job today?
Ya say its 4 A.M. and your kids ain't home from school yet?
Ya say your wife went out for a corned
beef sandwich last weekend - the corned beef sandwich came back but she didnt?
Ya say your furniture is out all over the sidewalk cause ya cant pay the rent and ya got chapped lips and paper cuts and your feets all
swollen up and blistered from pounding the pavement looking for work?
Is that whats troubling ya fellow?

REFRAIN

Well lift your head up high and take a walk in the sun with dignity and stick-to-it-ness and ya show the world, ya show the world where to get off.
You'll never give up, never give up, never give up...that ship!

Ah yes, lost in the fifties tonight - your turn!
Top Ten Songs of 1950-1969

Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna