Category: Motorcycle

Carpe Diem

The day started with a hiccup, but I was able to turn it around and really feel like I seized the day.

Amelia had a volleyball game at 10am. I set an alarm as I’ve been having problems sleeping – but it didn’t go off! I woke up and it was too late to make it. Thankfully, a mom on the team live streams the games, so I was at least able to watch.

Then, as I started off on my motorcycle for a ride to see a friend in Terre Haute, I ran out of gas less than a mile away from home. I’m thankful for my neighbor and my mom for both offering their assistance in making sure my motorcycle didn’t get hit, and I could get the gas to make the trip.

It was a lovely ride to my friends place. I hadn’t rode to Terre Haute before. I’ve went through thick and thin with this friend. It had been a while since I had seen her and I needed the wind therapy. It was good to see her, her dad, her guy and the updates she’s making to her home.

While there, I was texting with my ex fiancee. She was going to go out shooting today, but was stood up. I was having so much fun with the wind therapy that I asked if she wanted to go out for a ride too. We hadn’t seen each other since May. She accepted, so we rode out to Nashville and back. Went and had dinner and then shot pool for a few hours.

It was a pleasure to finally see her, to talk to her, and to start mending the bridges I burned with her. It showed me that my emotional state is stable again. I hope this can be the beginning of the second chapter of she and I, whatever form it develops as.

A Dream Come True

Ever since I was a kid I have had a huge fascination with motorcycles.  Some of it was the fact that I never had one.  My best friend had one for a while, and I rode it like it was mine.  When I was 14, my dad bought the scooter my friend had at the time.  He in turn got a brand new one.  After a few months, someone sabotaged it.  I couldn’t get it started again.  I ended up selling it for $400 and bought a Sony Discman with it.  That’s right kids, CD players (especially portable ones) used to be really expensive.

It was a worthy investment.  I had that Discman for around 10 years.  I left it doing what it did best, spinning CD’s to play for customers at Big Red Liquors.

Back to the point.  That seed that was planted in me as a child never went away.  I don’t know if it was my mind yearning for times gone by, or if I just enjoyed motorcycles that much.

Due to my epilepsy, nobody felt comfortable with the idea of me even owning one, let alone riding one.  I understood, but wasn’t happy about it.  Since I’ve had my VNS implanted, I’ve only had 1 seizure due to me not taking my medicine.

A friend of mine was selling his motorcycle, and what blew me away is that it was my wife who suggested I look at it.  Any previous attempts to bring that subject up would be presented with “the look.”  I decided to pass on his, but since I had her “on the line” I thought I would keep looking, and I ended up falling in love.

I found an 1982 Honda CB750SC, commonly known as a Nighthawk on Craigslist.  It wasn’t perfect, and it’s almost as old as me.  The owner had done some customizing to it, which really makes it stand out.  After some back and forth about hearing it run, which I finally did, I bought it.

There’s just something about newer motorcycles that I just don’t like.  I think a large part of it is the lack of chrome and character I see in affordable models.  Harley’s look nice, but I’ve already got 1 mortgage.

As of right now the motorcycle is in pieces.  I’ve had to do a complete cleaning of the carburetors, the front brakes are not working and I’m having some work done to the plastic panels on it.

I can’t wait to get out on the road with her.  I just need a good name.  I’m hoping to have it road worthy by mid summer.  Just enough time to get some riding in.