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Morning everyone....
Well, I went to look at the Holiday Rambler yesterday. After getting lost (Microsoft Streets & Trips missed a vital turn) and getting found (thank you Mr. Garmin), I finally arrived. Chatted with the owner for a bit, nice guy who races dirt bikes and now wants to move to a toy hauler.
Several things concerned me, some fixable (front A/C not cooling as well as it should), some offensive (really musty odor, might have to pull the carpet & recover windows/furniture), some uncomfortable (it was very close to the size of our old one which was comfortable for two without feeling crowded, realistically more than I need or want) and some potentially really bad (signs of possible delamination around a window with ceiling fabric sagging inside). So I'm going to pass on this....it just doesn't feel right.
I really think my starter home needs to be a Class C to help me through the learning process. The house will eventually sell and I can upgrade then. This means no solar and I won't add it until I have an RV I plan on keeping, the expense is WAY to much for that.
So I'm still looking but won't be today since I have three appointments - one at the veterinarian's, two to pick up furniture I'm selling.
Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna
Today was bittersweet....my Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe went home with his new owner today. She is a lady rider friend and is already in love with him (although he may morph into a her, she says). I was fine until it came time for them to actually drive off....I had to turn away and walk into the house.
But this provides the money for the purchase of my starter RV. I have found one locally that I am quite interested in and have made an appointment to see it tomorrow after work. If I like what I see then it will go to a local outfit for a complete inspection (my expense - should run around $350, well worth it).
So, it's beginning to look like I'll have an RV by the end of this month. Talk about exhilarating, scary, exciting, terrifying.....LOL! What intimidates me the most is driving it...I know if I need help with hookups, backing up, etc., there will be folks to help when I am in a campground. Until I get solar added (probably at Quartzite this January), I won't be boondocking as much as I plan to eventually. I will have a generator but that adds to my gas expense.
Oh, I digressed....intimidated by driving.....fortunately I have a neighbor and my real estate agent's husband who both drive motorhomes as well as three truck driver friends (2 retired, 1 still working). I just have to find a safe place to practice.
So things are on track for my being in Goshen, IN at the Fall Escapade held by the Escapees. Several days of education, information, vendors, friends and more!
Watch for another update tomorrow after I look at the motorhome!
Till next time - keep on rollin',
Froggi/Donna
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
