Throttle Therapy

Yesterday Dave and I got up early and headed out on the bikes for a lake ride. Kickstands were up at 8:00am and off we went. We stopped in Indiantown for breakfast at Cracker's Cafe. This place has the best breakfast and is cheap!!!

After breakfast we headed into Okeechobee and then back south to Port Mayaca. We stopped at our normal spot, the scenic outlook at the Port that overlooks Lake Okeechobee. Our original plan was to ride up to the rim so we could see the lake, but the sun was blazing, so we pulled in under the bridge. This is the Army Corps of Engineers dam at the lake. Lake Okeechobee is just on the other side.

A closeup of our bikes...Dave's is the yellow and black R1, so by process of elimination, mine's the white and red one!!! :)

Looks like I ran over a mustard packet in this photo! It was actually a very large bug! Better the bike than me! But getting hit by bugs and having to wash the bug guts off your arms is a small price to pay for the utter exhilaration of the ride!

This is a shot of a small lake on the outside of the rim. A lot of people actually fish at spots outside the rim...not sure how good the fishing is...but we always see people out there. I'm guessing it's because the best fishing in Lake Okeechobee is only accessible by boat. Lake O is huge...next time we make it up to the rim, I'll be sure to snap some pics!

It was definitely a good ride...about 160 miles. We did have a close call with a pack of turkey vultures. We came up on a pack of about 15-20 of them on the side of the road chowing on some roadkill. These are very large birds and it takes them several swoops of their wings to get their massive bodies off the ground. As we closed in on them (we were doing about 75mph so this all happened pretty quickly), they started to take off. Dave had given me the "heads up/keep your eyes open/something could happen" signal as soon as he had seen them, so I was ready...well as ready as could be. I knew we were both thinking the same thing...please don't take off towards the road, please go the other way! Well, all but 2 of them did just that. The first one that went toward the road actually got up pretty high pretty quick, the second one, not so much. We were both tucked in behind our windscreens (well as much as you can tuck in...you can see from the pics, there really isn't a whole lot to get behind!) and were ready for an impact. Luckily, neither of us hit the second one, but it was a close call...probably missed Dave by about a foot and me by about 6 inches!!! Aahhh...the joys of motorcycle riding in Florida!!!

eBay Follow Up

As I posted previously, I was going to give eBay a shot since they offer 5 free listings every 30 days. Well, only one of the five items I listed was bid on. Unfortunately, there was no wild bidding war as I had hoped, and the item sold for the opening bid amount. I started the opening bids very low...much less than what the items would have retailed for...in hopes of drawing in some bidders. Needless to say my profit margin was small....very small! I have mixed feelings about the experience. On the one hand, it wasn't a total loss...I sold an item and was able to send the winning bidder my other site information. On the other hand, four of the items didn't sell, and I'm not sure I can get the exposure I am looking for by only listing 5 items every 30 days (and I just don't want to invest the additional money to list more items in the hope of drawing bidders in). eBay has the biggest audience, but the competition is unbelievable. So, I'm on the fence. Maybe with Christmas approaching, I'll have a better shot!!!

Pictures from the Pasture

Dave and I were over at the neighbors' (Michelle and Ryan's) the other day, and I snapped a few pics of their horses. Four Socks is their chestnut gelding, and Mia is a Premarin mare. While I do not currently ride (although Michelle and my other neighbor, Jeanette are wanting to change this), I love being around the horses. I love the way they smell...especially after they've eaten sweet feed!!!

I Finally Bought a New Motorcycle Helmet!

I've been thinking about this purchase for at least 18 months. My old Rat Fink helmet, which I've been wearing since 2003 is actually still in very good condition, with the exception of the pads inside. I always wear sunglasses or riding glasses and like to ride with my visor up whenever possible. I'm slightly claustrophobic so having the visor closed completely for long periods makes me a little crazy! In any case, the pads have become stained with road debris and since they're not removable there isn't a whole lot I can do. I was back and forth between two helmets, the Ikebana by Shark, which has a very subdued pattern of hibiscus flowers in a silvery blue color, or the Flutter 2 by Shoei. My Rat Fink is also a Shoei and I love the way it fits. I'm not sure if my head has a weird shape to it or what, but I have a hard time finding helmets that fit well and are comfortable. I absolutely cannot wear an Arai, which is disappointing because they have some really great designs. Dave had commented that it would probably be better to go with the Shoei given as much riding as we do, he wanted to make sure I had a helmet that would be comfortable. So, needless to say, I went totally girly and bought the Shoei, which is pink with butterflies! Those that know me know I don't really do the girly thing, not that there's anything wrong with it, it's just not me. In fact, I don't own anything pink, other than my handgun (yes, my handgun is pink...totally ironic, but that's why I did it!). Don't get me wrong, I like to show my femininity, I just don't go over the top! So, I went with this helmet so people would know without a doubt, I am a girl on a bike (sometimes its hard to distinguish between male and female when you're wearing a riding jacket, gloves and a helmet). Why the need for people to know? Because I would like to empower other women and I find riding a motorcycle very empowering. I'm not one of those chicks that rides because she wants to be a chick that rides...I ride because I love to ride. Twisting that throttle and being in control of the bike makes me feel strong, makes me feel like I can accomplish anything I put my mind to. And the butterflies, the butterflies represent change, transformation and growth. That's exactly what my life has been since I met Dave. When I met Dave, I was shy, somewhat nerdy, book smart, and not sure what my path was going to be. Today, I am confident, more outgoing, "street" smart, have accomplished many goals, and am setting more! In the end, my choice of helmets is totally appropriate. Oh, and here are the pics...

A Really Great Raffle!!!

I am trying to do my little piece and help promote a raffle being held by fellow jewelry artist and Etsian, Bridget from Heart of A Cowgirl. Tickets are only $2 (or 3 for $5, or 7 for $10) and you have the chance of winning this great Cowgirl Cuff, handcrafted by Bridget. The proceeds from the raffle will benefit Equine Voices Sanctuary and Rescue, a safe haven for unwanted PMU mares and foals. To find out more about this raffle, or to purchase tickets, just click on the Heart of A Cowgirl link above. You can also find out more about the sanctuary by clicking on the Equine Voices link above. I've always admired those who find time to volunteer for such organizations. I've given a lot of thought to volunteering at the local animal shelter, but find it hard to squeeze time to volunteer into a schedule that already includes a full time job, 2 hour daily commute, and part time jewelry business. So, I'd like to think I'm contributing a small part vicariously through Bridget!

Hot Off the Bench!

Here are a few of my latest designs hot off the bench. They have been listed in my Etsy shop.

Swimming on Sunday - A Day in My Dog's Life

I took these pictures of Doom, our pitbull, a few Sundays ago. If there's one thing he loves, its swimming in the pool. He just turned 14, and I am amazed at his incredible drive. I guess we can chalk that up to good breeding (his bloodlines can be traced back to the original pitbulls, the Old Family Irish reds) and a rather spoiled life!!!