Amish Country

I rode a few miles out of town and visited my Amish neighbors today. My picture taking didn't go as well as I would have liked it to, but I did get a few fun shots.

These pumpkins make a cheerful greeting along the driveway. The food stand was full of honey, tomatoes, and other colorful vegetables. Check out the squash posing as snakes at the edges of the roof of the stand!





More pumpkins


Another view of the produce stand.

The lady laughed when I asked if I could take pictures of her laundry.

These socks all lined up like soldiers amused me.


Something tells me the women in this house are outnumbered.

Along the road are a lot of farms with lots of different kinds of horses. Here is a pony that caught my eye because he is tied on the outside of the pasture away from the other horses. I'm not sure if he is a pony or if he is a baby. I know absolutely nothing about horses so forgive my ignorance.

He was a little afraid of my motorcycle, but I was able to calm him down enough to snap this photo. What a beautiful beast that work horse on the other side of the fence is! I have always wanted to know more about horses and learn to ride them. But, guess I'm destined to ride my iron steed instead! :-)


I think they were as curious about me as I was about them. I must have looked very different to them -- pink helmet and all!


The middle horse looks like he's ready to ask me a question, doesn't he? I wish I would have had some carrots with me! I could have made some friends, I think!



Naturally, Tin Man had to get in on the action today. What a difference a few months makes in the color of the corn!

Symptoms of Motorcycle Addiction

Is there a doctor in the house? I think I have a problem!

Motorcycle Addiction Even more serious than the notoriously widespread chocoholic mania, is the growing epidemic of a condition known as Motorcycle Addiction or MA. Don't laugh because you might be it's next victim. Better check yourself: How many of these apply to you? 1. I have gone riding when I was depressed, or to cheer myself up. 2. I have gone on riding binges of several tanks of gas or more in one day. 3. I ride rapidly, often 'gulping' roads. 4. I have sometimes ridden early in the morning or before work. 5. I have hidden bikes in different places to sneak a ride in without being seen. 6. Sometimes I avoid friends or family obligations in order to ride motorcycles. 7. Sometimes I find myself analyzing sections of roads as if I was riding even while in a car. 8. I am unable to enjoy myself with others unless there is a bike nearby. 9. At a boring party, I will often slip off unnoticed to go riding. 10. Riding has made me seek haunts and companions which I would otherwise avoid. 11. I have neglected personal hygiene or household chores until I have finished a ride. 12. I have spent money meant for necessities on accessories instead. 13. I have attempted to complete an Iron Butt ride. 14. Most of my friends are also heavy motorcycle riders. 15. I have sometimes passed out from a night of heavy riding. 16. I have suffered helmet hair or farmer�s tan from a bout of riding. 17. I have wept, become angry or irrational because of a road I have ridden. 18. I have sometimes dressed my infant child in a T-shirt that says �My mommy is faster than yours�. 19. My family thinks my riding is out of control. If you answered 'yes' to three or more of these questions, you may be suffering from Motorcycling Addition. Affirmative responses to ten or more indicates a serious condition. Once a relatively rare disorder among women, MA, has risen to new record levels due in part to an increased supply of dealerships addressing the needs of a women riders. Social costs of Motorcycle Addiction Women may fantasize and dream, creating alternative worlds to ride through, to the neglect of friends and family. Their decorating styles change, pictures of velvet vintage Vincents adorn the walls. Crochet afghans in the shape of V-twins are strewn over couches and out-dated Shoei helmets pose as lampshades. Physical costs of MA Physically it can take a toll on the body as well, in severe cases they develop bad posture from riding in awkward positions or carrying heavy tool bags. Wrists develop throttle twitches and feet get the clutch jimmies. In the worst instances, they become cranky bike mechanics with a lot of cats living in small towns. Heredity Recent MMI studies have established that heredity plays a considerable role in determining whether a person will become a rider of motorcycles. Most riders have at least one parent who suffered from MA, often beginning at an early age and progressing into adulthood. Other predisposing factors indicate mothers who are road race fans, collectors of rally T-shirts, or heavy leather wearers during pregnancy are more likely to pass on this condition in utero than non. Highly transmittable from one peer to another, many sisters and friends of an addict become motorcycle addicts themselves. Prevention/Treatment There is no known cure or prevention for Motorcycle Addiction. Women with MA go on to live happy, healthy fulfilled lives, much to the chagrin of some folks. ~source unknown and slightly tweaked by KA for your amusement

I Passed Motorcycle Safety Class!

I passed my motorcycle safety class! :-) It's official now -- I'm a licensed motorcyclist!

Click Pics to Enlarge

I have ridden on the back of a Harley but I've never operated one. Tonight my husband "let me" drive his Harley. I had a BLAST. He was so nervous -- his bike has never been dropped, so I knew it was a gesture of love for him to let me ride it! It is so different than riding on my Suzuki! I was in a total state of euphoria riding it! I've never had so much fun!

The white bike is my husband's Sporster -- I think it would look great with pink saddle bags, don't you??


This is a picture of my bike and the Sporster. I've named my bike "Tin Man."


On tonight's trip I found a mansion in a farm field. It seemed very out of place to me, but it was beautiful, too.






I have had my mind a lot on what is going on in the MIddle East. I am not afraid, but I am concerned that what is going on there will affect us here. When I read Ezekiel in the Bible, especially chapters 35 to the end, it sure seems like what is happening right now with Iran is prophesied there. While I'm not worried, I am wondering -- how long will we be able to have the freedom to ride like we do? What will happen to gasoline prices, to our way of life, and is Jesus coming soon?

Riding gets my mind off of the cares of this world -- but I know that some day, I will have my own mansion in heaven, and the cares of this world will not even be remembered.

In the meantime, I hope that all my loved ones will know Jesus. He is the only God Who makes sense. He is love, pure and virtuous. And while His followers fail Him, and do not live as they should, and so many times have the wrong idea about what is right in this world, Jesus doesn't. If only I could get my friends to read His Words, compare them with all the other religions in the world, and have their eyes opened to the truth. THAT would be pure euphoria -- even more than riding a Harley!

I really believe that Jesus is coming soon -- that what is going on in the Middle East has been prophesied by Ezekiel, Daniel and in the book of Revelation. Time is short. I want to be ready!

Happy Birthday, Darling Husband! (Click Photos to Enlarge!)

Today was my husband's 47th Birthday so we rode our motorcycles out to Wabash for dinner and then out to Salamonie State Park/Lake/Forest. Here are some pictures I took. The good looking guy on the Harley is my husband.

These photos were taken at the entrance to Salamonie State Forest.

That little dot waaaaay off in the distance is my husband on his Harley:














This funky tree fascinates me. I think a sketch artist could make a beautiful picture of it.

















I will take pictures in the fall, too. The foliage in this entrance way is so pretty and romantic.


























The sun was setting as we left the forest. My husband had a happy birthday and it was fun to get to enjoy it with him. Life is good because God is good.

Perfect Day to Ride!

I rode my bike today and it was perfect weather for it. It's been so hot I hadn't ridden in a week! But today I couldn't stand it one minute longer and I just HAD to ride! Here are some pictures I took today -- I got lost! I love getting lost! There are so many new things to see! (As long as I have a full tank of gas!)

Here is a picture of my bike with some Sunflowers. They reminded me of my childhood home in Kansas. The ones in Kansas grow MUCH taller -- but I liked these anyway.


While lost, I came across this little house that had bikes for sale. That little dog just barked and barked and barked at me!


I love the blue in this picture. It's at the same house. Look towards the back of the picture and you can see all the bikes for sale! I love the little red bird sitting on top of the post. This is true country art, don't you think?



Who says elephants don't live in Indiana?


No matter how much I honked or yelled these horses would NOT look at me!


Well, okay, ONE of them did -- briefly! I think she was thinking, "excuse me? Can't you see we are BUSY?" I want to learn to ride a horse. Hey, I've conquered riding a motorcycle -- surely riding a horse can't be any harder!


I really liked the color of the red buildings/barns against this emerald green soybean field. Look in my rear view mirror and you can see how looooong the the field is, and how on the other side of the road is corn!


I love old schoolhouses. Someone lives in this one. My husband thinks it might be apartments. The mature trees around it are just beautiful. If it IS an apartment building, I am going to go back and take better pictures. I thought it was a private residence and really didn't think I should walk up into the yard.


I have never in my life seen such tall beans. Look how huge they are next to my bike!


Today was the first time I got smiles from people when they realized I was a woman. I also think people think it's funny that I stop and take pictures of beans. There is beauty everywhere if you will only look!

Indiana Green--Click on Pics to Enlarge

I live in Indiana. It is green here. It is green here because we have gotten plenty of rain. Some parts of Indiana have gotten more than others, and some places have gotten too much, but in Wabash/Kosciusko County we have gotten just the right amount of rain to allow the corn to stretch tall into gray-blue Hoosier skies.

I love nature and I love recording it. Here are some pictures of a ride I took today. It was the first time I encountered deer on the road while riding my motorcycle. Scary. No, I didn't get pictures of deer -- they are too fast and the corn and foliage is too tall.
The above picture is my bike in front of a corn field at the corner of a farmer's driveway.

Below is the same driveway -- just the other side of it. Waaaaaay back behind the corn is the farm house. I love Indiana's long rambling roads and even more I love long driveways that stretch back into the hearts of forests, meadows and pastures, inviting the tired farmer home.

Below is a meadow I came to that I had not noticed before. I was appreciating it's beauty when I realized













There was a sign posted on it:














And it reads: "Classified Wildlife Habitat." No wonder it was so beautiful and so many deer were jumping in and out of it! There were a lot of little bunny families there, too.












Here's a picture of an Indiana soybean field. Look waaaaaay back into the picture -- it stretches on and on -- just like the country road in my rearview mirror.













These animals in this green pasture appealed to me. The bull on the right never took his eyes off me. I didn't realize, though, when I snapped the picture (I was melting from the heat in my full-faced helmet) that we had a "German Shorthair Pointer Cow " in the left side of the photo.













If you look very closely on the second electric pole you will see a hawk perched atop. I snapped it for the hawk, but when I got home, I realized it was also a great shot of an Indiana country road, nestled between two soybean fields.













Today when I rode three vultures/hawks (some sorts of birds of prey) flew right above me in a beautiful formation a little in front of my bike. I could have reached out and touched them. This is the second time hawks have accompanied me on my travels. I'm beginning to wonder if it's some sort of sign, or if I look like a good meal, or if they think I'm a hawk. . .not sure. Any ideas?

The picture below is so awesome because this corn is SO TALL. I was also impressed with this farmer's well manicured lawn in front of it! Talk about curb appeal!















Below is a pic of the same farm, same corn, but I wanted you to see the house beyond it and this huge beautifully manicured lawn in front of it! This is in the middle of virtually nowhere-land -- but it's just beautiful. It says a lot about a person's character when they keep their farm so tidy, don't you think?











I love my bike. I love being a Hoosier. I love that God created so much green for me to enjoy when I ride.

First Solo Ride

I did a solo ride today without my riding buddy husband, and I enjoyed it SO MUCH. I have enough confidence now to know I can handle sticky situations! :-) I fish tailed in an uphill driveway and made it. Whew. I thought the house was abandoned. It had a for sale sign on it -- well, got to the back yard and it wasn't abandoned! Hah! I bet the folks living there wondered if I was a burglar or something. Anyway, I have been looking for a house in the country, and that's why I checked it out. I'm so glad I didn't peek in the windows!

I also managed a U-turn (to the left) in the middle of the road. I rode in some rain, and I got lost and rode on a big highway with semis. LOL. I made it home just fine, though.

I also "tested" my throttle to see just how much pick up she had. Oh, found out, she can GO. LOL. I'm such a weenie, I hadn't wanted to try that yet. It's way too fun. I'm afraid I might be a speed freak after all.

It's so nice to just go and ride on instinct. For the first time today I wasn't worried about a deer jumping out or some critter running in my path -- I was just enjoying the journey and it felt great. I only wish I would have taken my camera.

There was one great moment when I was riding in a grove of trees, and a vulture/hawk (some huge big bird of prey) was flying straight toward me on the road. It was so awesome! He didn't veer off until I got right up to him. At first I thought it was a bald eagle (we have a lot of those around here) but darn, it wasn't. Still, it was an awesome sight. Also got to see a huge Blue Heron take flight as I rode by a creek.

This is riding at its best, I think -- enjoying nature. I'm a nature nut anyway. I keep a nature journal and teach my students to hike and study it. (http://libertyscholars.com) I love critters and plants. (Just another reason I want a house in the country!)

I do know already I want a bigger bike. Maybe next summer. When I go by those semis the bike just scoots across the road. I hate that. Would a bigger windshield help with that or not?

Oh, another question: the choke. I accidentally left it open. It makes me so mad that I forget to shut it. That, and remembering to turn off my turn signal, are two things I'm still working on!

Just wanted to share with my buddies how much fun I'm having!

A Night of Firsts

Tonight was my first out-of-town trip. Okay, we only went 55 miles round trip, but it was a big deal to me! I did a lot of things I had never done before!

My first really BIG thing was to ride my bike at 65 MPH. I have never ridden that fast before tonight. It was also the first time I had ridden on a 4-lane highway. What a blast! I do look forward to the day, though, when I have a bigger windshield -- and when I win the lottery -- a big touring bike! That wind is merciless. But at least now I know I CAN DO IT!

We went from North Manchester, Indiana to Salamonie Lake Dam. There are a lot of great twists and turns on that ride once you're off the 4-laner. I wish I would have stopped and taken some pictures of the roads we were on -- you'd love all the twisties!

I did take some pictures of our destination spot.

Here is a picture of the lake. We stopped our bike on top of the dam. I thought it would bother me to be up high like that but it didn't bother me at all!

This is a picture of my riding buddy, my husband of 23+ years, Eddie. It's all his fault I ride now! He is sitting on his 2004 Harley Sportster 1200. Aren't his little short legs too cute?


















This is a picture of me taken today by my riding buddy. I don't have my own helmet yet, and I don't have my own jacket yet, either. I am wearing my husband's denim shirt. We are getting my gear one little thing at a time. :-) My first gear purchase was my Harley Boots (not shown in this pic!). I love my boots! The sticker on my helmt says, "Hairdo by Helmet." I love it. A wonderful biker chick friend sent it to me. I met her on the "Women Who Ride" forum at Delphi Forums. When I finally get my own gear, I want it to be pink: pink helmet, pink jacket, pink gloves -- everything pink! I would love some pink flames on my bike, too, but can't convince my honey to let me do that. I want people to know I'm a GIRL when I ride!

















This is Salamonie Lake. Lots of good fishing here! It is one of my favorite places to take my kids camping.

















Another picture of the dam.

















Just another pretty picture of the lake. I never thought I'd enjoy riding a motorcycle so much! But everytime we pull in the drive, I wish we could ride some more!