Extra Wheels

I've been riding motorcycles for a few years now (20+) and it's just a part of me. I haven't been able to imagine my life without riding for quite some time. A few years ago a friend added some extra wheels to her bike and made a trip with me and another friend to AZ for a Women On Wheels(r) Ride-In. I remember thinking I would rather give up riding then ever add wheels to any bike of mine! How cavalier of me.

Fast forward a few years and suddenly I'm having some back problems which start affecting my legs and I start feeling like maybe I shouldn't be riding. I found myself doing some rather dangerous stunts when riding so I wouldn't have to put a foot down when stopping. I was so afriad of my leg giving out on me along with the pain it caused to have to lift my leg back up to the riding position.

Then another friend called me to let me know that he no longer needed the extra wheels on his bike as his leg had healed enough after an accident that he was able to ride on two wheels again. Next thing I knew, he was bringing the kit up to attach to my bike.

I take my first ride, heading out the driveway and down the road. Within the first few hundred yards I'm thinking, "this is the biggest mistake I've ever made". Then I get to the first stop sign and I don't have to put down my feet or worry about falling over and I start thinking "hey, maybe I could get use to this". I continue around the block, pull into my yard and tell the people gathered there "well, it's not great, but it's better then sitting in the livingroom in front of the TV". That was just about a month ago and now I have 3000 miles on the bike. I did a good 900 miles getting use to it, then took off for a week trip to Springfield, MO. I'm riding every day, back and forth to work, doing grocery shopping, running errands and going for ice cream. I'm on the Road Again and I couldn't be happier. Another lesson learned. Never say Never!