Completely off topic!

I love riding my motorbike and although this seems completely off topic it isn’t really because there is a link!  O yes, there is because I often use my bike to get out into the countryside to see nature.  It is much better than the car – you are actually nearer to nature more immersed in the elements!  Ok so we prefer not the have the rain obscuring the view as we don’t have the luxury of windscreen wipers and snow can cause a little skidding but on a sunny clear day there is nothing to touch it.  Only problem with the gorgeous sun drenched ride is the sweat running down your back and forehead as we have to wear protective clothing and helmets!!!!  Despite all of this I can’t think of anything that makes me feel as free as a ride on my bike (except perhaps a sun-soaked beach somewhere like Mauritius or Madagascar .
I love the feeling of being in charge of my own destiny, the feeling of beating the odds, of me against the world who are trying to knock me down!! LOL!
I adore the feeling of leaning into a bend, hips at a jaunty angle, knee slightly down – I have no need for speed – it is far far better, in my humble opinion to round a corner at 40mph, feeling every nuance of the camber, savouring every second.  The speciality for me is a double “S” bend one way then the other, with a full throttle pull out onto a nice straight stretch and up to 60/70mph, bring a wide grin right across my face.  Any faster and its gone, over, no time to savour.
I love the burble of the pipes and the rumble of the engine under my bum!!  A nice throaty burble, not an ear splitting roar like a Harley or a wild whine of a sports bike with no soul, but a gentle soft calming burble!
I actually fall in love with my bike every time I ride it.  I love cars too and have a lovely little mini cooper clubman but it hasn’t got soul like my bike has.
I took a Triumph Bonneville out today.  At first I thought wayhayyy I found the bike of my dreams.  Beautiful to look at, easy to ride.  Gears nice and smooth, good breaking, easy to manoeuvre – although can’t be that easy because I dropped the sodding thing!  O yes, welcome to Helen’s world of slow manoeuvre accidents.  I have fallen off my bike once whilst on the move going round a corner and hitting diesel on the road and I have fallen of my bike several time whilst at standstill!  That’s my speciality!! Because the trouble with the Bonnie is that being a short arse of 5ft 3inches I can only just get the ball of my foot on the ground!! Add in a sloping car park and a turn and that is it!!!!  Bugger, and it’s a demo bike!  Scratched mirror,  slightly scuffed engine casing, exhaust pipe and clutch lever!  Shit its into hundreds.  Then I couldn’t pick the damn thing up, so had to seek assistance!  Apart from the embarrassment of making a total tit of myself, it sort of put a damper on the ride back.
Back on my bike home – after negotiations at dealer – feet flat on the floor at traffic lights, I felt at home.  I’ve had this bike three years so am bound to feel easy on it aren’t I?  Decisions  Decisions!

Kawasaki EN500

OR

Triumph Bonneville at Cow and Calf Ilkley West Yorkshire

Spring at the park and in the garden


Fantastic weather again-so glad I work part time.  Busy day in the garden yesterday, tidying up and seeding lawn.  Its very patchy and full of moss.  Raking it left a huge pile of moss for the birds building their nests.  Here’s half of my garden – it’s only small, with my summer house that I absolutely love and sit in as often as I can and watch the birds on my feeders.  We actually jokingly call it my Wendy house!  Does anyone know where that name came from for a child’s play house?

 Here you can see some of the feeders I have.  

  

 And two of my very contented companion animals.

Walking my dog through the woods at Golden Acre park at the weekends is one of my most favourite activities.  Watching Sparky hare through the trees after squirrels that he’ll never catch, seeing the birds and rabbits and the new growth as spring really gets going.




These photo’s all taken with my iphone.  Pretty amazing piece of kit – I love it!  Don’t love itunes though!!
Anyway, click on the thumbnails if you want to see the bigger version in all it’s glory.
I’m off now to have a blast on my motorbike.  Kawasaki EN500