I got this in an email today, and it touched me. I think it's worth putting up at least for a while.

THE BIKER

I saw you hug your purse closer to you in the grocery store line.
But, you didn't see me put an extra $10.00 in the collection outside the store as I walked in.

I saw you pull your child closer when we passed each other on the sidewalk.
But you didn't see me, playing Santa at the local mall.

I saw you change your mind about going into the restaurant.
But you didn't see me, attending a meeting to raise more money for the hurricane relief.

I saw you roll up your window and shake your head when I rode by.
But you didn't see me, riding behind you when you flicked your cigarette butt out the car window.

I saw you frown at me when I smiled at your children.
But you didn't see me, when I took time off from work to run toys to the homeless.

I saw you stare at my long hair.
But you didn't see me, and my friends, cut ten inches o ff for Locks of Love.

I saw you roll your eyes at our leather jackets and gloves.
But you didn't see me and my brothers donate our old ones to those that had none.

I saw you look in fright at my tattoos.
But you didn't see me cry as my children were born and have their name written over and in my heart.

I saw you change lanes while rushing off to go somewhere.
But you didn't see me going home to be with my family.

I saw you complain about how loud and noisy our bikes can be.
But you didn't see me when you were changing the CD and drifted into my lane.

I saw you yelling at your kids in the car.
But you didn't see me pat my child's hands, knowing he was safe behind me.

I saw you reading the newspaper or map as you drove down the road.
But you didn't see me squeeze my wife's leg when she told me to take the next turn.

I saw you race down the road in the rain.
But you didn't see me get soaked to the skin so my son could have the car to go on his date.

I saw you run the yellow light just to save a few minutes of time.
But you didn't see me trying to turn right.

I saw you cut me off because you needed to be in the lane I was in.
But you didn't see me leave the road.

I saw you waiting impatiently for my friends to pass.
But you didn't see me. I wasn't there.

I saw you go home to your family.
But you didn't see me.

Because I died that day you cut me off.

I was just a biker.
A person with friends and a family.
But you didn't see me.



EVEN IF YOU DON'T LIKE US, RESPECT OUR RIGHTS TO RIDE WHAT WE CHOOSE AND
TAKE A FEW EXTRA SECONDS TO BE SURE WE'RE NOT IN 'YOUR' WAY

LIVE TO RIDE . . . RIDE TO LIVE

It's been a while since I've done an update. I'm sorry about that. I've been a very busy woman lately, and simply haven't had the time.

I had a computer crash in December of 07, and it took a while to get the data back on a new hard drive in a new machine. Then I didn't have my reg. code for my CuteFTP, so it took a while to locate that and re-install. Along with  all that and exhaustion from a job that took too much out of me physically, I just didn't have the energy to update my pages. That and zero progress on any of my many bike projects kept me from getting this done.

The winter just past was a tough one. With the cost of fuel skyrocketing, I found myself unable to afford heating oil for my home, and so I just bought 10 gallons of diesel fuel from the station I was working at each payday. That 40 dollar a week drain was too much for the budget. I had no choice but to go into debt and install and old wood burning furnace in this old trailer home. I was worried about fire, so I did it right. It cost me about 500 with the cost of chimney, odds and ends, and the furnace (used, from an old farmhouse).

I spent about 320 dollars on wood all season, as opposed to what would have been approx. $3,500.00 in oil.

I want to thank Francis, because without him delivering firewood to me all winter, I'd have frozen to death!

So what's happening now to get me to update the page? I got a new job! Starting in early June, I became the 'Webmaster' for Turnkey Corrections (www.turnkeycorrection.com) and for American Institutional Supply (www.amerisup.com) in Hudson, WI. I was also recently put in charge of the "ticket system" for Turnkey Corrections' "TEAM" program (long story, you don't want to hear it, trust me). The gist is, I am VERY busy with my new job, but the work is different than the physically demanding stuff I was doing for Holiday Companies at their Holiday Station Store in River Falls, WI. Better pay, a lot more respect, better hours, better work environment, better bosses, AND... last but not least... I am OUT of retail!

Now, on to Bikes... after all, I'm bykrmom and bikes are the only reason I keep this URL and maintain these pages;

I haven't done a thing on the "Ghost Bike". It needs a lot, and sits in a forlorn state in the back shed. But I'll get to her, and she'll be alive and giving joy to a rider by the end of the summer. I plan to finish her and gift her to the daughter of a good friend of mine in River Falls. He rides with the Freemen, and his daughter is a great young gal who should have a cool custom ride of her own so she can ride with her dad.

Last fall I picked up a 1985 (or 1986, it's hard to tell from the VIN) Suzuki Intruder. She's only a 700cc ride, but she's pretty. It looks like Suzuki's version of the Yamaha Virago, This one was dirty, but pretty much in perfect condition when I brought her home on my trailer. I put her up for the winter in my friend's barn, to keep the weather off of her. She was fine when I took her from the shed a week ago, and loaded her once again on my trailer.

 I got 1/2 way home, a tie-down strap broke, and she fell off the trailer! The crash broke the mirror and perch off of the master cylinder on the right controls, the riser bent back and let the throttle end of the bars crush a big dent in the top center of the tank. Broke off the right foot peg. DAMN IT.

Through Ebay, I picked up a set of Hawk footpegs pretty cheap. I ordered a cheap set of mirrors, and they should be here soon. I had a friend at work remove the broken piece of the perch from the mirror stalk, and I plan to use JB Weld and some pins to hold it on again until I can find a used one on Ebay to replace it. The tank will take a body man to fix, so I'm planning to hire Scott from Hove Auto Body to do the repair and repaint the tank for me.

I should have her running soon, in spite of the accident with the trailer and the el-cheapo straps. From now on, I won't scrimp on tie-down straps... it's the best or nothing when I trailer a bike!.

I ordered a battery from Apex Battery Superstore and as soon as that gets here I'll be able to fire the Intruder up and see what's what. She's water cooled, so I'll flush that and refill with new coolant. Of course I'll do an oil and filter change too. With all the work I'm doing, I'd hate to wreck the engine by being impatient to ride.

That's it for now. I'll try to update the rest of the site soon, as time permits.

Have fun, ride safe!