Can I? Should I ? Will I?

Hi Everyone,

How are you all? I hope you are all safe and well, and enduring this March / April 2020 lockdown.

Good time to get back to blogging, I really need to lift my game eh!

Getting back to hubby and I, our bikes, and our adventures, you know, hubby and I did our tour of the south Island in February 2016.

We were heading into our third year together, and we knew we were a good thing, we had compact a lot into our three years, We had moved in together, which removed "an hour return trip" to see eachother, blended our two households and our families, and had started to decorate and renovate a house. Although the move for me was only a small one in terms of distance, I was moving away from where I had lived for the last 20 years, to an area where I knew no one, I was away from my friends and everything that was familiar to me, I did find that difficult for a long time, there was stress from my children wanting to be 'over the other side of the hill, and I felt alot of pressure and guilt with that, and felt I was being pulled in two directions, but at the same time, I needed to end a chapter, and start a new one, and that meant I needed to change my situation.

Hubby and I, getting out on the bike together was always such a great stress relief and head clearer. Anyone who rides will totally understand this, and so my love for motorcycles just grew stronger and stronger.

We would head out on the bike any chance we'd get and this could be a weekend up to Taupo, about 600 k return, or a days ride up to Waiuru which is about a 200k (one way) , or a ride around what we call the block (about 300 odd ks) it was always a good ride, and soooo much fun, and we both just wanted to do more. Travelling overseas was also way up there on the agenda, to do bike tours around the world, and so we got into planning our next trip.

We decided, we were going to ride the North Island of New Zealand, and go to the very tip of the most northern part of the North Island. BUT, all of this biking was reinforcing how much I wanted my own bike again.

Convincing my family was not going to be an easy task. I knew what I was asking was huge! And, although it had now been 3 years since the accident, I knew it was still fresh for some, and what I was asking scared my friends and family, but I also knew, I just had to.

The need in me was huge, I just needed to know I still could. I managed, with ALOT of smooth talking and convincing, hubby and my children finally relented and allowed me another shot at getting back on my own bike.

BUT, it came with STRICT guidelines, I was not to go out ANYWHERE by myself, I was only allowed to ride with Hubby, we would not ride outside the Wairarapa area until given the green light by hubby, and we invested in a coms set. Best investment ever! Great if you have a patient partner, probably not recommended if you have a partner that's not so patient.

I also decided to re sit my basic skills and handling course and an urban ride course again, because there was the fear that as much as I wanted to get back on the bike, I could freak out, memory of the accident might come back with me at the handlebars, and I might not like it as much as I think I will.

That was most definitely not the case, it all came flooding back to me, and with a stupid grin on why face to match. My instructor saying, Rach, go get yourself a bike, and get some time back in the saddle and get your confidence back up, that's all you need.

And with that, I went home and talked with hubby about buying a new bike.

g a new bike.