Monday, September 2, 2013

Difficult Decisions

There are a number of difficult decisions approaching.  My heart failure continues to slowly but surely progress, and I become less able to do things.  My general mobility is decreasing, as creeping arthritis inflames and gives major hurties to my hands, shoulders, knees and hips.  For whatever reason, my elbows do not seem as affected, but whatever.
Through the years, one of the things that has held me together has been riding my motorcycles.  For the past nearly 15 years, I have been limited to scooters, because I cannot operate a shifter or a brake pedal with my fake feet, and I need the controls on the handlebars.  This has worked well, as scooters have become progressively better and more sophisticated.  My "big scooter", a Honda Silver Wing, is, for all purposes, a touring bike - sophisticated, fuel injected, and easily cruises at freeway speeds.  However, I am presently unable to ride it.  It lives, for now, in my brother Conrad's garage, and he exercises it occasionally to keep it prime.  The "trike scooter" is 150cc, and while a three-wheeler, is a reverse trike (two wheels in the front) and is also a leaner, meaning that it leans in the turns, so is not a stay-upright trike.  It is also larger and heavier than a typical 150, and more difficult to handle, but I will try to stay with it.  If I plan to remain a rider, as I do, major things must happen.
One: the garage must be shovelled out, to allow the Silver Wing to return home, and room made for proper parking for the trike scooter,as well as working space for me to revamp the 1985 Honda Elite 250.  This will cost money, as in extensive help from 1-800-JUNK or somebody, and money is a rare component right now.
Two: I must find the resources to acquire and install a Tow-Pac kit for the Silver Wing.  My brothers call these "training wheels", and I suppose they are, but it must happen.
Three: Both the Silver Wing and the trike scooter must be engineered to carry perhaps a lightweight Rollator or other walker device, to allow me to walk when I get off the scooters, which is becoming a factor.  I am already scheming and plotting to arrange these things. 
It will be an interesting winter.
OTOH, as it slowly but surely becomes more difficult for me to get out and travel around, I am getting more ruined by online shopping. I ordered several things from Harbor Freight, and the shipping & handling is $6.99 flat rate - I am 18 miles from the store, and at 20 mpg in my truck, I would spend about as much driving to the store to pick up the stuff. I will stay here and drink coffee, thanks...  :D

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