Last Breath

Three years ago today I watched my aunt Sabah take her last breath in this world in her hospital bed. It is a moment in time that is so heavy of a burden to carry, that that day plays in my mind often. I could tell you each and every detail of that day, like it was today. It was the first time I watched someone fight death.

My aunt Sabah, my fathers sister.

Losing friends or family is a really hard thing. I lost my mother in a car accident 12 years ago. It was my dad, mom and I in a van traveling back home, when we were hit by a red light runner. The van was flipped, and my father and I survived the wreck. My mother was laying in the middle of the intersection barely alive. She died on the way to the hospital in the same ambulance I was riding in.

My parents and I.

Many of us don't talk about loss or deal with it well. I have lost so many people that I feel like I've become numb to it all sometimes. When you get a call this person past or that person past or this person is on their way to passing. Neither one of these experiences is easier than the other to deal with.

What I have learned over the years with loss, is that it is truly important to be the best that you can be as a mother, brother, sister, father, niece, nephew, uncle, aunt, grandpa, grandma, uncle aunt ...you get the hint. Just be a good person. Do not judge, or disrespect. Do not hate or wish bad things on people. Do not push people away from you, just because you are having a bad a day.

Everyday on earth is a gift. You should treat it as it was intended to be treated as "the greatest gift on earth....LIFE"!

Quote:

"It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live." Marcus Aurelius

I took this photo in OBX, NC. It was a peaceful day.

Live Life! Don't put all your eggs in one basket!

This summer has been nuts. I feel like I got robbed of a lot of riding time. However, I remember telling myself when the summer started that I wanted to be sure to give myself time to do other things in life besides motorcycling. I know that sounds nuts! I'm not ill, nor have a I become insane. However, I have craved other adventures and the summer turned out to be just that. From unexpected motorcycle to car repair, to falling in love, to loosing a dear friend, to seeing and doing new things. It's been a life changing year.

Back around Labor day, I had gone on a parade run in honor of Memorial Day. After that ride, my bike really hasn't been the same. Inspected the valves, changed the plugs, updated the exhaust gaskets and cam gasket. Gosh, it was a pain in the ass trying to put the exhaust back on. Here's a few pictures from that fiasco.

Chain Tensioner looks good!

Learned about plugs.

These gaskets are horrible engineering.

That same weekend I ended going on a date with a fella named Luke. Thanks to mutual friends for setting us up, he changed my summer. I guess when you wish for something it almost happens when you least expect it. Not that I was wishing for a boyfriend, but for doing other things on the weekends besides motorcycling. Although, I did manage to take him MotoGP, so not all hope was lost for motorcycling. He did repay me by taking me on my first helicopter ride ever! I have to say it was amazing! Just as amazing as he is! Truly a fella with a big heart, I'm still trying to figure out why he's still dating me. Oh wait, cause I'm the shit! lol

MotoGP Indy. Such an amazing experience. He loved it!

Co-Pilot! Who knew! 

While all this fun was happening in my life with the boyfriend, having my bike together, well part of that fell apart. I ended up being in an accident. I lowsided to avoid hitting a sportbike that my co-worker/roommate was riding. Long story, but my bike was out of commission again. With the bike down for the count, I took off to the Outer Banks of NC in order to get some sunshine. Time to refocus. The beach helps me with that. 

When I got back from messing around, it was time to get to business and put the darn bike back together. Hard to tell from the one photo below, but my forward controls where bent. The metal actually twisted. I couldn't believe it. My exhaust is all scratched up, but hey you have to be laying on the ground to see it. That I didn't replace. The bars were bent too, and my bags were shredded. 

Twisted! The other side was the same. Crazy!

All scratched up! So sad!

Trashed! The other one is worse off.

After waiting for all the parts to finally arrive, I started putting my bike back together again. My new mission was to ride. I missed my bike so much. 

New pegs and forward controls. 

Waiting on the new bars to arrive.

The Zbars look so sexy!

All back together again!

Like I said earlier, it was a life changing summer. While messing around with my bike I got word that one of my dearest friends, Tim Hartsough died in a motorcycle accident. One of my truest, dearest, loving friends I had ever connected with in my life. I was devastated. I'm still shocked. At his memorial we all drank his favorite beer, Torpedo from Sierra Nevada. Family and friends talked about the loss of a great man. It was a day I'll never forget.

Cheers to you Tim!

I hope to see you again, maybe next lifetime!

The moral of the summer turned out to mean, "Live life! Don't put all your eggs in one basket". Meaning, sometimes we get wrapped up in the routine of life. We never seem to step outside of our own box enough. We get wrapped up in ourselves and forget there is a whole other world to enjoy. It can be enjoyed without a motorcycle. However, in my world it seems to do a 360. Guess in the end, it's my motorcycle that helps me to take in the pain and suffering life throws at me. It is also the same thing that inspires me to be a better person, to do positive things in this short life that we have. Well ladies and gentlemen, I hate to end on that note, but that was my summer.