Yep, this is my helmet. With a mohawk on it. Cause that's how I roll. It helps keep me visible to motorists and generally brings smiles all-around.
The horse. Not quite ready to get back on her yet, but I'm getting there. I really miss riding!
Random Ophelia update: At almost nine months old, she's getting huge. She is the sweetest cat I've ever met in my life, as well as the most hyper. She's been very therapeutic for me and I don't know what I'd do without her, even though she likes to be a gremlin and get into things I'm working on--or typers I'm working on--because I'm paying attention to something besides her!
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Teeritz, here's a photo of the back of my watch. I think one of the problems with it keeping time is that I haven't been all that active since I got it. That's been changing rapidly though, and it seems the more I wear it while active, the better it runs.
I have to add a special thank-you to Mike and Mike of Riverside Scooters for getting my scoot running the way it should, not only after sitting for fourteen months, but really for the first time ever. It hasn't ran so well in the entire time I've owned it; it's like a brand new machine! Be expecting a Yelp review, guys! And to my typing friends in this area who may be interested in getting a scooter, go see Mike. He has a really wonderful selection, great prices, a kick-butt warranty and is just an all-round nice guy. He'll treat you right!
Keep the rubber side down and the shiny side up,
Anna S.
Anna;
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear of your accident, and good to hear of your recovery progress. I started with a 50cc scooter, and went through sport bike to trike. I still miss the scooter, however, and keep telling myself I might get another one again.
Hey Joe, nice to see you!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! I've seen that there is a pretty high variability of recovery for the type of injury I sustained, and mine is on the better end of that curve. Some people never walk again, and had I gotten into this accident ten years ago, I would have become an amputee. Huzzah for modern science!
I think just about everyone should own a scooter. You can hardly beat them for fuel efficiency and they're just plain fun. You already know that though. ;-) I've never been brave enough to get on a sport bike; hubs had a ZX12-R (which was stolen by our previous scooter mechanic) And he loved it, but it was just way too tall and uncomfortable for me. He now has a VN-1500J Drifter. I keep threatening to make it my bike, but it's way too big for me!
What kind of scooter did you have? I'd love to know!
Gotta love the mohawk helmet!
ReplyDeleteYour injury sounds quite serious; I'm glad that you are getting around and improving. Keep it up.
Thanks Richard! The first one (this bright orange number) was an impulse by; now there's one on all of my helmets! There's a local motorcycle club that has a mowhawked skeleton as their mascot, and they all have 'hawks on their helmets. It's quite a sight to see!
DeleteWhen I first got into my accident, I honestly didn't think it was that bad. I thought my knee was out of place; my leg didn't look right, but it just didn't look that bad, and I never hit my head or hurt my back. Even after I was told I would need surgery, I thought I'd be back up and to my usual routine in three or so months. I never could have fathomed I would be down so long.
It really started to sink in when June rolled around and I was still in a wheelchair and spend most of my time at home. That was when we went to the swapmeet and found that Royal 5. It was my first outing that was not a doctor visit. I started this blog while still wheelchair bound.
After that, it didn't take that long in relation to get back on my feet. Between June and September, I went from chair to crutches to cane, and while I'll still carry the cane just in case, its use is becoming more and more infrequent. So is the swelling that occurs when I'm on my feet for too long, and I'm able to be up and around longer all the time.
Thank you very much for the encouragement! :-D
Sorry to read of your accident. Good to hear that you've recovered as much as you have. I toyed with the idea of going for a motorcycle licence 20 years ago, but never did get around to doing anything about it. Now that I'm older, and have a family, I think a scooter would be a safer alternative. I may start off with a recycled postman's motorcycle first though. They ride those Honda CT110s.
ReplyDeleteAs for the watch, I suspected it was a Chinese auto movement based on the grade of steel visible through the dial and the 28 hour power reserve stated in the manual. Most Swiss movements have a minimum of 38 hours of power. Unless you've been in a coma, normal day-to-day hand movement should be enough to keep your watch ticking. If it only runs when you've moved vigorously, then I still say there's something wrong with the watch. Like I said originally, the seller should offer a replacement (if he has one) or a warranty repair.
Either way, once its repaired, use it as a beater (as you said earlier). Regarding watch winding boxes, they serve a practical purpose by keeping the watches and dates ticking over, but I consider them to be a great waste of money. I prefer to pick my watches up and set & wind them as a way to remind myself of why I love my wristwatch collection.
Thanks Teeritz! Your postmen ride motorcycles out there? You have no idea how full of win that is. I really love scooters; hubs had a 150cc that I pretty much took over while transitioning between my 50cc and the Vulcan. I like the fact they have a lower center of gravity and a step-through frame; I've never been in a pickle on either of them, and when I got in my accident on my bike, I was only going around 25 or 30mph. But the weight difference between the two vehicle types is considerable.
DeleteThank you for the continued info. Perhaps I should go ahead and contact the seller in that case and see if they can offer me a solution. If I wind the watch just to make sure it's running (and I have tried to do so daily) it will still stop after a few hours. The automatic movement seems a bit sticky too and I don't think it moves as freely as it should.
You make a good point against a winding box! That's pretty much what I've been doing with this one, and I like to be able to give it a visual inspection every day, too. I think if I had a whole bunch of watches, I might invest in one, but I don't really see that happening. I can see myself owning a maximum of five to ten. Out of curiosity, how many do you have?
Oh dear, I have a few. Put it this way- I have 17 typewriters, but my wristwatches outnumber them all. When I stopped and added up what I paid for them over the last twelve years, I was pleasantly shocked at how little I had spent compared to what they retailed for. And most of my vintage pieces have appreciated in value, if eBay is to be believed. There are also a few models that are non-working and require some decent money to get restored. One day.
DeleteIf my blog ever lasts long enough, I'm sure that I'll do write-ups on all of them.
However, I've met one collector who owned 55 watches. I thought that was excessive until I met another who had 250 watches! That's just nuts.
As for your plan of owning five to ten watches, I too started out like that. Seven is a good number. One for each day of the week.
Whatever you do, buy with a view to getting what you really like and (more importantly) can afford.
Oh my...250 watches!? How does he manage to keep them wound!? 55 I can understand; three more than there are weeks in a year. That would still be relatively manageable...but 250!? Sounds like you have a nice-sized collection. I've been pondering picking up older watches, both working and non-working, but speaking of cost, I'm nit sure I'd want to pay for a bottom-up restoration just yet. Someday, indeed.
DeleteThank you for the sound advice. Affordability is important, since I am on a budget, as is manageability, because I have so many other hobbies and collections going simultaneously. I was considering maybe picking up a Russian watch, but I have seen your cautions against it. So, I'll continue lurking for now, and see if I can work with the vendor on the one I have.
Anna, I had a 49cc Italjet scooter, purchased locally from a university student. It had a tuned exhaust from the factory, and so with my 200 lb. weight and at one mile elevation it could get up to 53 mph on level ground.
ReplyDeleteIts real downfall was the headlight, which was a hard-to-find bulb that resembled an automotive brake light bulb with an extra flange soldered on. Only available from the one Italjet parts supplier in the US, a BMW dealer out of NY. Riding at night on a dark, country lane was like riding with your parking lights on.
You had an Italjet!? That is so awesome! They aren't the easiest things to find parts for, admittedly. Our used scooter market here also centers mainly around the college kids; they finish school or whatever and then sell their scoots. Mine was from a piercer, hahaha.
DeleteThis is one of those towns that seems like it was made for scootering in many areas. Other places though, it seems dangerous to drive a car. I've only been on a couple country roads on my scooter, so I can only imagine what it was like for you. I know that it was kind of galvanizing for me, to be sure. And mine doesn't go nearly as fast as yours did, despite having the same size motor. Makes traffic a bit hairy at times.
A scooter with an ammo box on the back is a great combination.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're feeling better!
Thanks Winston! The design of the scooter practically screamed for it, lol!
DeleteThank you! It's great to be slowly returning to the world.