Well I got my cane yesterday! I have admit it is very cool as canes go..lolol It folds up and snaps open with a palm grip. It fits perfect in the saddlebag of the Harley! Well this weekend is Memorial Day weekend and we plan to take off on the bike to the catskill mountains to our house! We have mapped out all back rodes mainly through the mountains and are leaving early and taking our time! It should be a nice bike ride. I will be glad to be off my feet..lolol my ankles have been killing me the last couple of days so this weekend will be a good rest! Hope everyone has a great Holiday Weekend!

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY! Well it is raining for a second day in a row and my RA is killing me, ankles, feet, hips and now knees! My husband and I are leaving friday ( if the rain stops ) to take a motorcycle trip up to our house in PA. It is about 6 hours away on a bike. I finally ordered a foldable cane to fit into the saddlebag and with all this rain hope it it gets here soon!!! We are in the talking stages on Stugis 2013 and trying to figure out all the details. it is something I have always wanted to do. And before I cannot do it physically, I would love to say I rode cross country...we shall see....keep you up dated.

GETTING READY FOR A TRIP IN THE MOUNTAINS!

Well we are slowly getting ready for a 4 day trip that we are leaving for in 2 days. Of course we are taking the bike and I heading north to the Delaware Water Gap for 2 days and then after that heading further north to our house in PA. Our house is 10 minutes out of N.Y. State right on the Delaware River. We will be there for 3 days and then we head back to New Jersey. Riding through the mountains on the bike is one of the best things. Just hope we miss all the rain. My neck is killing me and the thought of the RA in my spine scares the hell out of me! What will it be like a few years down the road? Will I be in a wheel chair? So I get into panic mood and want to ride constantly of every second of every day before I cannot ride anymore. Maybe I will come to grips with it better and slow down alittle bit but for now all I think about is that Harley! I think of it this way.....some people live long long lives just thinking of things they would like to do but never do them. I may not have that much time but dammit to hell I am going to make the most of the time I do have!!!! RIDE FREE!! CATCH LATER PEOPLE!

First Why I am Doing This....

My name is Dawn and I have been riding bikes for 30 years or better. Not to sound to corny but it is my blood.
One year ago I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and it appeared my entire world changed or appeared to stop.
First let me give you alittle info on the disease itself. And yes it is a disease. RA is a auto immune disease not arthritis like your grandma gets. Your body attacks its own joints, organs ( lungs, heart etc) and even your eyes. Most people with RA do not live as long or become terribly disfigured and are in severe pain daily. The meds to slow RA down are also debilitating, making everyday living so hard.
I started this blog for me and also for others that have this disease and also have this love, this passion I have for motorcycling.
When I am not riding all I do is think of riding or when I will next ride and where I am going to ride. I dream of long trips on the harley and plan my vacations at work around warm weather so we ( my husband and I ) can just take off on the harley.
The RA is starting to slow me down and putting me in a great deal of pain. I have been told by many to stop riding already but I cannot and will not. My doctor wanted to put me on meds that may slow down some of the inflamation but one main side effect is I would not be able to go out in sun! I of course flipped and tried explaining this to my dr. but he told me to just take it. After long consideration I decided not to go this particular meds. As I still want to continue to ride and I have no idea how much longer I will have to ride. I will not stop riding now all because the side effects of the meds. I am not in no way telling anyone to do this!!
But for me..after thinking ....came to the conclusion that I can give up my passions and dreams and sit in a corner and pop pills or live my dream for as long as I can. Am I wrong? who knows.
My husband is building me a chopper and found a honda 750 automatic so I will not have shift or have clutch due to the RA in hands. Somedays I feel I will never be able to ride this bike but dammit I am going to try.
So this blog as silly as it may be is to do 2 things. Let me vent my frustrations and fears but also possibly help that person who feeling the same way I am with RA.