Saturday at the ER

As a wife to a military man who commutes via motorcycle to work every day, rain or shine, there are a couple calls I dread getting every day, as you can imagine. One of those calls I received on Saturday. Kyle was calling to tell me he was in an accident on the highway and was being taken to the ER. Luckily it was Kyle himself calling; if it was the police or the hospital I would not have reacted in nearly the same way. 

Kyle was on his way down to Austin for a motorcycle event, actually. Traffic on 35 came to a very sudden stop; the car in front of him screeched on the breaks, nearly slamming into the car in front of them and swerving a bit to avoid it. Kyle braked as well, but couldn't reach zero in time. He ran into the back of the car, went over the handlebars, onto the hood, and rolled off the car and into the median. Someone else called the police, and they were there shortly. People in the cars around got out to help him up; everyone seemed surprised that Kyle got up himself and seemed to be OK. The bike was not rideable, and the ambulance took Kyle to the ER at a hospital in Round Rock, where I met him. MRIs and X-rays were done, with results coming up clear. He had scrapes and bruises, lots of pain and a sprained thumb, but was otherwise OK (though very frustrated). He was very lucky. Motorcycle crashes do not usually end with the rider walking out of the hospital. If Kyle had been wearing his open-face helmet instead of full one, his jaw would probably be broken. Kyle is a safe driver and adheres to all of the military rules for riding- helmet, long sleeves (leather jacket), boots, gloves, safety vest, etc. In TX you do not even have to wear a helmet, which has to be the dumbest thing I've ever heard, but I guess that's the choice some people make and we can only trust that natural selection will take the reigns from there. 

And now, since he has worried me so, I get to show pictures of Kyle in his hospital attire. 

What a week, eh? :/ 

- From the desk of Mrs. M

My First Bike Ride

I'm not sure why, but on Saturday I agreed to going out for my first few motorcycle rides. We had a couple things to get at Home Depot, which isn't far, but I wanted to just go around the neighborhood a little bit first, having never been on a motorcycle and all. Well, by the end of the day we ended up going around the neighborhood, to Home Depot, and out a ways (over a bridge, past a lake and a bunch of cows and the little houses where ponies are tied in the front yard) to the grand opening of the bike shop Kyle has been going to for parts and advice. 

I was definitely worried we would tip over or crash into something the first time. Turns out Kyle also thought there was a chance of that happening, as he's never ridden with a passenger and things run a little differently (he didn't tell me until after the first ride). But it was fun! I had an uncomfortable jacket on (not made for riding), but my helmet and gloves were great. It is definitely windy at high speeds and you feel bugs hitting your knees. I wasn't sure how I was allowed to sit or move, so it got uncomfortable by the return trip of our longer ride and needed to stretch my knees and back, but his bike overall is pretty comfortable. I don't know how long I would enjoy riding on it for, though. To which Kyle responded that we'll have to get me a bike of my own. But he has been saying that for months.

S.

PS- Friends are graduating from Pitt! I miss them. Congrats ladies!

Pretty Bike and Nice Weather

All through Kyle's growing interest and desire to get a motorcycle, I was quite unsure and worried. But I have to admit, it is pretty cool, and he couldn't have found a more perfect bike. It just suits him (and us, really) so well, the color and style. I'm really glad that he found something so perfect for him, and right at the perfect time too. It is a very pretty bike. He rode it to and from work for the first time on Friday, and parked right in front of the house when he got back, so I took some more pictures.

We haven't made much progress on finding me a jacket yet, and we haven't bought boots yet, but once we have all my protective gear, I'll be excited to take a ride on the bike. :) The weather was beautiful this weekend and I wished we could go on a ride together. Kyle taught me how to start it up, and I've been learning a little bit about motorcycles here and there (hard not to, as that is what he talks about most of the time). Kyle not-so-secretly wishes for me to learn to ride and wants to buy me a bike too. Uhm...

But for now, Kyle will be the one doing all the riding.

Looking for Leather

I do not know much about motorcycles, but I do know that I will not be riding on the back of Kyle's motorcycle like this: no helmet, no protective attire, and side saddle. 

Husband has been on a quest ever since he got back. He has been scouring the internet to find me the perfect leather jacket, that will serve to both protect me when riding behind him on Bonnie (the motorcycle), and be something stylish I will actually wear even when not on the bike (and don't have to sport a giant helmet that makes us look like we're expecting to ride to the moon). Kyle even has a whole Pinterest board called Jacket for Her, which I find really super sweet of him. Kyle found his jacket before he deployed to Iraq, actually, but hadn't completely settled on getting it until he found it in a store in Austin and tried it on. Finding one for me has proven more difficult, because the style he thought I'd like, and I do like, is European and hard to find in this country. Also, we like brown instead of black, which also makes our options more limited. Oops. But here's the sort of style and look we are going for. Kyle has looked into some custom leather makers, but it has been difficult getting in touch with anyone. We'll keep looking and hopefully find one by the time Kyle is a proficient motorcyclist!

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What do you think?

- From the desk of Mrs. M

Stuffed Peppers

I stumbled on this recipe yesterday, just as I was thinking of what I could make with a few open ingredients we have before Kyle and I head out on our trip back to PA at the end of this week. All I needed to get was the peppers. I altered the recipe a bit: I used 10oz can of diced tomatoes and green chilis, and I used a lot more than 8oz of chicken broth, to make sure the rice was cooked, and I we had 1lb ground beef to use up. It took about an hour and fifteen minutes total to make, and was really good!

And after dinner we did a photo shoot of Kyle's motorcycle jacket. :)

Quite handsome, don't you think? You should go read about his jacket here.

- From the desk of Mrs. M

PS- the peppers and filling make great leftovers! yum!

We've Added to our Family

Yep, Kyle brought his motorcycle home today (and his leather jacket). It's a pretty green Triumph Bonneville. He can't ride it yet, he has to take a class through the Army and it's been pushed back until February (boo), but I'm sure he will spend plenty of time with it nonetheless (parked, in the garage). I am a little bit afraid of it, but I know Kyle will be a responsible driver (rider? biker?). He has been spending hours searching online for a jacket and helmet for me, so we can go on trips together in the future. Pretty sweet of him. (But I'm still scared). I'm sure Kyle will tell you more about it soon on his blog. 

- From the desk of Mrs. M