Bought a Motorcycle. My new way to spend time
 

I was in therapy this week and the therapist was saying how I need to find activities to do to replace drinking. I told him I had. I've been running, lifting weights, doing yard work, playing with the kids....ext. all this coupled with a very physical job. I told him not drinking was becoming EXHASTING!

Well I had some free time and I started googling ideas for relaxing activities and it hit me. Riding motorcycles! My dad has always been a rider and takes trips every other weekend. I have been so busy spending my free time in a bottle it never dawned on me to join him. So I marched my butt to the dealership, picked out a new bike I think will be perfect for me and went straight to my dads house to show him. He was ecstatic at my choice and proud of the decision I've made to stop drinking. Now im going on a ride this weekend, and have an awesome fathers day ride planned for the whole family. Super excited and just wanted to share a small success :-)

cool. What kind of bike is it?

It's a Honda. The new ctx700 I believe. It's a modern cruzer bike. I like it because it's easy to ride and my kids fit comfortably on the back. Even better, it's not intimidating, so I can teach my wife to ride. Then we can eventually get a 2nd and ride together. That's my plan anyways ;)

Be safe out there. Enjoy the new bike! Ride it sober... (coming from one who rode not sober too many times)

Awesome! Absolutely nothing like the breeze on your knees and the air in you hair to let you know you're alive!!!
Enjoy...

Definitely riding sober! I bought a dual sport once, and my drunk brother in law got ahold of it after owning it one week and wrecked. The bike was only slightly damaged, but he broke his arm. Lesson learned vicariously right there!

I ride everyday. Sometime I cruise around the city and country side for hours. I ride alone. I'm loving sobriety! And riding my motorcycle has became so much fun again! Ride safe.

I cringe when I think of all the times I was in no shape to ride.
If there is such a thing as a Guardian Angel, then I must have one.

Pay attention EVERY SECOND...
SLOW DOWN approaching intersections...
Stay as FAR AWAY from other vehicles as possible...
Always ASSUME no one else is paying attention...

Ride safe. It's a feeling that defies description!

That is great, looking forward to putting miles back on mine. Got my dream bike a couple of years ago, 2011 ultra limited. Problem was I was either too hung over to ride the next morning or by the time we got around to leaving I would usually drink too much that I lost interest in riding, more worried about drinking. The few times we would go ride, we would always plan on making long trips but end up bar hopping and making the exact same ride all the time. Luckily I transfered with my job so I don't ride with my old buddies anymore, no pressure from them to stop at every watering hole we passed (even though I was always happy to stop with them). But I thought that is what the biker lifestyle was supposed to be ride, drink and raise hell. And I won't lie, I did enjoy it. But now I realize it is nothing more than a combination for death. When my wife and I seperated I almost joined a 1% club. That is great if that is your thing, I know lots of 1%'ers that are great people. But I would have taken it to the extreme, so I knew it probably wasn't the best idea for me and my lack of self discipline.

Anyway, kind of rambled there, enjoy the bike and ride safe. Lots of bad things to watch out for on a bike without throwing alcohol in the mix!!!

Have fun and ride that thing like you stole it!

I stopped riding about 14 years before i got into recovery. couldn't stay sobe rlong enough and bar hoppin got scary.
then about 2 years into recovery a friend of mine, who stored his and his wifes bikes in my garage for the winter came over to get them out for the season. he tossed me the keys to his wifes bike and said,"lets go."
FEAR!!!!! excuses!!!!
my friend wouldn't have anything to do with it.
took about 15 minutes on it and I was completely amazed! never had tht feeling on a bike before!
ended up havin a bike practically fall in my lap about a month later.
been awesome riding sober!!!
I make it a point to at least put 20 miles on it every day possible.

don't know where ya live, but if ya ever make it to Michigan, hit the tunnel of trees. awesome ride.

My first brief ride on the back of a motorcycle
was in my early stages of drinking, young and
first experiences living on my own. Man, I
thought I was some hot stuff. :rotfxko

Fast forward to 54yrs old, remarried, and many
one days at a time sober turned into 22yrs. of
sober living.

I met my now husband 4 yrs ago and discovered
he had a Harley Sportster just sitting in his garage.
When I saw it and realized he wasn't riding much
anymore since his wife suddenly passed away from
long term illness, I spark an instant interest in
wanting to give it a spin.

My husbands late wife wasn't a motorcycle rider
and he had wished he had someone who would
enjoy riding with him. When I came along, he shared
his story with me and thru God's grace and blessings
He brought us together with a love for riding and
enjoying trips on our Harley.

At 50 I did get my motorcycle endorsement but
later found out I enjoyed riding passenger instead
of alone. So far we have made 2 trips to Sturgis,
one to the Grande Canyon and a bike ralley in Daytona.

The feelings we experience on our bike riding
with the sun and wind, rain, hail, freezing
cold tempts. is unexplainable. To see all of
God's wonderful creations, beauty to behold,
admire, enjoy, appreciate is truly a gift to
treasure for yrs. to come.

What AWESOME gifts we have at hand to
be grateful for. :)

Keep the shiney side up and the rubber side down.

Congrats on the bike. Another perfect reason to stay sober.

I have been 1.5 years sober. This spring, hubby and I were blessed enough to buy a motorcycle. I've been dreaming of this for many years. I agree with aasharon, the feeling we get while cruising down the road is almost unexplainable, but I realized for the first time it was what I had been searching for my whole life.. I think I've always been a "rider", but now I have my iron wings :) I ride passenger atm, but just last night started to learn how to control the clutch, throttle etc..it's intimidating but very exciting. Hopefully by next summer we will have enough money for another bike and then I will have real freedom lol..

Be safe out there.

Sarah