Hi Everyone, I realize this isn't about motorcycles, but we all know we have other things to talk about at times. I read this at whispers of the morning and she has asked all to pass it on. I love it and I love autumn. Autumn is my favorite time of the year with all the wonderful colors. So to all my "pumpkins" read on and enjoy:

Too good not to share

Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff– including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see. This was passed on to me from another pumpkin. Now, it is your turn to pass it to a pumpkin.

I liked this enough to send it to all of you, the pumpkins in my patch. Happy Fall!

Saturday's Scavenger Hunt

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"Comfy"

Blessings

God gives us many Blessings
He shows His Love and Care.
God certainly does make being
A 'teddy' quite easy to bear.

Ken Brown

I've had the dark brown teddy bear since I was about 3 yrs old. He goes by the name "Teddy." The baby blanket I've had since, well I was a baby, lol. The lighter teddy bear I was given in high school and I call him "Honey Bear."

His Rainsuit or Her Rainsuit?

My husband and I recently had a very good laugh. We actually got our Tour Master rainsuits mixed up and we're wearing each others, lol. Don't ask me how my husband managed to squeeze into my size small, but he did! And I'm very greatful he didn't rip the seams out!!

Last spring we got a really good deal on our rainsuits. We ended up picking the same color, as this color stands out to be noticed and we "like" that. These suits are great quality, too. The only difference is mine is size small and his an extra-large. In the above photo, we actually have on the right suits.

This summer we went on a family vacation and on the first day we hit two hours of non-stop, gully-washing, constant downpouring rain. Side note - we did have a blast riding in the rain - end side. Upon arriving at our hotel, we hung up our gear to dry. The next morning I'm not sure which of us grabbed their gear first (note: not wanting to put blame here, but my husband is always up and packed to go first!!), but whoever did, see previous note (lol), didn't grab their own suit. Before I packed mine away, I'm looking for my tank bag strap that I had put into my pocket when I took the tank bag off and put it in the car with our sons. I'm searching my (actually his) rain jacket and can't find it. We never realized then that we had accidently swapped our rainsuits. We search all over and can't find the strap. I'm pretty upset that I accidently lost it. So we, unknowingly, pack our wrong rainsuits into our motorcycle saddlebags and hit the road.

A couple of months go by and we take a trip up to Cripple Creek for the annual Vets Rally. As goes the course, we get caught in a non-stop, gully-washing, constant downpouring rain, lol. I'm putting my suit on, thinking it's roomier then I remember, and he's putting his suit on, thinking his is tighter then he remembers but thinking it's because he's all wet and trying to put the suit on in the rain. As you know, when it's raining and you're trying to get these suits on, it's not easy even when they are the right size, lol. It's raining very hard and we just want to get our rainsuits on and get back home. We still don't realize the mistake we made months ago.

Now a few weeks go by and my youngest son comes running into the house with my tank bag strap. I'm elated to have my strap back. I do the happy dance. I ask where on earth did he find it? My husband still hasn't realized our mistake. After the dance, I start to think about this. I thought the strap was in my jacket. My jacket (really his, are you confused yet?) is in the house. I go to look at it and see it's size X-large. Now I'm pretty sure I didn't get that size. I go outside and have my husband pull out his rainsuit and it's then we finally discover that a switch had been made. He had a size small rainsuit in his motorcycle bag.


That's when we have a really good laugh. Now he understands why his (really mine) rainsuit was so hard to get on when we were in Cripple Creek. This is one story we will happily remember for years to come.

Wishing you great stories in your journey's,

Betty :)

2,996 is a tribute to the victims of 9/11.

On September 11, 2006, 2,996 volunteer bloggers
will join together for a tribute to the victims of 9/11.
Each person will pay tribute to a single victim.

We will honor them by remembering their lives,
and not by remembering their murderers.

*2996 is a coalition of volunteer bloggers brought together by D.C.Roe's idea to commemorate the lives of those killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. For a complete list of participants, please click HERE* Please Note: due to the volume of traffic the "Participant's list" may not be working. If it's not, come back again later when the volume of people should be down. Most of the people who have left comments have done a tribute themselves. If you click on their name, you will get their site and their tribute.

I found this ALTERNATE 2,996 site because the original site is down at the moment.

Please check this out: BLOGGING CHICKS CARNIVAL It is a carnival all about 9/11.

I Remember … I had dropped my eldest son off at school and returned home. I had turned the tv on to watch something (I can’t remember what now) and to my horror the first plane had hit a tower. I was stunned. Then more stunned when another plane hit the other tower (that I watched live). Then the plane that hit the pentagon. And the plane that went down before it could hit anything. This plane went down due to the heroics of some of the passengers. I couldn’t believe my eyes. A huge lump went into my throat first for the people on the planes, then for the people in the towers. At this time I never dreamed the two towers would come crashing down and killing so many innocent people. Killed by deranged terrorists; with a distorted revenge that only terrorists can understand.

An event that changed the course of history. New phrases came out of this such as: Home Land Security and Ground Zero. New forms of security had to be developed in airports, train stations, subways, etc. Our very way of life has been changed forever…

William J. McGovern
49 Years Old
Smithtown, New York
Chief, 2nd Battalion, New York Fire Department
Confirmed Dead

It is my honor to pay tribute to Willaim J. McGovern, who died as a Hero on September 11, 2001 while doing his job. I'm sure when William McGovern went to work he never dreamed that he would be a witness and a participant to an event of such magnitude. He never dreamed that he would die doing his job in Tower One. He's one of 2,996 people who lost/gave their lives to help others. There were many stories of many people trying to help their fellow man. On that eventful morning he was last scene around the 30th floor of Tower One in the World Trade Center doing his job, trying to save lives.

His wife said her husband must have been one of the first firefighters at the World Trace Center, because the 2nd Battalion, which he led, was stationed only a quarter of a mile away.

From reading what I could find about William McGovern, he was well liked. It has been said that when he walked into a room, everyone knew he was there. He liked to entertain and make sure everyone was having a good time - lots of laughter, lots of jokes.

Trying to save lives at the World Trade Center wasn't the first time he put his life on the line. I'm sure he, like all firefighters, put his life on the line many times. It was recorded in one particular incident when he and another firefighter rushed into a blazing building, crawling on their hands and knees to stay below the smoke and found a brother and sister lying on the floor. The boy wasn't breathing. McGovern and the other firefighter got both children out and resuscitated the 7 year old boy. McGovern was later quoted as saying, "I'm thankful I could give him a second chance. I saw him come back to life. It's the greatest experience I ever had."

William J. McGovern is a Hero. He put his life on the line to save others and sadly lost it. He leaves behind a wife, a son and daughter. Also, his mother, two sisters and two brothers.

Added 9/11/06; 2:21pm: I just found out that there is a special United In Memory Quilt Project . Each victim has a block on this quilt. To view William J. McGovern's quilt block Click Here .

Another Type Of Scavenger Hunt

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"Food"

Scavenger hunts are so much fun. This week's Saturday's Scavenger Hunt theme is "Food." Many of you who know me know where I love to go when I get hungry and need food. That would be Taco John's, of course, lol. I just love the Potato Ole' Bravo, Yummm Yumm.

I'm terribly sorry, but my auto-links (below) doesn't work. Not sure what went wrong and at the moment I can't get it to delete (hence this note, lol).

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The MotoFemina Competition Ends Sept 9th

MotoFemina is a special project that started this last spring. Many of you have heard me talk about it through the summer. It's a reality video series that is finishing up production. They picked three women who didn't know how to ride motorcycles and sent them to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Beginner Course. These three ladies passed the course and went on to learn more from their mentors. They learned and practiced many new things throughout this last summer. They were evaluated as they learned. They had the extra challenge of being filmed as they learned.

The prize - a 2006 BMW F650GS - to go to the one that is deemed to have learned the most in technical skill and personal enthusiasm. A panel of judges was chosen to do this.

The Ladies - Jessica, Laura, & Synth - worked hard all summer to win the new motorcycle. They did this while still maintaining their full time jobs. It sounds like it was mostly done on weekends (and not every weekend).

Where - New Mexico - they rode the twisty roads through beautiful country side. They also learned practical things, such as how to pick up a motorcycle.

This is the "Big" weekend when they find out which one of them will win the new motorcycle. They announce the winner this Saturday, Sept. 9th, 4pm, at the BMW Sipapu Weekend Rally. Everyone is invited to attend. Go to Motofemina for all the details of where and when.

Yours truly would love to be there when they announce the winner, but sadly I can't *sigh.* I have been chatting with these ladies many times through the summer and would love to meet them. I know a few of you have gone on over and check out the project. So if you can, you're invited to attend and I'll be back here having cheese with my "whine," lol.

Jessica, Laura, & Synth - I Wish You Three Ladies all the Best

Motorcycle Scavenger Hunt VS My Dignity

The Mountain Shadow Riders Scavenger Hunt is soon coming to a close (Oct 31^st). I’m sad to see this. It has been a lot of fun this summer trying to locate as much as I could of the just over 350 items on the list. It started April 1^st and I have been sharing some of it with you thru the summer.

Just this last week I got out and located about 30 more items within the city. Now I’m getting to some of the more goofier stuff. It’s stuff that I wonder if it’s worth the 10 points to get. Yah, I have no problem getting a pic of my motorcycle in front of a “mattress store,” and if I’m in the photo wearing pajamas, I get for 10 extra pts!!! I can just hear my “Dignity O’Meter” going down: da-ding, da-ding!!!

I’m not sure I’m up to wearing pj’s in public, lol. Oh sure, I can get there and then slip them on over my clothes. BUT!!! Someone is most likely going to see me, YIKES!! Not to mention my husband is going to laugh his head off.

Then there’s the “Costume Shop.” No problem, I can drive up and get a photo there, but I can get 10 extra pts if I’m wearing a costume in the photo!!! Once again I hear the ‘ol “Dignity O’Meter” going down: da-ding, da-ding, da-ding, da-ding!!!

After an incident this last week, maybe I can do these things. My husband & I cruised up to one more item on the list – “A Strip Club.” My husband found this for me, as I had no clue where one was. Well, it turns out there’s one not far from our house, hmm . . . how’s my husband know this? LOL. Okay, we get up to this place and I get in position for the picture.

But wait my husband get this gleam in his eye’s and decides we need to change things a little. He tells me to pretend to strip for the pic, lol. Well, there are three guys in the next lot over eyeing us. You can tell they are wondering what we are doing. I agree and pretend, but my husband takes FOREVVVERR with the camera!! I’m getting uncomfortable doing this, the guys are liking this and my husband is having a blast. Okay, for the record, nothing much happened. I just messed with my motorcycle jacket. How sexy can that get? By the photo above, not much.

It’s the next day when I get to thinking about this that I realized I was also facing out to the street and all those cars going by were probably wondering what in the world was I doing? Once again I hear the ‘ol “Dignity O’meter” going down: da-ding, da-ding, da-ding, da-ding!!! I just hope nobody I knew was in any of those cars, lol. I’m just glad a cop car never went by.

After that, you’d think I had enough, but NO!! I go to a “Skating Rink” and “rider wearing skates” is an extra 10 pts. I pick a time when it’s closed. I drive up and my heart sinks. There’s a car parked right about were I need to park and there’s people in it, sigh. Okay. I park and quickly get the skates on (but knowing I’m being watched I can’t get the skate on fast enough, lol). How’s the “Dignity O’meter?” It’s going down: da-ding, da-ding, da-ding, da-ding!!! I’m feeling pretty silly with those people watching. I get ready to leave and they then drive away. I quickly get the skate back on to get my husband to take a photo without their car in it.

Then there’s “Fitness Gym” and an extra 10 pts if “rider is wearing workout clothing.” Turns out all the gyms I find have huge glass windows all across their fronts. So the one I pick, I park and quickly get into the final gear. Jump on my bike and pose. I’m feeling eyes boring into my back and I just want to get the shot and get out of there, lol. I feel my “Dignity O’meter” going down again: da-ding, da-ding, da-ding, da-ding!!! YeaGads!! By the look of the above photo I’d better head for a gym, lol.

I don’t mind finding the stuff where I can quickly get in, get the photo with my bike (and me included at times) and get out without much notice. But this last week I got lots of quizzical looks from people. The items lately are more out in public and that’s tough for me. But hey, I’m finding that I’m actually up to the challenge (most of the time, lol).

I’ve already surprised myself by going into a fire station and asking some of the fire fighters if I could get them in my photo. When I first looked thru the list and saw fire fighters in a photo were extra points, I thought, “well I won’t do that.” I thought I’d die of embarrassment if I did. Well, I did ask and I’m still alive, lol.

I find a “street with my first name.”

So will I let my “Dignity O’Meter” drop a few points for a few goofy photos? Will I wear pajamas at a mattress store and/or a costume at a costume store? I really don’t know. I guess time will tell, lol.