HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The first day of the new year is coming to an end. I have a few resolutions I need to pursue and I can only hope that I stick to my plans.

In the meantime...

Lake Martin at sunset.

I say goodbye to 2012...  May you rest in peace.

Lady R

PIC OF THE WEEK - CHILDREN'S HARBOR CHAPEL

Last weekend, when my friend and I were leaf peeping, we popped in at the Children's Harbor close to Kawliga Bridge on Lake Martin and took some pictures.

CHILDREN'S HARBOR CHAPEL

A lovely day for a wedding, don't ya think?

 
I have a lot more to share about this place, so I'll be sure and bring you back...  It's awesome!

Have a great week everybody!

Lady R

PIC OF THE WEEK - WIND CREEK

Wind Creek State Park is a favorite spot for Harley and I to ride through while out on our Saturday jaunts.  We love to meander to a secluded spot, (easy to find this time of year) and sit on a picnic table and gaze out over Lake Martin while we have a drink and stretch our legs. 

I'm very fortunate to have spent much recreational time on this local body of water and I never tire of looking at it.

WIND CREEK

 

We had a cold weekend last week, but the temps climbed right back up to the 80's this past Saturday.  The skies were such a splendid shade of blue, it made the reds and yellows of the changing foliage pop out in sharp contrast.

It was a great weekend! I hope you all can say the same. Have a great week everybody and remember...

tomorrow... GO VOTE!!

Lady R

P.S.  On a side note... I would like to apologize to my readers who have left me comments on several of my last posts. I've been very busy with some projects here at home and at my church, that I have neglected you all without responding to any of them. I just want you to know, I have read them all, and I hope to respond to them soon. Please know how much I appreciate your following my blog, even if I don't show my gratitude any better than I have. Thank you!

PICTURE OF THE WEEK - SERENITY ROCK

I have lots of pictures of us in, on, and around Lake Martin.  It only takes about 45 minutes to get to the area and it seems to be a great subject for my photography also. 

I took this picture a couple years ago, and for some reason, I'm more drawn to it today, than I was back then.  Maybe it's because I've been spending a lot more time with my spiritual devotions lately, and this rock seems like the perfect place to spend some quiet, serene time.

SERENITY ROCK

Ahhhh... now doesn't that make you want to sit back and relax... and escape into your own thoughts and prayers.

Have a blessed week everybody!

Lady R

PIC OF THE WEEK - SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW

SOMEWHERE... OVER THE RAINBOW

When Harley and I spent some time up at Lake Martin this past summer, we had the opportunity to see a beautiful rainbow that touched the ground from one side to the other. We stood there for a moment and enjoyed the awesome view and tried to think if we had ever seen that before.


















This Pic of the Week fits my mood right now. It's been a bit of a rough year for my family and I, and I'm very glad to say goodbye to 2010. For me, this full arch rainbow represents a fresh start and new beginnings. You know... that place where "troubles melt like lemon drops... and happy little blue birds fly."

My Christmas has been good, but a little bittersweet. Even though we're all missing my Dad, as we experience our first Christmas without him, I have been enjoying the company of my awesome mom who escaped the snow in Iowa to spend a southern holiday with Harley and I. Now, I feel so energized by her presence and love, I feel like I can tackle 2011 with a renewed attitude. I resolve to change any habits that need changing and continue to live my life to the fullest. And yes... there's motorcycles involved!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!

Lady R

PIC OF THE WEEK - LAKE MARTIN SCENIC OVERLOOK

Our pal the Road Runner stayed with us this past weekend while taking care of some business here in Montgomery. Thank goodness he didn't need to spend his whole Saturday working, so we took advantage of a beautiful sunny day and took him on a little tour of some of our favorite roads around here.

LAKE MARTIN SCENIC OVERLOOK
We played on Hwy 49 north, cruising through some twisties before we ended up at this pretty little spot is right off of Hwy. 50, overlooking Lake Martin. As I looked down at the water, I remembered my Sea Doo fun and wished I was bit closer to water so I could take a quick dip. At a hot 93 degrees... a refreshing swim would have felt good right then.

Besides the beautiful view, this overlook is stocked with picnic tables and garbage cans. Harley and I like to come here often to take our stretch breaks and have something to drink.


As you can see... it's a cool place to meet other riders too. Looks like a couple other Harley rider's were taking their Hondapottamus out for a little spin.

I know you've been seeing a lot of Lake Martin lately, but hey... when you live in the South, water is your friend!

Have a great week everybody!

Lady R

PIC OF THE WEEK - LAKE MARTIN SUNSET

It's Labor Day... a time to celebrate hard work and the end of summer. The days are getting shorter, nights are feeling cooler and the promise of Autumn is lingering just around the corner. We spent some time on Lake Martin a couple weekends ago, and I was fortunate enough to experience a couple beautiful sunrises and sunsets while we were there. Our lives get so hectic sometimes, that when I actually get to pause and enjoy these moments, I feel like I've just been given a precious gift. It was actually hard for me to pick just one.

LAKE MARTIN SUNSET

How about a bonus picture! Why not? It's a holiday and besides... I get to do what I want here. (LOL!) Now that we've said goodbye to summer with a gorgeous sunset... let's say hello to Autumn with an even lovelier sunrise.

LAKE MARTIN SUNRISE
Waking up to scenery like this everyday must be good for one's soul. I think life on the lake would be like living in heaven, right here on earth. Can you imagine... riding all day till your hearts content only to come home to this? Ahhhhhhh. I've only got one thing to say... lottery!

Be sure and check out my "RIDIN' THE WATER" post from yesterday. I had a blast ridin' Sea Doo's while I was there and I definitely made some waves... that's for sure! Happy Labor Day everybody and have a great week!

Lady R

RIDIN' THE WATER

A couple of weekends ago, Harley and I had the great fortune of getting to "house sit" his uncle's cabin on Lake Martin... a very comfortable dwelling paired with an awesome toy collection, namely two Sea Doo's and a Sweetwater Pontoon boat. As soon as I realized we were going to spend some time at the lake place, I was chompin' at the bit to get my hands on a Sea Doo. I've only been a passenger on one once, and since I ride motorcycles and know how much pleasure I get from that, I couldn't wait to be the operator of one of these cool machines.

Finding out that there were only two basic functions... the "on/off" switch and the thumb throttle (no brakes, no clutch, no gears to sift through, accept forward or reverse) I realized this was gonna be just a "hang on and go" kind of deal. I stayed in our little slue while I putted around in a circle or two and got a good feel for it. I guess it took all of two minutes before I realized I was ready for some open water, so off I went.

Now, one of my favorite things to do while riding my Glide, is to accelerate through the gears at a rapid rate of speed. I don't necessarily go over the speed limit (most of the time) but I think it's fun to see how fast I can get to it... that's all. Another, is feeling the wind in my face as I cut through the warm air on a beautiful summer day. It goes along with my favorite expression, "only a biker knows why a dog sticks their head out the window."

Well, it didn't take long for me to realize this Sea Doo had some rapid acceleration power too! And instead of trying to find ways to stay cool and hydrated, skimming along on a Sea Doo allows refreshing sprays of lake water to wash over you while you speed across the water's surface. Nothing feels better than that "cooling" effect that the wind has on wet skin... aahhhhhh!

Pressing the thumb throttle all the way in makes your hair go horizontal and according to the digital dash, I was maxing it out at 75 r.p.m.'s (we figured that's about 60 to 62 m.p.h.). I was skipping across the water like a stone and flying off that seat every time I jumped a wave. The more waves I jumped, the more my ass flew off that seat. In my mind's eye, (if I were watching myself from the shore) I was flying in the air like a wind flag... feet and legs flapping behind me like ribbons... with nothing more than my hands clamped tightly on the grips! Woo Hoo!!
FYI... Pontoon's make the best waves, but if you find yourself lacking traffic, you can make your own. I've never mastered the art of doing doughnuts with the Glide, but doing doughnuts on a Sea Doo is nothing more than just a lot of giggly fun! Laughing out loud while almost dumping myself in, just gave me more reason to test it's limits. It's as if I were taunting my buoyant foe, "You'll never dump me.... Muwahahahahaha!!"

In comparing "rides" between a Glide and a Sea Doo, I would concur that both are tons of fun! Riding my Glide provides and outlet for the dangerous, daring and independent side of me while getting immense pleasure from experiencing the roads on two. If I were to find myself spending more and more time on the Lake, I would have to figure out a way to procure me a Sea Doo of my own.

Life on the lake would be a dream, but I have a hard time getting things done as it is. Can you imagine if I had this beautiful aqua playground as my backyard? I'd be gone all the time but, you'd know where to find me... I'd either be ridin' the roads... or ridin' the water. Either way, I'd be ridin'!!

Ride on...

Lady R

CHIMNEY ROCK - LAKE MARTIN

CHIMNEY ROCK
Welcome to "Chimney Rock"... one of the coolest hangouts for boater's and thrill seekers on Lake Martin. This is kind of like going to bike night... on the water. It gives lake lovers a chance to float around and check out each others vessels (yes, I'm biting my tongue right now! LOL!) while you watch the young and the invincible earn their braggin' rights by climbing up this famous rock, and bravely jump off to the water below.

(If you look closely, you can see a girl entering the water.)

I loved being able to cruise around Lake Martin on the pontoon. It brought back so many memories of when we had ours and this weekend didn't do anything to curb Harley's desire to get another one. I reminded him of how fun the Sea Doo was and he said... "I can do that on the motorcycle... I want a boat!"

Thanks to Harley's uncle, we spent the whole weekend on the water and it was absolutely fabulous! It was the first time I played on a Sea Doo (I previously thought they were Jet Ski's, but hey... who's countin'!) and I had a blast. I'll post pics and story for ya real soon!

Until then... I hope you all have a great week!

Lady R

PIC OF THE WEEK - DOGWOODS ON THE LAKE

Lake Martin has some really nice roads leading to and around it, and Harley and I consider this area as one of our favorite places to spend a Saturday. We often stop near the Kawliga Bridge and take a stretch break and I'll try to snap a few pics of anything I see interesting.

DOGWOODS ON THE LAKE
On our ride this past Saturday, I noticed how pretty the dogwoods were, full of their regal white blossoms, a sure sign that Spring was in full swing. I tried to capture their beauty as we stood by the water's edge.
We were very bad this weekend, as we spent both days puttin' around on the Glides... and our chores still remain undone. We couldn't help ourselves, the weather was just too pretty not to get out and ride in it... so we did.

I guess that means I'll be like a demon possessed for the next four days, so I can get us ready to go to Angel City this Thursday. Life was much simpler before we got Harleys! So much to do... so little time.

Have a great week everybody!

Lady R

PIC OF THE WEEK

Our temperature finally dropped to 65 this weekend and it was a real pleasure riding through the cooler air for a change. We took the Glides for a ride Sunday and found ourselves puttering around Lake Martin when we came across these geese hanging out at the water's edge.


LAKE MARTIN GEESEThey didn't seem to mind our intrusion at all as we walked along near the water. It was kind of cute to see them all standing around on one leg and their heads tucked snuggly under their wings.

This little guy was off to himself, watching everything as though he was standing guard while the others took their naps. Such a good sentry!

Some of you may be off today in honor of Columbus Day, and for those that are... have a good one! I, unfortunately, will go to work today.

Have a nice week!

Lady R

PIC OF THE WEEK

Harley and I spent Father's Day riding the Glides up around Lake Martin and found ourselves at the Horseshoe Bend Military Park in Dadeville. I've posted about this being one of my favorite places and I refer to it as my own personal "Tara".

A KITTYWOMPASS ALABAMA "TAINT" TREE
We were stretching our legs along the river, under some shade, and we noticed this odd tree. We made jokes about what we thought it looked liked, and we came up with a fact that we never realized... that even trees have "taints".

I'll even give you a two-fer again today, cause this tree had a bonus hole. Check it out.
This was the view from the other side. LOL!

(Author's note: For those of you not familiar with our Southern terminology; kittywompass means... slightly misaligned)

Hope you all had a nice Father's Day and here's to a great week. Happy Monday everybody!

Lady R