Dave & Teds Most Excellent Adventures 2013

[CyncySpyder]

Here's what our local weather man has to say:
Good morning! A fast-moving weather system continues to move across the area early this morning and had already put down between a covering and an inch or more of snow. This system will move out by mid-morning with accumulating snow ending after 7 AM. Many areas will pick up 1-2 inches of snow with some isolated locations possibly seeing as many as 3 inches. This is going to make for messy travel this morning, so use caution on area roads. Roads which have been treated will mainly be wet with some slick spots and untreated roads will be completely snow covered and hazardous. Expect mostly sunny skies later today. All eyes then turn to an arctic cold front which will move into the area tomorrow. Ahead of this front, we will turn breezy and warmer tomorrow with highs close to freezing. Behind it, expect some bitter cold air with highs only in the lower 20s and lows in the single digits. More messy weather looks to move in for the weekend

I knew this mornings commute was going to be bad, so I got up at 3:30am instead of my usual 3:42am to give myself a few extra minutes to clear & salt 2 tracks of our really steep driveway so I could at least make it to our side road without sliding. One good thing about commuting so early is that there's hardly anyone else on the road to run into, so I'm thankful for that.

Teddy didn't like getting up earlier than usual and just jumped under the covers while I showered & got ready. When we went out, him to do his 'business' and me to clear & salt, it was really coming down hard. Took me about 10 minutes to clear the 2 tracks I needed to get down our driveway & by the time I got the salt out, it was already covered again with a light coat of snow. Thankfully, this is just a powder type and not much ice to deal with, but still made it slippery.

I felt so bad for Teddy tho, since we live on a dead-end side street & it was so early in the morning, I just let Teddy walk with me without a lead and he usually stays right with me and listens pretty well to my commands, but I just can't seem to get him to understand to NOT walk in the salt. I always leave a small path without salt just for him, but he always seems to not really pay attention where he's putting his little paws when he's walking in the snow, and as soon as he walks thru the salt and the next step is into snow, he instantly freezes in place & tries his damndest to not set his paws back down again. I think the reaction of the salt and snow on his paws causes a burning sensation and he can't stand it and he'll litterally just stand their in place, raising one paw after the other over and over again. No amount of coaxing will get him to continue, and I have to go over and pick him up & carry him to the entry way where its clear & that's exactly what happened again this morning, Poor lil guy.

I know they make doggy-booties for dogs for just this reason & we've tried them, but he absolutely can't stand those things and basically just flops over on his side kicking and tearing at them with his teeth til he either gets them off or I give in and remove them.

This mornings drive in was .............. unnerving to say the least. The side roads were totally covered and the highways only had a tire track or two that was even visible, no lane lines could be seen at all & that made for tricky manuvering especially around those big 18 wheelers. 2 of which that were in front of me on the drive in actually put on their emergency flashers and just pulled to the side of the Interstate under bridge overpasses. I thought about calling in and taking a Personal Day, but I only have 4 days left until June, so I really need to keep them if I can, if Teddy & I hope to do any of the 2014 Spyder Events, otherwise I would have just jumped right back in bed with Teddy.

They say the snow is suppose to have stopped by now & should be clear and sunny once it rises today, so hopefully the drive home will be much easier than the drive here.

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[RTVIPER]

Teddy sure loves Cool Whip, down to the very last drop

[CyncySpyder]

Our local weather mans words of wisdom:
We are off to a bitter cold start with readings in the teens and even single digits. Expect lots of sunshine as we start the day with a gradual increase in clouds this afternoon. An arctic cold front will move through the area early this afternoon. Well see temperatures climb into the lower 30s in advance of this front by this afternoon with plummeting temperatures tonight. I expect most areas to fall into the single digits by tomorrow morning with some spots possibly even dropping below zero. Things will stay bitter cold on Thursday before we see a warm up materialize late this week and into the start of the weekend. However, with this warm up will come the chance for more messy weather this weekend, including the chance for more accumulating snow.

I thought about ryding in this morning cause most of the roads are pretty much dry, but then I realized its only 19F degrees & I'm still without my FirstGear Thermo Suit so I rationally changed my mind With the suit, not an issue, ryde ryde ryde without it however, I'd just be a glutton for punishment

On another topic, Teddy has been helping to clear out the spare bedroom & wow, talking about a trip down memory lane, finding so much .......... history, just stopped in time. I mean, many of us joke kiddingly about having a Spyder Addiction, but discovering what I am lately, I honestly think I have a real problem. I've never been an alcoholic, tho I'm very familiar with the disease & its implications since my father was one for my entire lifetime, so I've learned a thing or two about the recovery process.

I know in AA, like NA one of the steps is admitting you have a problem and that usually comes about when your actions adversely effect your life in one way or another. Well, I can definitely see where this has clearly happened with me, and it all revolves around the date of March 2010 when I caught my very first glimpse of a yellow RS Spyder leaving the parking lot at work. It could have been crack, cause right then & there, I was hooked. Every night, when I got home from work, I spent most of my waking hours just trying to find out any information about what I had seen, and I couldn't help myself. The more info I found, the more it powered the disire of 'No matter what, I've gotta have one of those' at any cost. I mean litterally, everything I was doing in my life at that time...... stopped in its tracks. Like I was at the beginning of remodeling our condo & had just torn out 3 walls to open up the space & the holes are still in the ceiling with the wires hanging down, exposed framework and all.

Once I found out the object of my desire was called a Spyder we found that we had a local dealer that sold them only 15 minutes away in Florence KY so Teddy & I would drive by all the time, looking, drooling, teasing myself. I HAD TO HAVE ONE!!! So I diverted all my available funds to making my obsession a reality & started working all the Overtime I could, litteraly working 7 days a week, 12 hours a day to save up for the down payment. All my funds that were suppose to renovate the condo went to my obsession as well & the condo remodel stopped in its tracks.

My life now, is nothing like it was before that date. I mean everything changed, I changed .... IT CHANGED ME..... in a good way.

TBC ...........................

[CyncySpyder]

Here's what our local weather man has to say for today:
Good morning! Try to get an early start today. Light snow has moved into the area overnight. With temperatures in the 20s, roads are cold enough that this snow will stick to them if they are untreated. If they are treated, expect mostly wet conditions. At any rate, you will need more time because it doesn't take much snow to create big problems. Accumulations for most will be an inch or less. Snow will taper down to flurries by late morning as temperatures slowly climb into the lower 30s later. A little more snow will be on the way late tonight and tomorrow morning before a warm up materializes later this week. But with that warm up will come some rain.

Not saying it hasn't happened, but I can't remember a season in my 42 years that we've had this much snow before Christmas. As a kid, I'd always pray for a white Christmas but was usually dissapointed as we'd usually get one or two days where it would either flurry or actually snow, but more often than not, it would all be melted away by Christmas day.

Caged it in again this morning cause it was snowing, but nothing severe at all. Saturday we actually had a day of dryness and we took a break from cleaning out the spare room and we hopped on the sled and took off for a few hours of much needed therapy. I swear, its like a drug ....... in a good way.

Teddy was happy to ryde, but not with his Santa's lil Helper ryding gear cause it also includes a lil hat, which Teddy hates anything that messes with his MowHawk But it makes the outfit & pulls it all together, so he begrudgedly dealt with it as long as I rewareded him with a treat every now and then....... does he have me trained or what ....

We stopped over and saw my brother and nephew that recently had back surgery, similar to myself last year, and had a good visit. My nephews son really likes Teddy alot and loves his sled even more. I posted a pic or two of him either last year or the year before, sitting on Teds Sled and grabbing the handlebars with Teddy standing in the passenger seat behind him looking like he wasn't all that thrilled with having a new micro-driver.

Then we set out in search of a good background to take some pics in front of, and found the hills around the condo complexes of my brothers house to still be completely covered, so we headed across the street to them once we left my brothers. Stopped in one area and looking across the valley, there sits my old child-hood home, brought back alot of memories to say the least. So strange, there's little that is the same, as the new owners changed just about everything about the place and the city even changed the street name & number of the house, so now its not even the same address as when I lived there. Seems that old saying about you can always go back home isn't really true, cause in some cases, the houses aren't even there anymore.

Was funny tho, cause as we were pulled to the side of the road and using the snow covered hill as a backdrop to take pics of Teddy on his Red Sled, car after car would stop, give a big smile and a thumbs up, and some would even take their own pic or two. Then one car stopped and started talking ... "I know you, you guys are always coming into PetsMart & Lowes. You always bring a smile to my face when I see you guys out." And she would have went on and on, except there were cars backing up behind her & she had to go.

If I get time today, I'll post some of the pics.

I know this is last minute notice, but if anyone would like to recieve a Christmas Card from Teddy this year, please just send me a PM with your name & mailing address & I'll get them in the mail tomorrow & you'll hopefully still get them before Christmas day.

[ThreeFeet]

Dave put some really good ones on here. I'll get a picture from you that way and get my printer to workin. Save's ya a stamp!!!

[CyncySpyder]

Click on pic to enlarge
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Dave put some really good ones on here. I'll get a picture from you that way and get my printer to workin. Save's ya a stamp!!!

[CyncySpyder]

Its all starting to come into focus, a little more each day, a little more clarity, a little more joy, a little more sadness and a whole bunch of loss. Teds Red Sled has provided that escape since its inception. Now I understand why the Spyder came to be our daily driver, as it was therapy in more ways than I even knew.

Clearing out the spare bedroom has brought me face to face with the reality that I've been struggling for the past 11 years to ........ ignore. But who in their right mind wants to feel pain? To feel hurt and loss, to acknowledge suffering of one they loved so dear. I'm starting to realize tho, without that, you truly can't ............. move on, at least not as a whole person. There's always a part of you... not available, stuck, left behind.

I've tried my best to keep this thread geared toward the positive aspects of Spyder enjoyment for Teddy & I, but this time of year is such an emotional conflict for myself & its hard to be positive when your hurting. They say you should acknowledge it, own it, deal with it, and then move on & put it behind you. Some things are just easier said than done.

I may be a little distant on here for the next few days. Just know that Teddy & I are ok, and we Wish You ALL a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year....... Happy Holidays to YOU ALL

[KatLen0405]

And while you work your way through the holidays and this difficult time, remember that even though you may be physically alone, you and Teddy are always surrounded in spirit by those that love you. I'm sure that's more than a whole condo full of people! I wish you and Teddy a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

And remember, Teddy, don't eat the yellow snow!

[CyncySpyder]

The prospect of renting out our spare bedroom is more unsettling than I ever anticipated. Initial reaction turns to trust and I'll admit, I'm a very flawed and damaged man in many ways. I'm also very caring, to a fault, and have been taken advantage of on more than one occasion, due to my generosity..... its difficult to fight ones own basic character, even if it is for your own better good.

It's been just Teddy & I for so long now, that the thought of having someone else in our home, alone with Teddy, without me being there...... worries me. Any suggestions about how to go about choosing a room mate, or even where to look, to find someone that is trust worthy. The thought of someone hurting Teddy while I'm not there has me

[Netminder]

Dave, I just want to wish you and Teddy a Merry Christmas and a great New year! As you have said many times before this to shall pass! Stay strong!

[stillriding]

... that the thought of having someone else in our home, alone with Teddy, without me being there...... worries me. Any suggestions about how to go about choosing a room mate, or even where to look, to find someone that is trust worthy.
If you can find an alternative to renting out a room, do it! You would be risking a lot by having a "stranger" move into your condo even if you run an extensive background check. In addition to worrying about Teddy you'd be concerned about things you own. It would be different if your tenant's area was separate from yours and Teddy's, but with a common entrance and shared areas I believe you'd be open to problems. At the very least secure at least one of your rooms (bedroom?) to prevent the tenant from entering. Furthermore, if things don't work out with your tenant, don't assume that he'll move out if you ask him to. Even though it's your condo you may have to go to court to evict him if you want him out because a tenant is afforded certain rights under the law. I've professionally evicted hundreds of people during my law enforcement career and it can get ugly. If you do go this route DO NOT assume that a verbal agreement and a handshake is enough. Dave, I sincerely hope you don't have to become a landlord.

[oldgoat]

... that the thought of having someone else in our home, alone with Teddy, without me being there...... worries me. Any suggestions about how to go about choosing a room mate, or even where to look, to find someone that is trust worthy.
If you can find an alternative to renting out a room, do it! You would be risking a lot by having a "stranger" move into your condo even if you run an extensive background check. In addition to worrying about Teddy you'd be concerned about things you own. It would be different if your tenant's area was separate from yours and Teddy's, but with a common entrance and shared areas I believe you'd be open to problems. At the very least secure at least one of your rooms (bedroom?) to prevent the tenant from entering. Furthermore, if things don't work out with your tenant, don't assume that he'll move out if you ask him to. Even though it's your condo you may have to go to court to evict him if you want him out because a tenant is afforded certain rights under the law. I've professionally evicted hundreds of people during my law enforcement career and it can get ugly. If you do go this route DO NOT assume that a verbal agreement and a handshake is enough. Dave, I sincerely hope you don't have to become a landlord.

I agree 100%

[KatLen0405]

I'd talk to friends and family first, maybe they have a friend who is in need of a place. Other than that, I would check with the vets in the area to see if maybe they have any interns that could use a room. But I wouldn't just list it for anyone to apply, there's no telling what you might get that way.

I'd work on other ways to increase income / decrease spending first.
In coming: Ebay the stuff that you don't need and have cleaned out. Start a Teddy blog on the internet and sell Teddy clothes. Write a book about your adventures and publish it. Look at a part time job that has flexible hours or something that you can do at home. Babysitting or dogsitting services?

Outgoing: Cut back on eating out. Check the deductibles on your home and auto insurance and possibly increase them to decrease your rates. If you don't already have one, get a programmable thermostat to decrease your heating bills. Cut back on cable services. Cancel your telephone land line and just use your cell. Check with your cell provider to make sure your on the best value plan for you. If you have credit card debt, call your providers and negotiate a lower interest rate. Work with a non-profit debt consolidation group to consolidate your debt. Re-finance your home to lower your monthly mortgage payments (you can roll any closing fees into the loan so it won't cost you anything out of pocket). Sell your car and get an older one (to get rid of car payments) since you don't use it much anyways.

I hope these ideas help!

[CyncySpyder]

With age comes experience and hopefully, experience leads to wisdom.

Way back in 98-99 when I was married and lived in Florida, my (then) wife ended up addicted to crack cocaine along with being BiPolar & suicidal as well. I learned allot back then, more than I care to admit. Had to buy a safe to put my wallet & car keys in every time I got home or they could end up missing.... addictions are a After rehab after rehab and attempt after attempt, I finally realized if I didn't do what was best for me, she was going to take me down with her, and we agreed to a divorce. I gave her anything she wanted except the house we lived in, cause at that time, my mother was the one that put the money down on the house. Soon after our dicorce my mother got ill enough that we knew time was close & decided it best to move back to the Cincy area so she could once again be around family for her final few months.

At that time, I tried being an absentee landlord and rented out our Florida home to people I thought I could trust, my assistant manager his girlfriend & their best friend. For 6 months, all was well, but then I'd get a call, "Sorry, we're going to be a little late with the rent this month" then one thing lead to another, a fight broke out, somebody moved out and blah blah blah. By the time I got them all out and went down to assess the situation, I found the house to be a disaster. Literally destroyed, tiles broken, windows and glass...... it was unbelievable.... inconceivable to me at the time.

At my last apt. the one that burned down, I had a buddy that needed a place to stay for a while, and I had a spare room that I wasn't using, so what could it hurt to help out a buddy...... right? UGH!!! I learned the hard way, and needless to say, that person is no longer in my life.

I'd like to think I've learned some tough lessons, and even though it churns my stomach just thinking about doing this, at least I'm not as naive as I once was. I'm

TBC ..................

[Spyder_Cowgirl]

.....
I'd work on other ways to increase income / decrease spending first.
In coming: Ebay the stuff that you don't need and have cleaned out. Start a Teddy blog on the internet and sell Teddy clothes. Write a book about your adventures and publish it. Look at a part time job that has flexible hours or something that you can do at home. Babysitting or dogsitting services? .....

I hope these ideas help!

Dave .... KatLen0405 has some great ideas. Given what you have gone through over the years, you have probably already done what I'm going to suggest (if so, please don't take offense).

Create a budget, either manually via spreadsheet or using some book keeping software like Quicken. Be honest about what you are ACTUALLY spending and what your MUST HAVEs are. As KatLen points out, look for ways to "trim down." You would be surprised how much you can recover in a budget just by making some simple changes. Like, when getting ready to purchase something ask "is this a NEED or a WANT?" ... if it's not a NEED, then don't buy it.

I speak from real life experience here, both recent and several years ago. In the 1990's, my other half (spydercowboy, aka hogcowboy), took a "package deal" and retired early. The deal included a 5 year bridge to retirement, so our income was cut in half overnight and he had no major income for 5 years. It took a few months to adjust, and we were able to use his "package" check as a buffer, but we managed to reign in our spending and live within the single income. More recently, I was laid off after 32 years and was able to retire with no bridge. Still, now our income has been cut by more than half .. to the point that we are only taking in about a third of what we used to. Again, was able to use the severance check as a buffer and also to pay off one loan, and it has taken a few months but we were able to adjust our spending and this month actually had a small surplus of a couple hundred $$'s

The point I'm trying to make here is in both cases, we could not have made this drastic adjustment without establishing a budget and agreeing to discipline ourselves in order to stick to it.

Best of luck in whatever you decide to do. May your Christmas be Merry and may you have a Happy New Year!

Best Regards .... Ann

[CyncySpyder]

We'll start a new thread soon for our 2014 Adventures

[kool rider]

Just picked up our RTL from shop where I had the second service/oil change, speakers fixed and center windshield bolt replaced. The warranty covered the speakers but not the broken or lost windshield bolt. I was quite surprised this was not covered by the warranty because the bolt either broke and jiggled out, or the nut fell off and the bolt came out. Either way, it was a defective part or the nut was not tightened properly in assembly at factory and should be covered by the warranty in my opinion. Cost me $92 for parts, labor, shop supplies and hazardous waste fees. I read the warranty and did not find any windshield parts listed in exclusions. Anyone else have a broken or lost center windshield bolt replaced and covered by warranty? When I took it in two weeks ago, the service writer thought the windshield repair would be covered under warranty. When I asked him about it today, he said BRP advised that it was not a covered item. It is not a big cost repair but makes me wonder about the rear axel nut coming loose, axel coming out, and the rear wheel falling off while riding down the highway. Would BRP claim the resulting damages would not be covered either? I did not notice the hazardous waste fees on my bill until I got home. I assume these fees are for disposal of the shop supplies, oil, filter, etc.? Does your dealer's service department charge a "hazardous waste fee?" Bo... P.S. Spyderlovers.com is an outstanding source of information... it is easy to use & full of neat features... I really enjoy browsing through the posts, photos, and ads. As a geek who spent 50+ years in IT, my compliments to the developer... GREAT job!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Just picked up our RTL from shop where I had the second service/oil change, speakers fixed and center windshield bolt replaced. The warranty covered the speakers but not the broken or lost windshield bolt. I was quite surprised this was not covered by the warranty because the bolt either broke and jiggled out, or the nut fell off and the bolt came out. Either way, it was a defective part or the nut was not tightened properly in assembly at factory and should be covered by the warranty in my opinion. Cost me $92 for parts, labor, shop supplies and hazardous waste fees. I read the warranty and did not find any windshield parts listed in exclusions. Anyone else have a broken or lost center windshield bolt replaced and covered by warranty? When I took it in two weeks ago, the service writer thought the windshield repair would be covered under warranty. When I asked him about it today, he said BRP advised that it was not a covered item. It is not a big cost repair but makes me wonder about the rear axel nut coming loose, axel coming out, and the rear wheel falling off while riding down the highway. Would BRP claim the resulting damages would not be covered either? I did not notice the hazardous waste fees on my bill until I got home. I assume these fees are for disposal of the shop supplies, oil, filter, etc.? Does your dealer's service department charge a "hazardous waste fee?" Bo... P.S. Spyderlovers.com is an outstanding source of information... it is easy to use & full of neat features... I really enjoy browsing through the posts, photos, and ads. As a geek who spent 50+ years in IT, my compliments to the developer... GREAT job!

And you got great answers to this question on 5 / 29 /15 so Why are you re-posting this ???????.............Mike

[OJ UK]

Just picked up our RTL from shop where I had the second service/oil change, speakers fixed and center windshield bolt replaced. The warranty covered the speakers but not the broken or lost windshield bolt. I.......blah...blah.....blah ad nauseum!

And what exactly has this post got to do with Dave and Teddy's adventures? Plus as Mike says, why are you reposting this?