Preparing for 2022 Riding Season

Welcome back, hope you all are doing well, if not, please don’t hesitate to reach out for help.

I’m so ready for the riding season here in Michigan, actually I was ready 4 months ago LOL.  I want to remind everyone before they go start up their bike that there are a few things you need to remember to do.  First off, if you have been storing check for small animals or debris that may have gotten in somewhere they shouldn’t have.  If you didn’t treat your fuel with a fuel stabilizer you might want to drain it.  Change the oil and check all fluids.  Inspect the Battery and check all electrical system.  Examine the controls.  Clean and lubricate chain, if it is belt driven ensure the belt is adjusted properly.  Check brake pads and levers.  Check Tires, tread and tire pressure.  Inspect the spark plugs, let the engine run for a few minutes and listen for any strange noises.  Check for loose bolts such as motor mounts, swingarm, axle, steering head fasteners, wheel balance and suspension. Also check the air pressure in the shocks for a comfortable ride.  After performing a quick preventative maintenance on your motorcycle it’s ready to ride, so enjoy your ride and be safe out there. 

How to Deal with Veteran’s with PTSD

What is PTSD?  (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, or sexual assault.  It’s normal to have upsetting memories, feel on edge, or have trouble sleeping after this type of event. It may be hard to do normal daily activities, to include spending time with people they care about.  Most people start to feel better after a few weeks or months. If it’s been longer than a few months you may have PTSD.

What are some of the symptoms of PTSD?  There are four symptoms:  reliving the event (nightmares, flashbacks, pr triggers), avoiding situations that remind you of the event, negative changes or feelings, feeling keyed up (hyper arousal).  Remember symptoms’ may not be the same for everyone. There are many different treatments for many different people some can get rid of the symptoms altogether, others have fewer symptoms and others never get rid of them, but they learn to deal with it.

This is something I really need to address since so many veterans have PTSD or anxiety issues and there are so many people who have never been around or had to deal with someone with these issues. First and foremost, we are not proud or happy that we have this issue and most of the time we shut ourselves off from people due to it.  But if you do have or know a veteran that is dealing with either or both of these please “LISTEN” If your veteran wants to talk about what they saw or experienced, encourage them to do so, but MAINTAIN a non-judgmental attitude as you listen, and be sure to give your full attention.  If you want to ask questions keep them unintrusive.  Don’t ask if they have killed anyone. Don’t ask them to put it behind them. Don’t snap, even if they snap… go beyond by saying “Thank you for your service”, most of them are going through a lot so they would rather hear “Thank you for your Service, how can I help you? That way it gives the civilians a way to find out how they can get help if possible.  Also, understand one thing if they do have an episode be understanding and don’t take it personal.  They are struggling so hard not to have this episode especially around people they love or know.  It’s hard enough for the veteran to be around people at times so try to make them feel comfortable and try to stay away from confrontational situations or issues.  If you do find a veteran that needs help don’t hesitate to reach out and provide them with information such as encouraging them to go to the VA for care, or connect them with the Veterans Crisis Line (800) 273-8255 or 211, or reach out to a family member or friend that can help or talk them down.  There are so many rumors and myths about veterans and PTSD.  After I had an episode around the holidays and how the person dealt with it -even though they were aware of it, not only upset me that it happened, but also upset me that they didn’t handle it in a proper manner. So I’m asking all family and friends to be considerate and understanding and remember one thing don’t take it personally…

RIDE SAFE AND ENJOY THE RIDE!!!!