Time is flying....

<span style="color: #e69138;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I have been home just over a week and am already looking at the looming date of Monday when I need to be as caught up from 90 days on the road as is possible. Why? Because I am going to Ireland.</span></i></span><br /> <span style="color: #e69138;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></span> <span style="color: #e69138;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It is my first time going to Europe and I am nervous and excited.  <a href="http://www.motorental.ie/">Celtic Rider</a> has a great itinerary lined up for Stephanie and I. When we arrive, we have a day to ourselves in Dublin and then the guys will pick us up, take us to the Celtic Rider location for a safety course on riding on the left hand side of the road.  We will have a guide for the first two days just to ensure that we get the hang of things.</span></i></span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I am nervous as I have never ridden a BMW before much less a sport touring bike, AND I have never ridden on the left side of the road before. I don't want to be dead and I don't want to embarrass myself either.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I know I have a fair amount of experience under my belt but that does not stop a good case of the nerves from happening!</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">While on this trip I will also be doing product testing.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.kimpex.com/en-ca/home">Kimpex</a> has sent Stephanie and I some new helmets to test.  Both helmets have the ear pockets for communications devices so we will be testing the<a href="http://www.uclear-digital.com/en/"> UClear</a> communications units.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">These are the ones with the boomless mics and came to us from Green Room Social, a marketing company. </span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We will see how they perform in non full face helmets where the sound quality is reported to be amazing.  Once we are done with the <a href="http://www.uclear-digital.com/en/">UClear </a>devices they have to go back to the marketing firm to send out to other journalists to try.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Then I am testing out the new <a href="http://www.heatdemon.com/">Heat Demon</a> heated vest and foot warmers also thanks to <a href="http://www.kimpex.com/en-ca/catalogues">Kimpex</a>.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">These babies can be hooked to the battery on your motorcycle but can also be hooked up to an external battery pack that fits in the inside pocket of the vest so that you can continue to have heat when you are off the bike.  Also if you were on a rental bike (like I will be in Ireland) that you could not attach the battery connector to, you could still be running a heated vest when needed!</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">When I got the gear in yesterday, I charged the battery up and then wore the vest until the battery died and I was very pleased with the amount of heat and the length of time the small external battery could provide.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6plpXHYFsYCFaUf9NBzIlZrj_5uVFZQ-KxybRJt_yqvHQ2IbGyt5yFO52ye09vLMVdU1EE5mOn__lNriar9L8DJwXv6JwFeufN8hP4SyDtBuxjl6Wy87RErVAH5Tjgrkl0st9/s1600/Cables,+controller+and+battery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6plpXHYFsYCFaUf9NBzIlZrj_5uVFZQ-KxybRJt_yqvHQ2IbGyt5yFO52ye09vLMVdU1EE5mOn__lNriar9L8DJwXv6JwFeufN8hP4SyDtBuxjl6Wy87RErVAH5Tjgrkl0st9/s320/Cables,+controller+and+battery.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">4 hours on HIGH!</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxpV-X5iZDKFcbwgYyLcq4YBDlaht8qtJPd6QRong62Jsk7221TuuynQjVP9fZ31nzowccM8VdJgz8XNDgwwfyrz_3fQndq_zlQWpLffIqfuh9MVzUp-XyQ7SygjBRr3Z8GIL/s1600/Heated+Vest+-+Heat+Demon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Vest" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxpV-X5iZDKFcbwgYyLcq4YBDlaht8qtJPd6QRong62Jsk7221TuuynQjVP9fZ31nzowccM8VdJgz8XNDgwwfyrz_3fQndq_zlQWpLffIqfuh9MVzUp-XyQ7SygjBRr3Z8GIL/s320/Heated+Vest+-+Heat+Demon.jpg" title="The Vest" width="213" /></a></span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The vest has some pretty cool features too, the side panels of the vest give you the ability to find the right fit for you. </span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I am looking forward to testing out the foot warmers and seeing how they perform. These babies are one size fits all in that like insoles, there are guides for you to cut them to match up with your foot size.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhL8qOP9eQIMTgTM00JX6aGCnP24EpOdAWHmXS_qkH0ZhUQQ1s2jlgEobYVIQD2P78BoB1o3RjXbhQrIM9MRpU9jifPC8I2vcmgNoG0R8FnjcdQhEP0mmVNo3X93f3hsvXIB5v/s1600/Vest+closed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Vest" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhL8qOP9eQIMTgTM00JX6aGCnP24EpOdAWHmXS_qkH0ZhUQQ1s2jlgEobYVIQD2P78BoB1o3RjXbhQrIM9MRpU9jifPC8I2vcmgNoG0R8FnjcdQhEP0mmVNo3X93f3hsvXIB5v/s320/Vest+closed.jpg" title="The Vest" width="210" /></a>The cables seem very lightweight and unobtrusive and run up your legs where they hook to a y cable and then into the controller.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Because I have arthritis in my feet in a really bad way, I am particularly looking forward to see how these babies will work.  They might solve some of the cold weather riding issues I have.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">All of these products will get a work out in Ireland and I'll have full reviews on them sometime there after.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Like I said, I am nervous, excited and a tad overwhelmed with the work load I have created for myself by being on the road for 90 days, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The minute I feel overwhelmed I look at some of the 200 plus hours of video I have to edit and I smile, remembering the wonderful people, the amazing scenery, the food...photos and videos sure keep those memories alive and vivid!</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Yes, everything in life is a trade off and while I might moan a little about the work, I am so grateful to have it!</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Until next time, ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you!</span><br /> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span> <i><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Belt Drive Betty,</span></b></i><br /> <i><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Editor & Rider</span></b></i>

Time is flying....

Belt Drive 0 9:58 AM

I have been home just over a week and am already looking at the looming date of Monday when I need to be as caught up from 90 days on the road as is possible. Why? Because I am going to Ireland. It is my first time going to Europe and I am nervous an… Read more »

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