I am an impulse shopper. Not of usual things like candy or shoes but things like cars. Not sure how it happens, really. Or why it happens mostly when my other half is out of town on business, but in either case, it does occur. I’ll be just minding my own business and catch a "for sale" sign out of the corner of my eye and wham! One easy phone call to the banker and then comes the difficult task of calling Doug to say, "Guess what I bought today!" The poor man. I am afraid he might expire before his time with some of the shockers that I lay on him. If you see him in town, some sympathy might be in order if you can spare it. Thanks.That’s how I bought my motorcycle last spring. A friend’s husband is a mechanic at a bike shop down the street and needed a haircut for a funeral. (Did I ever tell you that I am a licensed cosmetologist?) At any rate, I said something about always wanting to get a motorcycle and he said they just took this sweet older one in on a trade and the next thing you know…It is an older model Suzuki in super shape with low miles. After I bought it, I immediately signed up for the safety council’s safe rider course to learn the ins and outs. I have limited motorcycle experience from my teens and have learned that you look at everything differently when you attain your forties. I wanted to ride unharmed and within the limits of the law, of course, with the proper license endorsement.The course was excellent and I learned a lot of great tips for safety. My favorite is to SEE. It stands for Search what is coming up, Evaluate what could happen and plan for what to do if it should, and Execute the plan if necessary. By the by, the answer to the question of what to do if you are cruising by and approached by a dog is not to throw your empty beverage can at him.I passed the course, got my license and rode very limited last year. Mostly just into Hills, around the streets and back home. Doug is a very experienced rider, also has a bike and we rode together a couple of times.This summer I have decided to be more adventurous and actually take my bike into the city. I decided the outskirts would be a great place to start and Memorial Day was the day. I would take it to Catfish Bay, where I have been involved with the shows for 14 years, for the first show of the season. Doug got my bike out, did the full inspection thing and I got ready to go. I loaded my little trunk with what I needed, put on my boots, my helmet, my full biker leathers and I was off. I may have been roasting, but I would arrive with my skin intact.I took the highway through Valley Springs and on to I-90 for the first time. Just my jittering nerves and me. I would like to relate what I learned on my first adventure onto the interstate system with my motorcycle.1. Contrary to popular belief and misinformed meteorologists, tornados are not caused by weather fronts but by gigantic 35-foot motor homes going 75 miles per hour and passing a 450cc Suzuki ridden by a frightened lady going about 60. 2. Road kill looks way different from the seat of a bike than the seat of a car.3. Road kill smells a lot different, too.4. The aroma of fresh-cut alfalfa from the cyclist’s perspective makes one want to pull over, get off the bike, lay on the first fluffy wind row you come to, inhale the sweet smell deeply and do nothing but watch the clouds go by.5. If you tell your husband that you are taking route A, you should not change your mind and take Route B without calling him because he just might have decided to try and follow you.6. If I’m taking my bike, I just might be late.7. You have to get off the cycle to close the gate.Story ideas or comments can be e-mailed to Nancy at Nancy861@msn.com or please call me at 962-3411.