SAFETY GEAR

When we lived in California, I participated in a few off-road motorcycle races. I wore (of course) a helmet (full face), chest protector, hard shell boots, wrist guards, shin protectors and full leather suit. When I see people riding their Harleys around here wearing no protection, I just shake my head. Falling on dirt hurts, but falling on a highway has to hurt a lot more.

When my wife and I go whitewater kayaking, we wear helmets as well as boots that let us walk around without injury when we are out of the boats. My wife also wears neoprene pants and constantly lectures me to do the same. But because I am a male human being and, therefore, stubborn, I have consistently refused, much to my chagrin. It’s not that I get injured in the boat, but when I am out of the boat and slip on a rock or something. Let me tell you, shins bleed a lot and they take forever to heal!

BTW, someone once told me that the leading cause of death of male human beings is stubbornness.

Recently, my son posted on Facebook: I power washed the patio today. The patio fought back.

Here is the picture he shared.

I commented: I hope you were wearing safety glasses.

He replied: OK Boomer.

I HATE that expression.

Eventually he conceded that he should have been wearing safety glasses.

I sent him a pair of Bomber Eyewear “REGGIE” safety glasses to be sure he had them handy in the future. Here he is posing in them. I had to be sure he was fashionable.

Here is what I look like when I am working outside.

The bandana is not for Coronavirus, but to keep all the crap in the air out of my nostrils. My safety glasses are Bomber Eyewear “BOOGIE” safety glasses. I am not that concerned about being fashionable (obviously).

I also wear long sleeve shirts, boots and jeans, no matter how hot it is outside. Why? Just the other day I accidentally brushed up against a prickly pear cactus. If not for my jeans, I would still be plucking spines out of my leg. As it was, some of the spines went right through my jeans.

Also, having been bitten by a rattlesnake, I don’t go roaming around in the grass without boots.

So, I don’t mess around. It seems that when I get lazy about safety, something happens.

When I bought my Bomber safety glasses, I bought two pair. My experience with brands other than Bomber is that they tend to get damaged. Not so with Bomber glasses.

If you are interested in Bomber eyewear, here is a link to their site:

https://www.bombereyewear.com/

You can get them on Amazon as well. Same price, but limited selection. Here is a link:

https://amzn.to/2YjjFRj

I bought directly from Bomber, by the way, even though I shop a lot on Amazon. The selection is much better.

Will I wear neoprene pants when kayaking? Still not sure about that. I do have other, thinner leggings that I have begun to wear.

Oh – I should mention that my son is the Director of Digital Media for the American Red Cross. Just sayin’.