Ya'at'eeh (hello/greetings in Navajo),

 

Thought I would try a Native American greeting since we just came through the Uintas (of course I didn't take the time to look up the local native greeting, just chose one I knew...lazy, I know). Long time no hear. Believe me you didn't want to read the update I started in Las Vegas........I think I lost my funny bone there so if any of you find it, please send it on up to Doc at: Doc, Docs Van, Some Idaho Falls Park on the east side of town, Idaho Falls, Idaho.   I know it will get right to him considering it takes a week to send a letter across town in Henderson.

 

Now for the adventure......Our Vegas homecoming was filled with many frustrations, heart stopping s*** your pants moments (ask me in person on this one), jaw dropping disappointments & losses (don't ask) and the mending of relationships but the biggest thing, it was boring...........2 and a half weeks in a motel sucked even though we were crawling distance away from the Goldmine, our favorite bar (and I never crawled home once which Dave is still in awe over).    Several friends from the Goldmine asked what we'd been up to while we were gone?   WHAT?????? Have you seen my labor of love emails? Didn't Janet pass the copies around I snail mailed back for all those without computers or just too lazy to set them up (not mentioning any names but you know who you are)? Oh, that's a big YES on both questions!!   What the F***?  "We never read the update, just looked at the pictures". Thought I was a player in Gorillas in the Mist (quit laughing Rik). Hey I really love each and every one of you, but even I get tired of telling the story of where, what, when, who and how over and over again. So you have a choice: Read the update, get a friend to read it to you or get on your bike and go with us (pick this one, there's room for everybody and so far we've never run out of beer).   Even though there were tears when we arrived, our friends and family can always make us laugh.   Of course there was the usual love and laughter; fantastic visits with Mel, Joey (you can cook for me anytime) & Aralyn, being drenched by a squealing naked 2 year old with a garden hose in her hand, having friends crawl on their hands and knees on a bar floor to find Dave's watch stem not once, but twice (you must really like him) and watching three U Guys take ten minutes to put Paula on the back of the bike (I miss you too and call your name out when I'm drunk......no, really I do). Thanks for the friendship, the meals and especially the laughter. Wish we could be there for Johns big birthday bash but have one for us.   Chuck, I love the bike and don't you let any of those jack asses get to you (I have the proof you really do have a new bike and she's a purdy one!). Next time maybe you'll take me for a ride (still miss 2 wheels every once in a while).    Fences were mended among friends which I can't ever tell the two of you (Bob and Steve....oops) how much that meant to us.   Life is so short that the hug, handshake and a smile is all we should leave behind. Bob's dad passed while we were there which even though not unexpected, still a bummer.   I envied Bob every time he brought his dad in the bar (what a fantastic son)....they were very close.   Rick and the guys at Motorcyle Specialties once again did the amazing....She is the frikken bomb with her updated paint and trog tracks. We were so lucky that they only needed her ass end so Harley could work on the whatever the damn thing was that ripped off.....I'm mechanically challenged when it comes to modes of transportation so you'll just have to decide what the hell it is when you see the pictures.   Needless to say (Keystone Cops of travelers) no one, not even at Harley, had seen anything like it before.....go figure. We had a wonderful ride with everyone before the grand opening of Motorcycle Specialties to a place called Nelson's Landing. It was the perfect ride for the desert, not too long and not too short and a complete surprise. Never knew it was there even though I thought there couldn't be a road (or a bar) we hadn't traveled over the 5 years we lived there. Lessons learned: 1. Never turn your back on a kid with a garden hose (it's a weapon in their hands). Thanks Aralyn for the wet ass. 2. Even the familiar has new avenues to explore when you least expect them. 3. It's very very very true......distance makes the heart grow fonder.   I'm gonna love the s*** out of you guys in Vegas by the time we come back next year.......

 

Our first day out from Vegas was a disaster (not smiling then). We didn't leave at oh dark early like we planned so by the time we hit Mesquite at 2 pm I was toast and we still had about 6 hours to go. You'd think as long as we've ridden in Vegas in the heat, we would know not to leave at 10am. A true idiot moment. We holed up in a hotel (again!!!!) and missed a wonderful meal waiting for us at Millsite State Park with some of the best people I'll ever know. Leo (my stylist) and Louie. It was Leo's annual family reunion (can I come next year..please, please, please) where they rent out an entire campground and about 200 show up.....and not one a****** in the group that I met (not saying there wasn't one cuz I'm sure I didn't meet everybody).   I told Louie his cooking was spoiling the s*** out of Dave and going to make my life a living hell when we left. Louie gave him a full breakfast, buffalo for dinner, etc and I feed him a breakfast burrito and a ham sandwich. I got a feeling he's going to expect more at the next campground. Of course, I loved the pampering with delivery of hot water for my tea every morning.....Like I said, these two can't be matched. I want the relationship those two have after 29 years. Now there's something to think about - let's see, Dave 91 and me 82, still camping and riding in the wind. I definitely see it. We had so much fun the wind that blew all day, everyday and the huge mutant (NO s***) mosquitoes were hardly noticed. We hated to leave and once we left, we really hated to leave. Word to the wise: Don't ever travel the east side going north of a mountain range - your in a wind tunnel (and you know how much we love the wind).   If I had a vivid imagination and as much wicked wind we have ridden in since we started, I would swear there's an evil windbag (no name but an easy guess) following us from Vegas.....now there's a horror film. Lessons learned: 1. If you're supposed to leave at 6 am - GET YOUR ASS OUT OF BED! You'll pay for it later if you don't. 2. The family of the past is still alive. What an amazing experience to meet generations of a family who still care and watch each others backs. 3. Tighten your hat or Dave makes you walk back and pick it up off the freeway even when you don't want to. He also makes you get off the bike to get his (anybody got some cheese for this whine).....

 

We finally arrived at my brother's house on Friday and not a minute too soon. Between Dave scaring the s*** out of me when his knee went out and he went down at a rest area smacking the back of his head, to the trike having another damn issue (this one makes her perfect for the horror film), I was ready for a meltdown (who me???)........again, go figure. After much cussing and discussing between Dave and Shawn, it's been guessed that some electrical switch in air ride system has gone psychotic or is possessed. From about Spanish Fork to Roy (roughly 3 hours at our rate of travel) she kept losing pressure.  Every time we stopped she would cycle up and then lose the pressure.   Once we stopped at Shawn's, every ten minutes she was buzzing and pumping back up until she finally went up to a hundred and stuck.    The next morning Dave released it down to 60 and she hasn't moved again but I keep waiting to hear that frikken buzzing sound over my shoulder (I've set up camp in Shawn's damn nice garage). Now we have to find someone to work on her here which isn't easy with everybody gone to Sturgis (I knew we should have gone...dammit). We had a great ride through the canyons last night with Shawn and the new love of his life, Elke. I have never seen my brother so happy and affectionate in my life.........they reminded me of Dave and I the first couple of years when no matter where you are or how many people are in the room, there isn't anybody else around. Total oblivion to the rest of us.........Now I know how our friends at the Goldmine felt 5 years ago...Sorry, Sorry, Sorry, guys. Of course I had to make the bonehead move of the day (would someone please put a warning sign on my back). We took a bunch of pictures while having dinner with his ex and the kids. When Sandi wanted to download the pictures I had taken from the memory card in the camera, I just handed it over......STUPID, STUPID, STUPID.....I had taken pictures of Elke and one of the kids the night before while Shawn was barbecuing.   The moment she slid the card into the laptop, I wanted to die. Sandi, with soo much class, said it was fine (even though I knew it was hard).   She said all she wanted was his happiness and if she couldn't make him happy and Elke could, that was all that matter. A REAL CLASS ACT........She even told Shawn not to be mad at me.   He didn't have to be, I was pissed enough at myself for the both of us and half of Utah (now that's pissed). Lessons learned: 1. If your mechanic is going to Sturgis, you should too. I just know he wouldn't mind fixing her under a tree at the side of the road. 2. When dealing with sticky situations: THINK!!!! 3. And last but not least, keep smiling and laughing cuz if you don't, the world will roll right over you.

 

Link to photos: http://oscarswildadventure.smugmug.com/gallery/9149069_gfPJY/1/610182853_xPHNw

 

We plan on heading out for Idaho by the weekend then into Wyoming! Keep smiling and enjoy the love and laughter of friends and family as often as possible....

 

Love

Debbie & Dave