Ain't it good to be back home again?

That's if you make it in one piece!

While the mate and team were at the point the tire went flat on the trailer again, you'll remember. This is one of those things that appear to be bad. We were going to have to leave it behind this morning and the mate would come back with the truck to fetch it. Unplanned expense, ick!

We put what we could on the bikes and in our pockets that we felt had to be taken with us and stuffed the rest into the crippled trailer and tucked it under the trees by the 5th wheel to wait for rescue the next day.

The kids helped us double carefully police the cabin, trailer and grounds. We wanted to be invited back and allowed to use it unsupervised so we wiped down, picked up, burnt and polished it up sweet for our hosts. Then we took a last look around, shrugged into our jackets, stuffed our heads into our helmets and got ready to ride.

We went on the, by now, traditional breakfast ride, our last trip to town, and then headed out for the bridge. The weather was a little cool but dry and partly sunny. The bikes were running great. We saw some huge sand hill cranes right beside the road but no moose and no bears.

Traffic started to pick up as we got closer to the bottle neck at the Mackinaw Bridge. You had to start paying attention, not just enjoying the ride and views of granite and pine soaring over you. Then I saw the sign. "Construction on bridge - Lane Closures" Oh, man, bad words and stomp my feet! We were going to have to ride the grate! If you check out the link you will see the view of the bridge from below. The dark edges are the lovely concrete roadways. The part you can see the sky through is the grate.

It's uneven heights of steel grating to keep ice from forming on the bridges. In biker talk it's called "the cheese grater". It grabs a tire and puts it anywhere it wants, then you hit a lower spot in the pattern and it moves you somewhere else unless you muscle your handle bars to stay inside the lines. It feels like trying to walk on an icy escalator or conveyor belt that is moving sideways as well as forward. We avoid it like the Scarecrow avoids fire!

It had even come up in the converstations that weekend. I hadn't road the bridge grate although I have rode other bridges and other grating. I tried to describe it to the nephew and fumbled around to oily, squirrely, but do-able.

I thought about slowing down to warn the kids but I decided I would just transmit my fear and they were better off facing it cold with no negative input. We paid our tolls and started off. When we had to shift to the grating it was like going from carpet to waxed wood floors at full speed. I saw the mate was really wrestling his bike and then didn't get to worry about him except to make sure I was far enough back to not crowd him. My bike wanted to polka and I can barely two step! I was almost standing up on the pegs to keep the front end pointed where I wanted to go.

In my rear view I watched as the kids hit the new texture and saw they were holding steady and I couldn't watch them, either. It was the dance of avoiding the worlds worst road rash and I was doing the twist hoping the rear end would stay in line nicely while I leaned, lifted and lashed the front end into minding me.

You had to go just a certain speed. Too fast and she skated like a car hydroplaning, too slow and she started to drift sideways. It's the ultimate in crappy surfaces to ride on. I rather ride up a gravel pile!

For a lot of biker it isn't the grate that bothers them, it's the view. You can see down to the water and it's a llloooonnnnnnngggggg way down. I don't mind the height, I worry about the hamburger effect sliding down the grate will have on me and the bike.

We all made it! The plan had been to go on to a favorite stop for lunch but I signaled the mate to hit the exit for the gas station tourist trap so I could stop shaking. We let the kids look through the store while we had a beverage and a smoke by the bikes and congradulated ourselves on making it in one piece. The Nephew said it "wasn't that bad." KIDS! But then I looked at his tread pattern and ours and we had the slashing V shapes while he had a mostly straight in line with the tire pattern. It might make a difference.

The next run was about 90 miles and the traffic was messing with us. The kids signaled for a pull over and we found out that a screw had fallen out of the boy's windshield. He and Mate fixed it up to get him home and we rolled again.

Now it was RV's, 5th Wheels, and big boats on tiny trailers doing 85 past us then an itsy bitsy car doing 45 in front of us. By the time we made the lunch stop we were all really ready for a break.

After a light lunch and filling the bikes up we had a fairly easy trip home. We stopped by M and Ma's to drop off the key and then I treated to ice cream about 30 miles further down the road because I needed to stretch my maximus. I had biker butt with dislocated tail bone complications.

40 miles later the kids swung off for home and we beat feet for the house. It was still there! The daughter had come out and stayed with the dogs, she left her dad some cold pizza, his favorite and the dogs were going nuts in the pen. We dropped our gear, went back out to unload the bikes and put them away then came in and collapsed.

I love my little house in Tiny town! As we say, "jiggety, jig"!

Peace in the Valley

Sunday mornings at the cabin are usually leisurely and laid back. You get to know who the early birds are and who the grasshoppers are and who had too much to drink. We have a friend who can't sleep well, health problem, and he is always first up. He starts the 30 cup coffee pot and builds up the fire.

The other early birds join him, usually after the coffee is hot! Surprisingly enough I am one of them when usually you have to pry me out until at least 9 am. Seeing the sun rise over the wide vista of the big lake is different than watching it peek out over the neighbors houses and is worth getting up to witness.

The line to the one bathroom for wash ups and such starts. As our pals file back down the packing starts. The tents drift to the ground like small travel balloons, the bickering over what goes where or folds which way is minimal and then the policing starts. Misplaced beer cans and trash are refiled in their proper recepticles or burnt, calls of "Who's _____ is this?" echo like mourning dove cries as the odd brush or sock is located. I had grabbed the wrong chaps and had to swap for my own back. I wish I could have fit in the ones I took, I think she is a size 6...LOL!

Everything gets packed on the bikes and the next thing you hear is "Where are we eating?" or " What are we eating?" Some years we cook in and some we eat out. This year the kids had budgeted to eat out so we opted for that. They had enjoyed there visit and wanted to do what the leaders of the crowd were doing.

As there is still one place you can eat and smoke in the little town I was ok with eating out. The food is great, the service is great and the company is amusing, even at 7am.

The neice and nephew in law are leaving with the rest of the group. The Nephew and NIL are staying an extra day with us. WoooHoo and YAY! Our kind friends have agreed to leave us with the cabin open and tonight we can sleep in the 5th wheel.

Ma was the last to leave. She had to drive the supply wagon this trip and she wasn't happy. She didn't get to ride her brand new bike, she didn't get to stay and she cleaned up with a vengance, chasing me off so she could work off her pout.

Then they were gone. Running in a pack just ahead of the rain again. The good news is they got across the bridge ok. The bad news is they left the rain with us. Most of the day was cool and drippy with just enough clear spots to tempt you out on the road before douching you again. We got out tents and clothes packed up before it hit!

We sat on the back porch and played cards, told stories and taught the kids that there was more to poker than Hold em. I got a little under the weather and copped out after I lost my second tray of chips to take a nap. The mate took the kids down the road to see Whitefish Point while I slept off my headache. They had a great time there but when they got back to the parking lot, the tire on the trailer was flat again. Poor mate! He nursed it back to the cabin at about 15 mph for about 15 miles.

While they were gone I woke up to find my head much better and my tummy not upset anymore so I grabbed the camera and snapped some shots, set up the laptop and dumped them in to play with and just in general enjoyed myself. I was right in the middle of a tricky little, not quite a hikue type poem when they got back. They were discouraged and hungry!

The mate and I cooked up sausage and pancakes, then the kids cleaned up and did the dishes. We got done just about dark and went back out to stir up the fire. Resuming our duties as resident fire watchers was no chore. It was nice and had quit raining and we had the whole area to ourselves. So call me greedy! I loved it so much I'm going to do it again next week!

Just M, Ma, the mate and me and the gulls will be enjoying at least two and maybe more days at the cabin. Can you hear the sigh of contentment?

Wasn't that a Party?

Now that we have all arrived safe the hours of navigating a bike throught the dark and the rain begin to catch up with us. Some crawl right into the tents and crash, others, like me, can't sleep till it's dark again because adrenelin and sunlight have given us a second wind.

After all the rain, the sun was now out full blast and the sleepers discovered a damp tent and high noon make a sauna of the tents. A few of them slept but most got back up, bleary eyed and comatose. The niece and NIL were really whipped, as were the nephew and NieceIL. Why? Because when I called around 9 pm they were not only not sleeping but said they were too excited to sleep. They were all up all day Friday and now it was early afternoon Saturday.

The mate told the neice to grab our extra tarp and pull it under the shade then toss the sleeping bags on it. Worked like a charm. She and her man were crashed in about 20 minutes. A few of the others also stretched out in the shade by the simple expedient of moving their tents.

I hauled our offerings to the cabin, now that I was rested up some. We brought up coffee, foam plates, plastic utensils, pancake mix and syrup to leave at the cabin. Others bring paper products, canned goods or other handy things to have around the cabin. These are a courtesy to our hosts for their kindness in sharing their lovely get away with us. That and we almost always wipe them out of standard items. There can be quite a horde of us using the restroom, shower and sinks for our daily routines. It's only considerate to replace what we use.

Once the nappers and the wide awake bunch were arranged comfortably and the kids had started a game of washers, the prep for the big meal started. There were about 30 of us there plus kids and dogs. It's quite a crowd to feed! The host and hosstess, M and Ma, brought out the corn to be shucked and the grease to be heated in the big fryer. A big bag of potatoes and a french fry cutter plopped on the table next. Everyone leant a hand it shucking, peeling and cutting food while the fryer heated up.

Now lots of fresh air and sunshine with exercise seems to call for a beer to many in our bunch. There was a lot of beverage making the rounds. There is a big, plastic container for tossing the cans into and it was filling up fast.

One of the men I didn't know, we will call him Wild Hairy Male, had taken on keeping the fire up. Really UP! He got intensly into it. One of the other men, we'll call him Happy Helper, had toted what appeared to be a huge set of bolt cutters with him. He had used them to nip the branches off the birch we were using for fire wood to make kindling to get it started and left them leaned up by the big logs for later.

Now Ma and I were headed back to the cabin for condiments for dinner. We had our backs to the fire pit. Wild Hairy Man called after her, "Can I take the bottom branches off this pine?"

She never turned around. It was her property. She thought he meant the pine south of the fire pit and just shouted back over her shoulder, "I don't care!" and we went on into the cabin where we assembled butter, salt, pepper and such to carry out.

We got our loads stacked and balanced then walked out the door and there is the Wild Hairy Man talking to the neighbor lady and the pine tree in HER yard is missing bottom braches about half way around and two feet up.

Ma and I couldn't hear what was being said, so she must not have been too upset. We kept right on walking to the table to put our loads down and most carefully didn't turn around til we heard Wild Hairy Man putting more wood on the fire.

He was rattling on to anyone who would listen that Ma told him he could, and it was good for the tree to bottom it out and the branches would drape prettier next year. He didn't know it wasn't on their property and didn't mean to annoy the neighbors. Over and over again, to anyone who looked at him, he defended himself.

Ma never bothered to try and explain what tree she meant he could cut. He had too many beers in him and too much freaked out guilt from being "my good friend, Buddy, chopping down my neighbor's tree" to believe it was a communication error. Some of the guys really ragged on him for a while but he was getting huffy and I finally kicked the last ribber in the toe and gave him the "cut it out or die" sign, finger across throat. Wild Hairy Man was getting a little TOO defensive and I was afraid he would go off on someone.

Everything calmed down and the jokes moved to other topics but this all helped to keep us entertained until dinner was ready.

Everything was excellent! Someone brought baked beans and it was an official cook out. With the appetites sharpened by fresh air and sunshine we proceeded to decimate the food supplied. I love fresh corn on the cob! This year's new dish, french fries, cooked to a delicate tan in the fryer, were a big hit with the kids and everyone else. With the niece's cookies for desert the meal was grand.

Clean up was easy as we try to burn everything to avoid the local wild life. There are bears here but the coons are more common trouble along with the possoms. What can't be burned is bagged and canned and stashed away to be hauled south for disposal at home. Everyone pitches in and it doesn't take long.

With coffee and beverages around the fire afterwards the next division starts pulling away from the main body. The Riders. These are the fools that rode 400 miles, stretched, ate, and are now ready to put their butts back in the seat to scoot around the great roads in the U.P... or just go to town for ice cream or the Blueberry Festival. So about half of us ride off down the road and half of us divide, again, into sleepers and wakers and then into fire watchers or beach walkers.

I stayed by the fire and watched the sun setting over the lake, listened to my friends talk, read my book a little, wandered over and got the camera to snap a shot of the sleeping niece and NIL, petted the two dogs in the group, met the neighbor dog when he came to join them and just relaxed in general. The mate was beside me or over yacking with M and the guys, telling his jokes and male bonding and still keeping one eye on me so I didn't fall asleep sitting up and plop over into the fire.

Near dark the sleepers woke, the beach walkers returned, the bikers pulled back in and we all turned into fire watchers and sipped our favorite poisons. Then the moon rose over the lake. It was a deep pumpkin orange. There was just the top stem area at first and then it seemed to levitate over the horizon, POOF! it was up! We all went "ooooooooo", just like at the fireworks displays, and meant it. News, gossip, jokes and tall tales were told as we all caught up with what had been going on since last year. For some of us this is the only time we get to sit and visit.

Kids and dogs tottered off to bed first followed by those that didn't nap on Friday and then by those of us who had enough fun. The hard core drinkers and partier's lasted another hour or so. The fire was banked, after a fashion, for morning. It can be chilly up here even in August and a nice fire to roast your toes at in the morning it lovely comfort.

I woke up, I would guess about two-ish. The moon was so full and bright that the mate thought I turned my flashlight on him when I had only unzipped the top of the tent door. I wandered out to the ladies bushes and then over to kick the fire up a little. I sat, alone, in the quiet, having a smoke when a large owl drifted through about 20 feet up and in front of me. The moonlight glittered on the tips of his wings. He made not a sound but the waves whispered to him in greeting as he coasted past us. I wished him a good hunt and went back to bed.

Wasn't that a Party?

Well the weather outside is frightful

and a fire would have been so delightful but we were still waiting for the return of the rescue team. Rest areas frown on setting fires in their trash barrels so we did without.

Having resigned ourselves to missing the breakfast the mate reminded me we had food with us. M said ok to ham sandwiches. I popped the trailer open to find the bread had not only thawed but been compressed to half height by poorly planned packing. (that would be me) It was fine frozen but had no protection for it's area once it thawed. What the hill! We were already soaked to the bone, what dif did the shape of the bread make!

I folded the sandwich ham to fit, shot some mustard across them and closed them with another slice of half size bread. We managed to eat them before they became waterlogged. No one wanted any fruit or cookies so I packed it all back up and closed the trailer down.

By now the crowd in the rest area had thinned out. There was a little, tiny roof over what I assumed was a boxed over water pump. It had had 10 or 15 people crowded in a futile effort to stay dry. It was now down to just two guys and so we wandered over to have a smoke that stayed lit long enough to get a fix of nicotine.

While we watched the bumper to bumper southbound traffic for our friends we learned that they were waiting for 5 more guys and then planned to ride up to WaWa in Canada for the weekend. Our pal, M, gave them some tips on places to visit as he had been there several times and enjoyed himself. Then the cell phone M carried rang.

He discussed plans with Ma and they figured that group could just head for the cabin while we would be along when we could. Our kids would ride with them. It was a good plan. Why should we all be miserable?

I lit a second smoke and took a turn leaning on the post to ease my feet and legs. There was some more talk with the two strangers and we were still visiting with them when the rescue team returned about 20 minutes later.

While the first trip out to find a patch kit had failed, this one, to get the tire and tube patched, had succeeded. I barely got back across the parking lot before the guys had the tire on, jack stored and got ready to ride.

I was really worried that the bike wouldn't start in all that rain. I wrung about a cup of water our of my little stretch gloves and squished into them, got the helmet on and climbed on the bike. It started but I had to keep it over two grand on the rpms to keep it running. The plan called for a trip through town to test the tire before hitting the open road. So M lead out, the mate behind him and I brought up the rear.

Riding through stop lights and signs with a chitty chitty bang bang bike sucks. I managed to get to the gas station but when I pulled in the clutch to downshift for the turn, she stalled. I tried to restart her and she backfired like a cannon! The guys both jumped and then laughed at me.

I got her down to the pumps and parked it. We filled up and I ran in to grab a short coffee. Man, I wanted something warm inside me but I knew they wouldn't wait for me to drink a full one. The girl at the counter looked down where I was leaving a trail of water behind me and when I asked how much for half a cup she just laughed and said, "Take it!" I thanked her profusely and ran out the door. What a bummer! That was like 8 hour old coffee, oily and rank. I drank two sips for the warmth, offered the mate a sip but warned him it was bad and turned to the bike, hoping I could get it started again.

It was still raining. I got lucky and she fired right up and didn't start to sputter till I was back on the road. Now it got fun! We have M leading, the mate, me and the chase/rescue car running behind me. The mate's tires are great in the rain, so are mine and M's. I can tell because we are all leaving a vanishing trail of dry track behind us. But all that water has to go someplace. If I follow the mate at the standard distance his water displacement is wafting on the breeze to drop right on my bike. I do the right thing and drop back.

Now he looks in his mirror and I am beyond the standard distance. There must be a problem, he thinks, so HE slows down and drops back again splashing all over my bike, my windshield, my glasses and my spark plugs. I drop back again.

The chase car slows down, M keeps right on going about 58 mph. The mate rushes to catch up to him. I can speed up now and do, but I don't pull up to my 2 second count spot, I stay back to avoid the free shower within a shower. Then we repeat. I tried to signal him to stay ahead but I can't catch him in the rear view as I am too far back....

Then, as if I am not nerve wracked enough, the rain remembers it's got another gear and becomes a blinding downpour. It doesn't matter where I am, the bike is getting wet. Now I am in third gear going 58 mph trying to keep her running hot enough to dry the wires and spark plugs. I pull up closer to the bikes in front. The chase car closes ranks behind me. I am driving by following the white line on the outside edge of the road, I can't see anything else. I want very badly for them to pull into a bar or anywhere so we can let this get by us. I really CAN'T see!

The visor on my helmet drips drops onto my glasses which are pulled down on my nose so I can peek over the top of them and under the visor. There is no point in even thinking about looking through the windshield, it's history and the rain beats on my face like glass slivers, aiming for my eyes so I blink at a high rate of speed, trying to see where I am going.

I love my bike! I love riding my bike. I hate getting wet. This stunk! We did 60 miles like this. The good news is that the minute we pulled into the drive at the cabin it quit. POOF! Done, gone, finis!

Someone had the fire going, tents were going up, food was being prepared, coffee was getting made, I know because as soon as we parked I grabbed our supplies and went up to the cabin and made it. Life got better. We laughed about it later. After the mate made a clothesline and the leathers were hung on the fences and we all had dry clothes on and hot coffee inside our tummies THEN it was a good story.

manyana!

Back in the Saddle Again!

I have to say it was a great weekend! I haven't been able to ride my own bike on the Midnight Ride since 2000.

In 2001 I woke screaming with back pain and couldn't get out of bed alone - arthritis. Rode with the mate on his bike and stayed in motel with the cousins.

In 2002 my hip was so bad I could barely walk. Rode with the mate again and stayed at the cabin, had the use of the camper.

In 2003 I had hip surgury in April, rode my own bike to an event in Wisconsin but wore myself to a frazzle and we went on the mates bike then stayed at a motel with friends.

For 2004 I had the heart attack in June and a dislocated tailbone caused in the ambulance when they went flying over a railroad track so fast and hard that the gurney bounced into the air and brought me out of the drug induced haze RIGHT NOW! I rode with the mate to see the daughter in MN that summer and used a trailer tire inner tube to sit on. We rode the MR together on his bike, with my tube, and stayed at the cabin in a tent.

So I was ready for this ride. Part of the rush for me was having the niece and nephew with their mates along. I love the next gen of bikers! I wish my boy had a bike so he could go with us. And, while the Eldest Daughter isn't interested in being on her own bike, maybe some time she could meet us at the cabin for the camp out. The mate's two girls could come, too, and I would be in pig heaven! I'd love to have all the kids there one time.

It's pretty unlikely. We took my eldest and the mate's eldest one year and, being 16, they preferred to dress to kill, not keep warm as warned. They spent a miserable night at 45 degrees sleeping on the ground and wearing anything warm they could borrow. I don't see it happening but I can still dream. Go next gen!

It's partly an ego thing, as much as I hate to admit it, to ride my own bike. We have taught our kids to ride, a couple friends and others. When I am out there with the other bikers I have taught or watched learn to ride I hate to be on the back seat. I am a driver of a motorcycle, not just baggage!

It's also a staying young thing - can I still do 350 miles in one night without stopping for a nap; can I handle the weather; can I stay with the group; will the body make it without cramped hands, numb butt or frozen feet? - when I can't do it anymore I will have to offically cop to being old. I'm not ready for that yet.

The niece and nephew, with their mates, jumped in on 46 with the main group as it came from Grand Rapids. The mate and I pulled out about 1 am and headed to Alma where they meet up in the Walmart parking lot. We got there about 2am-ish and had just taken off the helmets when the nephew in law came walking up to show us where they parked. They were right where I told them to be, on the far side of the lot, good kids! So we tooled over and parked with them.

We checked them out for proper clothes, cash, weather gear and etc. They all had what they needed except for the niece and NIL didn't have rain suits. This proved to be a problem later. We had time to find out the coffee thermos had leaked into my sweatpants, drink what was left and have an excellent chocolate chip cookie provided by the niece in law before the bell rang and we had to get ready to ride.

We ended up pretty close to being the last to pull out, which is where we like to ride. I follow the mate, the kids follow me. I cracked that Ben could be behind me because he's good with his brakes because we had a sudden stop situation earlier this year that he handled well and then we were off.

It was about 65 degrees, cloudy and there was a breeze but not really a wind. It was a great night for a ride! We tooled along watching the long line of lights ahead of us rolling through the dark like the world's longest and most lit up train. They wound through the curves and up over the hills showing us where we would be in 15 minutes or so. A few more bikes would join in at every road side park and on ramp until we weren't the last ones in line anymore.

The mate and trailer were traveling smoothly in front of me and to the left, the kids were staying a little far back but not too bad for beginners and I saw no bad moves on their part. I need to get then nephew some cute and unique lights for the front of his bike, his just has the head light and is hard to pick out of the crowd. The NIL has a fairing with angled running lights and I can find him ok. We had a smooth and uneventful run to the next stop, just the way we like it!

When everyone else was going for gas and meeting in the Glen's parking lot, we were hangin' with our pals on the overpass. We get hooked up with them for the rest of the ride and let the crowd drop off at the gas stations before we scoot over to fill up. Our friends, Mr and Ma were there with their daughter and her eldest son, another friend and his wife, and a friend of their daughter who was riding with her. Their son and son in law couldn't make it this year. I like both of them and was sorry to miss them.

We shared out cookies and treats while we waited. When the ride started out again we zipped back into our gear and got ready to ride. Once again, we jumped in at the back of the line so stress was minimal and everyone could relax knowing the group's experience levels.

That's one of the things that makes riding with such a large group nerve wracking, not knowing what the rider in front of you will do in an emergency. The mate always speeds up and evades, I slow down and evade, the neffies will brake and watch and evade, M usually bulls through unless directly threatened and then he speeds up and evades. Ma pulls over to the right. And you know they all have their loads double checked, the bikes up to speed with oil, tires aired right and everything.

It helps when you know these things. Then you don't you have to be on double triple guard - watching for brake lights a mile ahead, watching 6 bikes up for flying pillows (it's true. One year the mate caught a pillow under his muffler and it caught fire! I rode up beside him, told him he was on fire, we pulled over, I jumped off and yanked it out the tossed it to the side of the road. The weather was really dry that year and I had to run down the ditch and pull it back up to the pavement. We checked his bike, it was ok, and we rode on.) and also watching for critters or whatever jumping in front of the bike in front of you or in front of you and worrying about the bike in front of you blowing a bald tire. You just roll along at normal attention and enjoy the ride.

At the next stop, in Gaylord, it's dark when we pull in and light when we leave. We all empty bladders and refill beverages, nap, look at all the pretty bikes or visit with friends we have run into. This is the most important stop. We used to get to the bridge around 6 or 7 but we had more accidents in the "false dawn" and pre dawn hours and lost riders that had to pull over and nap. Now we take a little longer getting there but everyone is more refreshed and the body's natural "suns up, I'm awake" kicks in. Fewer accidents happen and more riders are able to hang in there to go over the bridge.

I got the travel chair out and put my head back to try for a cat nap but there was too much going on. Still, getting my feet up and my butt on something soft got my blood running again. The coffee didn't hurt, either.

We all agree it's been a lovely night to ride. Everyone is pretty comfortable and enjoying the company. The bell rings and we start suiting up. It's only about an hour to the bridge and the "hot" breakfast the casino puts on for us. All of us are looking forward to a long stretch, food and then the trip to the cabin.

Getting out of the lot I had to switch lines to get behind the mate and cut off the nephew. I hollered I was coming and he hit the brakes a little hard but I got in ok and he got underway ok. No blood, no foul! Once again we are near the rear of the line and cruising easy.

We got about 2 miles from the bridge and the rain started. It was still warm out but wet is never fun on a bike. As we pulled into the long line waiting to clear the toll booths it commenced to really rain. The kind that runs down the back of your rain jacket and puddles in your seat where your chaps don't cover. The kind of rain that feels like hail on your face. All we could do was sit there and endure it. It wouldn't be long and we'd be parked and slurping down hot coffee while we waited for food under an awning. No Sweat.

Except it's also the kind that puddles around your spark plugs and coil wires on the old '78 Wings. And your bike starts to spit and sputter, lose cylinders and choke up. When I got to the toll booth I was having so much trouble keeping it running that I had to tell the lady to reach in my coat pocket for the money or I was going to stall and it might not start again. She acted like someone had done that but had a mouse trap in their pocket but finally got brave enough to do it when I told her that there was exactly 2.50 in there for the bridge and nothing else.

The mate had slowed way down to make sure I got going ok and I was coasting with the clutch in and revving the engine to keep it running while I made sure the kids cleared the booth and saw which way we were going. We all lined up and single filed over the bridge. The mate was, of course, right in front of me. That's how I got to see his trailer's left tire drop in between the expansion teeth, drag till the gap narrowed then twist and pop out. The whole trailer bounced then settled down ok - but I had seen the tire leave the rim, I knew it was flat. I rode up beside the mate and told him to take it easy, he was flat on the left and he groaned. He had just put the new tires on Friday afternoon!

Our group always has a meet up spot for finding each other if we get spread out on the ride. This one was the rest area right there by the bridge. As we each came over we made sure the one behind us saw the turn and pulled in then drove way around to the back corner. Mate and M got right after the tire. We had a jack, we had tools to take the tire off, we had fix a flat. What we didn't have was a spare or a patch kit By the time we had extablished this all the riders in our group were there. Plus, a friend and his wife with a car that had come up a day early happened to decide to check on us before they went back to the cabin. LUCKY THEM!

After standing there watching the fix a flat blow out of the two cuts the bridge teeth left in the tire and debating the situation for about a half hour it was decided to send the next gen with Ma to get breakfast while the pair with the car took the tire to be repaired or find a patch kit. All this with the rain still pouring down.

So the team with a mission took off, the rest went to get dry and eat and the mate and I with our loyal friend, M, stood around and got drenched. Did you ever try to make ham sandwiches in the rain?

More tomorrow! I will get you all caught up!

Darn weather, anyway!

Now, after all the work the Mate did on the bike and getting arrangements straight with the neice and nephew it looks like we are going to get rained out. And for all you young, tuff bikers out there that ride in every weather let me just say I have ridden all four seasons and in tornados, thunderstorms and snow, I have nothing to prove and my health to keep.

We could take the little red truck, we could go up later, we might even choose one of these options.....it just won't be the same.

All together now - "NO RAIN, NO RAIN, NO RAIN, NO RAIN!!!!

I'll be moving websites the next few days, catch you then!

Love on the weekend

Love that Mate!

On Friday night I had just gotten home when one of the people we know showed up to deliver a dead 1978 GL1000 motor. I was so tickled! It was so nice of him to bring it over in his big van for us!

Why was I excited? Because somewhere, down in the mysterious guts of the monster, was the part I needed to make my charging system charge again. And why does that get me all "thank you 1000 times everyone!"? Because then I can take my own bike up north this weekend! Riding with the ladies and the families and friends to the big lake!

The mate found out this guy had what we needed and set it up without telling me. I was all depressed for nothing!

When we finally got it unloaded and the friend left we called up the Eldest Grand and asked him if he would like to come help work on the bike. We got lucky and he said yes.

So I planned meals and beverages, jumped in the little red truck and ran to get him. The mate would have gone to get him on the bike but (drum roll.....) The Lions were playing their first exibition game. Off I went, smiling all the way.

I have to tell you, these two tore down the parts engine, put it back together, minus my part, tore down my bike, (wait till you see the photos!), took the engine out, replaced my part, reassembled the bike and test rode it in EIGHT HOURS!!

If you work on bikes you know what a jam session it was. If you don't, just take my word for it - There is not a shop in the world that will replace an internal engine part in one day.

The Eldest Grand, let's call him the BigE, got right in there, followed directions, knew how to rachet and screw or un screw, lift here, tug there like he had worked with us forever. He was not only a help but he was a valuable helper! He knows his metric from american and a 10 mm wrench from a 14mm socket. Plus he's got a healthy young back and strong arms! I could not get over how well he did!

With me helping where I could and keeping them fed, watered and in parts and fluids we just whipped that bike in and out of there! She got new anti-freeze, new oil and filter, fresh brake fluid, front and rear, last week. Saawweeeeet!

And she is doing great! The ride to work Monday was a dream! It all works now. I still have a little lag in the front brake piston but we are getting it freed up.

I am just so tickled! What a team! We got the kid home in time to go fishing at dawn on Sunday. Normally we would still have been putting stuff back together the next day. We even made it to a family reunion so I didn't have to cook or clean up for Sunday.

It was just so smooth! Not a bolt stuck, not a screw stripped out and only a couple spare parts left over. Now my turn signals blink at the same time my brake light is on and I can still honk at the idiot pulling out in front of me from the gas station and the magic gauge still reads 13!

Now I am telling you, this is love! The BigE and the Mate did a h.e.double toothpicks of a job!

See you in the U.P. this weekend!

Fear This!

I have been bad today and now (too late, of course) I wish I had more sense. I teased someone about their fear of "X". It doesn't really matter what "X" is, it's a personal fear of something. Everyone has them and it's just plain mean to tease about it.

I'm sorry now so I will share some of my fears with you and you can tease away. I have it coming!

I spent a lot of my life afraid of dogs. I never knew why till I was 21. Mom and I were talking one day and I said something about it and maybe it was because Vee was bitten when we were little. She looked at me kind of funny and said, "Val, YOU were the one who got bitten."

I denied it. "No, Vee got bitten."

"It was you," she insisted, "You were 4 and we were sitting on the porch when this dog came up to us. You were petting it on the head and it bit you in the stomach. I drove it off and took you to the doctor. They couldn't find the dog right away so they started you on the rabies shots. They gave you the first one right in your stomache. You screamed bloody murder!"

I don't remember any of this. Total Blank. But I wouldn't go near a dog I didn't know or who wasn't on a leash till I was almost 30.

Somewhere at that time I must have filed away deep in my "Warning Will Robinson, Danger" file the list of animals that might carry rabies. "Bats, rats, possoms, coons, skunks, mice, dogs, squirrels, .." It wasn't where I could access it rationally, it was deep.

All through school I killed spiders, moved snakes and put funny bugs in jars for show and tell. I handled all the stuff that scared the other kids I hung out with and never cracked a sweat.

Then I noticed the first sign of my weakness. It was when we were in the white house. One night, the folks were gone, we had a 15 year old babysitter. She was great fun and we liked her. She was not, however, very brave. She was afraid of lots of things. We'll call her Freaked out Francis.

We had a lovely black, sleek, male cat at the time. I think his name was Tom. Baby Lion had passed on a while earlier. He was an inside and outside cat, as most of mine are. We were playing race cars in the back room. It was getting pretty loud and silly. The little cars were shooting off the dog leg curve and flying into whoever was sitting there. Between bouts of bouyant laughter we heard the cat scratching at the door.

Freaked out Francis was closest and she reached over to pull the door open. That cat slunk into the room with something in his mouth! He stood right by the door with it, his head hanging low, protecting his kill, when one of the little girls squeeled, "Oh NO! Tom's got a BIRD!"

Freaked out Francis reached down to bravely rescue it from him. Then she screamed, stood up and ran out of the room freeking,"It's a BAT!", leaving the five of us, four of us long haired blonds, alone with it.

That lasted about 2 seconds. The cat jumped when Freaked out Francis screamed and lost his grip on the NOT DEAD bat. As it flapped across the room to land on the window curtain the five of us shrieked in loud unison, the cat skittered out of the room and we followed.

The other girls grabbed their hair and raced for the kitchen! The Boy started to cry. I had thought I was going to open the door and shoo it out with a towel, which was my first thought, when I realized I was screaming, had my hair wrapped around my hand and was running after the others. I couldn't stop myself, I was terrified! I was also surprised that I was afraid. When we hit the tile in the kitchen we skidded into a turn and headed for the further safety of the dining room with me bringing up the rear.

Mom had just finished bringing in the laundry before she left. One of the things we were supposed to do before she got home was put our clean clothes away. Like typical kids, we were putting this off until the last five minutes before they got home. There were baskets on three of the chairs in the dining room. This was just bad luck for the Mom.

I don't know where we heard about bats getting tangled in your hair but even the youngest girl knew it and was clutching her hair close to her neck. When we caught up with Freaked out Francis she had a towel over her head and was under the dining room table. She had stopped screaming but was breathing hard and sobbing.

Knowing a good idea when we saw it we all lunged for the laundry. We all took the first thing big enough to cover our heads. This meant some digging because the socks and undies were on the top of each load. Socks flew and undies draped everywhere! In under 20 seconds all five of us had our heads covered and were under the table with Freaked out Francis.

The screaming and sobbing slowed slowly when we realized the bat wasn't chasing us. We must have really interfered with it's audio as we screeched in the high decibels. Freaked out Francis talked us back to calm and we drew up a game plan.

She was going to get the broom, I would take the mop, the little girls would get fly swatters, The Boy would stay there and Vee would go call our folks. Gripping our tightly twisted assortment of slips, towels, and skirts to make sure our hair was covered, we moved out two at a time. Freaked out Francis got the broom, bristles up and I took the mop, also topsy turvey and we stalked toward the back room.

I was shaking and biting my lip to be brave in front of the other kids. I was really terrified! I knew bats could carry rabies and rabies shots were bad. Francis and I peeked around the door frame and tried to spot the bat. I could hear V on the phone and was reassured that Dad would come save us soon but the bat was still here now and there were only us kids to deal with it.

Freaked out Francis spotted him first, on the back door frame. She pulled back the broom like a ball bat and took two tiny steps into the back room. Wham! She missed, the bat fluttered in the air around the ceiling, she ran back to the kitchen.

I had kept my eye on it and now the little girls were on the other side of the door watching it, too. The bat landed on the window curtain across the room. I shuddered around the door, held the mop like an ax, lined up on him from as far away as I could and SWUNG!

Crash! The curtains came down, I ran back to the kitchen, the bat followed me! The other girls screamed and we all ran back to cower under the dining room table, gripping out hair covers firmly and leaving our weapons scattered in a trail behind us.

Various sorties were made by one and another of us with all taking a turn, even The Boy, now that he stopped crying and entered the spirit of survival that was motivating us. We learned we couldn't hit the side of a barn from the inside. The bat evaded us over and over again then chased us shrieking back to our bunker.

Dad and Mom got home about 20 minutes later. Talk about relieved! Poor Francis was so glad to see them she started crying again.

Dad saw us all crouched under the table wearing clothes on our heads and noted the scattered weapons all over the place then he started to laugh. He had a big "Ha ha ha ha" laugh in a deep tone. We felt pretty sheepish.

We watched as he went to the kitchen, got a towel and a canning jar, walked right up to the nasty beast where it perched on the kitchen curtain, held the jar under it and snapped it with the towel. He hit it right on the head and it dropped into the jar! Man, he was SLICK! And the whole time he was laughing his head off at us.

Now that the monster was caged we crawled out and Mom started directing the re-folding of the clothes, the replacing of the weapons and the washing of faces and brushing of hair that followed every upset in our home and helped Francis get calmed down.

Dad wandered off outside and let the bat go. They went back to their card game. We went back to racing slot cars. I didn't see the cat again till bedtime. Tom was hiding under The Boy's little bed. I could just see the tip of his tail twitching spastically still. He never brought another animal into the house - ever.

And I knew I wasn't "girl fear" proof. I felt like such a sissy! It took me a long time to get over the loss of self confidence it caused. So tease away!

Not Monday now

Sorry all, I didn't forget you. I've been building on the Unseen Wounded Blog. I want to keep up here so I don't lose track of where I am but I guess I will drop back to once or twice a week on the other blogs. Just not enough hours in the day.

Work has been really busy. I do sales, shipping and customer service for about 250 accounts. Keeping it all flowing isn't technically my problem, it's the boss's worry, but I really like to have my people happy so I get into production scheduling and such as much as I can. It means I have days of boring and days of tearing my hair out. I'm slowly losing my hair this week.

We have no air conditioner in the offices. The boss put an old,used, dead one that doesn't even make it down to body temp about a week ago. It's a joke. When the mercury hits 90 the tin building gets to 101 or better. The guys on the floor at least can catch a breeze.

When I get too warm my head shuts down and then my body follows. Twice this week I have gone home, had a lovely dinner and then fallen asleep on the couch sitting up. I'm gone until 10 or so then the mate puts me to bed. This morning I could not get awake. I over snoozed the alarm until a half hour before I had to be at work. When I did get up I felt like I could go right back to bed.

I missed riding the bicycle twice, too and that really bothers me. I have so little stamina now that miss a shot at improving it makes me feel really sad. It was too hot to ride, really, anyway but I will get one in tonight somehow - before I fall asleep.

I have been riding the real bike to work! It's been sweet. The new battery doesn't seem to read over 11.5 on the gauge but it starts every time. The mate is going to try to have it ready for the Midnight Ride next weekend. They raise money for the West Michigan Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. One of my foster brother's kids has JD.

Right now I can't ride at night because of the charging issues. And the ride starts at midnight, of course. We have some long time friends we usually do the ride with and end up at their place on Lake Superior in the U.P. The wife and daughter there ride. We added my nephew and niece in law last year. This year we will have a niece and nephew in law also. All the other women will have their own bikes so I really want to take mine. I love it that the mate cares enough to do a winter tear down in the summer just so I can be comfortable and take my own ride. He is really just so good to me I can't tell you how wonderful he is. Someday on here I will try.

Now I'm going to have to run along, I want to get things wound up so I can leave after the last truck gets here.

Remind me to blog about: my son the truck driver, my eldest daughter, the youngest child, my granddaughters, the gladiolas, the dogs, the cats and why my man should get the Man of the Year award. :) . It will be more fun than whinlogging about work!

Monday, sunshine and lollipops!

It's wonderful, it's how I feel when we're together! and my bike is up, again!

Got home Friday and we went out to dinner at a little hole in the wall with really good food for fair prices. It was hot and nasty so we took the little red truck so we didn't have to put all those clothes on for riding the bikes.

Came home and got into the booze and a movie, that was fun! The math on that is that it was fun later, too.

Having washed all the work week out of my system, I woke Saturday to a lovely day and what passes for a cold front getting the temps down to the 70's during the night. I cranked some of the windows open, mate got the others and we sipped our coffee down with fresh air and bird song serenades.

I morphed into my computer personality ( none) and did some more research on a web host. Think I have one line up now. Fixed a sale page for a customer and posted some ads for a friend all while trying to beat high score on Collapsed. (thanks to rotten kid that turned me on to it.) Got the email and such between page loads and read a few blogs. Noticed that we all go away on the weekends. Yay, us!

I realized the Mate had mysteriously disappeared an un-measured time lapse ago. When I had stretched and found more coffee I wandered out to find him working on the brakes of my bike in the garage.

I went in the house, changed, went back out and spent the next couple hours working on bleeding the brakes with him. Yay, again! The brakes are fixed! Then we decided to run to town for a new battery. That way I have one on the charger and one in the bike. 'Til we get the 'stator fixed this winter I can just swap them around when one gets low.

So now I am feeling MUCH more jolly, life shouldn't be so melancholy. We went off to town. Two miles out there's a yard sale sign. Nice mate says, ya, it's just up the road a piece, out of our way. I started to get all hum buggy again and he skipped the turn. Hurrah for me! I get to hit a sale!

Got the sis and mate's eldest daughter stuff, got some mop heads for a quarter, picked up a new keyboard and mouse for work for 3.00. The boss paid for the last one and on day one I spilled my coffee in the keyboard. It was ruined for life, of course. Now I feel better, having replaced it.

Went on down the road and mentioned I saw a sale that also had coco lab puppies for sale. Mate heavy sighed but turned in. I knew he would, he's a sucker for babies, puppies and kittens. Got some books and a weird hat - child's real leather tri-corner- that I plan on selling to the sis. Bought mate a Coke and got to see the two puppies, they were little dolls!

After that the mate called "no more sales" and I settled back, content with the two we had hit. We got to the new store in town and he went to find my battery while I grabbed some mini-mums that were cheap and got some allergy meds. I also grabbed some beef jerky while he got some string cheese and we snacked on them all the way home.

We got the groceries unloaded and put away. He put the battery on the charger and I got around stuff for lunch/dinner. Later I went out and worked in the gardens. I moved the poor bleeding heart again. It hasn't been happy no matter where I put it so I moved it to the west side of the big tree with a bag of new potting soil. I hope it does better there.

Then I watered the far garden and hoed the circle garden. I put in the mini mums, seeded some mystery plant, dill and anise to see how they do. by then I was about worn to a frazzle. I dragged the hose around and watered everything, picked tomatoes (roma), gathered pea and spinach seeds and crawled into the house to sit by the air conditioner.

My lavender is still just tiny but the rest of the herbs are spreading like crazy. Mate is going to get me a plastic barrel to cut up into 10" deep rings for the peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm, thyme in two varieties and oregano. The goal is to contain them.

I was exhausted but in a pretty good mood and so was he. Friday night was part of it, my bike being back up was the rest of it. So Saturday night was fun, too.

Sunday morning I would like to say we slept in but I can't. Seems like I wake up early even on weekends most of the time now. Hate that. *shrugs* Coffee was yummy, rolls I bought were bland and boring. Cinnamon rolls should have a little snap to them. Won't get them there again.

I went off to get email and mate wandered off again. When I dropped back from virtual land I noticed he was missing. I went looking and found him out in the back yard detailing his little red truck. So I hollered, mine next! and ran to get dressed for washing vehicles.

We ran both trucks and both bikes through in a few hours. the weather was warm but breezy, we had plenty of shade and the day was lovely. Aside from a couple hose accidents everything went well. The bikes looked beautiful and I thought we should grab a ride but the mate was beat so we made dinner, rode the regular bikes only two miles and stayed in for the rest of the evening.

The whole weekend was so NICE. Pleasant Valley Sunday nice. We did whatever we felt like and had no schedule to meet.

The reason this is noteworthy is that normally, for the last eight years anyway, we would have been jammin'' since Thursday to get around and go camping at the state rally for our winger group.

Now don't get me wrong, I love our riding buddies and we have the best time of the year at the state rally, but it seemed like everything else had to take a back seat to the group. Family and friends were scheduled around the many events we held and went to each summer.

It's just too much to keep up with and still get the gardens in and kept up, keep the house up and such. With the extra expenses of calls to Germany, trips all over and at least one more for the mate to FL in October, we decided to let our membership lapse this year. The group is a going to miss us a little but we will still be around as friends, we just won't have any responsibilities to weigh us down.

So to have the weekend all to ourselves to enjoy anyway we wanted was a special treat and we both really had a good time. This decision will give us more time for the kids and other family we enjoy and to spend riding with our friends in an unorganized and more spontaneous way. I like it! Mate liked it! Dogs that got to romp outside the pen liked it! Budget liked it!

And then, having rested up this weekend, I got up to a lovely morning, cool and breezy again, to be able to ride the real bike in to work. I bungied on the keyboard and the lunch bucket, got my helmet on and got on the bike. Pulled the kick stand up, turned the key, she started right up, bless the new battery.

She was running like a brand new bike, the day was perfect, no critters on the road, no farmers and I was on cruise for about 5.5 miles, just kicked back and enjoying the ride. I stopped to put some gas in her and was a little bummed that I was only getting 34.5 mpg. But what do you want for a 27 year old bike? I had also noticed that I couldn't get more than 11.5 out of the new battery. I'm thinking I better suck up to the worlds best motorcycle fixer and get him to check some more wires. Maybe the gauge is off.....hmmmmm.

Now it's back to the salt mine and the regular rama lama ding dong Monday shipping rush. Hope you all had great weekends and make it till Totally Tuesday whose main claim to fame is that it isn't Monday anymore!

(Excuse all the exclamation marks. I'll try to have less fun. Or invent another punctuation mark that means "extra fun", maybe <* for < that was one star fun so you could say Friday night with the mate was <********** )

I don't want a pickle!

First Happy Thought - The mate loves me! Second Happy thought of the day! It's FRIDAY! Third HTOTD - The humidity dropped!

So why would I not be happy? My brakes went out on the GL1000 last night on my way home. This is not happy making! Mate, who loves me, says he needs to rebuild the rear master cylinder. That means money. Again. I hate that!

So now, after finding all the parts to make baby nice for me I have to figure out if I should sell her off for parts and find another bike or invest in her.

She's old. Twenty seven years old. BUT - she only has 18,000 miles on her. She sat too long without being ridden. Her gaskets are gritty and her hoses are hoary. She already needs a 'stator this winter, more money. And she could use a paint job. That's fun to think about. Was considering green camo for fun to match the bungie cords the mate got me. Or really RED! Or black to match his bike. Or silver and black again with white mother of pearl pin striping. Maybe really dark green heavy metallic with the silloette in black MOP...or sell her. Bummer.

I hate to think about looking for another bike. I'm too fussy. And with a dislocated tail bone it's hard to find a ride with a comfy tour seat to give me the cushion I need that I can still reach the ground on. And it takes money.....

So I have been having a bit of a humbug today because I realized that, while I can nurse a carping charging system by carrying jumper cables, I can't nurse the brakes. Flintstone-ing doesn't work at 65 mph. So riding is all done for me this year. That is not a happy thought. Nope. Down right crappy thought, now that I think about it. But that rhymes with happy thought. And the mate loves me. So I feel a little better now. :) (welcome to the inside of my head!)

This is the first year I have really been able to ride since 2001 because of the arthritis and such...I was obviously having too much fun and the grumpy gods, jealous of a groovy girl going great guns, jinxed my ride.

I don't want a pickle!

Summer Gatherings

We have a large family on both sides of the tree and the summer gatherings are fun. Family reunions, cook outs, camping and other large group activities are usually Pot Luck. You bring your own table service and a dish to pass. There might be 50 people or only 10.

We also have many good cooks in the families! You can seriously hurt yourself by over eating. To try just a little of every dish challenges the most dedicated of gormands. I am always looking for the easy way out of getting around for these events. Everyone makes so much good food, I wanted to be relaxed and ready to visit, not ragged from cooking all morning.

Here's an "even single males can make it" salad I love to take to gatherings. It also makes about 3 lieters of zinging punch so you get 2fers. It takes longer to shop for it than it does to make and can be made the night before.

2 cans each:
mixed fruit
peach slices
pineapple chunks
mandarin oranges
1 8 oz. jar marachino cherries
1 # of assorted precut melon balls
1 pint fresh strawberries
1 bag of coconut
1 bag chopped walnuts
1 box rasins
1 large pkg Cool Whip
1- 2 leiter bottle of Squirt, 7up or Sprite.

Get out the biggest pan or bowl you own. Find a one gallon cooler jug or pitcher.

Open all the canned fruit and drain the juice into a 1 gallon pitcher. All of it, DON'T drink the cherry juice, you'll spoil the punch!
Put the canned fruit and cherries in the large bowl.
Add half the bag of nuts, half the box of raisins and stir gently to blend.
Add the Cool Whip and blend gently till fruit is covered in white.
Sprinkle a good layer of coconut on top.
Rinse the strawberries, put around the edge of the bowl. green side up.
Pour the left over coconut on a paper plate, roll a few of the melon balls in it.
Scatter around the center. Use the plain melon balls to fill in the blanks.

Isn't that PRETTY!

Add the soda to the juice in the gallon pitcher or jug for a great punch. Cover salad with plastic wrap and put it all in the fridge for tomorrow.

To get really fancy - take a plastic bowl that is smaller than the mouth of the pitcher or half a soda bottle and add a dribble of the cherry juice, 7 cherries cut in half and 7 pineapple chunks, add water to fill to a half an inch below the edge and freeze over night for a fancy giant ice cube in the punch.

Throw away all the cans, the paper plate, fruit containers and the jar, rinse your spoon and the cool whip bowl, eat the left over walnuts, coconut and raisins like trail mix, wipe off the counter and you are all done!

Who says single men can't cook?

Panic Attack

It's a normal day. I drag out of bed, find coffee, look at the birds, sit at the computer, open the email - ACK!

My server is shutting down and I need to find a place to put - ohhhh - about 300 MEG of material for, uh, 10 or 12 websites!!!

Man! I really liked it where I was. And he says "we have 30 days to do this" and I am going "ONLY 30 days!" DNS changes, forwarding changes, file transfers on dial up....

The the search starts for a server that is inexpensive and can match his terms. Boy this is going to make me crazy!

I want to redo my sites with xml, css and rss but all of them at once! Not gonna happen.

So I need 500 meg of space 100 of bandwidth unlimited email, subdomains,sql dbases, and all for about 9.99 a month or less would be better.

Any helpful hints?

And yes, I thought of setting up a server but out here in BFE a server on dial up isn't going to make my friends happy.

CRAP!

The Gardens

I have been trying to get the gardens caught up. Now that the "dog days" are here it is harder for me to work in the heat. We got a lot done this year.

I just wanted to post some of the photos from earlier this year. Then I got playing around with this free hosting site for photos....

Let's see if this works.

Nope, no script in posts, so see the side bar...lol.