Making the rounds Day 2

The second day of vacation landed us in the motorcycle capital of the world.

Once there I had a list of sights all bikers are required to see

and then we hit the road (don't worry we just ate breakfast at the Full Throttle Bar).

Road trip through the Hills

We took off early Saturday morning to see as much of the Black Hills as we could. First major road was "Iron Mountain". Lots of tunnels and you can see Mount Rushmore from various points on the road.

Mount Rushmore is behind me.

Then it was on to Needles Highway.

This is the "eye of the needle"

It shouldn't surprise anyone that we took a little over twelve hundred pictures.

First day of Vacation August 1

Yes, this post is ten days late, but most of the time we were gone-I didn't have access to the internet.
July 31st was as my sisters call it "an ugly cry day". First, Lee posted a blog that made me cry because I could feel her pain or it was just too beautifully written. I had almost dried those tears when the other sister posted a video of Mom's voice. The first time I listened, I cried so hard I couldn't make out anything. The second time I listened to the words and made out what she was saying. The third time, I listened just because it was so good to hear her voice. So very good to hear that voice. So the first day of vacation, I was leaving that all behind me. Running from Mom, but she caught up with me at our very first stop. The Badlands. My mom and the Badlands don't appear to have anything in common.  The Badlands are hot and dry. Pictures don't do the land justice. The colors pop. The air is warm, but there's always a little breeze blowing. There's a wonderful smell of wildflowers and cedar. Yes, cedar. We were traveling through "Cedar Pass" and I heard a familiar whisper. It took me a second to place that sound, but there were "popular" trees in Cedar Pass. The trees are very scrawny and have heart shaped leaves that when blown together make a whispering sound. I grew up listening to that sound. Mom had a popular tree planted by the driveway. How she loved that stupid, scrawny tree. I spent many days on the front porch with my head in a book listening to that tree. Listening to that sound took me back to that front porch, smelling dinner. Listening for the sound of my dad's motorcycle and hearing that tree. It made me smile. Then I listened to the trees some more and they took on Mom's voice. She said things would get better soon, she loved us, that I should hang on tight, and take lots of pictures. I know it was all in my head, but it made me smile anyway. I know I will never really run away from Mom. Her blood runs deep in me. Little by little, I'm beginning to understand that just because she isn't here physically doesn't mean she's not here. She'll always with me even in the most unlikely places.

Classic Heinz Ketchup Anticipation TV Ad 1979

A millioygo, there was a ketchup commercial talking about "Anticipation is making me wait". There is no doubt the person that wrote that was getting ready to go on vacation. The anticipation is worse than waiting for the damn ketchup to come out of the bottle. Five friggin' hours until we hit that black ribbon of highway. I'm ready to see my husband for more than 12 hours. We'll get to eat, sleep, and enjoy each other for over a week. I have mixed feelings on the phone charger-I wouldn't really mind it that's the thing that got forgotten. You know I have to forget something. It's in my genetic make up. I can rest easy when I find out what it is that I forgot. Last year, it was post card stamps. One year it was a hair brush. One year my tooth brush. We'll just have to wait and see. The plan is for me to get off work and hubby will pick me up in the RV. I'll drink a little something to sleep and wake up God knows where.

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama

Sunday night Lynrd Skynrd will be playing at the Buffalo Chip. I'm apologizing to Dwight ahead of time-I will attempt to get him drunk enough to dance to this with me.

Bound to happen. Last night it did.

Sounds like a country song, "bound to happen, one night it did". We got that dreaded text. Bike down. In hospital in Harrison. Can you come sit with us til family arrives? After cancelling dinner plans with an understanding daughter and her boyfriend, we headed to the hospital. This same understanding daughter not only cooked dinner, but left dinner for Dwight and I to find after coming home from the hospital-giving us one more reason to love her. Our friends are alive and will have no visible scars. He had four broke ribs and a punctured lung. She had four broke ribs, a broken collar bone, a broken toe, and a partially collapsed lung. They were wearing helmets. I've always been amazed at the number of people that don't wear them. For us, it's just no question. Dwight simply doesn't start the bike until mine is on. Dwight and my dad are some of the safest drivers I know. They've both laid a bike down. I know accidents happen and I really don't have a death wish. People have been gunned down in movie theaters and McDonald's. They've been killed in Walmart parking lots. Riding a bike (even on the back in my nice comfy seat) is a lot more enjoyable than McDonald's, Walmart, or even the theater.

getting ready for Sturgis

So I've pretty much got all the food packed and most of our clothes. But, then I hear at Sturgis clothing is somewhat optional.
I'm not saying I will, but Jose Quervo has never been a friend of mine.

These are painted on-look just like shirts don't they, but if I had some girl friends going with  me, I would be signing up for this

You know I love butterflies

but my favorite is

I'm not saying I will BUT it will be really hot and these things aren't getting any perkier. I can definitely say I won't be putting it on facebook unless it is incredibly good or I've had wayyyy to much to drink.