July 17 and 18, with Rider Chic and home

July 17 / a whole day with Rider Chic


Note:  I've added photos to the June 16 post now.

One final note about yesterday, it was the one probably closer call than I would have liked. I was riding down the road, Highway 89, no one ahead of me, no one behind me. A string of cars was coming at me in the other lane. Then all of a sudden a vehicle pulls out of the middle and starts passing cars. Of course, I've got on not only my headlight but my running lights. I should have been pretty visible. Did this person pull back into line? Nope. He kept coming until he had passed several vehicles. I had begun pulling over onto the shoulder whiole keeping a steady on him. Other cars had also moved over to their shoulder. He got back into the string, and when he went by you can bet I gave him the biggest, most visible Number One sign I could. You just have to wonder about some of these folks.

It's now Jan's and my time, and we got up this morning and continued to talk non-stop. I know that's hard for many folks to believe … by 3 p.m. we figured we'd better start getting showered and painted up since we were going to her friend's house. I was taking the bike to them and they were going to take it in for service while I'm gone. We were to be there around 6 p.m., and I told Jan that while I knew the Harley shop would wash it, I wanted to get some of the big chunks off. So, we showered, got a load of my clothes in the washer, and then continued to talk until we had to leave. Still non-stop talking. Yep, imagine that.
A little before 5:30 we left and headed first to the car wash, then to Don and Donna's house. They have three little dogs (Tsu zhues sp) and a granddaughter staying with them, Angel. They are really nice folks, and Angel looks like just that with her long dark hair and blue eyes. She also likes to blow bubbles. WOW!!! Who knew I'd see another bubbler!!! lol.

Angel, Rider Chic, Donna and Don.

Rider Chic Jan and me.

Don threw steaks on the barbie, which I later found out were from Donna's relative's ranch. It had to be one of the best steaks I've ever eaten, and I'm not a huge steak person. But I ate nearly the whole thing, while surreptiously cutting up a couple of small pieces to curry favor with the dogs. I was practicing for when I get home and have to face the angry crowd of Beagles.

I was in heaven with macaroni salad, and beans. What great people they are to take my bike in, to keep it for me, to take it in for the service and take it back to their house for safekeeping in their garage.

Don taking Miss Scarlet into their garage.

And to invite me for dinner, too. Hospitality like that is something that is sometimes forgotten. I'm so incredibly lucky to have friends like that, who also have friends like that. And btw, Don has a 2005 black Road King Classic, so Miss Scarlet and the RK were becoming fast friends and I know she won't be lonely while I'm gone. We've ridden nearly 9,000 miles, riding every day although not big mileages most days, and a few very small-mileage days. It's like I'm leaving one of my best friends behind.

I saw a few of these lawn ornaments on our trip and know they are mostly non-existent anymore.

I really liked the Indian chief.

And of course, I had to have a photo of this one.

Rider Chic and I returned home and continued our non-stop talking. I worked on blogging for a while, had trouble with the photos and called it a night. I was all in.
July 18

It's time … for me to go home. Up early to get ready, to pack everything to take home and to pack up what will remain behind for the trip back in a few weeks. Some things can go home that won't be used again for the next trip … like my banquet clothes for the Vermont Women on Wheels Ride In. It's cargo pants and a nice jacket top that won't fit the Sturgis image. Of course, your image and mine for Sturgis is probably different, as I'm not the type who will wear some of the things I've seen there … absolutely not!!! There are some of those folks who shouldn't be wearing what they will be wearing either. Makes for a very bad visual … and a nauseated stomach.

New Harley shirts are coming home, my vest with my pins and state map, things I bought … although not really much. It was different this trip as I really didn't get in the mood to do a lot of shopping, and wasn't in a lot of places where I could. When I was somewhere it was so hot all I wanted to do was get inside and get something to drink.
I phoned home to be sure nothing had changed as far as my standby listing, and things were looking good for me to make the flights. Rider Chic took me to the airport and we sat and chatted still more … and then it was time for me to get up and go through security. The Chic was gone and I was on my way.
Security was fun … and I thought of my Princess … Birdie. They gave me the rubber glove treatment and went through everything. They had wanded my hands and apparently something showed up on them so I got the gloved pat down. But they were very nice, and quite professional. At least they didn't pull out the LONG gloves!!! And then I was done. But not before talking to one of the TSA ladies about motorcycles. They'd seen my vest in the bag when they were going through everything and were impressed; she had had a knucklehead a long time ago and was considering getting another bike. She was looking at a Road King, and I told her it would be an excellent bike for her. She's 5' 6” and it would fit one very well.
Off I went, got on my flight and flew out of Bozeman Airport. It's a great airport, not too big, and quite nice looking.

It was an uneventful flight to Minneapolis, and I was sitting in first class. Thanks, Biker Bill. Alas no meal, but snackies and orange juice and water.
In Minneapolis, I was hungry so grabbed a sandwich, stopped to buy a book, and then headed for my gate. I heard this “Hey Bogan,” turned around and there my my friend from work, Rena, who is kind of a former biker chick, although her husband has a bike. Rena had Grandma as her first bike, one whose front end was so tight she couldn't get it around a corner. Then she had a Heritage painted white and what I called fireweed, a beautiful thing that gave her nothing but trouble and she eventually got rid of it. Her husband has a bike which she can ride, but she'd like to have her own again. Of course, I encourage that as I love seeing other women on their own. Thanks to Biker Bill for that, too, as he encouraged me from the beginning, and was exceptionally patient.

As I sit on the flight now, in an exit row again, it's quiet and I chatted with one of my seat mates for a time and showed him some photos from the trip. There's no wi-fi so I can't get online and do any posting. So I'll have to save that for later.

With that, once I hit the Anchorage airport in five hours or so, I'll be all in for this trip. I'm in Anchorage, I'm all in, and that's all for this trip.