Okay, okay, this isn't a current shot. It was taken on March 8, 2008, but it gets one in the mood for Christmas, doesn't it?
We've put our bike away for the winter. Took lots of short trips this fall to enjoy the amazing colors in Tennessee.
What a blessing. Happy Holidays to you all.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Our Snowy Haven
Friday, May 23, 2008
Memories - Day 4
We were in 16 of these well-crafted tunnels today. I have a love/hate relationship with the tunnels. I loved it until I realized there was ice in some of the tunnels, then I hated it! It was loud, really loud in the tunnels because of our loud pipes on the bike. I felt the light played tricks with your vision in the tunnels...creepy! It's an entirely different experience for me traveling though the tunnels from my experience in a car. The stonemasonry was gorgeous.
Blue Ridge Parkway Tunnels
Memories of the Trip - Day 4
Here's our bike, Honda 1800 VTX Retro, and our trailer, a Bushtec Roadstar Retro. I'm really fond of this set up that carried us on our trip for more than 2800 miles. On Day 4 we were traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway, one of my favorite roads ever. It's a smooth ride, well maintained roads and overlooks. The speed limit is 45 mph and there is limited access to the parkway.
When we are on the bike, I feel like we are invisible to other drivers and in danger from all other vehicles on the road. On the parkway, no one is going to merge into our lane without seeing us, no one is going to pull out from a busy side street in front of us. People are on the parkway for the ride...just the ride...just like us. They aren't distracted by rush hour traffic and their busy lives...they are on vacation, on a pleasure ride, not in a hurry, taking time to enjoy the view and meeting others on the road...just like us. It's a place of peace, and it is beautiful. I miss it already.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Couple of Bears - Day 3
I'm still posting some images from our trip. Sid and his burly friend strike similar poses in the lobby of our hotel in Cherokee, NC. This hotel had the most gorgeous landscaping - everything was in bloom!
Fading Image from Day 3
Remember "See Rock City" barns? If you traveled anywhere in the southeastern United States in the 1950's or 1960's, chances are you've seen hundreds of the barns, each with the roof or sides pained with white letters on black background, "See Rock City." "See 7 states."
It all began in the 1920's, when Garnet and Frieda Carter developed a garden walkway on their estate atop Lookout Mountain, in northern Georgia, overlooking Chattanooga. America was in the Great Depression when the Carters opened their gardens to the public in 1932. In what would become one of the most unique advertising gimmicks ever, Carter hired Clark Byers to paint "See Rock City" on hundreds of barns located along highways leading to Chattanooga.
Clark Byers died February 19, 2004 at age 89. From 1937 until his retirement in 1969, Byers painted over 900 barns in 19 southern states
The barns are so cherished by America's baby boomers, that miniature replica "See Rock City" birdhouses are sold worldwide. Most of the original barns are but a memory. If you are lucky, you still may see one on America's backroads! We saw this in Robinsville, North Carolina.
Deal's Gap & The Falls
Sid posed for this photo on Day 2 at Fall Creek Falls. He wanted to make sure his shirt was viewable on the photo. We picked this up last year when we rode the "Tail of the Dragon" at Deal's Gap. It's a stretch of Highway 129 in North Carolina that has 318 curves in 11 miles. What a challenging ride through the mountains!
Additional Photos from the Trip
We met this curious little guy and his parents on Day 2 at the base of Fall Creek Falls. He was such a cutie, posing nicely, racing around, ready for the trip back to the top of the falls. How can you resist such a face?
Monday, May 19, 2008
Day 17 - May 12, 2008 - The Last Day
Our Ride - This Honda VTX1800 Retro carried us safely for 2800 miles - a memorable trip from start to finish. It was a relief to finish our trip on a sunny Monday morning heading toward our haven in West Tennessee.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Day 16 - May 11, 2008 - Next Destination - Tennessee
We got an early start on Sunday, heading to Tennessee. We had weathered the overnight storms from the shelter of a Comfort Inn, but the morning was really cold. Just like on our first day of our trip, we kept stopping to add more warm clothing. We enjoyed a hot breakfast in the Alabama mountains in a tiny town called "Skyline" on the top of a mountain. I have lots of mountain and country road shots that I may post later.
I've noticed something from the back of the motorcycle while traveling thousands of miles on rural highways. A small percentage of the homes we pass are likely to have one or two common items on their front porches - a piece of upholstered furniture (recliner, love seat, sofa, chair) and/or an appliance. The exhibit above has (l to r) upholstered chair, and a stove.
It is also likely to find a vehicle in the yard being used as a storage shed. Click on the photo above to see five more exhibits including two astounding uses for retired buses.
The wind on this Mother's Day is very strong and unpredictable. Sid had a terrible time keeping the bike on the road. I was terrified, but kept my mind occupied looking for additional exhibits of upholstered furnishings and appliances on front porches. I found many more than I photographed because I kept putting my hands in my pockets to keep them warm. One home had three appliances and a sofa on the porch - 4 points and I missed it!!!
We had hoped to make it home today, but it was so windy and cold that we could only make it as far as our property on the Buffalo River in Middle Tennessee. After we arrived and thawed out, we took a hard look at the front porch and identified where to position the appliance and recliner. I'll post photos when we have everything in place...
Tomorrow, Monday, May 12, we will head for home. I hope our pets recognize us. We have missed them and our neighbors and friends. We have logged about 2700 miles so far.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Day 15 - Helen, GA to Scottsboro, AL
Well, we started this hazy day in the mountains of Georgia and finished it in the mountains of Alabama (who knew there were mountains in Alabama?). We have managed to skirt the bad weather that is making its way east. It is 11:30 PM on Saturday, May 10, and we are in our hotel in Scottsboro, listening to thunder. We are watching the weather forecast for severe thunderstorms and a tornado watch. We have been blessed so far.
We crossed over the
Little River Canyon National Preserve near Fort Payne, Alabama, today. In fact, the bridge in the photo above is Hwy 35, a scenic byway that we picked up just outside of Rome, Georgia, earlier today.
Little River is unique because it flows for most of its length atop Lookout Mountain in northeast Alabama. Forested uplands, waterfalls, canyon rims and bluffs, pools, boulders, and sandstone cliffs offer settings for a variety of recreational activities. Natural resources and cultural heritage come together to tell the story of the Preserve, a special place in the Southern Appalachians. This is a beautiful area indeed!
Friday, May 9, 2008
Day 14 - Georgia Scenic Byways
Even though the day dawned with black clouds hanging over us, we were determined to get on the road. This valley near Choestoe, caught our eye as we explore the scenic byways through the Georgia mountains on highways 348, 180, and 17. These are considered some of the best roads for motorcycling in our country. We were very fortunate to travel them today. We also spent some time exploring Helen, Georgia.
I am constantly trying to find ways to help you get the feel of riding on these great roads on a motorcycle. That's Sid's hand on the handlebar of the bike. I held the camera near his knee close to the road's surface. You can't feel the speed or the tilt of the bike as it hugs the road in the curves, but you can get the view.
Incredible view from Brasstown Bald, the highest peak in Georgia at 4784 feet. Storm clouds are threatening to cover the peak with rain!
After our ride to the highest mountain in Georgia, we have a late lunch at the Troll Restaurant, located under the bridge over the Chattahoochee River in Helen, Georgia. We sampled the German food and took a walk along the river before doing a little shopping at the Chattahoochee Biker Gear shop on Main Street.
We take a walk along the Chattahoochee River in Helen, Georgia. That's the International Cafe on the left and Rick's Restaurant in the center. This village is such a surprise. They hosted the Winefest last weekend and are preparing for the Hot Air Balloon races in June!
We took a walk around the village and found this pasture next to the
Alpine Antique Auto and Buggy Museum - one of the entertainment options in Helen, Georgia. This pretty horse came right over to the fence for a greeting from Sid and a big sniff of my camera. Perhaps she thought we had carrots on us.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Day 13 - We're Off To The Georgia Mountains!
We left Greenwood, SC, and took off on the SC Historic Corridor (who knew there was such a thing?). I continue to be surprised by the abandoned homes and businesses that we see on the two-lane roads of America. About 20% of the buildings on the rural roads are not inhabited. For some reason I am especially saddened if they have frilly white curtains in the windows...as if someone went to the store one day and never returned.
In Abbeville County, South Carolina, we encountered 6 large factories that were shuttered with grass growing through cracks in the parking lots where employees once parked. The names of the factories were removed or faded away. What a tremendous impact this must have had on the economy.
It was a relief to reach Hartwell Lake, but we were greeted by the sight below.
The water level at Hartwell Lake is so low that these boat houses and boats are on dry ground now. The lake is still enormous. In fact, it is in South Carolina and Georgia with the state border running right through the lake!
Our first destination in Georgia was Tallulah Gorge State Park where we learned the history of Tallulah Falls. It began in the late 1800s when thousands of tourists came to this natural attraction on the Tallulah Falls railroad. This changed in 1913 when Georgia Power built a dam and dried up the falls. It is still a gorgeous camping and hiking resource with an excellent visitor center. We met three retired couples who have been camping there for three weeks! My photos were crummy, so I haven't posted any.
After leaving the park, we made our way down "historic Hwy 441" (who knew?) to the Unicoi Turnpike where we saw this Indian mound (pictured above) in Nacoochee Valley. Note: the mound is in the foreground with the small white structure on the top. The Unicoi Turnpike was originally built in the early 1800s based on a treaty with the Cherokee Indians when it was entirely on the Cherokee Reservation. Later, it became the first leg of the "Trail of Tears" when more than 3,000 Cherokee were deported from North Carolina. Today, it is a scenic byway that leads to some rockin' motorcycle roads.
Finally, we arrived in our destination for the night. Helen, Georgia, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains on the Chattahoochee River, is a re-creation of an alpine village complete with cobblestone alleys and old-world towers. This Northeast Georgia village has a rich history linked to the Cherokee Indians and Indian burial mounds as well as early settlers who arrived to mine for gold and cut virgin timber for a thriving lumber industry in the early 1900s. Now celebrating its thirty-fifth year as a mountain community with a touch of Bavaria, Helen boasts a wide array of attractions. The area has more than 200 specialty and import shops offer everything from candle making to cuckoo clocks.
Sid was astounded by this place and kept asking me how I learned about it. I told him I did a little search on the internet for "great motorcycle roads in Georgia" and found this site: Georgia Motorcycle Roads. I never dreamed it would look quite like this or be this big! They say it's crazy around here in October during the Oktoberfest celebration.
So, we are here for the next two nights with a little time to explore these roads and this community. Unfortunately, it's a bit rainy with a dismal forecast. More to come...
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Day 12 - Back to Georgia
After the miserable afternoon on Day 11, we decided to head for the hills in Georgia to take advantage of the wonderful motorcycle roads in the north Georgia mountains. We left the coast behind and started to make our way across South Carolina. After two wrong turns, we ended up in Conway, SC, such a delightful little town on a river. Hwy 905 was nice and took us to Hwy 378 - a good road to get us across the state.
Hwy 378 took us right through downtown Columbia, the capital of South Carolina. We passed the South Carolina State House, and I managed to catch this photo from a moving motorcycle shooting from the side a we sped by in downtown traffic. The guy in the car beside us deliberately stayed back so I could capture my photos without his car in the shots.
Ultimately, we made it past Lake Murray, a weird traffic circle in rural South Carolina, and a place called Saluda. We settled in Greenwood, SC for the night - just 90 minutes from the Georgia state line.
Day 11 - Tuesday, 5/6/08
We enjoyed the Pony Island Motel on Ocracoke Island, where we met a bunch of serious fishermen who have stayed here several times before on their fishing trips to the Outer Banks.
I spent some time with the desk clerk discussing the island natives and their distinctive "brogue" that has been studied by sociolinguists from universities. It seems that the folks on Ocracoke are so isolated that they have maintained their own accented speech - different from any other place in the US. The desk clerk says her accent has softened because she must deal with the public all day. She told me that there are 130 children at the Ocracoke Island school (all 12 grades). She says the population has swelled in recent years because an extended Mexican family has settled on Ocracoke Island and 40 of the children are from their family. She says this has impacted the brogue since the newer children are not natives of the island. I was fascinated by her story.
On Tuesday morning, we head to the ferry for the 2.5 hour trip to Cedar Island.
The harbor here is very historic and quaint. This is truly a picturesque fishing village. When you visit, leave your car at the hotel and rent a bicycle. We saw hundreds of bikes available. The Ocracoke lighthouse is near the center of this photo.
The ferry ride was pleasant and long - 2.5 hours! We met many other bikers - from Texas, Kentucky and Boone, North Carolina. At the end of the ferry ride is Cedar Island, where the speech dialect is like that in Ocracoke, but thicker. We decided to skip the lighthouse at Cape Lookout because it involves a 32 mile diversion off our course, and Sid really wants to make it to Myrtle Beach for the night.
We saw this outside of Jacksonville, NC. I wondered what it was.
We passed Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Air Station - a moving sight with "welcome home" signs made from bedsheets posted on the fence just outside the base entrances. Jacksonville is quite the military town.
We stopped in Shallotte, NC, after a 4 hour endurance run without a stop. We had hoped to reach Myrtle Beach (44 miles from there), but couldn't make it after I had a meltdown at a gas station refusing to get on the bike...then it rained on us...rough afternoon...
Monday, May 5, 2008
Day 10 - Houston, We Have A Problem...
It's a chilly and foggy day for our trip from Nags Head down the Outer Banks along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
We passed this Futuro house at the Outer Banks in Frisco, NC between mileposts 65 and 67. Sid (the spoilsport) wouldn't let me get off the bike and peek in the windows...something about private property. It's really quite small for a house...and it already has residents!
Wait, I'll back up to the start of Day 10.
Dawn of Day 10 on the road: chilly and foggy. It seems I am not destined to get that spectacular sunrise photo on the Atlantic after all...*sigh*
By 9:30 we are packed and ready to leave Nags Head. Much of the fog is gone. We have an easy day ahead of us. We will follow Hwy 12 down the Outer Banks along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Miles and miles of unspoiled beaches with the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Pamlico Sound on the other. In spite of the fog we saw some kiteboarders in the Sound near Rodanthe, NC, a mecca for "wind junkies" because of its 300 miles of waist-deep water and consistent winds. It's not unusual to see windsurfers and kiteboarders all over this place.
I've learned a bit about this sport on the internet. There were only a few kiters on the water, and this is my best photo from a moving motorcycle. Go here for some good photos: Outer Banks Kiting. This article from AARP was really informative: Flowing' in the Wind.
It was sputtering rain and the Cape Hatteras lighthouse was closed so visitors were not allowed to climb the 268 steps to the top. But the museum was open, so I could absorb everything there was to offer about the tallest lighthouse on American shores.
There was also a fascinating exhibit about the U-85. The first Nazi submarine destroyed during World War II by Americans, which was sunk off Bodie Island. Apparently, the Germans had a stranglehold on US supply lines and shipping routes in the early stages of the war. U-85, a Type VIIb, German submarine went down after an attack by the USS Roper on April 14, 1942. Sid and I were surprised to learn that German subs patrolled just two miles off the Outer Banks during most of WWII! The wreck of U-85 is a favorite for recreational divers since it sits upright in just 100 feet of water.
Sid is now the lighthouse seeker! We saw this in the distance. Thinking it might be a converted lighthouse, Sid traveled some side roads to find this elaborate rental house on Pamlico Sound. Fog prevents us from seeing the Sound behind this house that rents for $7100 per week in the prime season and only $3100 in the off season.
In order to get to our destination for the night, Ocracoke Island, we had to take the ferry from Hatteras. On the ferry we met seven bikers from Brunswick, Canada, old farts like us, who flew into Charlotte and are spending two weeks traveling many of the same roads we are traveling. This is their 8th year to travel through the southern US during the spring. A few of them bring the bikes on trailers to the destination city, and the rest fly.
I met this couple from Virginia on the ferry with their little girl. The husband drew the gulls by tossing cashews into the air. It was a sight!
I had a great time photographing the gulls who were vying for the cashews. Later, a guy in a truck donated a bag of Fritos to the feeding effort saying we were "brave" for getting so close to all the seagulls!
People out here are serious about fishing. It was not unusual to see trucks with coolers and rod holders mounted to the front bumpers. I was in awe of this sight and glad for the opportunity to catch a photo while the truck was sitting still on the ferry.
After checking in to our motel, the Pony Island Motel on Ocracoke Island, we headed to the Ocracoke lighthouse. This little island is rich in history, settled by ship builders who stripped the land of all its timber, and frequented by Blackbeard, a vicious pirate who preyed on ships for five years before being killed here in 1718.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Day 9 - Nags Head, North Carolina
We decided to spend the day and another night in Nags Head. There is much to see and do here. It started at dawn when I awoke and posted myself on the balcony with my cameras. Even though it started as an overcast and rainy day, the sunrise finally appeared! This scene only lasted about 2 minutes.
This is an earlier scene from our balcony in Nags Head at dawn. It was the first blush of sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean. It was a magical time. I saw flocks of pelicans cruising the waves for breakfast and gulls circling overhead while sand pipers were running along the beach. I even saw two dolphins breaking through the waves. A fishing boat made its way across the horizon under the pink sky, and a storm approached from the north. I didn't leave the balcony until rain spattered my laptop and cameras. It was the beginning of a good day - our 9th day on the road.
After breakfast at Sam and Omie's, we made plans to visit the Wright Brothers Memorial Park at Kill Devil Hills, NC.
We spent much of the day at Wright Brothers Memorial Park. We watched a film at the Centennial Pavilion about these self-taught engineers who conquered the air! Over Sid's protests we climbed Big Kill Devil Hill for a breath taking view of the area from sound to sea. Atop the Hill, stands the 60ft. Pylon - the site where Wilbur and Orville conducted their glider experiments. This monument was erected from 1928 to 1932 - it's time for a bit of sprucing up. What an awesome place!
From Orville Wright’s diary in 1903: “The first flight lasted only 12 seconds, but nevertheless the first in the history of the world in which a machine carrying a man had raised itself by its own power into full flight, had sailed forward without reduction of speed, and had finally landed at a point as high as that from which it had started.”
The photo on the marker shows the first flight, on December 17, 1903, 120 feet in 12 seconds. Orville Wright is at the controls, lying prone on the lower wing. Running alongside to balance the machine on the monorail, Wilbur Wright has just released his hold of the right wing.
At the top center of the photo is Sid standing at the granite marker on the exact spot where the monorail begins.
Sid is such a goofball (to use the favorite expression of my friend, Sue) posing on the sculpture of the replica of the scene of the first flight at the Wright Brothers Memorial Park. This amazing sculpture was commissioned for the centennial celebration of the first flight in 2003. Anyone who visits this area of the country shouldn't miss this fantastic park!
Next, we are off to Jockey's Ridge State Park, the tallest natural sand dunes in the Eastern United States. They offer hang gliding lessons here, and it's a favorite site for kite flying. My photos don't do it justice, so I won't post them. Please visit the link above to get all the scoop on this fascinating natural phenomena. I was most intrigued by the exhibit in the visitor center about the fact that the dunes are shifting their location over the years having already encompassed a miniature golf course on Highway 158. After leaving the park property, I saw a castle from the old putt-putt park still visible behind one of the dunes!
No visit to the ocean is complete without a walk on the beach in the evening. Here you see my footprints about to be washed away by the surf.
Later, we had the broiled flounder, catch of the day at Sam and Omie's famous restaurant just a short walk down the road. It's our third meal at this popular, but comfortable family eatery that started in 1937 as a breakfast spot for local fishermen.
After dinner, we enjoyed the shuffleboard court where Sid trounced me but good. I think his vast experience at the pool table served him well in this game, but neither of us could really remember the rules. It didn't matter, we played until it was too dark to see who was winning.
Tomorrow we are heading south to take the ferry to Ocracoke Island where we plan to spend Monday night. It should be an easy ride along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Day 8 - Saturday, May 3, 2008
We left Virginia and entered North Carolina near a place called Dismal Swamp. We saw farms with vast rice fields...as far as the eye could see. We were anticipating seeing the ocean before the day was over, but we saw oceans of rice fields in the morning. The wind was unbelievable!!! It took every bit of Sid's strength to hold the bike on the road. It was quite frightening. He tried to conceal it from me, but I knew we were in a precarious situation. Once again we saw farms in every imaginable condition - from neat and well-kept to those barely making a hardscrabble living. There were so many abandoned farmhouses. It made me sad to know that those homes once housed families that loved them and cared for them.
Eventually, we reached the coast and headed down the Outer Banks to Nags Head, NC.
What a relief to be off the bike on this dangerously windy day. We checked into the historic Sea Foam Motel on Beach Road. This motel was built in 1948 and has maintained the vintage look with paneled walls and tiny bathrooms. Some of the rooms have kitchenettes. I remember my family vacationing on the coast of South Carolina and Florida throughout my childhood - we always stayed in places with kitchenettes and shuffleboard courts! After a late lunch at Sam and Omie's famous restaurant, we headed to the Lighthouse at Bodie Island for a few photos. People had gathered for a wedding, and I really wanted to stay, but Sid (the spoilsport) said we couldn't...something about not being invited. I guess it's a good thing. I always cry at weddings.
Originally built in 1872, the Bodie Island Lighthouse is a landmark at Nags Head. There are several other lighthouses that I plan to see...let's hope Sid cooperates. I think he might be of the mindset that if you've seen one lighthouse, you've seen them all.
The Beach Road at Nags Head, NC, is lined with these "painted ladies" - rental beach houses. So much better than rows and rows of high rise hotels which distinguishes this area from what we will see farther down the coast in South Carolina.
The birds on the beach are very friendly! I captured this shot from our balcony at the Sea Foam Motel. Sid threw a few crackers in the air and the birds appeared from every direction. Somehow I managed to overcome the thought that they might peck out our eyes (thank you, Alfred Hitchcock!) and took lots of photos from every angle. We started a feeding frenzy with others from the motel tossing food into the air. It was a memorable sight. Since it was dusk and the birds were backlit, I had to use my flash to get the best shots.
We dined at Owen's Restaurant just across the street, overindulging in rich seafood and wine. We wore our tie-dyed t-shirts to dinner, looking like what we are - a couple who came to town on a motorcycle! It was clear that we were the only bikers in this "spendy" restaurant (descriptor supplied by the desk clerk at the motel). We walked back across the street and chatted with Andy from Dexter, Kansas. He was also on a bike having traveled 3000 miles so far.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Day 7 - Making Our Way to the Coast
This was an uneventful day, traveling through southern Virginia toward the coast. I was struck by this unusual barber shop in Boone's Mill, just outside of Roanoke. The signs admonish visitors about "no loitering" and "no pets on the lawn," but there is no lawn, and I can't imagine one wanting to loiter around this former church/ now barber shop! The sight of the barber pole on the wall near the stained glass windows is really odd.
We passed lots of these Virginia farmhouses today on our 240 mile trek. We saw them in all conditions - beautifully restored, fairly weathered, totally rundown with trees growing inside and all around. We even saw a pink one.
We passed one of the 33 Virginia Bicentennial Farms on Highway 58 East. I knew it was something of note, but didn't understand until I had a chance to search the internet. A Bicentennial Farm is one that has been owned by the same family for 200 years. Remarkable!
My impressions of today: lots of furniture manufacturing and outlets are in this part of Virginia, we crossed a fabulous River/Lake at Clarksville, we saw every kind of residence from tarpaper shacks to multi-million dollar farms - all walks of life lined the highway.
We ended up in Franklin, Virginia, just outside of Suffolk where tornadoes devastated more than 100 homes just 5 days ago. The community is pulling together to help one another.
For the next two or three nights we will be at Nags Head, North Carolina with no internet access. Don't worry, I'll be recording my thoughts and impressions, and taking photos like crazy. I expect to be posting again by Tuesday.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Day 6 - Roanoke, Virginia
We stayed the whole day in Roanoke to have something "greased" on the bike. Sid took Judy for a thrilling ride up and down Yellow Mountain Road. There are lots of turns and curves and hills on this great road from Roanoke to the Garden City neighborhood where our family lives. Judy, a biker chick at heart, loved it. She said she was really comfortable in my seat on the back of the bike and said that I had it made back there. Our nephew, Forrest, also took a little spin with Sid.
You know, after being on the bike for thousands of miles, I guess I am taking it for granted. Hearing Judy and Forrest describe the thrill of the ride really brings it back to me. I need to enjoy it as if it was my first ride. I can hardly wait until tomorrow. Thank you, Judy and Forrest, for reminding me what it's all about!
Forrest and Dakota, our nephews, look so sweet. Their parents are Stacey and Dave. We also have two equally angelic nieces, Isabella and Jasmine, but I didn't get a photo of them...
We surprised Judy at her office this afternoon. She made a point to tell her co-workers that we had regular jobs and were on a two-week vacation. She wanted to make sure they didn't think her sister was some sort of "biker bum."
Our bike looked almost as big as Judy's tiny little house! Note Judy's two "pets" on the front porch - Pinkie and Prissie, the two Florida flamingos.
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