Pat was curious about my experience....off for a little ride

We had some down time ... thought I would spend time sitting on the bike while reading the james avery jewelry catalog-don't want to lose any of that conditioning I got on the ride down ;-) !!!

Oh Oh ... scott is on mapquest-that means our time here is almost over !

Ryan-we toasted in your honor this morning...breakfast tacos,checked into fedexing you some-no can do! Sorry!

Good morning! This is how you enjoy coffee...

Texas Lotto sucks! Got 3 numbers out of 60....guess I am riding the bike home & to think I wasted all that time figuring out what color of a suburban it was gonna be! Back to saving $ so I can buy one my self!!!! ....or@should I say scott can buy me

Shrimp, ribs, beef & chicken fajitas..margaritas...cheese cake & chocolate cake! Oh goodness-now my jamies! Check the tire pressure on that bike before we take off...sure we will be heavier going home!

Good food & family!

What scott has been waitingfor .... and chad & ryan are drooling with jealousy!

This one is for you danielle....might need to Zoom - there is a squirel hanging from hi tail upside down eating out of a birdfeeder in P&D's backyard!

GAS STOPS

If you travel with me in my car you will know that if you can't get out and go to the bathroom and be back in the car by the time the gas is finished filling then you may be left behind. Now with this trip I would dink around in the mini marts until Scott comes in to get me. ha!

Scott was pretty impressed! I only had to ask for one un-scheduled stop for a 'butt' stretch.

LOTTO

I had been buying scratch off lotto at the truck stops-one stop I kept winning $5 (4x) and stretched out our getting back on the bike cuz I had to keep going back in to the store and redeem them.

The last stop I bought $10 in the Texas lottery that draws to night-I think the lump sum pay out is 9million....so for the last 150 miles yesterday-I was deciding what color of suburban I was gonna buy on Monday to trailer the motorcycle home with....thinking either the same color as my car now or a silver-like black, but it is awful hard to keep clean!

The gorgeous view from Pat's study as I sit here updating my blog

Mandi is enjoying the 4th of July weekend in Chelan, Chad and Ashley are going to the Oregon Coast for a Dukehart Family vacation and Ryan, Janae, Lola and Bailey will be spending a quiet weekend at home! HAPPY 4TH TO YOU ALL AND I LOVE YOU!

NEXT TIME WE COME WE BRING AN SUV-I WANT TO SHOP ALONG THE WAY!

....shhhh! chad don't tell ashley, but i have a couple good idea's for a honeymoon-will talk to you later about them.

Today ...

The boys are out for their morning walk around the neighborhood. Debbie gave them a headstart as she heads out for a run.

We will make it out shopping today-we have to make our token trip to James Avery Jewelers...seeing how our 30th anniversary is next month (35 if you are counting time together & 64 if you are counting the hazard years i have earned by being married to HIM!)

We also need to do our 'mexican' blanket shopping for the pre-orders i have received. Better see what i can buy for lola, liana, luke and london too! Mexican wear for birthday presents, what do you think liana and london??

Don't know yet whether today is Rudy's BBQ or mexican-whichever we don't make it to today we will get to tomorrow. as per scott's request

Scott put rain-x on our helmet windshields for our ride home. i didn't mind getting so wet on our last day getting here, but sure hope the hurricane storms are over by monday morning! i don't want to get wet on our first day going back and have wet boots, etc for the whole trip.

Sorry I didn't post last night...a wonderful steak dinner and margaritas put me to bed pretty early! It is like staying in a luxury spa while here-Pat and Debbie's home is absolutely beautiful as most of you know!!!!

Don't think we are coming home...too relaxing!

The most beautiful view ... sitting here watching the red cardinals, hummingbirds, doves, squirrels, fox and deer! Quite the wildlifie refuge Pat and Debbie have

Gorgeous!

Enjoying the rain from under the roof!

Of course...washing his baby before he even has a shower himself!

Wohooo!! We made it! Water logged....but here! Showers then bring on the liquor !!!

...driving rain and wind!

One more leg....we have 2 sets of raingear on each & our clothes are still soaked...must be 2 cups of water in each of my boots! The last townwe drove thru lakes of water & almost missed a turn off..visibility is miserable!

here we go again! i will be off grid for most of today....driving rain, flood warnings on roadways & 60 percent thunderstorms from here to s.a. and for a week thanks to hurricane alex! remember this is an adventure not a vacation. bless scotts heart- he slept for maybe an hour & has been up blow drying our boots & raingear..ironed our jeans dry etc!!!! my alarm went off @ 3:30 god's country time (that is seattle time)...got my damp clothes on & ready to go. only 270 miles to go...pat is home awaiting our landing! check out the weather for this area & think about us...storms & holiday weekend traffic! love & kisses!!!

hoping the edge of hurricane 'alex' finishes up soon!...rather not ride in the rain!

missing bailey...bet she is having fun with lola in spokane!

i think maybe i have become one with the bike...my butt didn't hurt much today!

my most exotic fan happened in new mexico...a train conductor gave me a choo choo! after i waived to him!

oh for cattle ranches...the sweet smell of texas steer!

my favorite highway signs of the day....'pass with care' -think colorado called ahead & told n.m. scott was coming! ... and texas likes to use the tough guy thing, their do not litter signs say 'don't mess with texas'

...now for the fun of the day. we saw billy the kidd's hometown & grave site in new mexico. we saw waylon jennings home in texas!

we made it to abilene....but i have never been so wet in my life! cant remember the last time i had dishpan hands! to rainy to ride to a restaurant! gonna be hungry by morning...specially since we only had pop & fries today! my kids will understand this when i say this hotel sucks tonite! i am a snob this had one of the higher ratings & that doesn't say much for abilene. today was a great day & was looking forward to a nice hotel like the hilton last nite...i am cranky & can't wait for morning so we can leave! rain or shine!

8pm 30 min til ab

Here we go again....we are wearing out our raingear from the inside-on, off, on, off .......

The last stretch for the day looks tough!

Crazy huh! Where is their sense of adventure?

Ok , now What's wrong with pix ?

Dark skies!

Raiining & WINDY !

This bike from alabama going to grand canyon...no raingear for them!

Ok we are officially dressed like michelin tire men! Its pouring!

Leaving santa fe....might get rained on today!