What a Celebration...! - Part Four

All I know at this point is that if you weren't able to be a part of this 105th celebration, you missed out on an extraordinary event and I wish that words and pictures could recreate it for you!

Despite the inevitable, "consumer rape" that occurs at just about any big event and the notable process flaw at Miller Park Thursday, this was one hell of an unforgettable, tell the Grandchildren some day, Bruce Springsteen really does rock, kind of party!! So thank you to Harley-Davidson, the maker of the greatest motorcycle in the world, and to Milwaukee, the city of my birth, for hosting the biggest, most entertaining event of the 21st century to date, and thanks as well to everyone who traveled near & far to make what I'll forever describe as the Christmas I got everything I wished for and then some.

I can hardly wait to do it again in 2013! ~

What a Celebration...! - Part Three

Friday morning begins like most any other day - make the bed, have some breakfast, throw in a load of laundry, check to see what grew overnight in the garden...the exception being that I'm just stalling until it's appropriate to hop on my bike and make the run to Milwaukee and the day's music & entertainment! I figured a 12-hour day of fun & sun would be enough, so I'd leave around 11AM.

Roger had errands to run, he wasn't joining me for the rest of the weekend, he had his fill of crowds for the season at Miller Park Thursday and he returns to work Saturday bright & early. So off he goes, leaving me to finish getting ready and wishing me a great & safe time.

Near departure time - I'm dressed and have completed a sufficient amount of chores to ward off any "party" guilt. All that's left to do is shove the necessary essentials - tickets, camera, cash, walking shoes, sunscreen, jacket - in the saddlebags and I'm ready to roll...but wait. After all the planning, prepping and butterflies I decide that I need a shoulder bag, much handier than my usual fanny pack. I dash to the spare room closet, keeper of nostalgic apparel, where I should find what I'm looking for, but NO. Disappointed, I turn to leave the room and the house with my good enough fanny pack when I spot two yards of biker-motif material. Ah ha, I can make what I want with a couple of snips and some straight stitching - and so I did! In less than an hour (more time than I cared to give up, especially since it was cutting into my departure time) I had a one-of-a-kind, hands-free bag to hold my stuff.

Needless to say, Roger returned home, surprised to find me still there and helped to put the finishing touches on my newly created bag! I also learned, upon loading my bike, that he had taken the liberty of packing my jacket, chaps and boots in my too tiny saddlebags - he is "THE BEST"!

I arrived in time to find a free, primo spot at the south end of the Summerfest grounds and the rest of the day/night went off without a stitch hitch! I met so many awesome, kind people from around the country, sadly, not many from other lands as in years past, sampled delicious foods, and of course, jammed to great music - Black Crowes, Los Lonely Boys, War, Big Head Todd and even caught the tail end of Foghat. I took my time leaving the park, making sure to chat with as many folks as I could and returned to my bike a bit after midnight.

The ride home was so cool, partly because I was too lazy to suit up and rode home in shorts and partly because after 25 miles or so, I was the only northbound vehicle on the Interstate!

I'll wear convertible pants Saturday and rig up a canteen of sorts - they're getting $17.32 a gallon for bottled - I don't think so. ~

What a Celebration...! - Part Two

...so, the alarm is set for 3:30AM - double and triple checked - and for once I have no problem falling asleep without reading. What felt like several minutes later, I dreamily open my eyes, so proud of myself that I beat the alarm, but when the old eyes focus on the clock I scream &%@#?*, jump into a pair of sweats, grab my cell phone, flip-flops and keys and fly out the door.

I waited until I was out of the driveway before placing the apology call to my waiting daughter - I had to let the panic subside, remind myself that she's over 21 and for the love of Pete and she'll manage. Her phone went right to voice mail - a good sign for me - so I left my "Mommy's on her way" message and got down to the business of driving the four-wheeled vehicle, which I have only driven one other time since May.

The condensed version is that her plane was briefly delayed, her luggage took forever and I ended up waiting for her - go figure! So we return home, where I plan to finish my nap before Thursday's all day/night H.O.G. festivities at Miller Park (back in Milwaukee where the airport is!) But the next thing I know, I'm cooking a royal breakfast, the phone is going bonkers, Roger ran to do an errand, my daughter is on the couch and I just want to sleep!

A 3 hour nap did occur and we were well on our way to Milwaukee by 1:30. Again, we made plans to meet up with two other couples and again, after 2 false alarms, over 30 minutes in line for beverages, and 4 cell phone calls between us, we gave up looking for them in the estimated crowd of 80,000 and just started enjoying the day.

We took in a bit of Billy Bob Thornton's Band, some Joan Jett, a couple of national motorcycle stunt teams, comedian Lewis Black, as well as the entire performances of Sugarland and Kid Rock. And...we ran into one of the guys we tried finding the night before in West Bend!!

Another honest to God, you had to see it to believe it event, and other than not meeting up with our friends, which bummed me out, it was another memorably fun, perfect Wisconsin summer day. ~

What a Celebration...! - Part One

For me the trip "home" for the 105th anniversary celebration of Harley-Davidson in Milwaukee, the city of my birth, was breeze - literally and figuratively, but regardless of the short distance I traveled to be there every day, I wouldn't have missed it for anything in the world!!

Roger & I started the weekend last Wednesday with a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert at Washington County Fairgrounds in West Bend, WI, another short 45 mile ride for us. We arrived about 30 minutes before the show to the staggering sight of what looked like 100,000 motorcycles, and I know what 100,000 bikes looks like from Sturgis and Daytona. All of those motorcycles in one spot was nothing short of utter awesomeness!! Such a sight also convinced us that it would be near impossible to find the group of friends we had planned to meet.

The concert was great, even though I only caught occasional glimpses of the stage & band, they sounded fantastic - and yeah, I know, some folks take issue with the fact that they aren't the original group, but it's hard to tell by listening to them. That massive crowd was excited, entertained & pleased and there was no problem getting a cold beer - unlike the problem of not finding our friends, despite cell phone contact attempts - but we did run into a cousin and his family, whom I haven't seen in a couple of years!!

We made it home well before midnight, which was a good thing - my youngest was returning from a San Francisco trip and I agreed to be at the airport by 4:30AM - ugh!

Birth of the Salsa Ingredients

It's happening...the vegetables are becoming ripe for the picking - I'm so excited!! So far the peppers and onions are slightly ahead of the tomatoes, so the peppers will wait in the freezer for a week or so. Too bad too, because the days have been cooler than usual for this time of year and I would have done some canning this week, but oh well.

Got the bike all scrubbed up and shiny for the much anticipated Harley-Davidson 105th anniversary festivities, which begin tomorrow evening, so you know where I'll be and what I'll be doing until late Saturday night - bikes, camera, music... woo-hoo!!

My future riding partner is now crawling in a forward motion and according to her Mom, she's fast as lightening & full speed ahead - be no time at all before she's ready to ride - I'm most excited about that eventual event!!

8.08.08

A historic date it was and not just from a numerology standpoint, although some interesting stuff depending on how you feel about numerology, but mainly because the Summer Olympics kicked off in Beijing, China with the opening ceremony and the torch in tact!

Me, I spent most of the day riding and photographing anything in my path. And yes, it was another brilliant, warm sun, puffy cloud, ride your socks off Wisconsin summer day!

8.8.08 was brought to my attention earlier in the week by a post via my most recent addiction, Flickr, so I had to go out and do my part - take pictures of stuff related to 8, at least I think that was the challenge. No matter, it gave me license to enjoy my favorite colors, blue sky, green fields, red barns and blacktop, plus I found a couple of new roads; very little traveled ones and one very untraveled road which I was freakishly compelled to explore, even ignoring a Road Closed sign, two barricades, four cones and caution tape (secret stuff down that one!).


Spent the evening uploading to Flickr and researching 8.8.08 - I had to know if I was missing "the point". Turns out I wasn't, but did gain a brief history lesson. Here are some of the significant past events that also occurred on an August 8th. (2 x 8 = more than enough information, but...)

• A tornado touched down in Kings County, New York, August 8, 2007, the most powerful tornado in New York to date.
• On August 8, 2000 a Confederate submarine was raised to the surface after 136 years on the ocean floor.
• Iraq President Saddam Hussein announced that Iraq annexed Kuwait and U.S. President Bush (H.W.) sent American troops to Saudi Arabia to force Iraqi troops out of Kuwait August 8, 1990.
• The lights were turned on at Wrigley Field for the first time, making it the last major league stadium to host night games August 8, 1988.
• President Nixon made his resignation speech August 8, 1974.
• A gang of 15 men stole more than £2.6 million in the Great Train Robbery of England August 8, 1963.
• August 8, 1962 Elizabeth Ann Duncan becomes the last woman to be executed in the United States prior to the reintroduction of capital punishment in 1977.
• World War II and Russia declared war on Japan August 8, 1945.
• Workers went on strike at the Hoover Dam August 8, 1931 .
• The Battle of Amiens during World War I began August 8, 1918.
• On August 8, 1911 the millionth patent was filed in the United States Patent Office by Francis Holton for a tubeless vehicle tire.
• Wilbur Wright made his first flight at a Le Mans, France race course on August 8, 1908. It's was the Wright Brothers' first public flight.
• Thomas Edison received a patent for his mimeograph on August 8, 1876.
• Joseph Whidbey and George Vancouver lead an expedition to search for the Northwest Passage near Juneau, Alaska on August 8, 1794.
• The city of Oulu, Finland was founded by Charles IX of Sweden on August 8, 1605.
• Sweden was defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula August 8, 1220.

I've read that a record number of Asian marriages will take place on 8.8.08 because the number 8 is considered to be lucky and a sign of prosperity. 8's on their sides look like the infinity symbol.

12.12.12 will be the last repeating digit date until the year 3001 - I'm pretty sure I'll be riding that day!

Afternoon at the beach with family

Spent a gorgeous, enjoyable, all-to-brief afternoon on the shores of Lake Michigan with the more senior/insane members of our clan - catching up, solving the world's problems and shamelessly cracking up over some pretty "crappy" situations that seemed to have a Wal-Mart theme.

I bungeed a homemade, hot out of the oven, Rhubarb/Blueberry/Black Raspberry torte to the back of the bike for the 6-mile ride to meet and delight said seniors - and delight them it did, minus one, whom I have known forever, but didn't know she despises blueberries (there should be a law) & rhubarb alike. Too bad for her, extra for the others! (I would recommend that she see a specialist about the blueberry thing though.)

Had the camera along, bungee not required, so a photo-op was inevitable and mandatory. Only problem was getting said seniors close enough to the water (the actual scene), focused (brain focus, not camera) and at the same time. It resembled a kindergarten assembly for the slow (no offense to anyone not related) and turned in to an eighth grade graduation party with booze (I'm just imagining here). Miraculously no one was drowned or arrested and digital memories were made to share with God only knows!

Short rides are like short visits - still fun, just too short ~

Midwest August

August is bustling with action & activities - fairs, festivals, charity rides, concerts, cookouts, 08-08-08, Sturgis, job interviews..., so no lack of a destination, as if that was ever an issue. Saving myself for Harley-Davidson's 105th celebration the end of this month, seeing how I've just recovered from their 100th!

Rode my socks off this past week; literally over the weekend...too hot for proper biker attire, which I seldom subject myself to anyway; just right for swimsuit top, shorts & flip-flops. Found a mom & pop, five counties away, with tasty homemade ice cream and handmade cones; savored hot-off-the-press spring rolls at a nearby Farmer's Market; landed in a cemetery with tombstones over 150 years; spent the better part of a gorgeous afternoon in a pea field with 16 running combines; paused off numerous times to capture the beautiful landscape, as well as the mundane, never quite achieving the desired result, but close enough to relive summer's freedom once it's over.

Our garden of eatin' is ripening and producing delectable ingredients each evening and after yesterday's rain it will be bursting with goodies to share.

The almost daily communication with my future riding partner has surpassed the 30 day mark, which means we're due for a face-to-face - I'd like to see her swimming in the pool and napping on the front porch, but I also wouldn't mind the 900+ mile run to her neck of the woods. ~