My Bum's on Main Street

What do you do when it is 100 degrees outside and you need to cool off? You go to a nice lunch out where you expect a good meal, some relief from the heat, and some good conversation. What do you not expect to get? Flashed by me. Sorry people at Bocceli’s ☺ and people on the sidewalk. And people at Café Delirium. And people at Sunny Hans. And yep, you, getting your pedicure. I tripped. I fell. I flashed. I stood. I continued flashing. My 5 seconds of fame. Mental note…undergarments are a crucial accessory to any outfit. There are people on Gresham’s Main Street whose eyes are still burning. My knee is skinned. My dignity destroyed. I can only hope there were no Wilkes families dining today. Not how I want to make a first impression.

Day 17

He Said:

Yesterday was an amazing day. My life will be forever changed for the better.

Today I woke up early and proceeded to pack up the stuff for our trip north. We had planned on being at a motorcycle shop right when it opened up at nine. Much to my surprise, we were in fact at the shop when it opened. She and I were still grinning ear to ear.

Of course, nothing ever goes exactly as planned, and the shop ended up not having the correct chain after all, despite me double checking the day before. We showed up and this guy behind the counter still insisted that that they had it, and proceeded to look everywhere for the right size. Unfortunately, he had no luck and I was forced to buy a chain from a shop down the road. I say "unfortunate" because, despite their somewhat unorganized style, I really liked the shop guys.

I drove to the other shop, only to be greeted with the most expensive chain on the market. Oh well, it was the only one available in Vegas at the time, so I swallowed my frustration and purchased the chain. I then drove back to the original shop for them to throw it on for me. I would rather give them the business than the other shop.

We finally got the chain on and were ready to leave town by 11:30 or so. The goal was to get as close to Tahoe as possible, but that wouldn't be as easy as it looked on the map, especially after getting such a late start. Our first stop was in Beaty, at this cool candy shop. We devoured some ice cream and drank some much needed water.

Death Valley was too close to pass up, so we headed west. It was hot. That is actually an understatement, but let's just leave it at hot. The best part is that when we finally reached the lowest point, the clouds rolled in and provided us with some welcomed cover from the blistering sun. We were delighted.

After crossing the valley and having a great lunch at a small resort, we reached Highway 395 and our home for the next several hours. It was getting late though, and we didn't want to be driving too long after the sun went down. We continued north, through Bishop and some other fantastic little towns, past the enterance to Yosemite National Park, and further north to Carson City, NV. We landed in another Best Western and fell asleep excited about seeing Lake Tahoe the following day.

Day 16

He Said:

Whoever said that Vegas is the town that never sleeps, doesn't know me. I fell right to sleep after a long day on the bike and a busy day in Vegas planning our wedding. We were both a little under the weather and still working on rehydrating our bodies from the day's event. Sleep came pretty much instantly.

We woke up refreshed and ready to scour the city over for the clothes that would complete our wedding day dress. I was in search of new jeans, as the one pair I brought with me could now stand up on their own. The bug guts alone on them add fifteen pounds to me. She was in search of a nice white fluffy skirt to wear with her new white "bride" tank top.

Eventually we both found what we were looking for at the Fashion Mall on the strip. The whole day was spent holding hands and feeling very giddy about the ceremony we had planned for eight 'o clock at the A Special Memory chapel. I was so happy, despite the suffocating heat.

At 5:00pm, we were still out and about on the strip. Now, we had arranged for the limo to pick us up at 7:30 and my beautiful fiance wanted to have time to get ready. We hurried back to our room and began preparing ourselves for the best part of our trip.

The driver was right on time and he helped us into the limo. She looked so amazing in her tank and skirt. I was so excited. The driver was a very nice guy who had actually dated a girl in Portland. His conversation helped calm my surprisingly nervous self. It isn't everyday that you commit to loving the one person in this world that makes you feel so amazing. I was thrilled to be where we were:)

After we met the people who would be involved in the actual ceremony, we were whisked away in the limo again and into the drive thru lane. Yep, it was a drive thru wedding chapel. How perfect! We rolled up to the window and met the Jose Castro, the man who would be joining us in holy matrimony. He too was quite the character, with what appeared to be several prison tattoos on his arms. He ended up being wonderful.

The ceremony itself was very simple and laid back, just what we were looking for. She was amazing and I loved every minute of it. The pictures were fun and they turned out great. The whole thing was nothing short of perfect!

When the ceremony and photos were complete, our driver drove us down the strip. We had smiles from ear to ear. It was so awesome.

She Said:

All the details from above are exactly right. We spent the day shopping and ended the day with the perfect ceremony. Only a few details to add...

After the ceremony we decided to let everyone in on the little fun we had. We sent a text which included a picture of us- Travis in a groom t-shirt and me in a veil. We even took it twice to ensure the proper angle on the evidence. Also included in the text were the words "We took the plunge." Pretty clear, right? Wrong. What we got back were a swirl of questions and confusion. The responses ranged from "what?" to "nice pic." All a little confusing. Apparently we weren't as explicit as we needed to be. Finally, with a little help in interpretation (Thanks Jason) and some back and forth texting, everyone was informed. They all seemed thrilled at the thought of us being together forever. No one could be more delighted with the idea than the two of us.

Since we were feeling so lucky in love, we decided to try our hand at the slot machines. Don't get excited- we were playing the 2 cent machines. There were a few moments where Travis and I were both up on our cash. We were feeling extra lucky and decided to move to the quarter machines. I am sure I don't have to tell all you gamblin folk, but there is a little trick to these machines. You see, they say they are 1cent, 2 cent, or 25 cents, but really you have the option of playing the minimum bet or going for the gold with the maximum bet. We usually play maximum bet knowing you have to "bet big to win big!" but we were on the 25 cent machine and were feeling a little more conservative of our precious coins. Travis asked me to pick the winning machine. I enthusiastically pointed to a very patriotic "7's" machine. This one was HOT I could tell. Actually, I had a cold and my stomach hurt so I chose the machine closest to me minimizing any movement. He nodded in approval and sat down on the leather chair. For those of you who do not frequent the slots I must also mention that you no longer get the satisfaction of dropping the coins in one by one and hearing the delightful ding of acceptance. Instead you have to feed the machine your dollar bills or a pay slip which holds your carry over from the last machine. Doesn't really matter to the story, but noteable disappointment in the experience. Ok....he sits. He inserts pay slip. He pushes button (don't even get me started). He pushed button again. and again. and again. We fall silent. Appearing before our eyes is the lucky 7,7,7, three sevens in a row!!!! We scan the above explanation and see in huge letters 777 pay out $100!!!! We cheer! We roar! We hug!!!!!!! and wait? No cling, cling. The machine is silent. A jam? No, just the reminder that we were too cheap to pay maximum bet. Instead of $100 we got nuttin. We stared at it for quite some time.

In the end, the day was a success. Who needs $100 when you have just captured the love of your life.

Day 15

He Said:

It was a hard day on the bike on day 14, through some of the hottest weather yet. It was a relief to finally get to Flagstaff and that much closer to the Grand Canyon.

We got up kinda early, at least for us on this trip, and we were off and rolling at seven or so. A nice guy at the gas station told us that it was about an hour and a half to the Canyon via the more scenic route. He was spot on and the scenery was "grand" (no pun intended). We sailed through the entrance and went straight to the edge.

She was a bit nervous about standing close to the sheer drop off, but I convinced her that I would not push her off and we snapped a few photos and pushed on to the gift shops. I found the necessary stickers and we headed off to the market to begin hydrating for the day.

After a few more photos we began the relatively short trip of approximately 300 miles to Las Vegas and to what would become the most important stop on our journey. I use the terms "approximately" and "short" very loosely as per usual. In fact, the trip was more like a four hundred mile death march across the sun. I am pretty sure my feet were burned, even through the leather boots I had on.

Crossing the Hoover Dam was the most miserable experience of my life. We were both roasting. I won't even tell you about the sweat that was dripping off my arse. She was having a very rough go of it and was very dehydrated. I would feel the same in Vegas itself. Once we finally made it across the dam, we stopped at the first gas station for some water. Apparently drinking too much water too fast isn't a good thing. I felt horrible.

After shrugging off the ill effects of the hot rock in sky, we unloaded our bags from the bike and checked into the Monte Carlo for the night. It is very fun to be the one couple who look like they have been living on the streets for the last three weeks. Everyone else is so made up and dressed up and here we are in torn, stained jeans and dripping sweat from odd places. Oh well.

Once we entered Vegas, I intentionally turned our SPOT tracking device off. More on why later. Let's just say that it may have been a bad idea and Her dad was very concerned about where we were, if we were ok and if there was anything he could do to help. My family was equally concerned. They just didn't call, text, or email me to check in. Thanks family. (kidding)

OK. So, here's the deal. She and I were going to get married in Vegas!!! Yep, and no one knew about it. Crazy, right? Anyway, we had to go to the Clark County building to get the marriage license. Now you know why I had to turn the SPOT device off. I could just see Her dad checking in on our progress and seeing where we were. I can only imaging the phone calls pleading for her to change her mind and to not go through with it. Little did he know that I had actually already taken the battery out of her phone. Brilliant.

We went into the building and filled out the appropriate paperwork. It is surprisingly easy to get married in Vegas. Who knew? Haha.

After filling the papers out, we went up to the counter and began the hilarious process of getting all of our information into the system. I only say hilarious because of the Eastern European man entering it into the computer. He had this amazing monotone voice that instantly made anyone within fifty feet sleepy, but better than this was his thick accent. I tried to follow along with where to sign and what we had to do, but it was tough and I was glad to have Her there with me. She was able to complete the necessary steps and to move us forward in our scheming.

Once the formalities at the County building were done, we headed back to the hotel. Our plan was to get married that night, but to be honest, we were in no shape to do this. In fact, after a few pulls of the slots, we headed to the mall to look for some appropriate Vegas wedding attire. Eventually we made it to the "Biggest Souvenir Shop in the World". Here we found some t-shirts that said "Bride" and "Groom". Perfect.

After the souvenir shop we were spent and didn't have the energy to go through with the big event, nor the wedding chapel. We decided it would be best to get hitched the following day and to stay another day in Sin City.

She Said:

The Grand Canyon- what a sight! I know all of these places are said to be amazing and have pictures plastered over everything calming their glory, but actually standing there looking into this seemingly never ending crack in the earth is truly breathtaking. Not only is the sight of the canyon amazing, the town is hopping with fun and more fun. Shops, resorts, lodges, lounges, hiking- anything you would need for a terrific vacation. Like many of the places we have visited this trip, I will be back. I will hike to the bottom. I will, however, not bring my three year old like some have this delightful day. If you need to know my opinion read the blog below about Rushmore. In one slogan- Save the Children!!!!

After our beautiful start to the day we were off to Vegas. Yes! I was so excited. I was ready to tackle the mileage giving "whatever it takes" to make it to our next destination. I knew it would be the most memorable event of the trip. I was already thinking about how we were gonna pull this all off considering our limited amount of time and materials. Anyway, had I known "whatever it takes" could potentially mean my last moments on earth, I may have reconsidered my commitment. Highway 93 will never again see the likes of me. It is a death trail. It was hot and miserable to begin the last 100 miles, but I have kicked 100 miles in the face more than once this trip. I was ready and wanted to push ahead. We began winding up a huge mountain just to get to the top and find miles of construction. This was not the kind you pass slowing down a bit and feeling sorry for the hot sweaty men/women holding the signs, this was the kind where you had to come to a complete stop while those torturous creatures with signs and bottled water watched you burn in your own little helmet hell. Bastards. Needless to say, it was a bit uncomfortable. After several stops at the peek of the mountain we began our descend at a whopping 10 miles per hour. I was dying. I took my helmet off anticipating vomiting, fainting, or my slow demise. I know riding without helmet is a huge risk- I didn't care. I needed air and water. I had some hope as we rounded a corner to see the dam. I could see it. I would continue to see it for the next hour or so as I dwindled into hysterics.

The problem here on the dam my friends are the "dam" visitors!!! You do not need to take a picture from the middle of the road. You do not need to stop your car in the middle of the street for a pic (pay the parking fee you cheap bastards!). You certainly do not need to participate in the last minute (frequent) crossing one by one (get in groups!!!). I 've considered sending these "suggestions" on to the dam visiting center as a helpful hint :) I didn't look over the dam. Take that!

Finally, we entered Vegas. There was more serious scares of vomiting in my helmet on I-15. Luckily, we made our destination and on to get our marriage license. This was in an air conditioned building which is about all I remember. I was delirious. Our usual persona, more like Mr. and Mrs. Happy, was missing. We sluggishly approached the counter and somehow got the paperwork filled out. I think the staff had their doubts about our state of mind. Luckily, we made this big decision B.H.E (before heat exhaustion). In fact, I think it is the best decision I have ever made. Marriage license in hand, we moved on to the Monte Carlo and a superb night in Vegas. My stomach never really recovered, which would explain why I only had one beer that night.

The only detail missing in the above entry occurred at approx 12:30am. You know how Trav and I get wild hairs. Well this my friend was one of those. We had our "Bride" and "Groom" shirts and paperwork and were ready to get hitched (at 12:30am mind you). This is Vegas right? The land of last minute crazy fun and 24hr wedding chapels. So I looked up a place and made the phone call. I am pretty sure she answered the phone in bed. Whatever, it is Vegas. I asked if we could get married. She asked, "when." I said, " now." She said, " no." Apparently their 24 hour advertisement was a Vegas exaggeration. Oops. Maybe I am a bit too literal for "Cupid Chapel." It is a good thing because the perfect wedding was yet to come....

Day 13 and 14

He Said:

After spending a delightful evening in what must be one of the scariest parts of Little Rock, Arkansas, we headed out early. Nothing much to report on though, as today was just a travel day. Lots of breaks and lots of water. The goal was to make it to Amarillo, TX for the night. We rode through some cool country in Oklahoma and sweated our way through Eastern Texas. The only cool part of the day was stopping at a fantastic Cherokee Indian Trading Post. She will discuss this mini-adventure below.

We made it 30 miles outside of Amarillo, when the sky turned gray and threatening. We pulled over to put on our rain gear and then hit the highway again. Amazingly, it only rained for about ten minutes, but the lightning show went on all night. It was very cool.

Day 14 was yet another long travel day. The plan was to make it to the Grand Canyon, or somewhere close. It's funny how the mileage never seems to be the same on the atlas as it is in real life. The day seemed to go on forever and the heat was difficult to ride in.

Eventually we made it to Flagstaff and called it a day. Grand Canyon tomorrow!!!

She Said:

Lots of traveling these two days which Travis has pretty much covered, so I will just get to the important stuff...

At this point in the trip we knew there was a strong possibility we would get hitched in Vegas. We had made a promise that we would get married if we saw a wedding chapel anywhere during our trip. As soon as we made the decision to head south we started to hear wedding bells. We were both very excited to see how a Vegas impromptu wedding might unfold. We knew there were a few essential items needed to pull this off. One of which was a temporary ring for Travis. As luck would have it we ended up stopping at a terrific store that had just the right one. Travis picked it up off the shelf because it looked like a regular thick square brushed silver ring. He tried it on and we both thought it looked great. A closer inspection revealed the true bonus to this wondrous item- an engraved image of a spider web with a heart (see below). Hahahah! Now we had to buy it! It was the perfect ring and only 8.99. The image was engraved and outlined in black. Travis took care of the black outline using a metal brush at the local Walmart. Luckily, he has a real wedding ring waiting for him at home :) but this one comes with a better story. One step closer to the big event!

Pictures

Here are some pics of our trip. We have been having some difficulties posting them into our blog itself, so we've created an album on Picasa for your viewing pleasure. We have many more pics that we will share later on. Here is the link. Just drag the mouse over the link and push the button dad.

http://picasaweb.google.com/grilledcheeseanda20

Day 12

He Said:

OK, where were we...oh yes, Nashville. So, we hung out in the glam of Nashville for the evening, staying up late, drinking, and listening to some fantastic music. It was a great night. Tootsies is a fantastic place to soak up the night life that country music created long ago. I can't wait to go back.

After such a late night, we were forced to sleep in a bit. Ok, I guess we have yet to get going before ten, but it sounds better to have an excuse anyway. Once we hit the pavement (not literally moms), we busted out the three hundred or so miles to Memphis, TN and to the most beautiful place on earth, Graceland.

Once we arrived we were greeted with some of the craziest rain I have ever seen. We are talking rain that instantly soaked everything we had. We rushed to the lockers, only to find that the first one we tried wouldn't work. I was frustrated, hot, and dripping with the before mentioned downpour, and She was calm and cool. Eventually we found a couple of lockers that worked alright and we jammed our belongings into them and took off in search of Elvis memorabilia. After wandering around for a bit, we took the marvelous tour of Graceland itself. So interesting to see what luxury was back in the day.

The weather improved slightly and we left Elvis's house and took off for Little Rock, Arkansa

She Said:

Nashville was a terrific time. I highly recommend a trip to Tootsies if you find yourself in that area. Coupled with Jack's Bar-B-Q and you've got yourself a perfect evening.

On to Memphis...Yep, there was rain and a lot of it. We actually weren't going to take the tour, but since we had to wait out the downpour, we decided to. I can't believe the luxury that was the 70's. Graceland is like a timecapsule- a snapshot of a different time. I loved it!

Just one little incident threatened to overshadow the experience- a hair. Actually, two hairs. We decided to get a snack as we wandered through the gift shops. I couldn't wait to bite into my butter pecan two scoop cone, but being the cautious person I have become after my recent food experience, I decided to use a spoon. I scooped a chunk of ice cream and enjoyed every bit of it's smooth creaminess. The second hunk on the spoon unveiled something of concern- a short course black hair. I showed it to Travis, who suggested it might just be one of mine. What? Apparently he hasn't taken extreme notice to my hair color and texture. Anyway, I decide to spoon out the area around the hair and countinue on, except, this scoop revealed another hair. That was it. I had to abandon the delightful treat. I felt sorry for myslef, thinking why does this always happen to me? Then I realized...it couldn't be just me. I just happen to be attentive to such details. I looked around and contemplated the idea of ripping the ice cream out of the hands of all the satisfied consumers. I wanted to save them all from the horror of pulling the hair from their throat or between their teeth. Instead I just watched them enjoy their ice cream and let them go on with their day. They will probably cough a hairball later. I feel just a little guilty.

Indiana Days (8-11)

He Said:

I know, I know, it's been a few days since we last blogged. I am sure you have all been on the edge of your seats since you last read, so I will now fill you in on the actual events that took place in Indiana. I have no idea what She might say, but just remember that what I write is what really happened. (Fyi-this post may be longer, as it discusses four days)

After arriving to the open arms of Her fantastic family, we proceeded to enter one of the family's favorite restaurants, McAllisters (not sure of the spelling here?). Don't worry about the spelling, all you need to know is that the family is obsessed with this place and the sweet tea that they consume in abundance. Every time anyone in the family is visiting Her sister and her family (which is often), they always make the trek to this particular establishment. It has delicious food and a great atmosphere. If you are ever in Carmel, IN, check it out and tell them that the Simpson/Kaopuiki clans sent you and you might get a meal on the house!

We ate too much and She and I settled back onto our iron horse and followed the family back to their house. We all relaxed and She and I told stories of the road and played with the kids. They are great! I feel so lucky to be so welcomed by such a wonderful group of people. Went to bed around midnight with the promise of another relaxing day OFF the bike on Thursday.

Woke up on Thursday very late. Now, Her sister claims that they never sleep in, but every time I have been there, they sleep til at least ten or so. Is this not sleeping in in Indiana? The funniest thing is that their youngest son sleeps in the longest. This blows me away, as I used to wake up with the sun when I was a kid (and still do-except in Indiana).

When we are in Indiana, we generally just hang out and chill with the family. This day was no different. We headed to a lovely park for a picnic and a nature walk. I played tag on the playground. I lost. She lost. The kids won. It was a good time.

After the park we headed to the downtown area of Indianapolis to meet up with Her sister's husband for some dinner at the Spagehtti Factory. Before we ate, we went to one of the kid's favorite places, the mall (I will leave it up to you to decide which kid. Let me just tell you that their is only one daughter in their family). It's always interesting to be at the mall with four kids. I will stop here. Just know that I love it. It's fun to be with other people's kids so that you can spoil them (with cookies before dinner) and not have to deal with the consequences. I am sure this will be paid back at some point. Oh well. Sorry M.

After a wonderful meal at one of the family's other hot spots, we headed home and had another relaxing evening just talking and playing with the kids. Again, I love it.

Friday was the big day for the 3rd of July fireworks event held in their neighborhood. It rivals any fireworks display I have ever seen. In fact, it is better than any other one, as you sit right underneath them. Thanks to Her sister's husband, I have a ton of pics of this amazing event. I will try to post some of those here soon. After the fantastic display, I went to bed.

Saturday was to be a sad day for me. It was the day we were to depart for home. The original plan was to leave on Sunday, but we needed to get a move on, as we decided to head home via a new southern route. It's always tough saying goodbye to everyone. The kids are great. Their parents are great. Her parent's are great. Can't wait to see them again!

Our new route would lead us first to Nashville, TN and a night of amazing music and great beer. More to come on that.

She Said:

I must first celebrate that I am all caught up on the She Said portion of days 1-7. Yippee!! Also, we are having trouble posting pictures. Arg...maybe next stop.

Now on to Indiana... I love Indiana and I especially love the four little munchkins that are sure to show me a good time there (not to mention my sister, Ryon, and my parents who pretty much live there part time : ). This is the second time Travis and I have been to Indiana. The kids have definitely spent time with Travis- they met him last spring, spent the summer with him, and a very compact two weeks of togetherness at Christmas time. My point is, they have known Trav for a little while. They have known me all their lives. This is why when Kyron, my sister's youngest, said "Travis and um.." (pointing at me) clearly struggling to recall my name I was a little shocked. What???? I know Travis is cool, but I am FAMILY!!! We cleared this right up and quizzed him throughout the rest of our trip. Luckily, he passed each time. I should take this opportunity to say how incredibly lucky I am to have a partner that is so great with my family. Travis fits right in the kids. They seem to find him a good time. I particularly enjoyed when Travis jumped on the rip stick (like a kid) and fell onto the pavement. To set a good example (and just because he thinks it's fun) He spent the next few days perfecting his moves. A little stiff in the hips if you ask me, but staying upright.

We spent some very relaxing time in Indiana. Yes there was nature hiking, shopping, and of course a few dinners out (we are the Simpsons after all), but I mostly remember just hanging out at home. We did attempt a visit to the pool since my mom really wanted to go in :) , but ended up all sitting in lounge chairs watching Makela swim under the clouds of the overcast sky. Kyron spent the pool time snuggling up to Travis in a lounge chair making my heart melt. I know I have a terrific guy, but it is so nice to see the decision seconded by the important people in my life. This kind of relaxation in Indiana enjoying the kiddos and family is just what I was looking for.

We also had a wonderful "cookout" and fireworks show the night of the 3rd. The fireworks were just as spectacular as I remembered them last year. My evening was complete with my bag of popcorn in hand. Thanks Ryon, you are one terrific host. No one makes popcorn like you do :)

I am certain we will have at least a few photos to share of this event.

We knew changing our route would cut short our visit by one day. We hated doing this, but were pulled by the fact we were so far east and had such a nice opportunity to revisit one of my favorite places, Nashville, TN. Coupled with the fact that we will see the family again in Portland the day after we return, we decided to push south. It is always hard to say goodbye and at the rate these kids are sprouting you never know what they will look like next. It is very likely both Trav and I will be looking up into the eyes of Makela soon :) Can't wait to see you soon my little buddies!

On to Nashville! We ate delicious BBQ at Jack's Bar-B-Q on Broadway. We were lucky to get a seat. I am sure walking away from the fireworks helped that fate. The rest of the evening was spent listening to some great hits at the world famous Tootsies. We didn't leave until the last fiddle string of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," my favorite!

Day Seven

He Said:

This would be the final day of our voyage across the country. Carmel, Indiana has been our destination since leaving Portland seven days ago. We had 389 miles to go, a small number considering the 600 miles we covered yesterday. It started out brilliantly and continued that way the entire day. Not much to report really, other than seeing the "World's Largest Truck Stop". I picked up a sticker for Iowa and a t-shirt to remember the truck stop by.

We took some wonderful scenic byways on the way to Carmel and really enjoyed the ride. It was nice to know that we would be taking some time off over the next few days (from the bike anyway).

When we arrived in Carmel, we met up with Her family and they were all outside the restaurant waiting to give us a really warm welcome. It was great to finish with an audience. We both had a sense of accomplishment and I couldn't be more proud of the way the my partner handled the entire ride. She didn't complain one time about being sore or needing to stop. She was a wonderful motorcycling travel companion. I hope this is the first of many trips we take together on the bike.

She Said:

We had a wonderful day of riding together. Knowing it was the last ride for a few days gave me a new sense of energy. We found a beautiful route through Indiana giving us an opportunity to see some of the areas that surround Carmel.

We arrived just in time to have dinner at one of my favorite restaurants. As we turned the corner we saw the family waiting out on the sidewalk enthusiastically welcoming us with waving and jumping- it's good to be auntie :). It was a wonderful way to end our long journey east. Lucky me! I hope this is the first of many opportunities to view life from the bike with the one I adore. Now it's time to enjoy family and relax for a few days. Yippee!

Day Six

Day Six:

After a stormy night we woke up to a beautiful day in Kennebec, SD at the quaint little KOA. We leisurely packed the bike and ate some breakfast, knowing that it would be a long day of nothingness on the bike. The route today would lead us through the rest of South Dakota, across half of Minnesota, and then down through part of Iowa.

We boarded our steed at approximately ten and were pushing 90 by 10:15a.m. Immediately after hitting the highway, we were greeted by horrible winds from the north (our left). Having ridden in the Gorge quite a bit, I was pretty used to being battered around on a bike, but that didn't make it any easier on our bodies. After about an hour of these winds I was ready to trade my bike for a car. We tried to get used to it, but it isn't that easy. Every time a truck would pass us we would be sucked into its path and then spit back the other direction after it went by. It wasn't a fun ride. Good news is that it only went on as long as we were heading east. The bad news is that we had 924 miles of heading east.

Every couple of hours we would stop for gas and a break. Ok, let's not lie. Every hour or so we would stop for a break. At about one in the afternoon we stopped for lunch at a McDonald's. Yuk, I know. Anyway, that is when She had me in stitches.

As many of you know, McDonald's hasn't really changed their menu for the last sixty years or so. Knowing this, it always surprises me when people need extra time to order. One would think that they would have at least an idea of what they want to eat. She is one of these people. She walked up to the counter and began to really study the menu. This was enough to make me giggle, but then it got even better. After perusing the menu for a few minutes, she proceeded to ask the twelve year old behind the counter her opinion on the fish fillet. The girl sort of winced and then said, "it's as good as fish can be at a fast food restaurant."

After seeing the young girl's reaction to the fish fillet question, She decided to move onto asking about the chicken sandwich. The girl was apparently a fan and highly recommended it. Of course, this wasn't the end of the questioning. She then proceeded to debate out loud about whether to order the grilled or the crispy chicken. This only took about ten minutes and She decided on the grilled in order to "save calories".

Dieting at McDonald's is never easy. The chicken sandwich came out crispy and She wasn't thrilled but she devoured it anyway. And the fries. And the Diet Coke. I ate the largest chicken nugget meal, knowing that my arteries were clogging with every bite. We vowed never to eat at McDonald's again.

Our bellies full, we returned to the "spin cycle" that the interstate had turned into. Being battered about after eating grease isn't a good thing. She felt sick and I wanted to go to sleep. We decided to push on and before we knew it we were in Minnesota and turning south into Iowa. Not much to say about Minnesota (no offense to Minnesotians(?)) and Iowa isn't a "field of dreams". The Super 8 was calling our name in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It had been a long day on the bike (total of six hundred miles and eleven hours). Sleep came fast.

Only four hundred miles to Carmel, IN and the comfort food that Her sister is so fantastic at creating. Can't wait!

She Said:

Not much to report today. I hated leaving a 4 pack of my new favorite beer behind, but saw no other solution, even though several suggestions were offered up by the KOA owners. I didn't think strapping them to my back was honoring the idea of traveling light.

We rode and rode and rode. Yes, the wind is worth mentioning again :)

In response to the above information about our lunch, all I have to say is- you wouldn't have ordered the fillet-o-fish either if you had seen her face. This is why asking is a good idea.

Since the day was mostly uneventful, I will take this opportunity to catch up on a few details not specific to time and place. We have a two-way communication system. Fantastic really. Except for two exceptions: 1) often something happens and Travis can't hear me. Never does the opposite occur which allows for hours of Trav's commentary and giggles. Good thing I love hearing both 2) While we are listening to music the device will cut out to catch anything Trav has to say (or sing) so instead of hearing the high notes of most female performers it cuts to Trav's version- a little more like a small animal being squeezed to death. The sound I have grown to love. Actually, Trav has a nice voice if he would stick to the guy's part. Of course, this suggestion may be at the expense of some truly entertaining moments on the bike.

Day Five

He Said:

Today was going to be a busy day. Our plan was to get to Mt. Rushmore early on in the day, which was about two hours from where we woke up in Gillette. Whoever said Gillette is "the best a man can get", is an idiot. I didn't sleep very well and the cowboys down the hall were up all night drinking it up. I only wish I partner wouldn't have been with them. Kidding.

We left Gillette at eight or so and hit the road fast and hard. My mom would have been proud, only 90 mph (kidding again). Before we hit the Presidents, we were blessed with the opportunity to see Deadwood, SD, famous for gold, drinking, gambling, cowboys, Wild Bill, and brothels. After scouring the town over for the latter, I gave up. Depressed and in tears, I stumbled into the ten cent slot machine house, in hopes of better luck. Since I had been drinking since 9:30 (caffeine), I didn't have the luck nor the hand-eye coordination I needed to strike it rich. So I headed back outside with only my empty pockets and went searching for a sticker.

Deadwood is a very cool place and one that I would love to go back to someday, maybe with more money and time to search out a proper gentlemen's club. My partner in crime also enjoyed it, but I am sure she will write all about Her skewed perspective below.

After Deadwood, we headed for Mt. Rushmore. In no time at all, we were seeing the heads of four dead people on a big rock, all with the same expression. They all seem to be thinking the same thing, "why the hell am I on a rock?". Regardless, it was impressive and I took lots of photos, none of which you will see here because I forgot the camera cord at home. I know what you are thinking, he always forgets things. This is true, but so do my parents, so I just continue to blame them.

Mt. Rushmore was great, but we needed to get a move on so we continued on our death march to Wall Drug. This is a must see for anyone in South Dakota. It is very interesting and full of fun and free things to do. All I really wanted was a sticker, but what I also got was one of the best cheeseburgers in the entire world. The potato salad wasn't bad either.

Once the cheeseburger had settled, we decided it was time to hit the pavement yet again. This time, our destination was east. I know that is a little vague, but neither one of us really knew where we would end up. Our ride was cut a little short due to some inclimate weather. Now, when I say inclimate weather, I really mean scary lightning all around. I was all about sticking to the asphalt, but someone, who shall remain nameless, wasn't to thrilled about the idea. Apparently being struck by lightning isn't on Her to do list. I can't say I blame Her though.

We landed in Kennebec, SD for the night at a lovely KOA campground. It's run by an English couple who are wonderful. They were very funny and the lady was a huge EPL fan. Fantastic. Another great day.

She Said:

Ok, so let's just start with the lightning to "clear the air" of any misconceptions, I did agree to stop early. How could I turn down Trav's pleading?

Back to the beginning of the day...

Deadwood was an absolute hit! What I really wanted was to call it a day, start drinking whiskey, gamble at the 5 cent machines and stay up long enough to get a taste of the Wild West night life. But, it was clear we needed to press on. So I walked up and down the street envisioning my return trip. I did spend $2.00 in the 5 cent machines for a few moments of fun. Prepare yourself Deadwood, you have not seen the last of me.

It is always nice motivation to hop on the moto knowing our next destination is another great landmark. We were off to see Mt. Rushmore. The ride was terrific. The town right below the monument, Keystone, seemed like it would be worth a stop, but with all the intended sites we had for today, we needed to stick to the plan. Mt. Rushmore was an amazing site. The setting is picturesque and it is full of information detailing the work that went in to the creation. I will stop here for a quick diversion...

Dear parents with children under the age of 10,

On behalf of your child, screaming and crying from tired feet and utter boredom, please do not torture above mentioned child with these historic sites full of far away faces and plaques with intolerable amounts of writing. They like the ice cream, yes, but you can treat them to this in your backyard. Save your money and time at these sites for when they are old enough and can appreciate the context. This will probably cut down your yelling and empty threats as well. Of course, making the trip a little less interesting for us bystanders, but we will manage.

Actually, in response to all the angry sweaty parents, I was tempted to relocate to a nearby setting and offer babysitting. I love the kids, don't get me wrong. I just hate to see them in this state of unhappiness.
Back to my adventure with Mt. Rushmore. I quite enjoyed myself. I only leave, after reading all available signage, with one question: why these four guys? You would think one of the signs would cover this. Please someone, tell me what I missed. Thanks Rushmore for a good time and some delicious ice cream.



We still had Wall Drug to look forward to. I kept seeing signs and wondering what the hay was up with this Wall Drug, clearly some funny characters were to be seen. We arrive to a fantastic street full of quirky gadgets, cheap (and delicious) food, and friendly people, ahhh- feels like home to me. The story of how this street came to be so famous is also pretty fantastic. A love story of a man and his wife venturing to this place in hopes of giving something good to what was labeled a "God forsaken community." As this picture depicts-simply brilliant!


I found my favorite beer today. Yep, noteable all right!

Day Four

He Said:

Apparently the years of riding bicycles and long distance motorcycling has done little to callous my bum and help prevent saddle soars. We have been on the bike for a total of 1500 miles or so and still have around a thousand left to Indiana and the sweet salvation of Her sister's delicious desserts. I only mention my rear because if mine hurts, I can only imagine how bad Hers is and yet she hasn't complained once. She has been so wonderful.

This morning we woke up to beautiful skies again and packed up camp. We were on the road by nine this morning, making it one of the earliest days yet. The plan today was to go from Yellowstone to Gillette, WY, via the Chief Joseph Highway and Cody.

We began our morning with more fantastic wildlife through the park and eastern Montana. The scenic Highway was so incredibly beautiful. I never get tired of being on it. Riding a motorcycle on it made it even better. I was glad I was enjoying it with such a wonderful companion.

The rest of the ride itself today wasn't supposed to be very interesting. Looking at a map, one only sees the vast flat landscape that I thought made up eastern Wyoming. However, shortly after leaving Greybull, WY we began a climb up through one of the prettiest canyons I have ever seen. About halfway up this canyon in the Bighorn National Forest, we came to Shell Creek Falls. This was so amazing. A small creek manages to cut through enormous granite slabs and then creates one of the most unbelievable waterfalls. There was a fantastic overlook and ranger outpost to view the falls. It made our day on the bike much more enjoyable.

Once we left the canyon and zigzagged down the road, the ride mellowed out and we rolled into Gillette at around eight or so. Another long day on the bike. We tried to camp at this private campgound called "Crazy Woman" but the lady who ran it frightened us, so we ended up at a Super 8 instead.

She Said:

Trav just about covered the day leaving out only the minor fact that WE ALMOST GOT RUN OVER BY AN RV!!! We were stopped by a large line of cars all attempting a look at the wolf that was hanging out by the road. Very cool to see a wolf! Future visitors beware, people are constantly breaking and halting in the middle of the road and getting out their binoculars for a glimpse of something spectacular. You can hardly blame them except for all the spots designated to pull into for viewing. Come on people- do the right thing :) Anyway...We were stopped and could not move in any direction. We were behind an RV (which to someone on a moto looks like a huge wall on wheels) when they decide they needed to back up. Yep, they were backing up while we were right behind them! Trav starts pushing the bike back, but we were no match f0r the big beast. Luckily we have a very loud horn that finally got their attention. Finally the big wall of imminent death came to a halt and we were saved. I know being on a moto is dangerous, but never imagined the torture of watching yourself get run over in slow motion -creepy. Other than that, he captured the beauty of the day. Oh yeah, and we had a little run-in with a squirrel's tail.

pic

Here we are enjoying each other on a different adventure. We will post pics from this trip soon.

Day Three

He Said:

Wow! That's all I can say. If you would have told me that our first and only day in the park was going to include four bears, several elk, even more bison, a few rocky mountain sheep, and a wolf, I would have laughed out loud. I have been to Yellowstone more times than I can count and I have only seen a few bears and maybe one or two rocky mountain sheep. She must be a lucky charm. We did, in fact, see all of the above mentioned animals and more. With only one day in the Park, I decided that my pillion needed to experience the whole thing, something that is not easily accomplished with all the yahoos out there in their grossly over sized RVs.

We entered the park with every other person in Montana and I was very concerned about not finding a campsite, so we pushed on through as fast as the Winnebago in front of us would go. After a forty-five minute drive (one that should take twenty or so, but remember my wonderful sense of time from yesterday), we landed at Mammoth Mountain and to one of my favorite campgrounds in the park, Mammoth. It has everything: location, sun, large spaces, and most importantly, flush toilets.

After the tent was set up and the gear stowed properly, we began our epic trek around the Park. For those of you who are familiar with the Park, we took the road from Mammoth to Roosevelt Junction and on to Tower, Canyon, Fishing Bridge, the Lake, Old Faithful, Madison Junction, and ending up back at Mammoth. For those who aren't familiar, sorry. Basically we began our journey by traveling clockwise.

Not twenty minutes down the road, we came across a gang of RVs with tourists gawking at something moving in the bushes below...a BEAR! A real live black bear! If you know anything about the wildlife in Yellowstone, you know that seeing a bear is incredibly rare. Here we were, not twenty minutes into our circle, and we see a bear. How cool! She was very excited, as was I. We continued down the road, stopping at all the usual tourist destinations and having a great time enjoying one another.

As we made our way further around the Park, we came to Mt. Washburn. This is where the day got really cool. We saw a grizzly bear! No Way! People never see grizzlies! She is so lucky!

We were running low on time, as we had to make it back to camp to buy firewood by 8:30p.m., so we were a bit worried about seeing Old Faithful erupt...or whatever it does. Traffic was great on the way to the site and right when we got off the bike we saw that the reliable geyser (better name don't you think?) was set to blow. We raced over just in time to see it do its thing. Again, how lucky is She?

After seeing the geyser blow, we headed back to our campsite. On the way we saw bear, buffalo, elk, antelope and other amazing creatures like squirrels and chipmunks. It was too cool. Our first full day in the park and She saw what people come to see every year and don't. We slept like logs, contemplating our futures.

She Said:

Who knew? Me, The Wildlife Whisperer- I felt like Noah without the Ark.

I shared a wonderfully amazing day in Yellowstone with my very best friend. Lucky me.

Bum is holding up nicely :)

Day Two

He Said:

Ok, so before I give Her the computer, let's get one thing out in the open. It is not twelve hours from Portland to Yellowstone National Park. I just wanted to mention this, as I know my counterpart will be complaining of this below. I made a slight miscalculation of the mileage, but I am man enough to admit when I am wrong or when I have made a mistake. It really isn't my fault. My dad always drove to Yellowstone, never mind the six times I have made the pilgrimage myself. Now...on to day two.

So we awoke at 6:30 in the morning to a beautiful blue sky and eagerly packed up the bike. We sped off to McDonald's for a proper breakfast and plotted out our day. She made a couple phone calls and I sent a few texts to family before we mounted the machine for what promised to be a nice relaxing day on the road to Yellowstone Park. Little did I know that the day would end up being one of the longest days for me on a bike.

As mentioned above, I was under the impression that it was a total of twelve hours from home to Yellowstone. So, having done five hours on day one, I figured that we only had approximately seven hours of riding for the day before we were in a nice warm hotel room in West Yellowstone. Because of this thinking, you can imagine my surprise when the seventh hour came around and we still had at least four hours to go. As we fumbled for an explanation, one thing was clear. It isn't twelve hours from Portland to Yellowstone.

As we pushed on, She showed amazing character and had a wonderful attitude towards the whole thing. She proved to be quite a trooper and didn't even make one smart remark...ok, maybe a few. That's just another reason she is the only one for me. She proved to be fantastic, despite a set back that would promise to make her arse soarer than soar.

Eventually we made it to West Yellowstone, tired and sore, but there. My parents had hooked us up with the only available room in town and it turned out to be the best place. The people who own it are fantastic and really believe in customer service. If you are ever in town, stay at the Alpine Motel. You won't regret it.

After a quick pizza and beer, it was lights out at about ten or so. It was the end of a long day.

She said:

***Please note***Yellowstone is not 12 hours from Portland. In case you have also been mislead by several trips there seeming to only take 12 hours.

I have to admit, I have no leverage to complain as I was able to set off on this adventure by stuffing a few clothes and my mascara in a bag and throwing myself into the arms of my trusted companion. I find myself in constant celebration over a trip with no responsibilities attached and therefore do not mind an extra mile here and there.

Noteables:

• Idaho- much the same as it was in March.


• I saw a full rainbow! Like the kind you draw and color in as a kid! It was extremely exciting. I am pretty sure I am living the abundance of the pot of gold end :)


• Seems like bum is doing well. Lower back has taken the brunt of the ride. Nothing a few Advil can't handle :)


• West Yellowstone is fabulous. They have terrific pizza and the nicest couple alive! We were welcomed with hot beverages, a bag full of sample items, and a personal tour of the quarters. Of course, by this time, all I wanted was a shower and some quiet but I would never admit that to the hostess with the mostest. We will come again Alpine Motel!

Day One

He Said:

The first day of our big motorcycle trip from Portland to Indiana started out in a whirlwind really. I had waited too long to get some new tires put on the bike, so I spent the morning of our departure date in Salem, OR getting new rubber instead of riding. This added some stress to the morning for sure. However, to make matters worse, I had given my parents the key to our condo earlier that morning just in case they wanted to check out the nightlife in Old Town. This in itself wouldn't have been a big deal, as I anticipated my lovely "bride-to-be" to be home waiting with a cup of milk and some graham crackers, or at least have the door unlocked. Unfortunately, Lisa was putting in yet another long day at work. So, by the time I made it back to Portland at 1:00p.m. (departure time was supposed to be 2:00p.m.), not only were there not any graham crackers with milk, but the door was locked! This rendered me helpless to complete the packing and get on the road.

When Lisa made it home at 2:30 (yep, 2:30), we were off to the races in terms of getting the bike completely ready to go. We threw the bike and gear together and called it good. Eventually we made it out the door, or should I say parking garage, at 4:00 just a bit behind schedule. This should be no surprise to any of our family or friends as we are generally late to EVERYTHING.

The original plan was to make it to somewhere around Boise, ID the first day. This would have been a great goal but, as mentioned above, we were a bit off schedule already. Our new goal was to at least make it east of The Dalles. Considering this was just eighty or so miles, I figured this would be a goal we could manage.

Much to my surprise and delight, we made it all the way to Baker City, Or on the first night. After checking into the Roadway Inn, and having a somewhat creepy conversation with a fellow motorcyclist, we were counting sheep by 10 'o clock.

She said:

Noteables:

• Dropping Manny off - 4 trips to the car and a personal invitation (a lift really) and we are off...(a few tears after they declined extra pay to lose him).


• Finished work- Ok, a bit late, but I did leave... eventually.


• Tried to leave- something wrong with the technology..hmmm...glad I have Trav or I might still be there sipping a beer thinking about what might be the problem.


• Actually left- sore bum. already? It had only been minutes.


• Ate lint at Denny's. Yep, you read that one right. LINT. I still have a dry hack. I did mention this to the young gal taking my cash; she said she would tell the cook. What the hell? I wanted money off not some sort of good samaritan award.


• Finally, at destination- less sore bum (figure that out) and happy to have a comfortable room and terrific company for the night. Just wishing the lint would go down already. yuck.