Been planning this since I got home - to go and see some old friends again and we had said that today would be the day. The day was AWESOME to be in the saddle. It was not as sunny and clear as predicted but awesome just the same. I was so pumped to see old friends again and get a little wind that I got insomnia last night and tossed and turned for at least 4 hours. Got up a few hours later and had some good old Louisiana Community coffee and played with the critters awhile. It was in the mid 40's but warmed up quickly to the lower 50's by the time I headed her into the wind. Cloudy and drizzly but a great day to be riding.
Yesterday I debadged the Vstrom - took the big stickers off the side of the tank. (Lyn-Del, sorry I missed your call - I was in the garage most of the morning). It was after lunch when I got your message or I would have met you sister....
I think it looks cleaner without the Vstrom on the sides of the tank. Would have taken the Valkyrie, but I have a blown right fork seal that needs changing, so I took the Wee instead. Finished the last cup of coffee, threw on the ATGATT gear and took some two lane roads to Crowley and then jumped on the superslab.
88 miles later I was at the house of my friends....Hard6 and Ms Mary. Stood out in the garage awhile with Ms Mary and talked for awhile then went in for the bear hugs with my old buddy. (There is a Valk in that garage - now it's Valk related).
Today was not a day of riding together or wrenching on bikes, it was a day of talking with each other since we have not seen each other since the summer. Hard6, Ms Mary and I spent about 5 hours telling lies and catching up on times....it just don't get any better - for sure and for certain! I had told JP to tell Ms Mary that if I came over - to NOT go out of her way and cook anything.
Well, when I walk in she is putting that special Ms Mary magic in the kitchen. I told her that I had not wanted herself to be put out and she smiled and said, "This is enjoyable to me and what I want to do." AND MAN, what a cook!!!!!!
Nothing like a "light lunch".
The best fried catfish I have ever had (some of the prettiest fillets I have ever seen and fresh raised)! Broccoli with olive oil and lemon juice and mac and cheese and rolls. BOY HOWDY! It was out of this world!!!!!
And the side show of the interaction between JP and Ms Mary cooking together - it sure was "good times".
And then for desert....WHEW! Ms Mary is Greek heritage and she had made home made baklava....BOY HOWDY! This was the REAL DEAL and would melt in your mouth.....It was OUT OF THIS WORLD good!!!!!!!!
Hold on, I gotta show you another shot of this stuff - WOW!
That was some of the best pastry I have ever eaten.
So, we poured more coffee and sat around catching up on times and again, it was "best of times". Alas, they had to get ready for something and I needed to pound the superslab back home to let the critters out and play and feed them before Bonnie got home, so Ms Mary and JP filled my saddle bag with more fish, broccoli and baklava for Bonnie to try and with a hug a wave, I headed back east again - another 80+ miles back home.
When I passed Scott, I stopped at the dealership that I had picked the Vstrom up at and checked out the new bikes they had for 2012. The owner remembered me and came out to check out the farkles I had added to the Wee and even let me mossy around the shop in back and check out bikes.
So I was able to get in about 200 miles of much needed wind, eat some great food and the most important thing, spend some time with some VERY DEAR, OLD FRIENDS! Life just don't get much better.
It was a great day for "day trippin'".
