Sunday, October 11, 2009

12 September 2009, Home in Prior Lake, Minnesota, USA






I didn’t exactly get out bed early and by the time I finished breakfast I knew I would be having a late start. I wanted to be home by 7:00 p.m. but by the way things were shaping up it would be closer to 9:00 p.m. Before I left we took a bunch of pictures of my brother and his wife and his son and grandchildren. A hundred million years ago his kids were standing around watching Uncle David leave. Now it’s his grandchildren standing around watching me leave. I said to myself "Where did the time go?" I shook hands good-bye and hugged Alverne. I told them I’d do a drive by and to wait and watch. I drove out of their yard and down the road about 500 yards/500 meters and turned around. I got my speed up to about 40 mph/65 kms and just before I passed their property line I stood up on my foot pegs. I turned and waved at them as I passed their driveway while they were standing in their garage. All too soon they were gone. I often wondered what they thought when they saw me standing up on my foot pegs and waving. Maybe someday I will find out. I drove into Grand Forks, North Dakota, filled up with gas and purchased a bottle of Cherry Pepsi. I sat around a bit, had a drink of my Pepsi and then got on I-29 south to Fargo, North Dakota. I drove into Fargo and picked up I-94 East to St. Paul/Minneapolis. I will never forget the time I drove thru Moorhead, Minnesota and Fargo, North Dakota on I-94 in three lanes of traffic. I was fast asleep. It wasn’t until my girlfriend Mary pulled up alongside me that I woke up. She asked me why I missed the I-29 exit to Grand Forks. I couldn’t give her an answer because I didn’t know where I was. I drove another twenty miles until I found a place where I could lay down and sleep. After a catnap I got my bearings and continued up to Grand Forks. Was Mary ever mad at me. I bet the Motorcycle Safety Foundation would love to hear that story. I have long known that when you’re tired or sluggish and you eat greasy or hard to digest food it will put you to sleep. And that’s what happened to me. We stopped and ate some ice cream and it shut me right down. I kind of got onto another subject from days gone by. Anyway, I filled up with gas again in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and the sun had disappeared. I was hoping that I wouldn’t run into rain on the way back to St. Paul/Minneapolis. It wasn’t long after I left Fergus Falls that I was back in the rain. I put on my rain suit and continued on. Just prior to Monticello, Minnesota the sun came out and provided a beautiful rainbow. I stopped and took a picture of it hoping it was a good omen. I stopped in Monticello, took off my rain suit and filled up with gas again. It was 7:00 p.m. and I had called Mary on Friday that I’d be home at 7:00 p.m. or earlier. I grabbed my cell phone to give her a call and it wouldn’t work. Now I’m mad. When I get home the first thing I’m going to do is give AT&T a piece of my mind. I arrived back in my neighborhood about 9:00 p.m. I drove the circle thru the neighborhood just because it seems like ages since I was here. I pulled into Mary’s driveway and beeped my horn that I was home. She came walking out of the house asking me why I was blowing my horn. I said to let you know I’m home. We hugged and smooched a bit. I told her I officially had to mark the time that I arrived home. I pulled out my SPOT and pushed the button saying I was at home ok, and the time was officially 9:10 p.m. I finally reached the end of the road and am a little road weary.

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