Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Encouraging Thoughts for a Wednesday

A pair of stately Triumphs on a bridge deep in the Ottawa National Forest
Well, I hope you all had time to whip up a couple of Clafoutis with the recipe from the post below this one. I'm doing some cooking today and will make one for dessert. Going blueberry again as it was an instant hit and the blueberries are still in season here. Also making a waldorf salad and a tuna/mac salad that the kids love. I'll round off the BBQ fixins with some beans that I'll doctor up just a bit with some bacon, maple and brown sugar.

We're serving hamburgers, hot dogs and Italian sausage from the grill this evening, along with the above mentioned side dishes. My daughters will be here and the Grandkids will be visiting from their dad's as he is attending a ball game tonight in Minneapolis.

We made some moves on the vehicle front here at Spadoville. Gone is the full size E-150 Ford van. It is replaced by a smaller Ford Windstar minivan of the same vintage. I gained miles per gallon and miles on the odometer, and we're still able to haul all the people when we need to, just less room for cargo and camping gear. No photos yet, but I'm sure there will be plenty as time moves along.

One of the entries in the car show at Rice Lake, WI last weekend

Might have been the car show we stopped at in Rice Lake, WI on the way home last Sunday as I got the fever to buy a newer car. You see, I also bought a small Ford Ranger pickup truck. This is what I'll use to haul my motorcycle back and forth to New Mexico. More miles per gallon savings here. I plan on leaving home on Tuesday the 30th of August and be in Truth Or Consequences by Thursday the 1st of September.

1963 Ford Falcon Station Wagon. A rare classic. I want one!

I'll attend the Chile Festival in Hatch, NM over Labor Day weekend. From there, it's a motorcycle trip North to Taos via Santa Fe. I'll meet some friends for dinner at Maria's before I get to the Kachina Lodge in Taos where I'll be with other Triumph motorcycle riders from all over the country. This is the Western Rally and will include conversation, a meet and greet and rides every day if we want them. The area has some beautiful paved roads, and for those of us with a sense of adventure, the Carson National Forest offers plenty of gravel forest service roads through the mountains.

The pick up truck of my dreams

Last weekend, we attended an adventure riders motorcycle rally in Eagle River, WI. Mrs. Spadoman and I camped out. I rode about 200 miles on Saturday. It was a good time. Some thunder on Saturday night, but the daytime weather was fabulous for any kind of outdoor activity.

One of many gravel roads through the forest in Michigan's UP

I did enjoy a great lunch of chicken and ribs at Char's in the small town of Bruce Crossing in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the UP.

Map of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the U.P.

If you're from there, you're called a Yooper. I believe it to be the last wilderness in the lower 48. The forests are vast and sandwiched between the South shore of the Great Lake Superior and the Northern edge of the Great Lake Michigan.

Chicken and BBQ rib special at Char's. The "rock" on the plate was a delicious baked potato

My motorcycle proved very stable and trustworthy on the loose gravel and dirt roads. I'm looking forward to taking it to New Mexico and playing with it this Winter while I'm down there.

More gravel/dirt roads
We didn't win any of the door prizes at the rally, but we were fed a great dinner on Saturday night. Did I mention how beautiful the scenery is up that way?

Camera mounted on my motorcycle's handlebars for this shot

That's the report for today. Pretty busy with a lot of places to be and commitments this week and through the weekend. I'll be around in spurts.

Peace

2 comments:

Jeannie said...

You are soooo busy! I'm relieved and jealous at the same time.

There's a guy in the neighborhood who has a truck quite similar to the classic you have shown there. I think he's missing the box though. It looks very good otherwise. The older guy across the street used to fix up classic cars - I guess when he was done, he'd flip them. He hasn't had anything on the go for the last few years - I guess while and since his wife was dying of cancer.

Mel said...

I'm encouraged! Wow....what an agenda. On top of what I have in front of me....I'm thinking better I watch from the sidelines.

I'm also thinking I said something to himself and a Caflooie hasn't shown up. Yes, I know--kinda close. Counts!
I'll haffta terrorize him and see if that reaps results!
<-- good at terrorizing
(go figure....)

The grilling out sounds wonderful, especially with all the short people around. It's bound to be a good time.

I'll look forward to the photos of the new van AND truck. *laughing* You change vehicles more often than anyone I know, sir. Must be a reason for that and it sounds like it works for you.

I'd like one of those old trucks, too......geeze they don't make 'em like they used to, huh? ;-)