Trying to get home

   The boys have had a challenging couple of days.  After I flew home from Sheridan, Wyoming, they headed toward Rapid City, SD.  They ran into thunderstorms and had to stop in Spearfish, SD to wait out the storm.  Because of this, they were unable to get into any trouble (or have any fun) in Sturgis and had to hurry on in to Rapid City.  This morning they stopped at Mt. Rushmore, but then spent the afternoon dodging thunderstorms trying to make it to Cheyenne, Wyoming.  They just called from Torrington, Wyoming and are stuck there for the night.  Too many storms in front of them.  

   Looks like I picked the right time to exit the "adventure."  

4000 Miles and I'm done

   Finished my last ride today across the Bighorn National Forest into Sheridan Wyoming.  Just past the top of the pass, we hit the 4000 mile mark in our ride.  The guys are continuing on to South Dakota to see Mt. Rushmore and then they are headed for home.  They will add approximately 750 more miles before they arrive in Denver and trailer the bikes home.
   I am flying a "puddle jumper" to Denver and then home and will be back in Oklahoma by 1 p.m. tomorrow, before they even hit the Dakotas.  You gotta love flying!  (We'll see if I say that after my flight tomorrow morning.  I'm not looking forward to climbing in a tiny plane.)
  Here are a few final pics from today's journey.  

   Now, I didn't really have a problem with strapping this small bison to the bike for a 300 mile ride today, but I was hoping that we didn't pass any on the road.  I didn't want to have one following us!  Is it wrong that we have all eaten bison meat within the last 24 hours?  

   

This was taken at our 4000th mile!  

   If Jerry and the boys keep me updated, I will try to post a few final times.  

Wild Animals . . .

   It's good to be back in touch.  Can you believe that we have no internet service here at the Old Faithful Inn?  Something about "enjoying the outdoors" and "disconnecting from the world."  Hmmn, I for one am perfectly capable of enjoying nature and still using the internet, both in the same day.  I have foiled their plans and found a place called the Snow Lodge, which has internet service by the hour.  I'm trying to type fast . . .

   Here are the links to yesterday's and today's photos.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151661441422456.1073741840.677627455&type=3

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151661450537456.1073741841.677627455&type=3

   We have had a great two days, and have already seen a black bear, quite a few bison, some elk, assorted chipmunks and squirrels, and a large amount of tourists, most of them carrying extremely large cameras.  We apparently had a bison pass quite close to our parking spot last night.

 

   Of course, the Hurley family has been behaving in its usual dignified manner.

   Almost forgot to mention, the ravens here are about the size of condors.

    A few parting shots -

Everywhere we rode today, the rangers said, "Yesterday, there were several hundred of the bison on the roads."  God is keeping us safe.  We only had to ride through about two dozen and they are MASSIVE.

   Tomorrow is my last day on the road with the boys and we are going to try and conquer the Bear Tooth Highway and Pass - apparently a must do for motorcyclists.  

 

"Big Sky Country" comes through

   Here is the link to today's photos:  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151658526447456.1073741839.677627455&type=3&uploaded=40

   After riding for a week, and never having a day without at least some rain, it was nice to finally get an entire day where we did not have to put on our rain suits.  Almost the minute we left Washington State behind and entered Idaho, "The Gem State," we had clear skies and an enjoyable ride.  We fell in love for Idaho for the 80 odd miles that we were traveling through on I-90 and then entered Montana.  "The Treasure State" is one of the nicknames for Montana and it also didn't disappoint.  So far we have enjoyed the beautiful blue skies and lack of rain.  We are spending the night in Missoula and will ride to Yellowstone tomorrow.  We are trying to keep an eye on the weather, both along our ride and at home in Oklahoma.  It has certainly been a volatile spring and we are praying for safe travels and good weather for the rest of our ride and an end to the rain and storms to aid the cleanup going on in Oklahoma.  

   Finally got Jerry in a compromising picture today for all his friends at LifeChurch.tv.  We had been seeing these signs along the highway advertising one of those MUST STOP destinations.  This one said "See 50,000 in Silver Dollars."  Out of curiosity we stopped and the place had a gift shop, restaurant, etc. along with a bar where they actually had 50,000 + in silver dollars.  I went to the bathroom and when I came out . . . look where I found Jerry.  ha ha  I know that I'm pretty fortunate if that's the most "compromising" place that I can catch him. :-)

Here is another photo of the "Silver Dollar" collection.  It was actually pretty cool looking.  

Here are a few photos of the beautiful skies of Idaho and Montana.

   Thankfully, the beauty of the skies offset Jerry and the boys singing a modified version of "99 bottles of beer"  The words went something like "99 miles of road to drive, 99 miles of road, Drive real fast and the mile will pass, 98 miles of road to drive."  

    I kept thinking of my employer, Margaret.  (Who by the way, along with her son Matt, my other "boss", were VERY generous in allowing me to miss so much time from work.)  Anyway, Margaret kept asking me "Now, explain to me why you are going on this trip."  At the moment today, when they were all singing that ridiculous song, I thought to myself "Margaret, I don't know why I came."  ha ha 

   Off to Yellowstone, I can't wait . . . 

 

The Donner Party and "Making Memories"

   Today, Jessica (the smart one on the trip) left us to return home to OKC.  They let us back into the country (with no strip searches) and we once again entered the beautiful state of Washington, or as I refer to it "that cold, wet, miserable, rainy state of Washington."
   Here is the link to today's pics - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151656946787456.1073741838.677627455&type=3

Travel tip #1:
   When mountains look like this . . . they are safe to travel in.

The Cascade Mountains are lovely, aren't they?

Travel tip #2:
When mountains look like this . . . you should begin to rethink your plans.

Travel tip #3:
Visibility of less than 50 yards when driving is unsafe.  Adding snow, sleet, rain, and a motorcycle to those conditions is insane.

I was unable to further document the trip down the eastern side of the Cascades, my new Wal-Mart camera was not up to the conditions.

   The readers of this blog will not be able to hear any further details of today's ride.  You will have to seek out one of the other participants in the ride and ask them to tell you the story.
   I will speak of this day no more.  I have put it in the recesses of my mind, never to be brought forth.

Continuing the Journey

   We are still keeping tuned to what is happening back home, but as we continue our journey, we hope that you don't find it insensitive that we continue to record our trip here on this blog.  The idea of posting a travel blog was an idea suggested to me by several people as a way to share our journey, but the thing that convinced me to do this was the fact that it would force me to document things along the way.  I'm looking forward to having this record of the journey to share with my family for years to come.  In light of that, I hope you will know the spirit in which it is written and know that Oklahoma is never far from our thoughts.
   I have posted pictures from the last two days on Jerry's facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?  set=a.10151655456497456.1073741837.677627455&type=3&uploaded=121
 
   I have been cold and wet for most of the past two days, and am looking forward to leaving the Pacific northwest.  We had been asking ourselves, how could anyone choose to live here, with the overcast, rainy cold weather.  Today, Zach and Jess overheard someone talking about Oklahoma.  They were saying "How could anyone choose to live there?"  I guess it is all perspective.

   We did get some sun while we were on Vancouver Island.  I just had to include this funny shot.  We were walking to Chinatown in Victoria and had to pass a few blocks of less than desirable businesses.  Jerry and I crossed the street and motioned for the kids to follow us.  (They were about 1/2 a block behind.)  As they were crossing the street, I noticed the business name in the background.  I yelled that I was going to take a picture to post on the blog, and Zach and Jessica sprinted out of the picture.  Josh was left as the only one in this "compromising" photo.

   Other than this one "shady" street, Victoria, BC is really beautiful.  I think this is a hotel.  I would love to stay there. 

Later, on the ferry to Vancouver, we were sailing through a picturesque passage between two islands.  I took this shot.  A little while later, I went to find the rest of the family . . . 

Found them playing "Go Fish"  

   Annette -  "Have you been down here the entire time?"  

   Jerry - "Yes, we've been playing cards."

   Annette - "Jerry, we've been passing some beautiful scenery, have you not been looking outside?"

   Jerry - "No, we've been concentrating on our card game."

   Annette - "You've got to be kidding me."

   Jerry (sensing that he may be in a little trouble) - "But, we've been enjoying the scenery in our peripheral vision."  

   Did you notice that he has dragged our new daughter in law Jessica into his gang?

   Here are a few more shots from the last two days for those of you not able to access Jerry's facebook photos.  

This is for my friend, Benji, who works for the postal service.  She better get to work on those Oklahoma mailboxes.  They just don't measure up!

I didn't even know that Canada had submarines, but this little one was steaming out of Victoria Harbor.  

Broken Hearted for Oklahoma

   I am really not in the mood to post any pictures.  We were so sad to hear the news from home about the loss of life in today's tornado.  It is just surreal to be here and only hear bits and pieces of the story.  I have talked to Erin and she has updated me a few times, but it is so different being in a location where the focus is not on what has happened in Oklahoma.  The news here is not really covering the story much, though we have read some of the online coverage.  I was really shocked when Jessica and Zach showed me the reaction of what I'm sure is just a few Seattle natives - talking about how they hoped that the basketball stadium was destroyed.  Isn't it hard to believe that even a few people would focus on their feelings about the Supersonics leaving Seattle and not focus on the lives that were lost and the loss of property?
   On our way to Canada tomorrow.  We will update you from there.