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Two weeks before we head out for our vacation and things are starting to get hectic. It is a busy time for us since the day before we leave on vacation, our niece, Julia, will be marrying her high school sweetheart, Ed Kleppel. Everyone likes Ed and he fits right in the family. So the whole gang will be in Ohio pretty soon and we ought to have a great time at this wedding. Best wishes to the bride and groom.

So Sunday, July 22, we should be heading toward sunny California via Alabama, Louisiana and the few southern states that we haven't been to yet on a motorcycle. The weird part about going to California to see my brother and sister-in-law is while we are on our way to their house, they will be at or near our house for Julia and Ed’s wedding. We don’t see each other for long periods of time and now we will be leaving them in Ohio and heading their way to San Diego. Is this not my luck? Well for me it is good luck at that. I don’t get to see my brother Denny and sister-in-law, Sher, very often so we will see them with the rest of my siblings at the wedding, then get to have him and Sher all to ourselves in California.

From Chula Vista – south of San Diego, we will head on up the Pacific Coast Highway. While most people who travel this road go from north to south, we will be going from south to north and end up - who knows… maybe Vancouver or maybe in a Walmart Parking lot -- eeeegads I hope not! We hope to make this more of a relaxing vacation and if all goes well, we can send some pictures of The PCH scenery to you.

Each year I dedicate our vacations to someone very special who has touched our lives one way or another in a positive way. This year I want to dedicate this trip to our biggest fan that read all our journals many times over - far after our trip was over. This lovely lady passed away a couple weeks ago very suddenly and I wasn’t able to attend her wake or funeral. So my tribute this year is for Ruth Sanders. Ruth was a positive, kind, loving person who was a good friend of our family. {Ruth is my sister-in-law’s mother, and we met her and Linda's dad, Art, when Bob and Linda were getting married many years ago.} Ruth and Art were good friends of my mom and dad and our whole family had an enjoyable relationship with them. We had some wacky, entertaining, times together but that could be a whole other book of various fun-filled stories.
So Ruth, grab Art and we are taking you out to Sunny California via god-only-knows-where-else with us. It should be brutally hot especially when we cross through the desert - so get your sunscreen, light clothes, baseball hat, water, and camera and prepare for what should be a wonderful adventure. Remember our 2003 Goldwing has over 105,000 miles on it so anything can happen.

One Week Before:

Together Ed and I changed the spark plugs on the bike. We had to set the foot-pounds with the torque wrench we have in our tools but the torque wrench that we have doesn't show that small amount of torque you need to tighten up the plugs. It is an incredibly light amount of torque you use to tighten up these plugs so Ed used his own idea of torque on them. Hope it works. We got a new back tire put on and Bob Gerberich, formerly known as Wadsworth Transmission and probably now known as B & L Racing Company, checked the bike out real well and assured us we won't break down in the desert. Ed told Motorcycle Bob that if we breakdown - especially in the desert, he would have to deal with me. He laughed but when he saw the look on my face, he just cleared his throat and told us we would be fine. I told you before, the older I get the more I fear the hotter weather. I don't know why but I just can't take heat like I used to. 92 degrees is the limit on the bike with the sun out - anything after that Ed should fear for his life.

We have to change the oil and wash the bike tonight. Our little trailer, Babalou, will be in the garage as well so we can start putting that together, too.

Ed will pick up the triptix from AAA today and it seems like everything is falling in to place. I'm getting my act together trying to make sure I have everything I need. It never fails, even though I have a list and check off everything I need to take with us, there is always something I forget to take. My mind is on the heat so I am packing like I'm going to the Middle East. Ugh, do I need to wear a burka? Watch now we will have a cool wave and I won't be warm enough. Hmmm that sounds ok right about now...