Riding Like the Wind

I'm excited! Annie and I were invited to one my BMW friends cabin on Shell Lake,Wisconsin.

http://www.shelllakeonline.com/

I'm excited because Annie came along! Riding solo is fun but having my partner along made it especially nice! Of course before heading out, we had to stop at the Hitching Post so she could purchase a new pink and white Scorpion full-face helmet with matching leather riding gloves. She wore my leather riding pants and High Vis Yellow riding jacket. I told her if she enjoyed the ride, we'd go up to Duluth, MN (Bob Dylan (near Hibbing)) to get her own Aerostitch riding suit and boots. It was a nice, sunny day with puffy white Cumulus clouds and not much wind. This followed a week of sweltering heat and violent thunderstorms!!! I only had to make one stop on the way - that was to the Minnesota Fairgrounds to pick up the photograph I submitted for the fine arts exhibition. I didn't think the picture was that great but since I'd been too busy to take the time to select the right photo, I just had one framed of a MN Winter sunset with lots of Snow in the background so I could get something entered. But this picture was not meant to be. Oh well, try better next time. One small "Kenny" problem when we picked up the picture . . . it was too big to fit in my pannier bags!!! So, being a good sport Annie sandwiched the picture between her front and my back. She held onto it until we arrived at the Petersen's place in Shell Lake (about at 2 hour ride). They were nice enough to take it home in their car. Niel is a retired engineer and holds several design patents - a real bright bulb! He's been restoring a 1940 something Piper Cub for the past ten years or so. It's near completion and Wow-Wee is it ever a beauty!!! He's been taking his time and meticulously restoring every detail so when it's completed it will be just like it was when it rolled off the factory assembly line back in the day. They invited us to spend the night. We had a good old fashioned Wisconsin dinner out in the backwoods - Walleye is what we ordered. I ordered tea and it wasn't hot so I asked the waitress if she'd bring me some hot water - she came back with a warm cup - she thought that would solve my problem - it didn't but, oh, well - sometimes you have to be a good sport! Speaking of good sports . . . how about Annie? She was the perfect co-pilot on the beemer. When we leaned right, she leaned too. She was calm and relaxed (unusual for Annie) . It was Zen-like - we were one! It was fun.

The picture of Annie and me is in front of a Cheese factory - we stopped and bought some Extra Sharp Cheddar and another loaf of Cheddar with Caraway seeds - yum - yum. That was the big MN weekend! Safe and sound - another reason to be grateful . . . didn't Neal Young sing "Long May You Ride Safely?" Thanks for reading my blog!