Wrap up 2 - Home again

As I write this last entry to my trip, I'm taking a good look at what we have accomplished and realize that the most important thing was the renewed closeness in our family. We have all grown even closer than before, which is great. But we have also learned to see ourselves and each other in a different light.

• Dennis and I have learned that our girls are grown up. They can handle themselves in most situations with a confidence even some adults lack. And we can trust them to solve their own problems without interference from us.
• Azoica has matured into a young adult and has the skills to handle being a "grown up." She can also hold her own in most driving conditions.
• Peekaloo's strong - sometimes fierce - personality has been tempered by close-quarters contact. But don't mess with her or her family; she's still fierce when riled!
• Indi-Mac knows how to stand on her own two feet and has learned she can tackle the toughest trail... if given enough Gatorade...ammo, some chips if you have them... (inside joke)
• Bowser is a resourceful buddy and knows how to travel well. An old dog, he learned a new trick: how to unzip the tent door.
• Dennis has learned not to stick his thumb in front of a sharp hatchet. Mallets are still optional.
• I have learned that I'm able to handle my bike in most conditions without panicking... and that a gel seat pad doesn't really help much.

Now that trip is over, I considered ending the blog. However, I have another motorcycle trip lined up for November. I also realized that a lot of odd, funny, crazy things happen to us most times we ride. So I've decided to continue the blog. I won't be posting daily - trust me, my life is not that interesting, even to me. But I do intend on posting occasionally, especially if I run across a particularly nice stretch of road.


Many thanks to all that read my blog.

Wrap up 1 - Missions

Funny: "acequia", in puertorrican Spanish, means "drought"

Now that we were in San Antonio again, it was time to get all the National Park stamps we needed. We began with the furthest one, Espada, which also has a nearby acequia (aqueduct) that was built to irrigate the mission's crops. Imagine the time and effort it took to build this long, at times elevated, stone aqueduct without modern tools or transportation. It's amazing to see the 500-year (and counting!) staying power of such low-tech workmanship. In our high-tech "disposable" society, this acequia is a sobering sight.


We also ended up "breaking in" at the Visitor Center of the Espada

Settling back

As many may have gathered by now, we made it home safe and sound and, as is usually the case after long absences, the little intricacies and interruptions of daily life took over and.... well, let's just say that time slipped by. I will soon wrap up the few details left of the trip. Nothing much exciting but plenty of thank yous to post.


Two weeks at home and we were back on the road. This time just Dennis and I. We made a mad dash to Flagstaff the first week of October to pick up

Getting to San Antonio

On our way from Big Bend to San Antonio, we had the coolest ride. Between Marathon and Fort Stockton, we saw plenty of deer and cattle but the most interesting critters of the day were a colony of prairie dogs right by the side of the road. Those little suckers can move fast as fast! I saw one do a perfect swan dive into its borrow, too. Very cool.


We also went through some more Border Patrol checkpoints. By this time,

Indi-Mac's view

(This post is from one of the teens.)

I would like to thank the following people:

Joann- My Mom

Alfred- My Dad

Irene- One of our fearless leaders

Dennis- Also one of our fearless leaders

Thank you all. Also, I would like to say ALOHA!!! to ALL of our viewers!! I know I barely posted... and I ought to be ashamed of myself... but I'm not!! I was too busy having fun and almost dying!! :D I almost died climbing... Almost died hiking the Grand Canyon... Almost died sharing a tent with Azoica and Peekaloo....*shivers* Let's just leave it at OMG I couldn't get to sleep because of their snoring. O.0 Yes girls. I blame both of you for my lack of sleep. Probably didn't help that I was up playing PokeMon... but it's mostly their fault. :3 This trip has been an amazing experience. I got to see gorgeous landscape changes. I got to ride in the mountains... IN THE SNOW!! But YoManBob and Peekaloo and Azoica didn't take pictures. The bums. But it was crazy awesome because first we were in the wilderness with mountains in the background looking all awesome! And then we were in the lush green scenery of the mountains and we drove a bit more and drove through snow. It was like TRANSITION!! That is a Toby Turner quote. If you don't get it... The terrorist win. That was a Ray William Johnson quote.  Check them out too if you're as insane as I am. :3

Oh, I forgot! - #2

This series of posts will include noteworthy things that happened on the trip but I forgot to write about at the time. I will post each incident as I remember, so they will not be in chronological order.


While we were looking for Cochise Motorsports in Sierra Mesa, AZ, we had to make a u-turn. Picture me on lead, Azoica and crew in the minivan, and Dennis riding sweep (back). As I completed my u-turn, I kept an eye on Azoica through my side mirror. And I'm glad I did.


As Azoica made the turn, she performed her favorite maneuver - a curb check. Usually, this only leads to some teasing from the rest of us but, this

Shout outs! - #2

As I remember others who contributed to the fun, I will post more. 

Some may see the blog, others may not. But they were all appreciated!

In no particular order, I give you:

Teresa and Kara, who opened their home to us at the beginning and end of the trip, giving us our jumping off and landing points, if you will. You made us feel at home. Thanks!!!


YoManBob. Dude, we really would have had a bear of a time without you the first two weeks. Thanks for the driving, the wit, and the buffer between your sisters! We really missed you after you flew home. Next time, you're in for the long haul, right? RIGHT?!!!


Mark Lassiter. Thanks for all the encouragement. My very own cheering section! Dust off your bike for when we head your way, dude.


Shannon and Brian at Houston Motorsports. Not only did Shannon get my bike in immediately for some much needed maintenance but he didn't laugh (much) when I told him about my oil-less 250 mishap. Brian - such a cool guy! - spent some time with us discussing the finer points of summer riding around NM and AZ and I wish him everything except Hope! [inside joke] Make sure you send us a line if you decide to head to Louisiana. Oh, and a quick thanks to the young lady that helped us with highway pegs. She was very nice and I'm sorry I didn't get her name. Nice shop, honest people, go visit them!


Cynthia S. Thanks for meeting me along the road. Great time chatting with you face to face - finally! - and I'm looking forward to riding with you soon. By the way, the Taster's Choice tip was just the ticket. I'll look for the cooling stuff as soon as I get home.