Stop & Go!

 Butch's new bike had arrived on the ninth!  I'd gone riding, so didn't get to opening the box until the following day.  At my husband's insistence I was tasked with getting it out of the box & putting it together.  After all he said, I was now experienced!  Not!

In the box~

I was looking forward to seeing the color, it looked beautiful on-line.  But opening the box, I couldn't see the slightest bit of the bike!  I laid the box on it's side & slid the bike out!

& the color is?

Talk about wrapped!  It was the most carefully wrapped bike I have ever seen!  Butch had ordered it from Electric Wheels of CO.  They no longer have a store front & only sell on-line but were highly rated & now we know why!  Included with the bike were at least 7 full color print outs of each part of the bike & how to assemble.  The unwrapping took quite a while!  I had remembered the process & soon had it standing upright on both tires!

Butch & Maverick - Home!

I knew Butch was making a delivery in Omaha on the 12th, but he expected another dispatch & to be leaving without time for a layover.  I was about 9-miles south of Malvern Friday afternoon, when a text came in; "Home for dinner!"  I texted back - he was coming to see his new bike, rather than his wife! :-) 

I picked Finnigan up from Doris on my way home.  We sat on the front porch waiting. Finn was so excited; the barking started the minute he saw the semi coming down the road!  We watched & waited for Butch to shut the semi down.  Finn was getting very impatient.  Butch took the below photo of him from the truck.

Finn; "Get out of there!"

 I'd left my bike on the rack of the Explorer so Butch could check it out & make a couple minor adjustments.  I'm using the rear rack until the new parts arrive.  

Missing light cover~

We also noticed my bike was missing the rear light cover, since the slip off the rack.  (I contacted Martin's Bike where I'd purchased my bike. They were kind enough to take the part off a defective light & are sending it to me free of charge.)

Butch zooms by~

After driving over 1,000 miles in two days, Butch was on his bike, headset & all!  He noticed the same comfort & ease of riding we both experienced when we'd ridden a similar model at REI.  

The evening home went fast!  I'd put a chicken pot pie in the oven & the house smelled wonderful when we came in. Finn had to have his play time - which includes a whole lot of barking & chasing around the house.  Butch left early Saturday morning for Indiana.  Our little dog spent most of the day recovering from play time with Dad.

A tired Finnigan~

It won't be long & the three of us will be out on the trails again.  This time I hope we'll be riding more together - rather than me chasing the two of them!

A Ride & A Stopover! ~

 Nights have been getting cooler, down to the mid-20's again.  Friday's daytime temp cooled to the 50's but today we were back to enjoying the 60's.  

Very dry~

There was no wind.  It was the second day of perfectly still conditions.  Unusual for this time of year, as is the warm days.  Butch had spent the night in Kansas City & was heading north to Cherokee, IA with a load of water for Hy Vee. He had time in the schedule to come home! 

Smokey in the sun~

I knew I'd have just enough time to get in a ride before he got to town.  I started out in my jacket & vest, it felt chilly once I was on the trail.  It wasn't long though before I'd removed the jacket!  The trail surface is as hard as rock now.  In places you can hardly distinguish the gray compacted surface from concrete.  The going was so smooth, It was some of the easiest riding of the year.

Blissfully Quiet~

There had been no cars parked at the trailhead by Happy Trails & I had only seen one bike rider the entire way to the park.  I was really surprised, since the weather was so perfect & it was the weekend.  Just before I reached the park, a lady was walking a beautiful dog.  A Blue Heeler I'm sure, she moved to the side of the trail.  The dog was So well behaved, made eye contact with me & stayed perfectly calm.  I had to compliment her beautiful & well-mannered companion! 

Milkweed~

Right at the entrance to the park, the sun was lighting up the milkweed going to seed.  Nature shows off its beauty in so many ways. I called Butch & he was just passing Rockport.  He would arrive in Glenwood ahead of me!  I hustled on the ride back north.  By the time I pulled in at home, he had just completed a walk up the hill from the school, where he'd parked Maverick.  Nationwide requires the semis to stay attached to the trailers at all times & I can understand why.  We have room for a trailer, but the ground would Not support the weight!

We drove to Council Bluffs for dinner - it was so nice to have time together!  It had been spring - since Butch has been close enough to overnight at home.  He'll be returning shortly for the Thanksgiving holiday!