Today it is raining and it is gloomy and grey. If not for the leaves changing color it would truly be dreary. Where has summer gone? It was here one minute and then not the next. Well at least that is the way it seems to be. July was one of the hottest on record for heat here in the Lower Mainland. August brought showers. September which can be beautifully hot or cool, seemed to just blend into August.
With the arrival of Fall, I am reflecting on the past year. This time last year we were on our Bogus Adventure and would have been in Albuquerque. It was the week of the Hot Air Balloon Festival, which we had wanted to see, but my lungs were rather uncooperative with the high altitude. Our Bogus Adventure ended as we arrived home a little earlier than we had originally thought we might.
When we were on the ferry returning from Newfoundland last year, we met a young fellow named Danny. Danny had ridden his bike all the way from Sault Ste Marie Ontario (where he lives), to Newfoundland. He was travelling on his own so we had invited him to join us for dinner. Throughout the visit, Danny had said the he would like to travel to BC. So Ray of course invited him to come and stay with us. Lo and behold, he came for a visit!
Danny rode out from the "Soo" arriving in BC around the 26th of July. Ray and Ed rode up to Salmon Arm to meet Danny and ride with him through the beautiful Fraser Canyon and eventually to our place. Ray and Danny were going to be hanging around here for about a week and then they were heading to Sturgis South Dakota for the big motorcycle rally. This apparently was something on Ray's Bucket list. I am trying to make this a reasonably short post, so will shorten up their tale of Sturgis somewhat.
Anyone who knows Ray well, knows that he is strictly a "fair weather" riding kind of dude. He does not like to get his bike dirty. And he does not like to get wet himself! He had borrowed some rain type gear from our friend Kelly. The guys set off on their adventure on a overcast morning. Well they were rained on so badly that I am surprised that Ray did not turn around and come home. Bucket List, or not! But they persevered and rode into Sturgis a few days later. Tired, wet and dirty. It was a "show" that Ray will likely never forget. Thousands of bikes. Thousands of people. Woman with "pasties" on their "you know what"! The guys actually only spent two nights in the Sturgis area before heading for home. Danny headed to Ontario. Another riding buddy of Ray's had ridden down with them, so Ray was not totally alone riding home. Tom and Ray took a couple of days to get home. Riding through rain, wind and muddy construction zones. When Ray finally pulled into our driveway he looked like a drowned rat! He is glad that he went to Sturgis, but has no desire to return. I think had the weather been better, he might be wanting to go next year!
In June this year I got myself a Harley Trike. It is something that I never thought that I would own. Mostly because I never thought that I would ride a motorcycle again of any kind and also because they are so over priced it is ridiculous! But it is a used Trike. A 2009 in very good condition and is fully loaded, or at least in my eyes it is! It has two huge trunks, so if we ever go on a road trip I will have lots of space to put my multiple pairs of shoes!
So here it is almost Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for in every aspect of our lives. It is a busy month this year. Tanya and Dead will be home for Thanksgiving this weekend and we will have dinner at Shannon and Paula's. I have a yoga retreat to go to next weekend. And Riki and Brad are having a baby next week! I will be flying down there at the end of the month to visit with the new little grand daughter and will take Alisha trick or treating.
Here it is October and what I have noticed this morning while glancing out the bedroom window, is how lovely the neighbours tree is. It is a golden yellow, almost orange. It is filled with tiny birds which I cannot see but definitely can hear. Thank goodness for me, these little critters do not start their sing song while it is still dark out. I am not really a morning person, so the later the birds sleep, the later I can sleep. And I do need my beauty sleep!
Ahhh the arrival of Fall is like a new beginning......
