The best stop ever!

Good morning,
I pray the day is finding you well.

"This is the best stop ever!"

The words of my friend Chuck after he found out that the Harley Shop that we stopped at had everything he needed to fix his bike:
A new headlight.
An allen wrench that he could borrow to get the cover off the motor and adjust the ignition.
A bolt for his air-cleaner cover to replace the one he lost on the road.
He has "a vintage" 1993 Harley with an S&S motor, so most places don't have these things.

"This is the best stop ever!"

We had ridden from Duluth, Minnesota to Mankato, Minnesota. It was a hot day and humid. I was pretty rung out by the time we got to Mankato. Chuck had no idea just how good the stop was going to get.

After we fixed the bike, we rode over to Jim and Sandy's house. Jim and Sandy are my brother and sister. Actually, Jim is married to Sandy and they are my brother- and sister in-law, which means that Jim is my wife's brother. I consider them my brother and sister, not my brother- and sister in-law. Having an in-law would suggest that somewhere you have an out-law. I am not much into having an out-law, so why would I like having an in-law?

I have family: mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, and sons and daughters, grandson and granddaughter.

When we got to the house, my father and mother were there...same mindset. I will let you figure out the details.

My dad, Jim, is an amazing guy. I will write about him one of these days. Today I am focusing on "the best stop ever."

We got to the house and Sandy met us at the door. She gave me a hug, even though I was sweaty and dirty from a long day's ride. Family will still hug you even when you are sweaty and dirty. Dad and Bea were already at the house and we settled in. I tried to help Sandy make the guest bed. She was gracious, but I was more in the way than helping...so she asked me not to help her anymore.

We had a nice dinner, a dinner that was more balanced than Chuck and I have been used to on this ride. If you are wondering what I am talking about, read my post, "I have been to Helena and Back."

Dad and Bea went home. Chuck and I got into the pool. Yes, Jim and Sandy have a pool. We stayed in the pool until we were well shriveled.

We ended the night with a great conversation, sitting on these amazing leather couches that recline with a push of the button.

This morning I am sitting in the backyard looking at a 150-year-old Cottonwood tree. There are three squirrels running around the tree, doing what squirrels do. I guess they were squirreling around. One squirrel is lying on the top of the fence with its legs on either side, head flat on the rail, tail lazily off to one side. I have never seen a squirrel that relaxed before. Pretty cool.

Sandy left for a meeting and we ran out of coffee. She had made us a pot of coffee before she left. There we were, three men: Jim, Chuck, and me...staring at an empty coffee carafe. "We are grown men," we thought. "We can figure this out."

I hate to admit that it took three men to figure out how to make one pot of coffee. I made sure that the mess was cleaned up before Sandy got home.

When Sandy returned home, she asked, "Who made the coffee?"

"We did," we said.

She asked, "Ok, who cleaned up the mess."

We said, "We did."

How did she know we would make a mess? Girls...men never will figure them out.

It really has been the best stop ever. I am completely decompressed and relaxed.

It is good to be with people that love you and care about you.

I will think about this stop for a long time.

Blessings,