My Riding Buddy, the bastard that moved to MKE (all jokes except for the moving part), did give me money in payment toward the loan I gave him. I am very pleased. I honestly was feeling pretty stressed the past few months as there was less and less contact. It's hard when you start to lose contact with a friend. I know many of my friends have said the same of me as I've struggled with the death of my dad and the loss of my daughter in my life.

So, we sat and talked for several hours. I feel bad that he didn't actually leave for MKE until 5:30 -- a six hour drive. We even talked for a few of those driving hours. Just as he was about 20 minutes from home -- oh, yes, he could see the light at the end of the tunnel -- he gets a call to help out at work. I got a call around 5:45 a.m. this morning that he was *finally* going home. But, guess what? He needed to be back at work somewhere around 9 or 10 a.m. I forget the actual time he said, I was half-asleep. Heck, I think he was half-asleep the short drive home.

Anyyyyyyway, we are planning to do a bike trip this October - the weekend of the Twins last game of the season, last home stand, and last game in the Dome. Riding Buddy doesn't have a bike presently (I mentioned he totalled his rocket last June), but will be selling his truck, paying me off, and buying a bike with the remainder. I'm really excited for him! He's going to look at a cruiser - damn, I love rockets! - which he believes will keep him on the straight-n-narrow. Uh-huh. It's not the bike, Riding Buddy, it's the rider. But, I digress. If he can't buy a bike, then he'll be driving over here and we'll take my Aero. Our plan is to go straight in one direction (N-S-E-W) for one day, stay the night, and then take a roundy-bowt route back. I'm really excited! He's also already trying to guilt a coworker into joining. The guilt trip is because the coworker complained that "Duluth is cold in October." Yeah, we know. We live in the vicinity. Of course, I couldn't resist the Golden Opportunity to test this guy's riding commitment. I told him that he's a baby, a whiner, asked him if he wants to be a rider, and, finally, to suck it up, Barbie!

I'm anxious to have something so fun to look forward to. It is important to have things to look forward to. Things that make you smile - not only everyday, but also when you look backward and forward.

Would you believe that when I told The Hubby the plan, he didn't even respond other than to say, "uh huh." Still, that's a whole world away from, "No, you can't go."

Later gaters and fellow Bike Riding comrades!