Happiness

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Babies are Here.

Nora and Elsa arrived today.   Weighing in at 6.9 & 7.10.  I haven't held them yet, just saw pictures.   I am so relieved they are here.  Will update later.  I also need to finish up the vacation trike trip.   Beka was so miserable the last few weeks cause she was so big.  

Trip 2014 continued.

June 26, 2014 we left Coeur D Alene and turned south to go on into Washington State.   We entered Washington near Colfax on Hwy 272 going on south to Kennewich and eventually getting on hwy 14, the scenic route, on the southern border of Washington by the Columbia River. We did stop in Kennewich to wait on another thunderstorm to  pass through and it just SO HAPPENED there was a Starbucks there and we treated ourselves to a rest and good coffee.   Skip doesn't drink coffee or Frappes but the rest of us sure do.   So we waited for the storm and enjoyed our drink then started on our way.


We try to get the State sign when entering the next state. 

Skip & Cheryl   They are tough riders!!  Trike buddies

The Columbia river borders Washington and Oregon so we drove on the Washington side for most of the drive.   We had to cross into Oregon to gas up and for our hotel stay that night.  The Dalles was a rather large city and most of the hotels were booked up so we finally settled for one that wasn't our first choice.    It could of been better, but was clean enough.  We were all tired and ready to rest.   We went to Shari's Restaurant that night, it was within walking distance so we stretched our legs a little.   Feels good just to walk some after being on the bike for so many hours. 



after breakfast stop

We stopped for breakfast before going through Portland Oregon.  It started raining on us that morning but not too hard.  I really can't complain much because after 11 days of almost perfect weather a little rain was expected.   I also had heard that it rains in Oregon a lot.   We had decided to continue on Hwy 84 on the Oregon side when we got up that morning since we were going to have to cross over soon anyway.   It did stop raining while we were in the heavy traffic of Portland, Thank GOD above.   It was really hectic going through that large city and kept busy for a long time.    We were on hwy 26 going toward Seaside Oregon on the coast. 

The moss on the trees looked strange to us

we were happy to be at the Oregon Coast. 

We drove Hwy 101 in Oregon hoping to see the ocean and some beautiful scenery.  WRONG.... I was disappointed big time.  Mostly for miles all you could see was the forest.  We had driven the California coast a few years back and I was expecting some of the same scenery as before but sad to say I felt cheated.   I had been looking forward to this drive for months and all we could see, for the most part was trees.   There were areas that you could drive out to a section for a little ways and see the ocean but not from the main highway.   Although there were a few places that opened up on 101 for some fantastic views.  

These types of views are what get me excited.   Beautiful
 

 That night we stayed in Florence, Oregon.  Our hotel room was like a house, large living room with sofa and chair.   It was a nicer room than we had been having.   Jan and I went to a restaurant in another part of the town down under the bridge.  It was apparently a popular place, there were lots of people there.   The food was kinda unusual also. 

 

2014 Trike trip continued

Ok we woke up June 23 in Red Lodge Montana at The Pollard Hotel.  Went down to the dining room for breakfast.  It was very nice and well served.  Jed came by again to check on us and make sure all was well.   Afterward we suited up in all our warm gear and headed for Bear Tooth Highway.  We stopped at the sign to get our usual picture 

This has been a long planned trip so we have to have our memories.  Anyway as old as we are getting we have to have these pictures to remember stuff.  I also lost one of my gloves at the sign stop which really made me upset.  The gloves were the kind that had special fingertips that allowed you use your phone.  They were also a gift from my daughter.   So I really hated losing one glove.  Oh well, we were miles on the highway before I realized I had lost it.  The views from the pass were beautiful and COLD.  I asked why does all the pretty territory exist in cold country.  It was 104  degrees in Live Oak and I was freezing in Montana.  

We stopped at a few places and just took in the beauty of the place.  It was a great ride, I just wish it was warmer. I am a hot weather person and want my shorts and flip flops.   We finished up Beartooth Highway Pass with Skip and Cheryl in the lead and headed into Yellowstone. We passed into one of the North entrances of Yellowstone and managed to see a good portion of

Yellowstone, three bears, tons of buffalo and a few deer.  We have all toured there so didn't spend a lot of time site seeing.  We were trying to get to the west entrance to hear through Idaho and up to Coeur D Alene, a place that was recommend to Skip.  The drive through Idaho was awesome.  

On a couple of differet times we passed portable coffee shops and took a stretch and enjoyed a hot drink 

Cheryl loves her coffee and I'm right there with her.   Always ready to stop for a hot drink.   On to Coeur D Alene and the sites awaiting. The lake was huge and the entire drive up was beside the lake.  A pretty drive. 

Went to find something to eat after getting checked into our hotel.  There were a million people in this town and many were really strange. We found a restaurant and our waitress had several piercings on her face but she did get her job done.  We people watched while we ate and saw lots of "different" people. 

Well you can't read a book by it's cover so I'm not judging.  😊

Beautiful Country.

We left Custer SD bright and early this morning.  Skip and Cheryl are leading the way today.  It's a little more relaxing when you follow.   The first stop was for Coffee at a cute little shop by the road. 

We continued on north passing by The Crazy Horse Monument and Mt Rushmore.  All of us has visited these places before so we didn't stop.  We decided to stop for breakfast in Deadwood at The Silverado Casino and wow, what a breakfast!!! Any and everything you could think of was on the buffet.  

Oh did I say that we passed through Deadwood and had to have a quick picture of the welcome sign.  From Spearfish, SD we went through Belle Fourche and on into Wyoming where we eventually ended up in Buffalo at the Big Horn Motel where we stayed the night.  The Motel was OK but had lots of room for improvement..... We went to eat at a very good restaurant called, Winchesters Steakhouse.  I had scallop scampi and Jan ordered the top sirloin cut and we shared.  As did Skip and Cheryl.   We had dessert that come with the meal, maple nut ice cream, (Cheryl's favorite) delicious.   We were all stuffed.  The food and the price were very satisfying.  👍

We left Buffalo under overcast, threatening rain skies headed for Red Lodge, Montana taking a long way around for a scenic route.  Had to suite up going over the mountain pass.

We went through Ten Sleep where I had hopes to revisit a restaurant that we had been to on another one of our trips

But ended up being closed so we ate here instead.  Served a delicious breakfast with great service.

We left and headed for Thermopolis which was south of us, just to pass the time and sitesee some. We were dodging rainstorms the entire day.  We saw the worlds largest mineral spring in Thermopolis which was very interesting. 

After Thermopolis we headed in toward Cody but had to wait for a storm to pass through.😁. The temperature wasn't to cold now it was just the threat of rain.  I don't like riding in rain for several reasons so we try to avoid it if we can.

 On to Red Lodge where we stayed here at The Pollard with all the history of the little town packed into it. 

We had a great cup of coffee and Frapp at The best coffee shop in town.  We also at supper at the Hotel Pub where Jed treated us to coffee and dessert.  He made the Pub experience unforgettable. 

Trike trip 2014 to Bear Tooth Highway in Montana

6-16-2014 Well it is the time of year we climb on our trike and take off on another one #janandsarahadventures.  

This year we are going to Montana and riding the Bear Tooth Highway.  We left Live Oak under blue skies and headed toward Georgia and on up through Alabama with the weather getting hotter by the hour.  We traveled longer than planned, but, hey, when you have daylight and no rain in sight you have to make the best of the time.   By the time we stopped in Cullman, Alabama we had to be peeled off our seats.   We found a hotel, Comfort Inn and Suites and literally fell into bed.   I believe I was asleep by 8:30 and of course going to sleep that early only meant that I was awake at 3:30.  So after trying and trying to get back asleep I finally got out of bed and started getting dressed, as did Jan.  We were on the bike early and on our way again.  We headed out toward Mississippi, Tenn and Arkansas.  We stopped to eat lunch at a hometown restaurant and had some pretty good catfish, not as good as Jan's catfish, but good.   On the road again we eventually stopped in Mammoth Springs Arkansas and checked out the 10th largest spring in the world   It is really a pretty site, and cooled us off for a few minutes. 

We road on into Missouri and through the Ozarks, well more like back and fourth through the Ozarks. We ended up that night in Lebanon at the Super 8 Hotel and had another catfish meal at Dowd's Restaurant.  Up bright and early the next morning and on the road into Iowa.  Well let me tell you this day was one for the record book, in my record book.... The wind was awful.  I kept thinking we must be in Kansas, but I knew better.  I was tossed around so much my neck was hurting from trying to sit up.  Jan was really having to hold the bike steady so we didn't get blown off the road.  I was NOT happy that day. We had a straight highway west that was taking us into Nebraska and the wind was making for a long hard day.   All this time we prayed for good weather and no rain, which we had.  I knew GOD had a reason for the wind but I wasn't any happier knowing that.  I hate the wind to blow anytime but especially when I'm on the back of a motorcycle going 60 mph.  Jan and I had to hold on to our heads all that day.  

After making into Council Bluffs we found a Heaven sent Starbucks where we got us a cold drink and made hotel reservations for the night. 

We have been able to use some of our Wyndham points for our hotel stays but this night the College World Series was in Omaha and we were right there at NE and the hotels we not allowing discounts or points so we paid too much for that small room.  

Another early departure so we could hopefully miss the storms that were headed that way.   We were on the bike by 6:00am that morning with a worried mindset about bad weather.  Jan and I pray each day befor the get on the bike and this morning was no exception. The chances of missing the rain looked slim so we figured we would go as far as possible and then try to find shelter.  But you know GOD just took us right on through and we never even felt a drop of rain.  It looked enevitiable that we would get wet but we had sunny skies all that day. Praise GOD for HIS care and mercy.

We rode through the entire state of Nebraska and spent the 4th might in Custer SD 

I just love all the different colored buffalo they have around the city.   We stayed in Days Inn, which used too many points for such a small room.  But the town of Custer has a lot of history and I enjoy the sites.  

Today Skip and Cheryl made it over here and we started catching up with each other's lives.  We are at the Black Hills Mile Hotel tonight.