A Long 31 Days

Dave, Bob, Clark and all their supplies for 31 days.
It all fit in the back of that Toyota!

On August 21, my DH, Bob, left our driveway with friends Dave, Clark and Barb to bicycle from the Canadian border to the Mexican border. They drove from our driveway to the Canadian Border. Barb, Clark's wife, drove along the route so that they didn't have to pack their bags with them too! They stayed in a hotel each night. Their three bikes rode on the bike rack that was on the back of the SUV.

Bob rode over 1750 miles preparing for the trip. He rode over 1800 miles on the trip and ascended more than 120,000 feet. He rode for more than 240 hours in 27 days. (It took two days driving to get home and they took two rest days.) I can't imagine sitting for so long on that narrow seat! Ouch!

Bailey showing her 'I'm lonesome for my
snuggle partner' look!

While he was peddling south, Bailey, our English creme golden retriever and I hung out.  She loves to snuggle so we did our share of it. Towards the end of the trip, she didn't mind me using her back as a table for the laptop!

I was concerned about her because she sticks to Bob like glue! Once when he was on a training run for several days, she didn't eat until he returned! This trip, she didn't miss a meal.

Steamed spinach, steak and mushrooms.

Bob does most of the cooking these days. He was concerned that I had forgotten how to prepare more than a peanut butter sandwich. (I still bake, prepare killer soups and sandwiches though!) Before he left, he gave me some lessons on the barbecue and traegar.

I cooked burgers and steaks on the barbecue and smoked chicken twice on the traegar.

I had a lunch with Gail, a dinner with Amanda and a dinner with JoJo. Eating alone is boring so I appreciated the invitations and their meals were delicious! The grands were here Mondays and Wednesdays so I had lots of meals with friends!

To prove that I could fend for myself after all these years, I sent him photos of some of the meals I cooked. In return, he would share a scenic photo of the day. He has some great photos and even better stories about the trip!

Bacon, lettuce and tomato salad--tastes
like a BLT without the bread!

This was the salad that Gail fixed for lunch. I liked it so well that I asked for the recipe. It was a bacon, lettuce and tomato salad. I had it a couple times and found it was good with avocados too!

Evidence I did smoke chicken on the treagar.

I enjoyed cooking on the traegar, it was easier than I had imagined. I decided the chicken tasted almost as good as the master's! I think he liked hearing that his was still the best!

Grocery shopping is a task that I do very little. I had to laugh at myself. One store that I went to had been remodeled since the last time I was there. . .a couple years ago! Finding where items were, remembering to use the coupons that I clipped. . .well, it took me three visits before I had the process down! I did all the cooking, all the shopping, all the cleaning, all the preserving, all the gardening . . .well, if it was a "house" job, I did it for the first 25 years of my married life. The last 11 years, he has stepped in to make life easier and to allow me more time to spend in the studio. He is a gem!

Balloons lined the driveway for his return!

Getting to do more chores than I have done in the last ten years took some getting use to. I found I had less quilting time available. But, most of all, I really missed my buddy! The day he returned home, the neighbor tied welcome home, congratulations and star balloons all down the entire driveway.

Welcome back Papa!

On September 21, when their car pulled into the driveway, the grands squealed with delight. They ran outside to let "papa" know that he had been missed and that they were glad he was back!

Waiting for the football game to begin.

I too was glad to have my buddy home. We decided if he takes another long bicycle trip, Bailey and I are going too!

Now to get back to quilting!