Huckleberries and leather
We left W. Pa early on Wednesday morning and drove till we got to Brandon Wyoming. Funny thing, we got lost sort of in Iowa. Not really because I was driving and as soon as I passed the unmarked road that I knew was the right road I wanted to turn around. Hubby said keep going. I did and when I got to the parking lot where I remembered that we had once stopped and I got out to ask for directions ( I am woman, hear me ask) he said keep going and then pulled out a map. Mind you this was in Iowa, where they had big wicked nasty floods a few months ago. Floods that wipe out bridges and roads. We merely took detour because some men refuse to turn around. In the process I saw 3 barns with a big quilt square painted on them instead of Amish hex signs- is that to ward off fabric thieves??? Do you have to win a ribbon at the Iowa State Fair to paint a big block on your barn? Is this like advertising quilts made and sold here? We also saw a bright yellow bi-plane crop dusting and that is always fun to watch. Imagine getting paid to something you love and knowing you are helping out the locals too. I mention the floods because our detour was detoured because of road outages but when in rural America looking for major roads always pick the roads that are paved they will lead you to more intersections where you must choose- trust me and go paved. Unless you are looking for adventure not the interstate.
It was bike week at Sturgis. The second day we never went 1/2 a mile without seeing motorcycles, big ones, little ones, loud ones, many packed full of camping stuff, lots pulling little trailers, a few with women driving their own, many with biker babes on the back, even some with biker babes sleeping on the back- what a trick that is! I so wanted to climb out of Roxy and hop on a bike for a hundred miles or so. It was 100 degrees and I imagine that putting a clusterfuck of leather wearing bikers in a small area would have been beyond tolerable so it was a good thing they were all on bikes riding here or there. An inspiring sight that had to been seen to be appreciated. In one 5 minute span I counted 116 bikes going the opposite direction and that was at the exit for the Wall Drugstore- hundreds of miles from Sturgis.
We are now in Sandpoint Idaho. Sandpoint, an artsy fartsy town with wonderfully friendly people. A place where a 23 year old white male can go into Wal-mart and buy hundreds of rounds of ammo without even showing id or being asked how old he is but that same male is then carded when he tries to buy a package of JB weld. The huckleberries are ripe and I hear it is a bumper crop this year. They are selling them along the road and in the Nickle which is the local bargain paper. They are going for $35.00 a gallon.
Speaking of huckleberries, there was this one time...... first trip out here and we went up the mountain to scout around. I had to pee so I left the guys and went around a couple bushes cause we women need bushes and props and such. The men got lost and so I just hung out near the truck and because I am me I began wandering a bit. Came across the bushes covered with berries that looked look blueberries, tasted like blueberries and didn't seem to kill me on the spot so I picked a cap full- good thing I was wearing a cap as pockets are wicked messy for berries. When I picked the bushes close I strolled a bit farther and began picking again only to discover bear tracks all around the bushes. Good thing I had already peed or I woulda had wet pants I think. Anyway, the boys got found again and were so surprised to see my cap filled treasure. I made a pie with em- little did I know just how valuable those things are, or what great bear food.
The internet is slow dial-up. I have to ride the quad half way up the mountain to get cell phone service. Town is 30 minutes away. We are the last house on the dirt road that takes you up the mountain which is a logging mountain and for a few days a huckleberry mountain too. There a few things that could make this a better place in America, (yes, dsl is one of them) Oh and soon my motorcycle with have a new tire and I am gonna ride, ride, ride like the wind. Be Blessed!
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